Honma A1 Golf Ball

In this review, Alison Root puts Honma's A1 golf ball to the test to assess the performance and value on offer

Honma A1 Golf Ball

Japanese brand, Honma, renowned for its high-end golf clubs, has expanded its range of multi-layer golf balls. This includes the new A1 ball, which is designed for golfers with slower swing speeds looking for more distance and consistency.

This two-piece ball is constructed with a new super-soft rubber core, which is around 20 per cent lighter than in Honma’s D1 ball. It is designed in this way to help reduce sidespin, which in turn minimises the chance of a slice.

It’s fair to say that we were pleasantly surprised at how well this ball performed with such a low price tag. It's easily one of the best value golf balls you'll find on the market.

On long-game shots, the ball felt ultra-soft off the clubface with the 368-dimple pattern contributing to a high and straight flight. 

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Slicing off the tee, a common problem that can affect the best of us, went reasonably unnoticed, so the A1 ball will definitely assist golfers who are struggling to find distance. 

We found that this ball offers plenty of run, so controlling greenside shots was a little difficult and will become more evident during summer months when the ground is particularly dry and bouncy.

On the whole though, a lack of short game control is a sacrifice worth making for beginner golfers or those with a slow swing speed, as this ball has enough decent qualities to benefit them.

It is also worth mentioning that when putting, a single straight line on the ball is a helpful alignment aid. 

This ball is available in white, yellow, or orange, plus a multipack option including pink. As creatures of habit and usually opting to play with a white ball, the iridescent colours are an acquired taste and putting performance aside, the look and feel of these golf balls does take some getting used to.