The top 5 golf balls at the Open Championship in 2026
Call us biased, but I believe The Open Championship represents golf in its purest form. Links golf, firm fairways, ever-changing weather conditions, and creative shot-making are just some of the ways the best are separated from the rest at the game’s oldest major.
In truth, few majors ask as many questions. That’s why the golf ball matters so much.
The players heading to Royal Birkdale need a ball they can trust in every condition, and these five models are set to dominate the field.
This is the least surprising model to be featured on this list. It is, after all, the most played ball on tour and has been for a while now. Titleist have also held that honour for many years, and it would be a considerable surprise if anything other than the Titleist Pro V1 was the most-played golf ball at Royal Birkdale.
For more than two decades now, the Pro V1 has been the most popular and premium model amongst the game’s best. The appeal often comes from its longer distances and lower spin rates off the tee.
Additionally, it maintains that soft feel around the greens, a category Titleist has virtually owned. Compared to the Pro V1x, it does stay stuck to the face a fraction longer for that softer touch.
In terms of its suitability to the challenges facing the players at Birkdale, the Pro V1 produces a penetrating flight that could be perfectly suited to the adverse weather conditions they are likely to face.
Sticking with the Titleist theme, if the Pro V1 isn't in a player's bag, there's a very good chance the Pro V1x will be.
Slightly firmer than its sibling, this launches a little higher and generates more iron and wedge spin.
Both Titleist staffers and free agents use this golf ball. Justin Thomas, Ludvig Åberg, Bryson DeChambeau and Matthew Fitzpatrick are just some of those who are likely to tee it up at the 2026 Open Championship.
You can expect plenty of Pro V1x logos to appear during the television coverage of the Open this year.
Like the Titleist pair, TaylorMade also has two extremely popular golf balls. The TP5 range has become the biggest challenger to the Pro V and Titleist dynasty.
The new iteration for 2026 is gamed by major winners like Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa, amongst others, in part thanks to its updated Tour Flight Dimple Pattern. This helps to deliver a more penetrating ball flight than what has previously been extracted from past editions.
TaylorMade has also updated the core in the TP5. This is their largest core, aimed at decreasing the contact time on the club face at impact. Meaning that there is increased energy retention and faster ball speeds on full-swing shots.
There aren’t many golf balls that can go head-to-head with the TaylorMade TP5x when it comes to feel. Possibly the slightly more popular option out of all the TP models amongst tour players. That’s quite the seal of validation in itself.
This is a ball credited with being soft off the face yet still delivering those desirable yardages with an iron or driver in hand. On the greens, the TP5x is said to continue to deliver and is praised for not making golfers have to work it to roll.
The five-layer construction delivers low driver spin, impressive ball speed and a firmer feel that appeals to many of the game's longest hitters.
Its combination of speed and stability could make it an excellent fit for a week of links golf.
While Titleist and TaylorMade are expected to dominate the numbers, the Callaway Chrome Tour X should comfortably round out the top five.
This is yet again another flagship model from a brand. Expect those choosing the Chrome Tour X to be going with the latest edition for 2026.
It’s a premium four-piece golf ball designed to deliver high-level performance for players with faster swing speeds – but offers players a touch more spin and higher launch.
With Sam Burns’ record in majors for 2026, this might be the winning golf ball against the odds.