What Vice Golf ball is right for you? Here's a guide

Vice Golf has been on the scene for a few years now, having grown from an entry-level DTC golf ball company into a full-bag catalog that now includes more golf ball options than I can count. Luckily, Vice is prepared to educate golfers by selling a 24-ball Variety Pack that includes each of their models as well as some fun designs to show off its unique catalog of colors and patterns.

What comes in the box?

Inside the Vice Golf Variety Pack you’ll get 24 total golf balls divided into eight sleeves. The pack starts off with four sleeves of the Vice Pro golf balls, each with a different color or alignment feature including the Tracer alignment feature. There’s also a sleeve of Drive, Pro Air, and Tour golf balls in different colorways. Finally, they provide a sleeve of their Pro Plus golf ball in a standard solid white color. I’ve actually been messing around with the Pro Plus on the course for the last few rounds I’ve played, and so far I can say I’m impressed (but I’ll have more details on that testing soon).

How do the golf balls stack up against each other?

The Vice Golf lineup has gotten more robust over the years with different offerings for different player performance needs.

The core of the lineup is the Vice Pro. The Pro is the “meat of the bell curve” ball. Its 3-piece, urethane-cover design provides a more neutral spin value throughout the entire bag and provides a medium-firm feel off the face of the putter for plenty of responsiveness without getting too “clicky.” This is the ball you would want to start with as a baseline for testing the Vice Golf lineup. The Pro also has the most colorways to choose from. They also offer the Tracer option for the Pro as well.

The Pro Air builds off the Pro design but with a softer compression rating which makes the ball more playable for slower swing speeds without changing the feel or spin characteristics of the product. It’s still offered in different colorways and is great for female or junior golfers who are looking for a performance golf ball that can help them produce a bit more speed.

The Pro Plus takes the Pro and adds a 4th layer to the urethane cover, which creates a firmer, more responsive feel off the face while also adding a bit more spin in the bottom section of the bag. This is the ball I’ve been testing myself lately as somebody who needs extra spin throughout the bag and I’m impressed. The durability of the golf ball has stood out to me after a couple of rounds on course, and off the shorter clubs in the bag the spin has been terrific. I have more testing to do, but so far the ball has done its job. It’s also a bit lower-spinning on the longer end of the bag, similar to how the Pro flies, which for the average golfer means straighter flight and a bit more distance. The Vice Pro Plus is engineered with a meticulously designed 336 dimple pattern structure that works to enhance the aerodynamic performance of the ball during flight to give you an edge on the course. It features increased compression of the core, inner, and outer mantle to maximize energy transfer, increased spin rate with short irons & wedges, and higher ball speeds for mid-high swing speeds. The alignment aid is designed with crisp edges that taper towards the target, useful for visualizing aim on the tee or lining up a putt. It's engineered with a 4-layer design, featuring a Cast Urethane cover for optimal on-course performance. The Vice Pro Plus generates the highest level of backspin in the Vice ball portfolio and is the perfect choice to prioritize precision. Due to high levels of spin, especially greenside, the Vice Pro Plus offers perfect control on the green. It is optimized for high swing speeds, offering the most efficient energy transfer at these velocities. As most players in the medium and lower speed ranges can benefit from the increased distance that the Vice Pro and the Vice Pro Air offer while still providing great control around the greens, the Vice Pro Plus can still be an option if you want to double down on spin and greenside control. It delivers pure feedback and resides at the firmer end of the ball spectrum. Mix & Match allows for multi-dozen discounts across “Pro” ball models, colors, and designs.

Next up we’ve got the Vice Golf Tour. This is a more entry-level, 3-piece, surlyn-cover golf ball that is offered as more of a value play than the other two. A ball like this is great for players who are trying to optimize their golf budget, or beginners who want a quality golf ball to rely on without breaking the bank. It also has a lower compression rating than the other two offerings, which means that slower speed players will be able to unlock a bit more speed, and they combine that with a much softer feel off the face so players can feel the compression turning into performance. The Tour also comes in some more fun pattern-style designs like the Tour Zap that was included in the variety pack.

We finish with the Vice Drive golf ball. This is a 2-piece surlyn golf ball that’s meant for pure distance at any speed. It’s a bit higher of a compression rating than the Pro but not as firm as the Pro Plus, so you’re going to get some feedback off the face but you’ll still be able to sense the compression and the speed as well. If you’re looking for a tee it high and let it fly scramble ball —this could be the ticket. It’s affordable at $17.99 a dozen and comes in white, pink and yellow.

The Vice Golf Variety Pack is the perfect way to test out different models and see which one best suits your game. Start with the Vice Pro as a baseline, then try the Pro Air if you need a softer ball for more speed, the Pro Plus for maximum spin and control, the Tour for a value option, or the Drive for pure distance. On-course testing is the best way to make a decision, and the Vice Golf Variety Pack makes that process accessible and fun.