For the past few rounds I’ve been trying some golf balls from brands that are quickly gaining popularity. Two I’m really impressed with are Honma’s D1 ($25/dozen) and Snell Golf’s My Tour Ball ($32). Both feel amazingly soft and seem to be peppy, with respect to responsiveness off the driver and distance achieved from all clubs. Plus, they spin fantastically around the green.

Honma’s, which has been out since September, is a two-piece ball with a mid Ionomer cover and high-repulsion rubber core. Company officials claim that it’s designed to launch high and with a strong trajectory, for plenty of carry distance. I played the same course twice in one day. The first round I used a major brand’s best seller, the second I used the Honma. I played consistently all day, but the Honma outdistanced the popular model on almost every tee shot. Very impressive.

Snell’s ball performed very similarly to Honma’s, with lots of distance when I needed it and excellent check-back action on my approach shots. It’s a three-piece, tour-style model with a very low compression and soft feel. And it spins low off the driver for distance. Its cover is thin and made of a thermoset cast urethane, which lends durability. You can’t really go wrong with any popular balls on today’s market, but you may be pleasantly surprised at this pair. They both seem to already have a cult following. And I can understand why.

Veteran golf writer Scott Kramer has covered the golf equipment market full-time since 1990. His career has spanned senior editor positions at both Golf Pro Magazine and GOLF Magazine. He now works on a freelance basis for many consumer and trade publications, including the SCGA’s FORE magazine.