Vice Golf Balls — Every Model Compared and Tested

Vice sells four balls, each targeting a different golfer. The Pro is the flagship — 3-piece urethane cover, 75 compression, designed for 85-105 mph swing speeds. The Pro Plus is the distance model — higher compression (85), lower spin off the driver, built for 95+ mph. The Pro Soft is the feel model — lower compression (65), softer at impact, suited for 80-95 mph. The Drive is the budget entry — 2-piece ionomer, 55 compression, designed for beginners and slower swing speeds. All four are manufactured in quality factories (the same ones that produce some Japanese-market premium balls) and sold direct at roughly 35-40% below retail-equivalent pricing. The question is not whether Vice is legitimate — it is — but which model fits your game. See the compression chart for where each Vice model sits relative to the full market.

The Vice Pro is the ball I reached for most often during testing. Off the driver at 92 mph, carry was within 2 yards of the Pro V1 baseline — 218 vs 220 yards on average. Greenside spin was genuinely impressive: on 50-yard pitch shots, the Vice Pro checked and released similarly to the Pro V1, with only a slightly wider dispersion window. The feel on putts and chips was soft and responsive — I could not distinguish it from the Pro V1 blindfolded. After 18 holes, the cover showed normal ball marks but no cuts or significant scuffing. At $35/dozen vs $55 for the Pro V1, the savings are $20 per dozen — roughly $80-100 per season for a golfer who buys 4-5 dozen. The performance gap, if there is one, is smaller than the price gap.

The Pro Plus is Vice's answer to the Pro V1x and TP5x — higher compression (85), lower driver spin, and a firmer feel designed for swing speeds above 95 mph. At my 92 mph swing speed, the Pro Plus carried 222 yards vs 220 for the standard Pro — a marginal gain. The firmer feel off the driver was noticeable but not dramatic. The real distance advantage shows above 100 mph where the higher compression converts speed more efficiently. The trade-off vs the standard Pro: slightly less greenside spin and a firmer feel on chips and putts. If you prioritize distance off the tee over short-game touch, the Pro Plus is the pick.

The Pro Soft targets the golfer who wants urethane spin performance but needs a softer compression for swing speeds in the 80-95 mph range. At 65 compression, it sits between the slow-swing-speed picks and the standard tour balls. The Pro Soft felt noticeably softer off the putter and on chip shots — a marshmallow-like compression that some golfers love and others find too mushy. Distance was 3-4 yards shorter than the standard Pro at my 92 mph speed, which is expected at 65 compression. Greenside spin was surprisingly close to the Pro — the urethane cover still generates real bite. This is the ball I would recommend to my playing partners who swing 80-90 mph.

At $17/dozen, the Drive is Vice's entry-level ball — 2-piece ionomer construction, 55 compression, designed for beginners and golfers who lose multiple balls per round. It competes with the distance-focused balls at half the price of some competitors. The Drive felt firmer than I expected for a 55-compression ball — more responsive than the Callaway Supersoft, less marshmallow-soft. Distance was competitive with the Supersoft at lower swing speeds. The ionomer cover means no greenside spin to speak of, but at $17 a dozen, that is a fair trade. I would recommend the Drive to any beginner who loses 4-plus balls per round — no point playing urethane at that attrition rate.

The inevitable comparison. The Vice Pro ($35) vs the Titleist Pro V1 ($55) — both 3-piece urethane, both targeting 85-105 mph swing speeds, $20/dozen apart. I played alternating holes with each ball for 6 rounds. Off the driver: indistinguishable — both carried 218-220 yards at my speed. On approach shots: both held greens similarly on full iron shots. The gap appeared on partial wedge shots from 40-70 yards — the Pro V1 landed and checked about 2 feet shorter on average, with tighter dispersion. On the putting green, I genuinely could not tell which was which. My conclusion: the Pro V1 is slightly better on the shots that matter most to a single-digit handicapper. For my 14-handicap game, the Vice Pro is the smarter buy. The honest answer for most weekend golfers: the Vice Pro delivers 90-95% of the Pro V1 performance at 65% of the price. The Pro V1 edge shows up in lot-to-lot consistency and in greenside spin on partial wedge shots — areas that matter more as your handicap drops below 10. For the 15-handicapper, the Vice Pro is the smarter buy. For the scratch golfer, the Pro V1 consistency premium may be worth it. See our Pro V1 vs Kirkland comparison for another premium alternative.

Match your swing speed to the right model: Under 80 mph driver speed: Vice Drive or Vice Pro Soft. The low compression ensures you can actually compress the ball enough for optimal energy transfer. See our slow swing speed picks for alternatives. 80-95 mph: Vice Pro Soft or Vice Pro. The Pro Soft offers softer feel; the Pro offers more greenside spin. Both are excellent in this range. 95-105 mph: Vice Pro. The sweet spot of the lineup — enough compression for your speed, maximum greenside control. 105+ mph: Vice Pro Plus. The higher compression and lower spin optimize distance at faster speeds. For the full picture of where Vice balls sit in the market, see the compression chart and our complete ball rankings.

Compare Vice to the other value champion in our Pro V1 vs Kirkland comparison. For the full ball rankings across all brands, see best golf balls. And if you are not sure what compression means for your game, our compression chart and complete ball guide cover the science in plain English.