I Asked Our New AI Gear Finder To Recommend My Optimal Golf Ball (And Shot My Best Round In Months)

As a high-handicap golfer, I am willing to try just about anything to improve my game.

I have been trying to break 90 for some time now, but despite a rigorous winter golf training plan and plenty of lessons - I am stuck in the suffocating loop of shooting somewhere between 92 and 99 every week.

As we head towards the end of another golf season I had resigned myself to another off-season of tinkering, but then we launched an AI tool which has finally helped me to find the marginal gains I’ve been searching for.

I’ve recently been custom fitted for my clubs, so I know that aspect of my gear is completely optimised, but I have always wondered whether or not I am playing the right golf ball to help me shoot lower scores.

Enter the Golf Monthly gear finder tool… which is exactly what it says on the tin.

With a very simple query, outlining my high-handicap status, my moderate swing speed and my inability to generate spin around the green - I asked it to recommend the perfect golf ball for me… and man, did it deliver!

I Asked Our Product Finder To Recommend My Optimal Golf Ball

I have historically been a bit of a golf ball magpie. I usually play whatever I can get my hands on and, to this point, had never really considered the importance of choosing the right golf ball for my specific characteristics.

Without booking a golf ball fitting, which is something I will certainly consider in the future, the next best way to remedy that was seeking the advice of experts in this area.

I am in the fortunate position that I have access to a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the Golf Monthly team that I can draw upon at any time I wish - but that’s also the case for anyone who takes the time to read our best golf balls guide.

Every golf ball on the gear finder is rigorously tested by our experts and reviewed thoroughly to ensure you have the best possible steer on your next purchase - but the AI gear finder made that process simpler… even for me (who could feasibly type a message to the gear team any time I like).

By taking only the recommendations of our expert testers, the AI gear finder responds to simple prompts, like my golf ball query, and provides the user with a series of recommendations at different price points from our bank of robust reviews - saving you from scrolling to find the answer.

As you can see in the image below, the product finder tool analysed my cry for help and suggested I try the Srixon Q-Star Tour 2026 golf ball.

The theory behind this recommendation was very clear and well explained.

“The Srixon Q-Star Tour 2026 is ideal for moderate swing-speed players seeking premium short-game performance. It delivers a low launch with high spin on wedge shots, providing excellent greenside control without a hefty price tag.”

So, for my 80mph swing from the tee and the fairway (or the rough), and my penchant for a zero-spin endless releaser on the greens - this seemed like the perfect solution.

I snaffled a dozen and put the Srixon Q-Star Tour 2026 in play straight away - at the Golf Monthly Autumn Winter Meet, no less.

The ball's first real run out would be 18 holes at the fiendishly tricky Hadley Wood, but I did sneak in a little practice knock with the Q-Star Tour on my home course prior to travelling south.

The data, even from just nine holes at Sand Moor, immediately confirmed this was a promising match.

For context, I have played the same set of clubs since April. I have also worn the same shoes, used the same bag and trolley combo, the same glove and haven’t changed my grips.

The conditions at Hadley Wood were closely aligned with my previous rounds, recorded over the last six months, where I had only shot higher than 31 points three times in 11 rounds of golf.

When you consider that I hadn’t ever played Hadley Wood and I was under the immense pressure of competing against my far superior colleagues, I could have forgiven myself for coming in with a similar number.

I didn’t, however.

Not only did I shoot a summer 2026 high score of 37 points - I did so to finish in second place and narrowly miss out on the trophy by a back-nine count back.

I must admit, I was striking the ball well on the day. But, the flight and distance with the driver was some of the best I can ever remember producing.

My short game also felt sharp, with one memorable greenside bunker shot on the par-5 13th producing the elusive, rarely seen side spin that almost navigated the ball into the hole (albeit for double-bogey).

I’m conscious that all my prayers have likely not been answered by one decent round with a new golf ball, but it has succeeded in firing me up to pursue progress.

Golf is a game of confidence. I know that this golf ball has been recommended to me by real people who actually know what they are talking about.

Having that selection served to me by an AI tool that has read and digested all the expert advice of our testers adds further weight and I am not sure I could have achieved such an optimal switch on my own.

Instant results are nice, but more than that I now have the confidence to stick with it and enjoy the ride.

Perhaps I’ll even go back to the product finder tool and see what it suggests for my stone-cold putter problem.

Why not try our Gear Finder Tool for yourself? Like me, it could be the answer you've been looking for.