What's the most used golf ball at this year's Ryder Cup?

Golf ball manufacturers spend untold sums of money every year trying to make sure that when millions of people are tuned in to watch the pivotal final putt of a major or a Ryder Cup, it's their logo that appears on your TV screen as the ball rolls into the hole. We all remember Nike's star cameo at the 2005 Masters, after all.

Few (if any) tournaments come with the same amount of high pressure moments as the Ryder Cup – this year's host course, Bethpage Black, adding further fuel to the fire with its partisan New York crowd and notorious difficulty. As such, with each player's choice of ball a huge driving factor in influencing the buying habits of golfers around the world, we thought it a great opportunity to dive deep into the golf balls most popular among the pros of Team USA and Team Europe this year – and exactly why they have so many fans at the pro level.

Titleist Pro V1x

Used by: Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick, Russell Henley, Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Young, Ludvig Åberg, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay

The most popular ball on tour by a wafer thin margin (48 players currently game the Pro V1x as opposed to the Pro V1's 47, Titleist's Pro V1x is nonetheless set to dominate staff bags at this Ryder Cup.

The split in popularity between the two models is testament to the fact that the ProV1x is by no means any better or worse than its sibling, but it tends to edge the Pro V1 in popularity among tour pros for a few reasons. Its firmer feel provides more crisp feedback around the green, while its slightly higher compression gets more ball speed and distance out of the the elite club head speeds found at a tour level. It also launches higher, produces a steeper landing angle and is Titleist's spinniest ball, helping the pros maximise stopping power around the greens.

Interestingly, the Pro V1x is also the platform for a much-talked-about prototype Titleist is currently developing alongside Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Young. Known unofficially as the 'Double Dot', it reportedly launches lower and spins less than the original model while retaining its firmer feel. Expect to see both Americans put it into play this weekend. 

Titleist Pro V1

Used by: Scottie Scheffler, Robert MacIntyre, Viktor Hovland, Harris English

Bringing Titleist's total roster of Pro V1/Pro V1x players to 13 (or just over half of the total field), four more players, including the reigning World No. 1, will play the legendary Pro V1 in its OG form this weekend.

The Pro V1 retains more of the characteristics that made it such a game-changing addition to the market back in the year 2000. It's softer and more supple around the greens, while retaining plenty of spin and stopping power. It's also lower launching in the long game, helping power hitters like Scottie retain plenty of control without sacrificing too much distance.

Callaway Chrome Tour/Chrome Tour X

Used by: Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, Rasmus Højgaard, Sam Burns

Most big name golf ball tests suggest that Callaway's Chome Tour golf balls are among the longest and highest spinning you can buy right now. This has endeared them to plenty of pros on tour right now, including the four Callaway staff players set to take to the turf at Bethpage.

The brand's two biggest names, Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele, both play the standard Chrome Tour, while Højgaard and Burns prefer the spinnier, longer and more penetrating Chrome Tour X.

TaylorMade TP5/TP5X

Used by: Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Collin Morikawa

We named the TaylorMade TP5 the best golf ball on the market in our 2025 test, and indeed most 'best of' lists tend to boil down to a choice between the TP5 and the Pro V1. It's interesting, then, that so few players on tour have switched into the TP5 – the most notable absentee being TaylorMade staffer Scottie Scheffler. 

Even so, the TP5 range does boast a small contingent of big-name players. Rory McIlroy is the most famous, having switched into the TP5 from the TP5x earlier this year. Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood both game the TP5x, the latter preferring the extra alignment offered by the Pix variant.

Srixon Z-Star Diamond/XV

Used by: Shane Lowry, J.J. Spaun, Sepp Straka

Srixon's top-end golf balls have been a staple at the pro level for almost as long as the Pro V1, and while the likes of TaylorMade and Callaway have undoubtedly cut into their market share a little in the last decade, the Z-Star maintains a devoted following to this day. 

Shane Lowry, J.J. Spaun and Sepp Straka, all Srixon staff players, game different variants of the Z-Star. Spaun opts for the ultra-low-spin Z-Star Diamond, while Straka and Lowry both play the Z-Star XV, which dials down the spin ever so slightly and provides a slightly firmer feel for more distance.

Maxfli Tour X

Used by: Ben Griffin

Yes, Maxfli golf balls will be in play at this year's Ryder Cup. No, you haven't been transported back to 1995 – rather the brand's presence in the bag of America's Ben Griffin is testament to the incredible work the brand has done re-establishing itself as a manufacturer of balls that deliver truly top-end performance. 

The Tour X is Maxfli's answer to the Pro V1x, flying slightly higher and longer than the Maxfli Tour and spinning slightly more while producing performance characteristics that most testers have suggested are virtually identical to the big name manufacturers. Not bad for less than £40 per dozen.