Best Practice Golf Balls of 2024: Expert Reviews and Tips

Practicing golf at the golf course is not always realistic; sometimes, you will need a way to practice at home or in an open field where golf is permitted.

When you head out to practice, it’s hard to spend a lot of money on brand new golf balls and expect them to be the best fit. Luckily many manufacturers make practice balls.

These balls are great for people who have a large yard. Some practice balls are limited flight, and others are not; here are some of our favorite options for best practice golf balls across several categories.

Best Practice Golf Balls: Callaway HX Practice Golf Balls

The Callaway HX Practice golf balls come in a nine or eighteen pack, and they are a perfect solution for a golfer that needs a practice ball but still wants something that feels real.

When you work on your game, sometimes you will want to know the spin and the feel that you will get on the golf course as well. 

The HX is a soft flight golf ball that features the HEX dimple pattern that is featured on the other Callaway golf balls. The HX practice balls will give you a pretty good indication of how you will hit the real golf ball on the course. 

This set of HX balls comes with a mesh carrying bag so you can head out into the yard and get some practice time in. Although the HX is not going to fly as far as your actual golf balls can, they will feel almost the same. 

Shaun Webb Practice Foam Golf Balls

Best Foam Practice Balls

A foam practice golf ball, is going to probably be the most popular of the practice golf ball categories. The foam balls are going to perform very similar to a regular golf ball, and when you hit them they feel a bit more natural.

The other great thing about foam balls is that they are cheap, and do no damage to your golf clubs. 

Foam golf balls are great for indoor use as well as outdoor use and they should last a very long time. A foam ball can handle players that have very fast swing speeds as well.

These particular foam practice balls are also a very highly visible yellow color, these will be easy to find as you hit them around your yard. 

Some golfers will notice that with plastic golf balls they can be easily dented but the foam will keep their shape. If you want an economical and good way to practice golf at home the foam ball is a good choice. 

SKLZ Limited-Flight Practice Impact Golf Balls

Best Plastic Practice Balls

Some plastic golf practice golf balls are made rather cheaply and they will fall apart after being hit several times. The SKLZ are built stronger and they work very well.

As you will notice this SKLZ golf ball has some holes in it to help limit the flight. Although these practice golf ball will only go about 45 yards they are great quality. 

With the SKLZ limited flight golf practice balls you can also see how your ball would fly. If you are putting a large slice spin on the ball the practice ball will also tend to slice, this is a great benefit for a practice golf ball. 

The SKLZ are some of the best practice golf balls for longevity as well. If you want to purchase something that is going to be around for a while, this is a great choice to consider.

Birdie Ball Practice Golf Balls

Best Alternative Practice Balls

The Birdie Ball is one of the best practice golf balls on the market, yet it doesn’t even look like a practice golf ball. In fact this option doesn’t even look like a ball at all.

The Birdie Ball has a limited flight of about 40 yards and it truly feels like it is a real golf ball. 

In addition to feeling like a real golf ball the BirdieBall flies like a real ball. If you are going to hook the ball with your iron, the Birdie Ball will let you know. You will also get the sound of a real golf shot when playing with the Birdie Ball. 

In all honesty the first time I tried hitting with a Birdie Ball I was a bit skeptical. It looks as though you are hitting with a plastic ring and not a ball.

When you start practicing with these you will realize they are some of the best practice golf balls on the market. Another great thing about these Birdie Balls is that they are going to last a very long time.

The durable construction is built to last and although you pay more initially you will love what these can do for your game. 

CAITON Plastic Golf Balls

Best Cheap Practice Balls

Sometimes depending on where you are practicing you may lose your practice golf balls. If this is the case than the best practice golf balls for you could be something that is very cheap.

The plastic wiffle ball type golf balls are going to be the cheapest and will work best in this category. 

The Caiton Plastic golf balls are great for a new player or even kids that are trying to mess around and learn the game in their yard. This pack comes with almost fifty golf balls for the same price that you will only get a dozen with other manufacturers. 

Luckily the Caiton golf balls are the same size as regular golf balls and that makes them a good fit for those that are serious about their game.

You will be able to spin the ball well with these practice golf balls. If you are hooking the ball, you will know.

The Caiton balls are safe enough to use at home however we still thing these plastic practice golf balls are best suited for outdoor use. 

AG Limited Flight Practice Golf Balls

Best Premium Practice Balls

The best practice golf balls are not always the most expensive. However, these AG practice golf balls act like a real ball, with lightweight limited flight. This is a great choice if you want something that feels like a real golf ball but won’t damage your home or your yard. 

The AG stands for Almost Golf and these truly perform almost like they are a golf ball. You can use the AG anywhere and it is about ¼ of the weight of a regulation golf ball. The great news is that it can still spin, draw and fade like a regular golf ball. 

When the AG jumps off the club face you will notice that it has a very real response. It will feel as though a real golf ball is being hit. This is a major benefit as even the best practice golf balls struggle for a realistic feel at times. 

The only real downside of these practice golf balls is that they are priced slightly higher than some other options on the market.

If you are serious about your practice around the house this is an option that is going to make quite a bit of sense.

TaylorMade TP5 Practice Golf Balls

Best For The Low Handicapper

For some better players, practicing is a daily part of their routine. When this happens you may go through the plastic or foam golf balls too easily.

These types of players usually have practice facilities where they can work on their game or they bring a bag of golf balls to the course to work with. 

The TaylorMade TP5 Practice are the best practice golf balls for the lower handicapper. With these balls you are going to essentially be getting a cheaper version of the TP5.

In fact these golf balls are USGA conforming and some find that there is not much difference between the TP5 practice and the TP5. 

One of the best features of the TP5 is the Dual Spin Cover. With this cover you get a cast urethane that makes them both soft and durable. With a practice ball, durability is going to be one of the most important features. 

The TP5 comes with a Tri Fast 3 layer core that helps you get plenty of distance and accuracy on your shots as well.

Although these practice golf balls are not going to keep any windows from being broken, they will perform exactly like a real golf ball.

Champkey Limited Flight Golf Balls

Best for Visibility

The Champkey Limited Flight Golf balls are a great choice for golfers that are looking for an affordable practice golf ball solution that has benefits both indoors and outdoors. These golf balls are really easy to see both indoors and outdoors. The Champkey Limited Flight golf balls are strong, and they are made to last longer than rubber material. One of the things we like best about these Champkey golf balls is the fact that they spin. 

When you use these Champkey golf balls continually, they will be able to hold up over time. The set comes with a large number of golf balls, so you will be able to enjoy these for quite some time before having to replace your set of golf practice balls. 

The Champkey brand continues to bring plentiful options to golfers on a budget and looking for good solutions for their game.

Practice Golf Balls Buying Guide

There are lots of excellent practice golf balls on the market, and after a while, they will all seem as though they blend together. If you want to really separate which of these could be the best for your game, it is important to look at a few of the key features and specifications of the practice golf ball. 

Plastic vs. Foam

Practice golf balls are typically offered in either plastic or foam. The foam golf balls are softer and have a better feel than the plastic golf balls. However, some golfers feel that the plastic gives them a more realistic idea of their ball flight and direction. 

Plastic practice balls tend to be quite a bit cheaper than the foam because of the material that is used to create them. If you have a large practice center and you want to ensure that you have enough golf balls to properly stock it, the plastic golf balls could be a better choice. 

As long as you purchase quality plastic and foam golf balls, they should stand up to high swing speeds and not fall apart easily. 

Limited Flight

Almost all practice golf balls are limited flight. This means that if you are going to take a full swing, you can’t expect to get your full yardage. This is an excellent option for those who have a backyard to practice and play in. The limited flight of a golf ball can help you take full swing without worrying about doing damage to another property. 

With limited flight golf balls, it can be helpful to understand how much of the flight is being changed. If you know they limit flight by 50%, you can still track your performance a bit. 

Spin and Feel 

The spin and feel of a practice golf ball are really important for those that are working on short game. The idea behind practicing your golf game is that when you bring it back out to the golf course, you will be ready to play and practice with some more confidence. 

We find that the foam golf balls tend to feel a little better than the plastic golf ball, but you will have to make adjustments when you switch back to your golf game. 

Look for practice golf balls that offer spin. The spin can show you if you are making great contact with the golf ball and striking the ball the way you should. 

Pricing

The price of practice golf balls typically has to do with the material that they are made with. The higher priced golf balls are typically those that have better feel and more realistic spin. If a golf ball can spin left or right after you hit it, you will have an easier time seeing what it will do when you play in your next round of golf. 

Practice golf balls are cheaper than traditional golf balls so finding a good option that will fit in your budget should not be that difficult. 

Weight

The weight of a practice golf ball is quite low. This means that when you switch back to the real golf ball, you will have to adjust to the difference. We don’t recommend using practice golf balls when you are working on your putting. Unfortunately, the feel is too different, and you will end up with a tough time making the adjustments on the course. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Now that you have a good handle on all of the best golf balls on the market its time to narrow down which ones would be the best choice for you.

Depending on how and where you are going to be practicing, there are training golf balls that will work to help you improve your golf game.

Here are a few considerations to make before you choose the best practice golf ball to improve your game. 

What Material Practice Golf Ball Is The Best? 

Most of the practice golf balls for indoor and outdoor use are going to be made with plastic or foam. We tend to like when the practice balls are made with foam.

Not only does the foam have a more realistic sound at impact but it is also going to feel better on pitch shots and with your short game. 

The foam practice balls usually have a dimple pattern that is going to look like a normal golf ball.

If you have training golf balls that can tell you that your swing is causing a slice or a draw you will certainly be making progress, even when away from the course. 

The golf ball flight on a foam ball is going to be more realistic and more like a normal golf ball. If that is something that matters to you we recommend going with this material. 

Do Foam Golf Balls Mess Up Your Golf Swing? 

The problem with using these limited flight distance golf balls in your practice is that they don’t feel all that realistic at impact. A normal golf ball has some weight to it and you will feel this when you hit the ball. 

When you play with a very lightweight ball you won’t get this same weight and therefore it is not all that realistic feeling. However, you are still practicing and still working on improving your golf game. 

It is not to say that practice golf balls are going to hurt your game, you just need to anticipate that when you switch to a normal golf ball the feeling will be different.

Do Foam Golf Balls Mess Up Your Golf Swing? 

The problem with using these limited flight distance golf balls in your practice is that they don’t feel all that realistic at impact. A normal golf ball has some weight to it, and you will feel this when you hit the ball. 

When you play with a very lightweight ball, you won’t get this same weight, and therefore it is not all that realistic feeling. However, you are still practicing and still working on improving your golf game. 

It is not to say that practice golf balls are going to hurt your game; you just need to anticipate that when you switch to a normal golf ball, the feeling will be different. If you can prepare for this, your golf game will benefit greatly from using practice golf balls.

Which Practice Golf Balls Are Best For Indoor Use? 

When you are practicing indoors the foam construction golf balls are going to make the most sense. The foam practice golf balls will not insure your furniture, your walls or any item that gets in their way. They tend to leave less of a mark on your clubs than the plastic do as well. 

With the increase in home golf simulator systems golfers are looking for golf ball options that work in the backyard and in the living room.

The indoor and outdoor use foam balls also have a bit more of a real golf ball feeling than a plastic ball does. Golfers will probably feel that the foam construction balls also work well for their short game. 

Are Practice Golf Balls Worth It? 

Practice golf balls are absolutely worth it if you are going to be practicing your game at home. Think about how much money you spend to practice at a driving range and the way practice golf balls could actually save you money. 

The most important thing to remember when practicing at home is to take your time and focus on what you are doing.

You won’t get quite as much feedback from a practice ball that you will out of a real golf ball. Since this is the case you will have to focus closely and see what the ball and your swing are trying to tell you.

Can Practice Golf Balls Be Used Indoors? 

Practice golf balls can be used indoors as long as you are careful about the material you choose and the area that you are practicing. Some homes have very high-end finishes on the walls that can be damaged even if they are exposed to a foam or plastic golf ball hit. If this is the case, you should get a net to use to block the wall from getting hit. 

The other thing to be careful of when swinging indoors is that you do not do any damage to the walls themselves as you practice and swing. Make sure that your golf club has plenty of clearance and that you can swing with full confidence. Most golfers will only take a half swing indoors and work on their chipping only.

Conclusion

Most golf enthusiasts are going to want a way to practice at home. Real golf balls are dangerous and can cause some ugly injuries and damage to your home.

For the price the practice golf balls make a lot of sense. They are usually offered at a fraction of the price of real golf balls and they hold up for quite some time.

The Callaway HX stand out as the best overall practice balls. These foam construction golf balls will have much more feel and performance than wiffle balls.

They are also very bright in color so they will be easy to spot should you take them out to the yard with you. The only thing left to do now is get out there and start practicing!