Urethane Vs Ionomer: How To Choose Your Golf Ball Cover (And Why It's Important)

They might all look pretty much the same, but not all golf balls are created equal. There are lots of factors that affect how a ball plays, and what type of golfer it suits, including the number of layers, compression, dimple pattern and the material used for the cover.

There are two main options when it comes to the latter, with the choice between urethane or ionomer having a big impact on how your ball will perform. So let's take a look at the two in more detail...

The material differences

Urethane is a versatile polymer that offers impressive abrasion resistance, strength and thermal stability. The fact its firmness and durability can be controlled when heating and moulding makes it ideal for golf ball covers as it gives engineers more scope and precision in design and production. It is most common in the best premium balls aimed at pro and low-handicap players but also some of the best mid-price balls.

Ionomer is a polymer that is harder, more durable and cheaper to use, but it feels harder at impact and spins less as a result. You may also hear about Surlyn, which is a specific brand of ionomer, and produces an even stronger and harder cover. These materials tend to be the cover of choice for distance balls and those aimed at mid and high-handicappers.

Long game

A urethane cover will give you a softer feel and more spin in the long game. The feeling and sound of really compressing one of these balls at impact and hearing it fizz away after a crisply struck iron is one of golf’s great pleasures. It will give you more control in terms of shaping your shots and will stop quicker when it lands on the green.

Ionomer balls tend to fly further and the less spin can be a bonus if you slice or hook the ball a lot, because it will reduce the amount of curve on those shots. The pay-off is that you get less stop on your approach shots, so the ball will release more on the greens.

Short game and putting

Urethane will give you more spin and control on shots around the green, but they can be more susceptible to damage from sharp wedge grooves. In simple terms, they will give you a better chance to get up-and-down from out of position.

An ionomer ball will feel firmer off the clubface and spin less, but manufacturers are increasingly finding ways of making them feel softer, so the gap is closing somewhat in terms of feel.

Putting is a key consideration that often gets forgotten when choosing a ball, but it can make a big difference. Urethane balls will provide more feel and feedback and can come off the face a little slower, which helps on faster greens. Ionomer will give you a firmer and less responsive feel and a harsher sound when struck.

Price and durability

Urethane is more expensive than ionomer, so balls with urethane covers tend to be at the premium end of the market. That extra spend will give you better performance in general, but they are also less durable, so an ionomer ball will generally last longer.

It obviously doesn’t matter how durable the cover is if you lose a lot of balls, so that’s another thing to consider. Beginners and high-handicappers who get through a few balls in a round are probably better off saving a bit of money with an ionomer cover. It will also stand up better to hitting trees and cart paths with errant shots.

Weather and course conditions

While there are obvious advantages to the consistency of using the same ball and there’s a good chance that the best ball for your game will be the same all-year-round, there can be pluses to changing your ball based on the time of year and course conditions.

If you play through winter in Britain, more northerly parts of the USA and other similar climates, the added distance through the air of a ball with an ionomer cover when shots aren’t flying as far in cooler temperatures or running as far on wetter ground could be a real benefit. You aren’t going to lose much in terms of spin and short game because the ball will be stopping quicker and rolling less on the softer and slower greens anyway.

Conversely, if your course is getting drier and firmer in the summer and in generally hotter climates, you could benefit from the spinnier performance and softer feel of a urethane cover. Greater stopping power into greens and precision and feel in the short game and putting will likely be of greater value than distance in the long game when the ball is flying further and running more on the ground.

Popular examples of both

Some of the most well known urethane golf ball franchises include the Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x, the Callaway Chrome Tour, TaylorMade TP5 and TP5x, the Srixon Z-Star and Q-Star Tour, the Wilson Staff Model and Staff Model X and the Bridgestone Tour B.

Ionomer ball examples include the Titleist Velocity, TruFeel and Tour Soft, the Callaway Supersoft, ERC Soft and Warbird, the TaylorMade SpeedSoft and Distance Plus, the Srixon AD333, the Srixon Q-Star UltiSpeed and the Vice Tour and Drive.

Which should you use?

Use a urethane ball if…

You want to shape shots and stop the ball quickly on the green.
You have a faster swing speed.
You value maximum spin and feel in the short game.
You prefer a softer feel at impact.
You like to use the same ball as the professionals.

Use an ionomer ball if…

You need maximum distance in the long game.
You want your shots to fly a bit straighter.
You have a slower swing speed.
You value greater durability.
You want to save a bit of money on a cheaper ball.

Which ball do you use and why? Let us know in the comments below.