10 Matte Finish Golf Balls That Promise High Performance
Matte finish golf balls are a relatively new phenomenon, but there are now plenty to choose from in a rainbow of colours including several premium-brand offerings
10 Matte Finish Golf Balls That Promise High Performance
The world of golf balls was for many years a largely monochromatic then duochromatic one, possessing a very basic colour palette compared to the world of household paints. How things have changed, for not only do we now have lists of the best yellow golf balls that include some of the best golf balls out there (including the Titleist Pro V1, Srixon Z Star and TaylorMade TP5), but we also now have a whole rainbow of colours at our disposal as well as a choice of finish.
In recent years, the high-sheen or gloss paint finish, which we’d never really questioned, has come to be joined by a growing number of matte-finish golf ball options, including, among others, certain models in the Titleist golf ball range, the Callaway golf ball range, the Srixon golf ball range and the TaylorMade golf ball range.
So, what are the claimed benefits of a matte finish? We’re not sure it’s really so much about benefits as a matter of personal taste, although several of the models below talk about their capacity to reduce glare relative to glossier finishes, helping you to focus and concentrate a little better. Some talk about how their bright colours (most matte-finish balls come in vibrant shades) make them easier to track in flight and to find, but of course, the same could be said of a brightly coloured gloss-finish golf ball!
Wilson Duo Optix
Matte colour options: green, red, yellow
This ball promises more distance and accuracy via its smaller core, while still offering good feel around the greens – noticeably softer than many balls at this price. The matte finish certainly eliminates sun glare, but it does also give the yellow version a slightly disconcerting dimpleless appearance in duller light - a minor issue relative to the performance on offer at this price.
Titleist Velocity
Matte colour options: green, orange and blue (from late 2022); 2020 model was available in matte pink, green and orange
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Velocity has long been the distance ball in Titleist’s range, and the latest model, launched in early 2022, features a core that is now a little firmer, which helps to generate more speed on full shots as more energy from impact is retained. It’s designed to fly high too, no bad thing as it’s quite low-spinning, so the higher flight adds a degree of stopping power. The matte versions of the new model won’t arrive until autumn 2022, but you may still be able to get matte versions of the previous Velocity model.
TaylorMade Soft Response
Matte colour options: red, yellow
Soft Response is one of two Response models (Tour Response is the other) sitting beneath the premium TaylorMade TP5 golf ball. It’s designed with moderate swing speeds in mind, offering all-round performance with a softer feel, courtesy of a soft but durable ionomer cover. An Extended Flight Dimple pattern promotes decreased drag and increased lift to keep the ball airborne for longer at lower spin rates.
Callaway Supersoft
Matte colour options: green, pink, red
Callaway’s low-compression Supersoft is the ideal all-round ball for those with average swing speeds. Improvements in the latest model have seen a new hybrid cover (christened a Paraloid Impact Modifier!) that paves the way for added distance and durability without sacrificing feel and short-game control. It’s engineered for a high-launch, low-spin combo in your longer clubs.
Srixon Soft Feel Brite
Matte colour options: red, orange, green
The 12th generation of Srixon’s Soft Feel model features the new Brite version in three matte-finish colours. The ball is designed to help slower-swinging golfers maximise distance without compromising feel. Srixon’s softest ever FastLayer Core is said to snap back into shape more quickly after impact for added ball speed, while reducing long-game sidespin for increased accuracy - an important consideration for many.
Bridgestone e12 Contact
Matte colour options: yellow, red, green
The feel at impact is reasonably soft, especially for a ball that is marketed for its distance gains. Off the tee, e12 Contact is as long as some of the best premium golf balls and launches fairly high, promoting better carry distance. It’s perhaps not as workable as some balls, so if you want to shape shots, it may not be right for you. But for the majority looking to dilute a slice into a fade, it may help a little on that front. It feels genuinely soft and responsive on chips and pitches, with a good level of feel for a mid-price ball.
Seed SD-15 Country Mile Matte Red AF
Matte colour options: red
The Seed SD-15 County Mile is another good-value all-round performer promising a blend of distance, durability and feel, with the emphasis perhaps on distance on account of its low-compression core and surlyn cover. This new matte red version is designed with anti-glare properties and enhanced visibility in mind, especially in dull weather.
Volvik Vivid
Matte colour options: purple, blue, green, orange, pink, red, white, yellow
It is the choice of eight different colours that really makes the Vivid stand out from the crowd. In terms of performance, it’s aimed at those with a driver swing speed of 70-90mph, delivering mid to high trajectory and spin. It does feel a little firmer than some balls to chip and putt with. Overall, a decent performer in an impressive colour palette.
Volvik ViMat Soft
Matte colour options: yellow, orange, red, pink, green, white
Another Volvik ball targeting mid swing speeds (70-90mph) and promising a mid-high trajectory coupled with low driver spin but more wedge spin. It has an extremely soft feel both to the touch (it almost feels tacky in the hand) and off the clubface, so ideal if you like a really soft feel on and around the greens.
Inesis Soft 500
Matte colour options: green, red
Targetting mid- to high-handicappers looking for a decent ball at a very favourable price, the Inesis Soft 500 combines an extra-soft touch with good all-round performance. This high-launching ball has a low compression, so those not blessed with the fastest of swings can optimise their distances via improved energy transfer at impact.
Do Matte Golf Balls Make A Difference?
Volvik, the brand at the forefront of the matte revolution, claims the following about the benefits of its Volvik Vivid model: “minimised glare on ball surface promotes concentration and improved ball-striking”, which ties in with the first perceived benefit.
However, we have to confess we’re not quite sure what this means in relation to the benefits of the new Volvik ViMat Soft model: “improved focus in matte pastel colours that give a psychological stability!”
There may be some truth in both the anti-glare and findability claims, but we suspect it’s more about being able to offer something just a little bit different that will appeal to some golfers and not to others.
Interestingly Vice Golf’s Pro Soft model was formerly available in a matte finish, but the current model now boasts a ‘new glossy finish’ in a variety of colours, so maybe the matte finish is also still seen as a potential deterrent to some.
Jeremy Ellwood has worked in the golf industry since 1993 and for Golf Monthly since 2002 when he started out as equipment editor. He is now a freelance journalist writing mainly for Golf Monthly. He is an expert on the Rules of Golf having qualified through an R&A course to become a golf referee. He is a senior panelist for Golf Monthly's Top 100 UK & Ireland Course Rankings and has played all of the Top 100 plus 91 of the Next 100, making him well-qualified when it comes to assessing and comparing our premier golf courses. He has now played 1,000 golf courses worldwide in 35 countries, from the humblest of nine-holers in the Scottish Highlands to the very grandest of international golf resorts. He reached the 1,000 mark on his 60th birthday in October 2023 on Vale do Lobo's Ocean course. Put him on a links course anywhere and he will be blissfully content.
Jezz can be contacted via Twitter - @JezzEllwoodGolf
Jeremy is currently playing...
Driver: Ping G425 LST 10.5˚ (draw setting), Mitsubishi Tensei AV Orange 55 S shaft
3 wood: Srixon ZX, EvenFlow Riptide 6.0 S 50g shaft
Hybrid: Ping G425 17˚, Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro Orange 80 S shaft
Irons 3- to 8-iron: Ping i525, True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 R300 shafts
Irons 9-iron and PW: Honma TWorld TW747Vx, Nippon NS Pro regular shaft
Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 50˚ and 54˚, 12˚ bounce, True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 R300 shafts
Putter: Kramski HPP 325
Ball: Any premium ball I can find in a charity shop or similar (or out on the course!)
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