For a skilled golfer, having the right ball is what can push you over the edge. Whether you’re a scratch golfer or a 10 handicap, you need the right equipment. When you play the best golf balls for high swing speeds, you stay in the fairway and get clean looks at birdie. Bridgestone Tour B XS golf balls sound, feel, and perform the better than anything else we’ve tried, making it the easy choice for our top pick.
Top Pick: Bridgestone Tour B XS
It’s easy to play what Tiger Woods does. It’s another thing to understand what the Bridgestone Tour B XS brings to the table. This ball benefits players who swing hard but need some help with controlling. This Bridgestone model is designed for players with swings faster than 105 mph. You can use the Bridgestone Tour B XS even if you swing a few miles less than that, but you won’t be able to take full advantage.
The outside cover is made from a light and soft urethane material. Bridgestone calls their cover composition REACTIV, and it is softer than most of the other best golf balls for high swing speeds. With this, it provides a boost in greenside control and spinning wedges under 100 yards.
So you swing hard, but want a soft outer layer to help with control—seems like a fair request. Unfortunately, crafting a golf ball that activates around the green without costing you distance has proven elusive. Not with Bridgestone and Tiger Woods on the case. With the Tour B XS, Bridgestone hardened the mantle to provide internal support and strengthen the core.
By combining the mantle and outer layer’s designs, Bridgestone succeeds where others fail. Once you’re on the course, you can feel that it responds differently to various types of shots hit with it. Put everything together and you have a ball that hard swingers can be comfortable with off the tee and around the greens.
What we liked
- Dual dimple system reduces drag while airborne, increasing roll and overall distance
- Gradational Compression core helps promote ball speed without increasing spin, which benefits players with faster swings
What we didn’t like
- Tour B line was originally for mid-speed swinging golfers, which might lead to some confusion about who the latest model and models going forward are for (golfers with swing speeds over 105 mph)
Runner-Up: Titleist Pro V1x
Titleist released the Pro V1 in 2000, while the Pro V1x came a few years later in 2003. Since then, each of the models has dominated the golf world. In recent years, Pro V1x has held a slight advantage for players with harder swings. Whereas the Pro V1 fits a larger number of golfers, Pro V1x appeals to golfers with hard swings looking to generate higher ball flight and more spin.
Using a Pro V1x promotes a higher ball flight with less roll. While using this ball, you will be attacking from a steeper angle. Because of the angle of attack spinning the ball isn’t difficult, but is also not as necessary. With this in mind, Pro V1x is an industry leader in carrying distance, a key factor in clearing hazards, bunkers, and forced carries.
When you’re a fast swinging golfer, a slight miss off the tee could lead to a disastrous shot. By choosing the high flight Titleist Pro V1x, you are giving yourself an advantage if you tend to hit lower on the clubface than desired. Now it won’t make up for your errors entirely, but rather than swinging 110 mph and having a ball that rolls as far as it flies, the Pro V1x will help achieve a more desired launch angle.
What we liked
- Titleist provides a list of players who use the Pro V1x, players who would only consider using the best golf balls for high swing speeds. Names like Thomas, Watson, Spieth, and Cantlay reaffirm putting the Pro V1x on our list
- Harder feeling than Pro V1, and a design that aids in producing spin with every club from driver to wedge
What we didn’t like
- Travels higher than Pro V1 while providing many of the same benefits, which might be a better alternative if you feel you hit it too high already
Best for Distance: Snell MTB-X
We’ve progressed past the point in golf history where there were only a few brands we could use if we wanted top-tier performance. One of the companies that have bullied their way into the conversation is Snell. They’re newer than most brands but gained a seat at the table through several models and years of high performance. This time around, the Snell MTB-X is capable of taking on any of the other best golf balls for high swing speeds.
Snell wanted to find a way to generate more ball speed and distance for golfers that already swung hard. They did this by reducing core size and reducing drag. By reducing core size, it encourages low spin, especially with the driver and increased ball speed. Put the two of these together and it leads directly to increased distance off the tee.
I know we have this listed as our top pick for distance, but a lot of the success you’ll find with the Snell MTB-X comes from how easy it is to work from side to side into the green. Just like off the tee, you’ll be generating more ball speed while maintaining your already fast swing. Even when you slow it down a little, the ball will still jump off your club.
With your irons and even wedges, a firm mantle helps you control approach shots. Even better, since your distances are naturally longer, you can club down. When you’re dealing with a hybrid or iron, or even a 5 vs 6-iron, most golfers will agree that they’d like to take the shorter club.
What we liked
- Wind does not have as big of an effect when using the MTB-X due to a low lift, low drag design
- More affordable than most of the other best golf balls for high swing speeds
What we didn’t like
- More firm than other Snell models leading to too much spin for some, but every golfer has their preference
Best for High Handicappers: Volvik S4
Just because you swing hard, it does not mean you’re a low handicapper. There are plenty of athletic people that pick golf up and can swing like crazy, but cannot control the ball. If you fall into this category, you need a ball that provides forgiveness and can withstand a 100 mph+ swing. Our choice for this, the Volvik S4.
If you’re a high-handicapper, you aren’t hitting the fairway with every shot. For the couple times per round, you knock a branch or cart path, you don’t want to have to replace your ball. With the S4, you don’t have to thanks to a highly durable VU-X urethane cover.
Off the tee, you have low spin. Around the greens, you’ll spin the ball more. With this combination, it will be easier for you to find the fairway and control your approach shots. Dual-core technology will also help you maximize distance, putting you in a better spot to attack the pin.
What we liked
- Under the radar brand for the best golf balls for high swing speeds. A good option if you’re looking to switch things up
- Great combination of control, distance, and forgiveness. Also, the balls come already marked (sort of) with shapes around the numbers
What we didn’t like
- Design still changing most years as Volvik adjusts to making high-performance golf balls
Best for Reducing Spin: Titleist AVX
Titleist AVX golf balls have only been around a couple years (compared to a couple decades of Pro V1). Already, they’ve made a mark in golf. AVX gives Titleist loyalists an opportunity to finally switch things up from the balls they’ve played for years. Without abandoning their favorite brand, they’re still getting one of the best golf balls for high swing speeds.
AVX is designed for a lower ball flight than other high-performance models. If you’re a player that hits the ball too high, and as a result end up spinning the ball too much, AVX is designed for you. When you come in at too steep of a launch angle, you’re at a disadvantage for generating roll.
If you’re someone who spins the ball hard, to begin with, these two things working against you and compound your difficulties. By keeping your ball flight lower and reducing spin, it provides a better launch and landing angle, which leads to more distance and likely more control as well.
What we liked
- Shallow dimples go even further in spin reduction efforts
- Low flight helps to perform better in windy conditions
What we didn’t like
- Better for accurate hitters, as it is more difficult to play from the rough due to low flight and spin
Budget Option: Srixon Z-Star
Srixon is on the 6th generation of Z-Star golf balls meaning they’ve had some time to perfect their design. It also means that players have liked and performed well enough with previous generations that they’ve continued to produce the line.
On the Srixon Z-Star, a mid-level compression gives you the best of both worlds. With this ball, you’re combining features that maximize distance, but also spin and control. Srixon built this ball from the core out. Going from inside to out, the ball gradually gets softer. Through this design, a hardcore and softcover allow for max distance and spin control.
A lot of the best golf balls for high swing speed tend to focus too much on generating ball speed, and not enough on control. Srixon breaks that cycle with a SeRM urethane coating on the Z-Star. A flexible layer, it meshes well with wedges and irons, generating spin (as long as your grooves are clean).
What we liked
- High-performance ball at solid value, though price will only last a few years longer as Srixon continues to establish themselves as a premier ball brand
- Provides immediate feedback at impact, and are easy to shape and control as you hit into green
What we didn’t like
- Overemphasis on spin could cost a golfer distance, depending on their typical flight path
Best golf balls for high swing speeds takeaways
Now more than ever, there is a surplus of options when picking out the best golf balls for high swing speeds. Brand, model, color—everything. There are plenty of choices, and because of this, there is no reason not to try a few different balls (every year) to find what works best for you.
In the past, we’ve been stuck with only a few different options if we swung the club more than 100 mph. Now, that’s not even close to true.
One of your primary concerns should be your normal ball flight. If you hit the ball low, there’s an option for you. If you hit high, ballooning shots, there’s a model that’s going to help you increase hang time. While some players prefer to hit low runners and other high shots that are all carrying, the sweet spot for distance is somewhere in-between. Give yourself a chance to hit it as far as you can—you don’t want to be wasting a fast swing and leaving yards on the table.
The other main consideration is spin. While some golfers have good control with their approach shots, others need a bit more help. If you want to land the ball in tighter areas without changing the angle of attack, you need more spin. On the contrary, if you find yourself over-drawing or over-cutting longer shots, you need a ball that produces less spin.
Here’s the thing about high-performance golf balls designed for hard-swinging players, they’re all good. Go out, try a few, and settle into a pattern that you’ll get used to. Lower scores will follow.