Soft feel, distance or practice: which golf ball?

The golf balls here fall into three groups. Choose the group that fits how you play.

• Soft feel: the Wilson Duo Soft, which Wilson calls the world's softest golf ball. It is a two-layer ball with a Surlyn cover and a compression of 37. It comes in 12-ball packs in green, yellow, red, pink and a red and white TRK360 version.
• Distance: the Wilson Tour Velocity Distance has a hard cover, a high energy core and a dimple pattern made for drives and approach shots. The Wilson Ultra pairs a responsive core with a durable cover. Both come in 15-ball packs.
• Practice: the Wilson Staff Prem Range box holds 48 new driving range balls for the range, the garden or the park. The PGA Tour Air Flow pack holds 24 yellow practice balls with limited flight, for indoor and outdoor use.

The Wilson Ti DNA is a two-layer white ball in a pack of 12.

What the compression number on the box tells you

Compression is a rating tied to how hard a ball's core layers are, and some listings, such as the Duo Soft and the Volvik Vivid, give the number. Lower compression designs often give moderate and slower swings more distance and a softer feel, while faster swings can use higher compression. The Duo Soft sits low at 37, and Wilson says its core helps shots launch easier with less effort. The Volvik Vivid balls are rated 75, with a three-piece ionomer cover, a matte finish and bright colours that are easy to see in flight and on the ground.

Gifts and small extras

The Volvik Vivid Marvel gift sets hold four balls and a hat-clip ball marker, in Captain America and Hulk designs. For marking your own ball, the Masters Align-M-Up kit has a guide and a pen to draw a straight line on it, so you can identify it.

If you are new to golf, start with a 12-ball pack of the Wilson Duo Soft, and add the Air Flow practice balls for swings at home. Find clubs and more in golf equipment, or carry your balls in one of the golf bags.