The quick answer
Compression is a number for how much a ball deforms when it is squeezed under a set load. Few makers publish it. Of the makers whose golf balls we have researched, only Srixon and Vice publish a single compression number for each ball. Snell gives a range, 80 to 85, for its MTB Black LTD. Bridgestone, Callaway and Wilson describe compression in words for some of their balls. The other makers here give nothing.
Where a maker links compression to swing speed, the direction is the same: lower compression for slower swings, higher for faster ones. Bridgestone draws its line at a 105 mph swing speed. Snell, the one maker here that explains its test, says compression “shouldn’t be the deciding factor when choosing a golf ball.”
Use a compression number to compare balls from the same maker. Then choose on cover, feel and what you pay per dozen.
Who this is for
Golfers who see a compression number on a box or a maker’s site, or hear that slower swings need a low-compression ball, and want to know how much weight to give it.
What the number is
Snell describes the test most plainly: “When a ball is tested, it’s placed in a device that applies a standard load and measures how much the ball deforms.” Snell adds that the result is “a unitless figure”, not pounds per square inch or any other everyday unit.
That is why Snell lists the MTB Black LTD as an “80-85 Compression Range” rather than one number. It says balls from the same batch can test within a window of values because of small differences in materials and manufacturing. The same product page also gives “~85 compression”.
Srixon and Vice each publish a single number per ball. Neither says on its ball pages which test produced it, so a Srixon 88 and a Vice 90 are not shown to come from the same measurement.
Srixon gives a number for every ball here
| Specification | SrixonSOFT FEEL LADY | SrixonSOFT FEEL | SrixonQ-STAR TOUR | SrixonQ-STAR ULTISPEED | SrixonZ-STAR | SrixonZ-STAR DIAMOND | SrixonZ-STAR XV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price when checked | $24.99 (TGW) | $24.99 (Srixon) | $39.99 (Srixon) | $29.99 (Fairway Golf) | $47.99 (Fairway Golf) | $54.99 (TGW) | $54.99 (TGW) |
| Compression | 56 | 58 | 74 | 85 | 88 | 100 | 102 |
| Construction | 2-piece | 2-piece | 3-piece | 3-piece | 3-piece | 3-piece | 3-piece |
| Cover | Ionomer | Ionomer | Urethane | Ionomer | Urethane | Urethane | Urethane |
| Feel | Softer | Softer | Softer | Soft | Softer | Soft | Soft |
| Flight | Mid-High | Mid-High | Mid-High | High | Mid | Mid-High | Mid-High |
Srixon’s range runs from 56 for the two-piece SOFT FEEL LADY to 102 for the Z-STAR XV. Its own model comparison lists the Q-STAR TOUR as tour performance for moderate swing speeds, and it describes the Z-STAR and Z-STAR XV cores by what they give “high-speed players”.
Srixon’s feel ratings do not rise and fall with its compression numbers. It rates the Z-STAR, at 88, “Softer”, and the Q-STAR ULTISPEED, at 85, “Soft”. Cover material differs too: the ULTISPEED has an ionomer cover and the Z-STAR a urethane one.
Vice ties each number to a swing speed
Step upVice Golf Pro to Vice Golf Pro Plus$0 more when last checked
| Published spec | Pro | Pro Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | 90 | 100 |
| Construction | 3-layer | 4-layer |
The same on both: cover (Cast urethane).
Vice says the Pro’s 90 compression is “optimized for medium swing speeds”, and the Pro Plus’s 100 is “optimized for high swing speeds”. It does not treat the line as strict. Vice says the Pro also suits “lower swing speeds seeking control”, and that high swing speeds wanting “a few extra yards and a softer feel” can play it too. Vice calls the Pro Plus “a firmer four-piece golf ball”.
Bridgestone gives a swing speed, not a number
| Specification | Bridgestone GolfTOUR B RX | Bridgestone GolfTOUR B X | Bridgestone GolfTOUR B XS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price when checked | $54.99 (TGW) | $54.99 (TGW) | $54.99 (TGW) |
| Compression | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Cover | Reactiv iQ cover | Reactiv iQ cover | Reactiv iQ cover |
| Feel | Not recorded | Not recorded | Soft |
Bridgestone publishes no compression figure for its TOUR B balls. It describes the TOUR B RX as “low compression for swing speeds UNDER 105 MPH”, and the TOUR B X and TOUR B XS as “higher compression for swing speeds OVER 105” mph. Bridgestone does not say which club the swing speed refers to.
Higher compression does not mean a firm feel in Bridgestone’s description. It says the higher-compression TOUR B XS has “a SOFT FEEL and INCREASED SPIN for CONTROL on approach shots”.
Words instead of numbers
Some makers describe the core’s compression without a figure:
- Bridgestone e6 Soft: a “Softer and larger core for faster compression”.
- Callaway E•R•C Soft: a “softer, lower compression” core.
- Callaway Supersoft: a low-compression core.
- Callaway Warbird: a “highly compressible” core.
- Wilson Staff Model: a “Mid Compression” core.
- Wilson Staff Model X: a “Firmer Compression Core”.
| Specification | Bridgestone Golfe6 Soft | CallawayE•R•C Soft | CallawaySupersoft | CallawayWarbird | WilsonStaff Model | WilsonStaff Model X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price when checked | $23.99 (Fairway Golf) | $39.99 (TGW) | $26.99 (Fairway Golf) | Out of stock | $49.99 (DICK'S Sporting Goods) | $49.99 (DICK'S Sporting Goods) |
| Construction | Not published | Not published | Not published | 2-piece | 4-piece | 4-piece |
| Cover | Not published | Hybrid Cover | Hybrid Cover | Not published | Cast urethane | Cast urethane |
| Feel | Soft | Soft | Soft | Not recorded | Firm | Firm |
Wilson’s two four-piece balls show how little the words settle. Wilson calls one core “Mid Compression” and the other “Firmer”, yet describes both balls as firm: its specification table gives the Staff Model’s feel as “Firm”, and it says the Staff Model X is “Made for players who want a firm, fast ball”.
Titleist publishes no compression figure for the Pro V1, Pro V1x, AVX, TruFeel or Velocity. TaylorMade publishes none for the TP5, TP5x or Tour Response, and Callaway none for its Chrome Soft, Chrome Tour or Chrome Tour X. Costco gives none for the Kirkland Signature V3.0. Several of these makers describe feel instead: Titleist rates the Pro V1 “Softer” and the Pro V1x “Firmer”.
What the makers say compression does
Swing speed. Bridgestone, Vice and Srixon all pair lower compression with slower swings and higher compression with faster ones. Only Bridgestone gives a speed, 105 mph. Vice and Srixon use words such as “medium”, “moderate” and “high”.
Feel. Srixon links the two directly, saying the Q-STAR TOUR has “a lower compression rating for a satisfying, softer feel”. Snell disagrees: “compression isn’t a measure of hardness or feel.” Its view is that compression is “a designer’s tool” for judging how the core, mantle and cover work together.
Distance. Srixon says the Q-STAR TOUR’s lower compression helps “players hit longer, straighter shots on low-lofted clubs”. Bridgestone says the e6 Soft’s core gives “faster compression and longer distance”.
Using compression when you buy
- Compare within one maker. Srixon’s 56 to 102 scale and Vice’s 90 and 100 each tell you how that maker’s balls relate to one another.
- If a maker gives swing-speed guidance, know your speed. Bridgestone’s 105 mph line is only useful if you know your own number. A fitting or a launch monitor session will give it to you.
- Check the cover. Several balls here sit close on compression but differ in cover, which How to choose a golf ball explains.
- Play one model. Whatever you choose, sticking with it makes it easier to learn how far your chips and pitches run.
The balls in this guide
Srixon says “SOFT FEEL LADY provides an increased launch angle for a higher trajectory.”
- Construction
- 2-piece
- Cover
- Ionomer
- Compression
- 56
$24.99
See at TGW: Srixon SOFT FEEL LADYAffiliate linkSrixon says: “If feel is what matters most to you, play SOFT FEEL golf balls for maximum all-around performance.”
- Construction
- 2-piece
- Cover
- Ionomer
- Compression
- 58
$24.99
Srixon says the Q-STAR TOUR “brings tour-level distance, spin, and feel—tuned for real swing speeds, not just tour speed.”
- Construction
- 3-piece
- Cover
- Urethane
- Compression
- 74
$39.99
Srixon says the Q-STAR ULTISPEED “delivers blistering ball speeds and extreme distance on every swing.”
- Construction
- 3-piece
- Cover
- Ionomer
- Compression
- 85
$29.99
See at Fairway Golf: Srixon Q-STAR ULTISPEEDAffiliate linkSrixon’s main Z-STAR page describes “maximum greenside spin” and “Less Driver spin.”
- Construction
- 3-piece
- Cover
- Urethane
- Compression
- 88
$47.99
See at Fairway Golf: Srixon Z-STARAffiliate linkSrixon says the Z-STAR DIAMOND offers “a blend of greenside control and long-game distance” and “also delivers the unique benefit of increased spin on long and mid Iron shots.”
- Construction
- 3-piece
- Cover
- Urethane
- Compression
- 100
$54.99
See at TGW: Srixon Z-STAR DIAMONDAffiliate linkSrixon says “Z-STAR XV provides maximum ball speed for unmatched Driver and Iron distance.”
- Construction
- 3-piece
- Cover
- Urethane
- Compression
- 102
$54.99
per dozen
See at TGW: Srixon Z-STAR XVAffiliate linkVice Golf
Pro
Vice says “The Vice Pro is the ideal balance of distance and control.”
- Construction
- 3-layer
- Cover
- Cast urethane
- Compression
- 90
$39.99
Vice Golf
Pro Plus
Vice says “The Vice Pro Plus generates the highest backspin in our lineup.”
- Construction
- 4-layer
- Cover
- Cast urethane
- Compression
- 100
$39.99
Snell Golf
MTB Black LTD
Snell says the MTB Black LTD is “built for feel and control where scoring happens: 100 yards and in.”
- Construction
- 3-piece
- Cover
- Cast urethane
- Compression
- 80–85
$34.99
Per dozen (1-dozen price)
Bridgestone says “The TOUR B RX delivers increased ball speed for MAXIMUM DISTANCE off the tee and HIT & SIT performance on approach shots.”
- Construction
- Not published
- Cover
- Reactiv iQ cover
- Compression
- Not published
$54.99
per dozen
See at TGW: Bridgestone Golf TOUR B RXAffiliate linkBridgestone says “The TOUR B X delivers increased ball speed for MAXIMUM DISTANCE off the tee and HIT & SIT performance on approach shots.”
- Construction
- Not published
- Cover
- Reactiv iQ cover
- Compression
- Not published
$54.99
per dozen
See at TGW: Bridgestone Golf TOUR B XAffiliate linkBridgestone says the TOUR B XS “delivers increased ball speed for MAXIMUM DISTANCE off the tee and a SOFT FEEL and INCREASED SPIN for CONTROL on approach shots.”
- Construction
- Not published
- Cover
- Reactiv iQ cover
- Compression
- Not published
$54.99
per dozen
See at TGW: Bridgestone Golf TOUR B XSAffiliate link
Where to go next
- Golf Ball Finder: answer three questions about your budget and what matters most to you.
- How to choose a golf ball, for cover, construction and price per dozen.
- Callaway Supersoft vs Srixon SOFT FEEL, two low-priced soft balls side by side.
- All golf balls we have researched, with their latest price checks.
Sources
- Evidence: Verified
Srixon publishes the SOFT FEEL LADY positioning, its 2-piece ionomer construction, compression of 56, feel, flight and price. Its distance and spin ratings are shown as graphics, not text.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked. The page’s model comparison shows three columns (SOFT FEEL gloss, SOFT FEEL matte and SOFT FEEL LADY); the values here come from the column headed “LADIES DISTANCE & ULTIMATE FEEL”. The address is the page’s canonical address (product code MSOFT-FEEL9-LADY).
- Evidence: Verified
Srixon publishes the current (14th-generation) SOFT FEEL construction (2PC Ionomer), compression (58), feel, flight and price. Its distance and spin ratings are shown as graphics, not text.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked. The page sets the positioning line in capital letters; it is quoted here in sentence case. This is the 14th-generation SOFT FEEL page, which does not state spin ratings in words.
- Evidence: Verified
Srixon publishes the Q-STAR TOUR construction, urethane cover, compression (74), feel, flight and price. Its spin ratings are shown as graphics, not text.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Srixon publishes the Q-STAR ULTISPEED positioning, construction and cover (“3PC Ionomer”), compression (85), feel (“Soft”), flight (“High”) and price. Its spin ratings are shown as graphics, not text.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked. The page’s model comparison reads “EXTREME DISTANCE, CONSTRUCTION 3PC Ionomer, COMPRESSION 85, FEEL Soft, FLIGHT High” for this ball, next to the Q-STAR TOUR column.
- Evidence: Verified
Srixon publishes the Z-STAR construction, urethane cover, feel, flight, driver spin, greenside spin and price.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked. This is an older Z-STAR page that still shows compression 90; Srixon’s main Z-STAR page, which this page names as its canonical address, lists 88. The product’s values cite the main page.
- Evidence: Verified
Srixon’s main Z-STAR page publishes the Z-STAR’s 3-piece urethane construction, “premium urethane cover”, compression of 88, feel, flight, “Less Driver spin”, “maximum greenside spin” and price.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked. The page’s model comparison reads “CONSTRUCTION 3PC Urethane, COMPRESSION 88, FEEL Softer, FLIGHT Mid”, and Srixon’s ball selector table (https://us.dunlopsports.com/srixon/golf-ball-selector-fitting.html) also lists 88. The page shows spin as filled bars with no words.
- Evidence: Verified
Srixon publishes the Z-STAR DIAMOND positioning, its 3-piece urethane construction, compression of 100, feel, flight, driver-spin update and bars, the Z-STAR Series urethane cover and price.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked. The page’s model comparison column for the Z-STAR DIAMOND is headed “BLENDED DISTANCE & SPIN” and lists construction “3PC Urethane”, compression “100”, feel “Soft” and flight “Mid-High”, with performance updates “More greenside spin” and “Less Driver spin for more distance”. Spin is shown as filled bars with no words: driver spin 2 of 6, iron spin 6 of 6, greenside spin 5 of 6. The color pages 10360244 and 10360351 name this page as their canonical address.
- Evidence: Verified
Srixon publishes the Z-STAR XV construction, urethane cover, compression (102), feel, flight and price in its model comparison. Its distance, driver-spin, iron-spin and greenside-spin ratings are shown as graphics, not text.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Vice publishes the Pro construction, cast urethane cover, compression (90), swing-speed fit and its price per dozen. It describes the feel as “smooth, balanced” and the flight as “slightly lower” or “slightly flatter” than other Vice models; those words are not recorded as levels.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Vice publishes the Pro Plus construction, cast urethane cover, compression (100), swing-speed fit, its firmer feel, its high greenside spin and its price per dozen. Vice describes its flight only as built for “maximum control”.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Snell publishes the MTB Black LTD construction, cast urethane cover, compression range, feel, long-game and short-game spin and its price per dozen. Snell describes its trajectory as “Pentrating [sic] Trajectory”.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Bridgestone publishes the TOUR B RX positioning, its Reactiv iQ cover, its swing-speed fit (under 105 mph), its player fit (additional distance), its 320 dimple pattern and price. It gives no piece count, cover material, compression number or feel, flight and spin ratings; “more penetrating flight” and “reduced spin off the driver” are not recorded as levels.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Bridgestone publishes the TOUR B X positioning, its Reactiv iQ cover, its swing-speed fit (over 105 mph), its player fit (additional distance) and price. It gives no piece count, cover material, compression number or feel, flight and spin ratings, though it describes “reduced spin off the driver” in its technology copy.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Bridgestone publishes the TOUR B XS swing-speed fit, its feel and spin positioning, the Reactiv iQ cover name and price. It shows no piece count, cover material, compression number or spin ratings in text; the model’s feel marker is an icon.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Bridgestone publishes the e6 Soft feel and distance positioning, its core and cover descriptions and price. It gives no piece count, cover material, compression number or flight and spin ratings.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Researched
Callaway publishes the E•R•C Soft feel and distance positioning, its high-launch, low-spin claim, the Hybrid Cover name, its player fit and price. It gives no piece count, cover material, compression number or pack size.
Read from the maker’s page as displayed when we checked.
- Evidence: Researched
Callaway publishes the Supersoft core and cover names, its positioning and a list price.
Read from the maker’s page as displayed when we checked.
- Evidence: Researched
Callaway publishes the Warbird positioning, its 2-piece construction, its “extra-large, high-energy core”, that it “promotes high launch and long carry”, and a list price. The page names the ball “Warbird Distance+ Golf Balls” (2025). It gives no cover material, compression number, pack size next to the price, or feel, flight or spin ratings.
Read from the maker’s page as displayed when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Wilson publishes the Staff Model construction, cast urethane cover, feel, trajectory, short-game spin, its low spin off the tee and price. It gives no compression number.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.
- Evidence: Verified
Wilson publishes the Staff Model X construction, cast urethane cover, “Firmer Compression Core”, its firm feel, high ball flight, low spin off the tee, maximum greenside spin and price. It gives no compression number, and this page shows no specification table.
Values were matched against the downloaded text of the page when we checked.