Vice Golf balls are no longer a secret in the golf world. If you want a replacement for the top brand names and a golf ball with a slightly lower price point appeals to you, Vice is a good line to consider.
The Vice Pro Soft was the first ball I tried from this manufacturer, and I was quite impressed with the overall functionality of the golf ball. In fact, it’s probably my favorite of the Vice lineup.
However, the Vice Pro Soft is not best suited for all golfers. I’ll show you the good and the bad with the Vice Pro Soft, and offer you some insight after my last few rounds with this ball in play.
Why listen to us? Our team has tested dozens and dozens of the top balls on the market (you can read in-depth review of each here). We keep detailed notes and findings about each one to come up with our recommendations for you.
Overall Rating and Thoughts
I think the Vice Pro Soft is one of the better balls in the Vice lineup. I love that Vice is catering to a group (those with less than 95 mph) who may also be very good players.
Most “better player” golf balls are geared towards faster swing speeds. However, we all know that swing speed is not the only indicator of a great golfer.
I recommend giving the Vice Pro Soft a try if you are a little slower than 100 mph with your driver and want a golf ball that reacts to you on the golf course.
Overall Score: 8.9/10
Vice Pro Soft Features
The Vice Pro Soft is a fairly priced 3 piece golf ball available in several different color options. It won’t take long for you to quickly scope out that Vice is a modern, exciting, and hip golf company that caters to players who can’t get enough golf in their lives.
3 Piece Golf Ball
The Vice Pro Soft is a 3 piece golf ball. The thin cast urethane cover is the most important of these three layers. The cover is designed to improve overall spin and launch conditions. Truly the cover on the Vice Pro Soft is one of the thinnest on the market.
Thin covers have some positives and negatives, which I’ll get into below.
Low Compression
Vice doesn’t give us a number on the Vice Pro Soft’s compression, but they announce that it is a low compression golf ball. If I had to guess, it’s between 60 and 70 compression. Lower compression makes this a good choice for the golfer with the mid to slow swing speeds.
Being able to compress the Vice Pro Soft also leads to higher ball flight and a softer feel around the greens.
High Energy Speed Core
We already know the Vice Pro Soft has that thin outer cover, but inside the golf ball, you will find the High Energy Speed Core. This Speed Core is what helps give the Vice Pro Soft its longer distance.
When they redesigned the Vice Pro Soft in 2020, one of the major complaints golfers had with it was the distance capabilities. After the changes to the core, the complaints have certainly decreased as golfers are getting the distance they need.
318 Dimple Pattern
The golf balls with the lower dimple patterns, like the 318 seen on the Vice Pro Soft, help players looking for that penetrating flight and maximum distance. You’ll see some golfers say that the Vice Pro Soft is their winter golf ball.
With it being easier to compress the Pro Soft and the dimple pattern allowing for the ball to cut through the sky with ease, the Vice Pro Soft is a good option for a winter golf ball.
Vice Pro Soft Performance
On the Vice website, you can read a lot about how the Vice Pro Soft was tested up against the Titleist AVX and how it had better spin rates and distances. However, it’s hard to go by any of these numbers until you get a golf ball out on the course to see how it plays.
Here’s what my experience has been with the Vice Pro Soft golf balls on the course.
Feel and Sound
The Vice Pro Soft is one of the softest golf balls you will find on the market. What I find so interesting about this ball is not just the way it feels when you hit it but also when you touch it.
The finish of this ultra thing cast urethane cover differs from other golf balls in the lineup.
It almost feels a bit sticky (in a good way!).
Yes, you can absolutely see how the golf ball would stop and back up with this interaction between the dimples of the ball and the grooves on your club.
I love the extra soft feel around the greens; it makes the ball more workable. Off the tee and on the iron shots, it’s a little softer than I would like, but my swing speed is a little higher than this ball is recommended for.
Spin
On full approach shots to the green, the Vice Pro Soft does a great job of spinning and stopping where you need it to. As you get closer, it has a bit of a harder time. However, for a three-piece golf ball that is considered more of value than premium, I’m impressed with what it can do.
Spin rates on the driver are a little higher than I had hoped for; it doesn’t get quite as much roll as I would like. Although I do think this may not be as much of a problem for slower swing speed players.
Greenside spin is good because the ball is so soft. Even if your swing speeds around the green are a little low, you should be able to get the spin and stability you are looking for.
Greenside Control
Make sure you understand that soft does not always mean spin. Sometimes a golf ball can be soft and not spin all that well. The Vice Pro Soft is a soft ball that spins pretty well.
Overall from a clean lie or out of a bunker, you can get some good spin. However, I think control is really where the Vice Pro Soft stands out. With this ball in play, you can control where you land your shot and put yourself back in charge around the greens.
Vice even recommends the Pro Soft for players that want to get creative around the green, and that is a great way to describe this.
Distance
The Vice Pro Soft will not cause you to lose any distance, but it’s not the longest golf ball in the game. If you want a distance ball, there are other options in the Vice lineup, like the Vice Drive, that are made for maximizing distance.
I think the Vice Pro Soft is more of a “better player’s” ball for the slower swing speed group.
Price
With companies like Cut Golf out on the market, it’s hard to really call Vice a bargain.
Is it cheaper than some of the big names? Absolutely. Is it a cheap ball? Not really.
I think the Vice is, however, priced appropriately.
What I Like About The Vice Pro Soft
I like the Vice Pro Soft enough to play with it sometimes. It’s not always the perfect ball for me because of the compression rating, but I love the feel around the greens.
Playability Around The Greens
Around the greens, the Vice Pro Soft has a really good feel and workability. I’m a golfer that likes to get creative with some of the shots I hit around the greens, and the Vice Pro Soft is a ball that gives me confidence in this ability.
Color Options and Fair Pricing
The pricing of the Vice Pro Soft is fair for the amount of technology and playability you get. In addition, they offer colors like lime, red, soft blue, and peach to help your golf ball stand out on the course.
Responsiveness
For iron shots and then again on the and round the greens, the Vice Pro Soft is responsive. If you pair it with great-feeling equipment, your experience on the course should be considerably different.
What I Don’t Like About The Vice Pro Soft
Overall the Vice Pro Soft is actually a fairly priced golf ball that does what Vice says it will do. The only thing you need to watch out for is the cover and your swing speed.
Not a Good Choice for Faster Swing Speed Players
If you have a lot of speed, you don’t want to play with the Vice Pro Soft. You will probably lose a little distance, and the ball will feel too soft for you. In addition, golfers with a lot of speed may struggle with keeping the ball flight in control.
The bottom line, save this for golfers with under 95 mph driver swing speeds.
The Cover Cuts Relatively Easily
If you run into an unfortunate incident with a cart path or tree, the Vice Pro Soft can cut. It will also cut if you have higher swing speeds and sharp grooves on your wedges. Play with a golf ball you can attack, not one that causes you to slow down through impact to avoid cutting it.
Brittany Olizarowicz
Britt O has been playing golf since the age of 7. Almost 30 years later, she still loves the game, has played competitively on every level, and spent a good portion of her life as a Class A PGA Professional. Britt currently resides in Savannah, GA, with her husband and two young children. Current Handicap: 1
