Are Golf Balls Expensive? (Can You Buy Cheap Ones?)

Everyone knows that golf is an expensive sport. While some expenditures like buying golf clubs are a one-time expense, there are many recurring expenses, such as golf balls and greens fees. 

If you’re a high handicapper and lose balls on the course a lot, this is a much higher expense than you may have thought initially.

Golf balls can be both expensive and cheap. The better brands with better technology will be more expensive while cheaper options won’t fly as far or last as long. 

With improved technology and innovation, golf ball prices have risen over the years. Today, you can buy both expensive and more affordable golf balls. Which ones you should choose depends on several factors, including your handicap and your unique needs.

In this guide, I am going to break down the difference between cheap and expensive golf balls so that you know which golf balls are right for you. I will also try to give you options for cheaper golf balls that you can purchase to either work on your game or use until you lower your handicap and can take advantage of the more expensive ones.

Why Are Golf Balls Important?

Some people think that all golf balls are the same and that it doesn’t matter which kind of ball you choose to play with. However, this isn’t true at all. 

Some golf balls help with distance, while others help you with accuracy. Different construction means that some golf balls fly higher while others fly low.

Even the dimples on golf balls can affect how they perform. Therefore, it’s essential to focus on choosing the right golf ball. After all, you’ve spent time and money choosing the right golf clubs and practicing your swing. 

Choosing the right golf ball will ensure that all this wasn’t in vain.

Cheap VS. Expensive Golf Balls

If you’re looking at premium golf balls and wondering, “Why are golf balls so expensive?” I have something to tell you: they don’t have to be. 

Golf balls come in a range of prices, with some costing a couple of dollars and others costing upwards of $55 per dozen. Learning more about the differences between cheap and expensive golf balls can help you save a lot of money since you’ll know what to look out for.

Golf Ball Construction

This is the biggest difference between cheap and expensive golf balls. Cheaper golf balls use fewer layers and materials (usually one or two), while more expensive golf balls are made of more pieces, usually anywhere from three to five.

Golf Ball Benefits

Inexpensive golf balls usually only provide one benefit to a golfer, while premium golf balls cover more than a single benefit. For example, a cheaper golf ball may only help with distance or low spin, but costlier golf balls can help with both aspects.

Golf Ball Spin

Spin is a major difference observed when you compare cheap golf balls to more expensive ones. Affordable golf balls tend to have a low spin both off the tee and around the greens. While this helps high handicappers with distance off the tee, it does the opposite around the greens. 

More expensive golf balls provide you with a low spin off the tee but ensure that you still get plenty of spin around the greens.

Golf Ball Durability And Feel

Some of the biggest differences between cheap and expensive golf balls are seen in terms of feel and durability. Expensive golf balls feel better on impact because they’re made with thinner covers. This may seem counterintuitive since expensive golf balls are supposed to last longer. 

However, there’s a simple explanation for this. Cheaper golf balls have thicker covers because higher handicappers generally do a lot more damage to the ball itself.

Because of the thick covers, the cheaper golf balls can seem harder, which is great for distance. However, it is a disadvantage when it comes to impact, especially around the greens.

Low VS. Mid VS. High Handicappers

If you’re a high handicapper, you’re probably wondering whether getting an expensive golf ball will make much of a difference to your game. It’s no secret that premium golf balls help low handicappers more than they help high handicappers. 

This is because low handicappers have already mastered swinging and other golf techniques.

Those with a high handicap can opt for expensive golf balls, but they’re not going to make as big a difference as working on their swing would. However, expensive ones do help with feel at impact when choosing golf balls and may offer increased spin. 

That being said, even cheaper golf balls can help with distance, so this isn’t likely to impact your handicap in a big way.

Another thing to keep in mind is whether or not you lose a lot of golf balls. If you’re prone to losing your golf balls or them landing in the water, you may want to stick to inexpensive ones until you improve.

Therefore, I would recommend sticking to cheaper golf balls for high handicappers. Mid and low-handicappers may want to invest in some high-quality golf balls to improve their performance further. 

Mid handicappers don’t need to invest in premium golf balls because these will mostly benefit low handicappers.

In essence, the lower your handicap is and the better you are at golf, the higher the likelihood that more expensive golf balls will help your game. High handicappers won’t be able to take full advantage of premium golf balls because they won’t be able to feel the subtle differences in impact and spin since they’re still working on their swing.

Can You Buy Cheap Golf Balls?

When it comes to golf balls, expensive isn’t always better, especially if you’re a beginner prone to losing balls. Fortunately, there are plenty of golf balls out there that are on the more affordable side. 

One way of buying golf balls for a lower price is by purchasing them in bulk. If you’re an avid golfer and are going to make your way through these quickly, this is a great way to save some cash. 

However, if your golf balls will sit around collecting dust, this probably isn’t the best strategy to use.

Another way to save money is to buy used or recycled golf balls or lake balls. However, these should be used for practicing your swing and not during actual games. Waterlogged golf balls negatively affect distance, and while you can use them to practice your short game, they’re not going to help lower your handicap when you’re playing with friends.

Now that you know all about the different types of golf balls and the difference between cheap and expensive golf balls, you can make an informed decision when purchasing them and hopefully use this knowledge to improve your handicap!