Does Volvik Make Good Golf Balls? – Is it A Good Brand?

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Volvik is one of those companies that most people know of; but they sort of operate on the fringes.

You may have seen a buddy or two play some of their balls during your Sunday foursome but maybe never thought to ask anything about them.

In the US at least, that’s pretty much the story of Vovik in a nutshell: most people know of them; but not very many golfers know about them. They’re a company that has flown under the radar for the past 4 decades but are a lot more popular in other parts of the world than most of us realize.

Today we will be covering the Volvik brand of golf balls and highlighting some of their more noteworthy balls. You never know, a Volvik ball could be your next favorite ball…

Brief History of Volvik

The Volvik story begins all the way back in 1980 when the company was established in South Korea where it still has its headquarters.

Throughout the 80s and early 90s, the company’s R&D department focused on making multi-layer golf balls.

In 1900 specifically, the Volvik R&D team developed one of the first 3-piece golf balls. Throughout the rest of the 90’s the company’s manufacturing operations grew exponentially. Through the 2000’s Volvik established itself as a major player in the golf ball market in Asia and in Europe.

Today, the company holds 58 worldwide patents related to golf ball technology and have recently released the Volvik Vivid – the world’s first golf ball to feature a matte finish. Volvik also sponsors LPGA Tournaments where many became familiar with the name.

What is Volvik Known for?

Volvik has been around for a long time and throughout the years, they have become known for different things.

For instance, they have been pioneers in the multi-layer golf ball manufacturing space in decades past.

But today, Volvik is mostly known for making the Vivid balls: matte balls that obscure the dimples and have a unique look. They have also been known to make balls for all skill-levels.

Quick Facts Table

Established: 1980

Space: Golf ball manufacturing

Headquarters: South Korea

Subsidiaries: Business Travel & Incentive, Inc. DIG Communication CO., LTD

How Are They on Performance?

There are a wide variety of Volvik balls on the market so we thought it would be a better idea to break up the performance into different categories:

  • Distance – Volvik makes a lot of different 3-piece golf balls that give all-around performance when it comes to distance. In general, they feel good off the driver face; but in our testing experience, Volvik balls yield the most distance off the irons.
  • Forgiveness – Some of the softer Volvik balls with enlarged cores are really great for range practice or for high handicappers. They preserve swing energy very well and will help you keep the ball on-line.
  • Workability – For workability, we really like the Volvik balls that sport a 4-piece construction and a urethane cover layer. For instance, the Volvik S4 balls are a dream to work. They play versatile off the iron and wedge faces.
  • Durability – This is where Volvik balls usually take a hit. While the premium urethane cover balls offer decent durability, it’s their lower end balls that are typically less durable than comparable balls from other manufacturers.
  • Price/Value – Volvik balls vary widely in price as they make balls for all skill levels. Their higher end balls tend to provide the best value though – and many of them are cheaper than comparable balls from other manufacturers.

AT A GLANCE

#1 –Volvik S4 – Best For Mid To Low Handicappers – Best Premium

volvik s4

Selling Points:

  • Urethane cover
  • 4-piece construction
  • 90 compression rating

We really loved these golf balls and we think most low handicappers will. They have a nice firm feel off the driver and iron faces and feature a dual power core that transfers swing energy incredibly efficiently.

In fact, according to our launch monitor, we were seeing ball speed increases of as much as 4mph with these balls. These would be a great choice for anyone with a fast swing speed.

Pros:

  • Firm feel
  • Good greenside spin
  • Low driver spin

Cons:

  • Not good for slow swing speeds

Overall Score: 98/100

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#2 – Volvik Crystal Golf Balls – Best Choice

volvik crystal

Selling Points:

  • 3-piece construction
  • Ionomer cover
  • 8 color options

If you have been following us for more than a year then you probably already know that we love urethane covers. So right off the bat, the Crystall balls get docked for their ionomer cover material. However, ionomer tends to be softer so these may be better for mid to high handicappers.

In fact, our slower swing speed testers said that they liked these balls more than the S4’s. The Volvik Crystal balls have a compression rating of 70 and sport 350 octahedron dimples.

Pros:

  • Great for practice
  • Mid-soft feel
  • Durable cover

Cons:

  • Not very workable

Overall Score: 96/100

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#3 – Volvik Power Soft Golf Balls – Best Budget

volvik power soft

Selling Points:

  • Ionomer cover
  • Mid-soft feel
  • 2-piece construction

If you’re looking for a forgiving ball with a high flight trajectory, the Volvik Power Soft Golf Balls would be a great choice. Plus you can get a dozen for just around $20. They provide good launch and are really handy during range sessions.

The distance is phenomenal and higher handicap players will love the soft feel provided by the ionomer cover. There isn’t much short-game spin to speak of; but that’s only to be expected from a budget ball.

Pros:

  • Very affordable
  • Great launch
  • Good forgiveness

Cons:

  • Shallow dimples

Overall Score: 93/100

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#4 – Volvik 2020 Vivid 3 Pc Golf Matte Balls – Best High Visibility Volvik Balls

volvik vivid

Selling Points:

  • Matte finish
  • Bright colors
  • Oversized core

If you want to be able to see your ball fly and find it wherever it lands, the Volvik 2020 Vivid 3 Pc Golf Matte Balls would be a great choice, they’re bright, and thanks to the matte finish, don’t reflect glare. The oversized core makes them viable for a variety of swing speeds too.

Almost all of our testers were able to get at least average distance with these balls – some were adding up to 11 yards. They also produce a very stable ball flight.

Pros:

  • Many color options
  • Semi-soft feel
  • Great carry off the tee

Cons:

  • Odd look at address

Overall Score: 96/100

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#5 – Volvik Vimax Soft – Best for Slow Swing Speeds

volvik vimax

Selling Points:

  • 4 color options
  • Matte colors
  • 2-piece construction

The Volvik Vimax Soft balls were made to spin low off the tee. So you get great distance off the driver face. However, they really suffer around the green. The 2-piece construction really holds them back when you need wedge spin.

But for anyone struggling with distance off the tee, these would be great. They have a soft feel too so they would be great for slower swing speeds.

Pros:

  • They launch high
  • Great initial ball speed
  • They stay straight

Cons:

  • Low greenside spin

Overall Score: 94/100

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#6 – Volvik Vivid XT AMT Golf Balls – Best for Faster Swing Speeds

volvik vividxt

Selling Points:

  • 3-piece construction
  • Ionomer cover
  • 90 compression rating

The Volvik Vivid XT AMT Golf Balls also feature Volvik’s patented matte finish which reduces glare and increases visibility; but makes the dimples almost invisible. They are surely there, they’re just harder to see with the matte finish.

This doesn’t affect the performance at all though and faster swing speed players will love the firm feel they get off the driver and iron faces. These balls roll really smooth on the green as well.

Pros:

  • Very visible on cloudy days
  • Good distance
  • They feel great when you pure them

Cons:

  • Not great on approaches

Overall Score: 94/100

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#7 – Volvik Magma Golf Balls – Best White Balls

volvik magma

Selling Points:

  • Dual core design
  • Reduced diameter
  • High-trajectory dimples

The Volvik Magma Golf Balls greatly reduce spin off of the tee thanks to the shallower dimples and the dual core design. Energy transfer is nearly seamless and our testers even noticed that they were getting less side spin than usual with these balls.

As you can probably guess though, the major catch with these balls is that they don’t spin much off of the wedges and irons. These would be great for anyone with a moderate swing speed seeking more long-game distance.

Pros:

  • Good accuracy
  • Great carry distance
  • Good fade ability

Cons:

  • Low short-game spin

Overall Score: 94/100

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#8 – Volvik T2 – Best Low Spin Balls for High Handicappers

volvik t2

Selling Points:

  • Ionomer cover
  • 2-piece construction
  • Matte finish

The first thing we noticed about these balls was the launch. They launch high and get great hang-time. Carry distance was almost instantly improved across the board for our testers. We also noticed that side spin was greatly reduced with these balls.

The combination of high-launch and limited side spin is a great one for high handicappers. The ionomer cover also gives these balls a mid-soft feel.

Pros:

  • Great for accuracy
  • Good for high handicappers
  • Surprising amount of back spin

Cons:

  • Not very durable

Overall Score: 95/100

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#9 – Volvik DS77 2 Piece Pink Color Golf Balls – Best for Ladies

volvik ds77

Selling Points:

  • 372 dimples
  • 2-piece construction
  • Pink color

The Volvik DS77 2 Piece Pink Color Golf Balls were designed for lady golfers. When we tested them, we were surprised at how accurate they were. Like other mid-level Volvik balls, the Volvik DS77 2 Piece Pink Color Golf Balls do a great job of reducing side spin but preserving back spin.

These would be a great choice for any mid handicap lady golfer who want more accuracy from the deck and off the tee.

Pros:

  • Decent short-game spin
  • Solid feel
  • Good all-around performance

Cons:

  • Poor carry distance

Overall Score: 95/100

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#10 – Volvik S3 Golf Balls – Best for Mid to High Handicappers

volvik s3

Selling Points:

  • 3-piece construction
  • 336 dimples
  • Urethane cover

We end our list with the S3 balls that almost all of our testers really loved. They provide great feedback and acute spin control thanks to the urethane cover. The 3-piece design also keeps spin low on your drive but subtly increases for your approach.

They have a mid-soft feel which is superb for shaping shots off the deck. They are also highly visible even on cloudy days.

Pros:

  • Gradual spin increase
  • Durable cover
  • 3 color options

Cons:

  • Muted sound

Overall Rating: 97/100

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Who Are Volvik Golf Balls for?

The great thing about this brand is that they make balls for all skill levels – from tour pros to high handicappers.

Are They Good for Beginners?

Yes, but not all of them. For beginners we would recommend picking up the Volvik T2 golf balls.

Good for Seniors?

Again, some of them are and some of them aren’t. For seniors, we would recommend one of their low compression balls.

Do Any Pros Use Volvik Balls?

Many LPGA and Asian Tour pros use Volvik balls such as Mi-Hyang Lee, Chella Choi and Il-hee Won.

Why Are They so Popular in Asia?

Well that’s probably because Volvik is an Asian company. The company was founded in South Korea and has close partnerships and sponsorship deals with Asian Tour organizations and pros.

Volvik Vs Titleist

Many have compared Titleist balls to Volvik balls as they seem to be the Asian equivalent. By and large though, we find that Titleist balls give the best overall performance, ie low long-game spin and higher short-game spin.

Conclusion

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It’s easy to see why Volvik is gaining more traction in the Western markets.

They produce balls that rival those of the best manufacturers in the world. What we really like is that they make a lot of different kinds of balls for all occasions and skill levels. We would definitely recommend checking out some of their balls – just be sure they fit your needs and play style.

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