GOLF BALLS: $21-35

Edited by Mike Stachura

Photos by Jim Herity

June 2010

BALLS LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

PRICE: $27/dozen
WEBSITE: bridgestonegolf.com

TECH STORY: The three-piece design has a Surlyn cover, an ionomer middle layer and a low-compression core. Bridgestone uses that soft inner mantle to reduce the sidespin associated with slices and hooks. Also, the core's already low compression has been reduced by 8 percent (compared to last year's e6+) for a softer feel for average swing speeds.

WEDGE ROBOT TEST:
Launch: HIGH
Spin: MID

VERDICT: Bridgestone has conducted nearly 60,000 ball fittings of average golfers, so the company knows what golfers really need, especially off the tee. The e6 is a great example of that education, and we like the softer feel.

PRICE: $30/dozen
WEBSITE: nikegolf.com

TECH STORY: This three-piece ball has a blended ionomer cover, a polymer mantle layer and a softened core. The Vapor Speed has a 13 percent softer compression rating than last year's Vapor. The goal is to promote more ball speed for swing speeds of 85 to 95 mph. The advanced polymer mantle layer is designed to control sidespin.

WEDGE ROBOT TEST:
Launch: MID
Spin: MID

VERDICT: We liked the Vapor and its mantle technology last year, but this year's Vapor Speed seems a better fit for the average golfer. Especially interesting: the ball's lower compression and the effort to improve aerodynamics so the ball stays in the air longer as it slows down.

PRICE: $30/dozen
WEBSITE: srixon.com

TECH STORY: The three-piece ball features Srixon's gradational core: The soft middle gets firmer as you move toward the cover to improve driver launch conditions. The ball also has a soft inner mantle made of a thermoplastic elastomer and a thin, soft ionomer cover. Compared to the TriSpeed, the TriSpeed Tour has a slightly higher core compression and a softer cover to improve spin on full shots and chips.

WEDGE ROBOT TEST:
Launch: MID
Spin: MID

VERDICT: Mid-price multilayer balls need to meet the needs of the driver and the wedge. The TriSpeed Tour does. Only complaint: We wish it came in "tour yellow" like its big brothers.

PRICE: $30/dozen
WEBSITE: taylormadegolf.com

TECH STORY: The only multilayer ball with a urethane cover at this price has a firm mantle to improve ball speed and minimize spin on tee shots. The soft urethane cover and blended ionomer mantle layer compress into the grooves on short shots. The core is infused with neodymium to maintain resiliency at a low compression. The dimple pattern is designed to improve distance on low-spinning tee shots.

WEDGE ROBOT TEST:
Launch: MID
Spin: HIGH

VERDICT: Its firmer feel might not be for everyone, but no ball at this price point has this level of technology and greenside playability. An absolute steal.

PRICE: $30/dozen
WEBSITE: titleist.com

TECH STORY: The 1.58-inch dual core has a soft center section and a firm outer core designed to improve distance on iron and driver shots. The cover blends multiple polymers to improve feel. Designers also reformulated the cover material to increase durability. To improve ball aerodynamics, the number of dimples was reduced from 392 to 332.

WEDGE ROBOT TEST:
Launch: MID
Spin: MID

VERDICT: A Pro V1 might have the capability to do more things, especially around the green, but let's be honest, you can't do those things because you're not a tour player. So turn to this ball, which satisfies the needs of all of us who still pay green fees.

PRICE: $27/dozen
WEBSITE: bridgestonegolf.com

TECH STORY: The e5 is designed for average golfers looking to get more height on their tee shots: Its 326 dimples are larger and shallower than the ones on the e5+ to help keep the ball in the air longer. It's the only two-piece ball on our list with a urethane cover (more greenside spin).

WEDGE ROBOT TEST:
Launch: MID
Spin: HIGH

VERDICT: In our testing, the spin yielded by this ball on wedge shots is close to that of the more expensive, tour-level balls. The e5 is a sleeper pick for low-ball hitters with average swing speeds. Don't take our word for it. Go through the company's driver-oriented ball-fitting program and find out how it compares.

PRICE: $30/dozen
WEBSITE: callawaygolf.com

TECH STORY: This three-piece ball has a soft compression but resilient core. The HX Bite is different from last year's HX Hot Bite in a couple of key ways: It features a softer, thicker polymer mantle to reduce driver spin and a slightly thicker ionomer cover that works with the mantle to help produce more greenside spin while limiting scuffing and shearing.

WEDGE ROBOT TEST:
Launch: MID
Spin: MID

VERDICT: Less driver spin is good, but the challenge with balls in this category is to keep them soft and durable. The latter is where the HX Bite has improved the most.

PRICE: $30/dozen
WEBSITE: maxfli.com

TECH STORY: The only four-piece design in this category features a dual core and a thin mantle layer. The dual core includes a low-compression center and a higher-density outer core. The purpose is to control sidespin on tee shots by increasing the ball's moment of inertia (moving weight away from ball's center). The cover's specially blended, non-Surlyn ionomer provides soft feel and durability.

WEDGE ROBOT TEST:
Launch: MID
Spin: MID

VERDICT: A ball with four layers is a neat trick, and it seems to offer an admirable combination of feel and spin control in the short and long games. More appealing? You can buy two dozen for just $45.