Why the 2022 ELIXR golf ball makes OnCore a brand you should seriously consider

OnCore 2022 ELIXR Golf Ball Review

Until recently, I was unaware of OnCore Golf or that it had been founded in 2011 and released its first golf ball three years later. And while the company might not be a household name among golfers just yet, it appears to have a passionate, loyal following that’s only growing. And the reason is simple, as I’ve learned firsthand that OnCore is developing outstanding golf balls at competitive prices for a wide range of players.

In April, OnCore released a new version of its ELIXR golf ball, and I recently had the chance to test the 2022 ELIXR, my first experience with OnCore. It’s a three-piece golf ball with a urethane cover that was created to provide tour-caliber tee-to-green performance. The new model has a firmer cover and a new core that was designed to improve ball speed, while a new dimple pattern was also implemented to create a higher ball flight.

I spent extensive time testing the 2022 ELIXR at my club’s short game area, as well as using it to play full rounds. I also compared it on the golf course to similar balls in terms of construction and price that I have tested in the last few months, most notably the Piper Black and the Maxfli Tour. How did the ELIXR stack up? Quite well, actually.

I typically start around the greens for a golf ball review, but for this review I’m going to start with the long game, which is where the ELIXR really stood out. It was impressively long off the driver and when hitting full approach shots, significantly longer than the Maxfli and consistently a few yards longer than the Piper.

And the distance I was generating, especially off the tee, was a surprise, as I hit the ELIXR much higher than the other two golf balls. There were a number of tee shots that I hit where I wasn’t expecting to find the ball where it ended up after seeing the ball leave the tee. The ELIXR was truly impressive in that regard, both in terms of carry and total distance.

It’s also worth noting that on one of the days I played, there was more breeze than normal for this time of year in Atlanta, but I did not find that I was punished by the higher ball flight when playing shots into the wind. The trajectory was high but still flat at its apex and very stable. The new ELIXR also wanted to fly straight for the most part and controlling trajectory was easier than curving the ball right or left. Many will view that as a plus but it could be a deterrent for those who like to work the ball.

In terms of short game spin and control, the ELIXR performed well but didn’t generate as much stopping power as the Maxfli, which is exceptional in that regard, or the Piper from 75 yards and in. The differences weren’t massive but typically I was seeing an extra couple of feet of rollout on partial wedge shots, and pitch and chip shops wanted to release a bit more as well. That said, the ELIXR did feel very good on and around the greens, soft with the slightest auditory “click” and not at all mushy.

Overall, however, nothing about the short game work I did with the ELIXR left me feeling that I couldn’t play the ball on a regular basis. In fact, at my age, I’ll trade a bit of greenside spin for a few extra yards every day of the week. Additionally, the ELIXR was exceptional in terms of its cover durability, one of the best balls I’ve tested in that regard this year, maybe second only to the Bridgestone B RXS.

In summary, I was incredibly impressed by the 2022 ELIXR, and at a retail price of just $29.99 this is easily one of the best value golf balls on the market, as well as a contender for any best premium golf ball list. I could easily game the ELIXR given the performance I saw and would highly recommend it to anyone who's looking for a solid all-around performer that won't break the bank.