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Best Distance Golf Balls 2026Four distance balls lined up by construction, dimples and price per ball

Updated: Oct 21, 2026Contains affiliate links

I average a score of 72 and play 150 rounds a year. I picked these seriously.
A ball is a thing that disappears one at a time. Lose 3 in a round, and ¥200 a ball versus ¥450 a ball more than doubles what you spend in a year.
As a gear nerd, I lined up four distance balls (balls built to put distance first) from 2025 and 2026 by construction, dimple count and price per ball. This is not a hit-and-compare test. I chose using only what the makers publish and real prices on Rakuten Ichiba.

Header image: product photos from Rakuten Ichiba (Ad) | Honma 2026 D1 Ball

Bottom line

Four balls by construction, dimples and price

A distance ball is built to keep spin low and send the ball forward. Here I compare on two things: numbers that show how the ball is built, and price per ball. A dimple is a small dent on the surface; their number and pattern change air resistance and lift in flight.

Prices are the lowest listed price for a new dozen (Japan-market model) on Rakuten Ichiba, pulled through the Rakuten Web Service on Oct 21, 2026. Price per ball is my own calculation, a dozen divided by 12. Construction and dimples come from what Honma, Titleist and Bridgestone publish and the outlets that carry it (sources at the end). The SUPERSOFT dimple count is blank because I found no source for it. ◎ marks the best of the four.

One note on reading the table. “Piece” is the number of layers in the ball. A 2-piece has a core and a cover; a 3-piece adds one more layer between them. More layers make it easier to balance distance and spin, but the price goes up. That is much of why the TOUR B JGR costs over twice as much.

No. 1 to No. 4: what's good and what's weak

No. 1 Honma 2026 D1. Cheap and new.A 2-piece ionomer cover with 368 dimples. Honma says it blended a new soft core that raises rebound while keeping the soft feel. The gain over the last model is 5.4 yards, but that is the average of Honma's own test at 40 m/s head speed, not a third-party measurement. Read the number with that weight. Launch is high and spin is low, and Honma writes that it is built to reduce curve.

There is a weak side. It is not a ball that stops on the green. A 2-piece with an ionomer cover is built to fly far and not curve. If you want strong spin around the green, pick another ball. It comes in six colors (pink is new this time), which is nice if you want to find your ball easily.

Great for you if you

• You lose balls often, or hate losing them one by one
• You put driver distance and fewer curves first
• You want to try a new-spec ball cheaply

No. 2 Titleist 2026 VELOCITY. A safe pick you can choose by name.350 dimples. Titleist says a faster cover and a softer core add driver distance while lowering spin in the long game, and that it is designed to stop around the greens too. It is a 2-piece. It starts at ¥3,080, about ¥700 more than the D1.

I did not rank it first because I could not explain that ¥700 in numbers. On what is published, the D1 has more dimples and even has a number for the gain over the last model. Still, if you want to play a Titleist ball, this is the shortcut.

Great for you if you

• You already play Titleist clubs and balls
• You want distance but don't want a ball that won't stop on approaches

No. 3 Callaway SUPERSOFT (2025). A soft feel.Released in Feb 2025 as a 2-piece. It is described as aiming for the softest feel in Callaway's lineup. The hybrid cover aims to balance distance, softness and durability. It starts at ¥2,880 a dozen, about ¥240 a ball.

The weak side is that I could not find fine numbers such as the dimple count. Next to the other three, there is less to judge it on, which is why it is No. 3. If you like a soft feel, the price is reasonable too.

Great for you if you

• You dislike a hard feel
• You want distance but also a soft touch

No. 4 Bridgestone TOUR B JGR (2025). The only 3-piece distance ball here.Released Aug 7, 2025. A 3-piece with 338 dimples. The core is a “Speed Muscle Core,” and the inner cover and cover use dedicated materials. Among the 2-pieces, this is the most elaborate construction.

It ranks low because of price. From ¥5,500 a dozen, about ¥458 a ball, over twice the D1. With no published distance figures, the reason to pay the difference comes down to liking 3-piece. It is for people who value the construction itself.

Great for you if you

• You want a 3-piece construction that flies far
• You choose by how elaborate the build is, not by price

3 things to do for ¥0 before you pick a ball

1. Count how many balls you lose in 1 round.If you lose 3 balls and use a ¥450 ball at 1 ball a time, that is ¥1,350 in 1 round. With a ¥200 ball it is ¥600. Over 20 rounds a year the gap is ¥15,000.
2. Look at your driver ball flight.Do you want fewer curves, or more distance? Distance balls are built toward lower spin for both.
3. Buy one dozen only.Buying in bulk can wait until you like it.

If you also want to check whether your clubs suit you before changing balls, Best Drivers for Beginners will help.

Where this ranking is weak

• These are not hit-and-compare numbers. I could not find launch monitor figures for all four under the same conditions.
• Honma's “5.4 yards over the last model” comes from the company's own test (40 m/s head speed).
• Prices move daily. The table shows Rakuten Ichiba as of 10/21/2026.
• I left out Bridgestone's SUPER STRAIGHT and Dunlop (Srixon) distance balls because I found no source for their 2025–2026 specs.

If same-condition measurements appear, I will revisit the ranking. When I do, the date and reason go here.

How many balls do you lose in a round?

About the writer and sources

Written by a gear nerd who studies golf equipment, averages a 72, and plays about 150 rounds a year.

I re-read the numbers against the sources below on Oct 21, 2026. Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

FAQ

Related reading

Best Spin Golf Balls 2026
Five tour balls lined up by construction and price per ball.

The Honma D1 2026 article
Release date, price and specs in detail.

Best Drivers for Beginners
After balls, how to choose a driver.

Sources for this article

• Golf Digest Minna: Honma Golf “2026 D1”
• Titleist: announcement of the new Velocity (350 dimples)
• ALBA: Titleist 2026 balls
• Yahoo! Sports Golf Gear: TOUR B JGR (2025)
• Callaway SUPERSOFT 2025 (retailer product description)

Last updated: Oct 21, 2026

Specs and prices are the figures published on manufacturers' official websites and in press releases, and by media outlets (checked Oct 21, 2026). They were not measured by this site.