Why do some golf balls have red numbers?
Daniel Moore
Published Jan 18, 2026
Red numbers used to represent 90 compression balls, and black numbers were to represent 100 compression balls. Golfers were led to believe that they needed to play certain compression's based on temperatures. Those days are long gone. The red and black numbers do not represent 90 and 100 compression anymore...
Do the numbers on golf balls mean anything?
Nothing, really. These single-digit numbers are simply there for identification purposes. Say you and your buddy both play the same golf ball—a Titleist Pro V1, for example. You want to make sure you can tell them apart during the round, and using balls with different numbers can help you do that.
Is there a difference between red and black numbers on golf balls?
Recently, manufacturers used red color numbers to indicate balls with a compression rating of 90 and the black color–balls with a compression rating of 100. Today, the red color indicates a soft feel, and the black color indicates a firm feel.
Are red golf balls good?
Why Play Red Golf Balls? Highly visible on the green and almost impossible to miss anywhere, red golf balls are one of the most popular colors to hit the golf course. Red stands out sharply against the sky, so you won't lose track of your drive.
Why don t pro golfers use colored balls?
As a whole pros don't use coloured golf balls because white balls are easier to see. Since pros depend on the game for their living it's vital they maximise their ability to see the flight and where their ball goes. Bubba Watson and Hale Irwin are examples of major champions who have used coloured golf balls at times.
45 related questions foundDo any pro golfers use colored balls?
Yes, pro golfers can use colored golf balls during events.
The vast majority of professional golfers play with a white ball, but there are some professional golfers that play colored golf balls or have special designs on their golf ball.
What do the different color numbers on golf balls mean?
The color of the golf balls being black or red go back to when golf balls were truly made to compression ratings. Red numbers used to represent 90 compression balls, and black numbers were to represent 100 compression balls.
Which Titleist balls have red numbers?
The new Pro V1x (red numbers) have 324 dimples that cover more of the ball's surface than previous generations of the X. The differences continue beneath the balls' dimpled surfaces. The Pro V1 features a lower-spinning core that will impart less spin on drives and shots hit with longer clubs.
What are the different golf club numbers?
What Numbered Club to Use for Which Shot
- Driver = 230 yards.
- 3-wood = 210 yards.
- 2-iron/4-wood = 190 yards.
- 3-iron/5-wood = 180 yards.
- 4-iron = 170 yards.
- 5-iron = 160 yards.
- 6-iron = 150 yards.
- 7-iron = 140 yards.
What does low numbers on golf balls mean?
The compression rate of a ball relates to the feel of the ball. A golf ball with a lower compression rating of around 70-80 would indicate the ball was for a lady, whereas a ball with a number of 100 would indicate that the golfer would have to swing hard to make the ball work properly.
Do golf balls get old?
Titleist golf balls have a shelf life of five years or more. Unless you store your golf balls in an environment with an extreme temperature -- a freezer, for example, or during summer in the trunk of your car -- they will last for years.
What is the difference between high and low number golf balls?
What does high number golf balls mean? The numbers are 5, 6, 7, 8. They're boxed three balls to a sleeve, one box of each number. The numbers are used to help players identify which ball is theirs and have no other meaning.
What do iron numbers mean?
Irons. Irons are generally used when you are less than 200 yards away from the green. The closer you are to the green, the higher the iron you will use. A standard set of irons consists of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 irons and the pitching wedge (PW). The 3 and 4 irons are harder to hit than the higher number irons.
Why are golf irons numbered?
Irons are customarily differentiated by a number from 1 to 10 (most commonly 3 to 9) that indicates the relative angle of loft on the clubface, although a set of irons will also vary in clubhead size, shaft length, and hence lie angle as the loft (and number) increase.
What does D mean on a golf club?
D wedges, also called DW wedges, usually range from 48-54 degrees depending on the brand. The D stands for dual, as in “dual-purpose” since it can be used for a variety of different shots thanks to its loft.
Who Should Use Pro V1x?
If you're looking for a softer feel, especially in the short game department – select the Pro V1. If you normally hit a high ball off the tee and don't mind launching a little lower, the Pro V1 is again the answer. However, the low-ball hitter will definitely benefit from the Pro V1x.
How do you read a golf ball?
It is measured between 0 and 200, with 200 being a ball that does not compress and a 0 being a ball that deflects 5mm (1/5th of an inch) or more. Most golf balls range between 50 and 100 in compression. A good way to understand compression is to consider a rubber band.
What are the different types of golf balls?
There are five types of golf ball construction and they are each based on the number of pieces used to create the golf ball.
- One-piece golf balls.
- Two-piece golf balls.
- Three-piece golf balls.
- Four-piece golf balls.
- Five-piece golf balls.
- Low Spin.
- Medium Spin.
- High Spin.
Why do golf balls have dimples?
Dimples on a golf ball create a thin turbulent boundary layer of air that clings to the ball's surface. This allows the smoothly flowing air to follow the ball's surface a little farther around the back side of the ball, thereby decreasing the size of the wake.
How do golfers know which ball is theirs?
The identification mark you use should be something drawn on your ball with a sharpie - such as a series of dots, a smiley face, or possibly a four-leaf clover for good luck - that will help you definitively say that the ball you found is your ball.
Why is Bubba Watson driver pink?
So why pink for Bubba? He first came to notice for wearing flashes of pink to raise money and awareness to various charities. When he first won the Masters in 2012, Watson used a sweet-looking pink PING driver he used en route to victory.
How many golf balls are on the moon?
There are two golf balls on the moon. They were taken there by Alan Shepard in 1971, during the Apollo 14 mission. Shepard was the first American into space, and the fifth person to ever walk on the moon… but most impressively, he was the first (and only) person to ever play golf outside of the earth's atmosphere!
What golf ball does Bubba Watson use?
In terms of ball, he uses a Titleist Pro V1x. Bubba was one of the very few Tour professionals to put a yellow version into play for a while, and he also drew a lot of attention when he briefly signed with Volvik, but at the moment he puts a regular Pro V1x golf ball into play.
What is P on golf club?
A driver, however, usually has a number such as 9.5 or 10.5 to indicate the loft of the club. Drivers are available in a variety of lofts. Wedges typically don't have numbers. Instead that have letters such as P or PW for pitching wedge and S for sand wedge.
What club should I use on a par 3?
Use a 9-iron on a short par-3 of about 130 yards. The 9-iron will help you get loft on the ball, and that's important because you want the ball to come in high and soft. If you come into the green high and soft, your shot is much less likely to bounce off the green.