Are all value golf balls the same? Do they all offer that same performance?
It’s a question I often ask myself when trying golf balls that are low in price. Can a golf ball manufacturer offer something unique, provide value for golfers on the course, and keep the price reasonable?
This is what I was looking for when testing the Wilson Chaos golf balls. I brought these out on the course with me and even had some of my family test them out so we could get opinions from several different levels of players. Here is my honest review of the Wilson Chaos golf balls and whether or not they could be right for your game.
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
The Wilson Chaos golf balls are a really good value. The price point here makes up for any lack of performance that I found on the golf course. If you play with value-type golf balls and are disappointed with the performance you have been getting, give the Chaos a try and see what it can do for your game.
Overall Rating: 7.5/10
Features
The Wilson Chaos golf ball is, without a doubt, a value golf ball designed for golfers seeking quite a few balls for a low price. If you lose golf balls in the woods, are brand new to the game, or have a strict golf budget, you may have come across the Chaos.
Two Piece Construction
At this price point, it was no surprise to me that the Wilson Chaoe golf balls are a two piece ball. With two piece construction, expect long distance and lower spin. Wilson doesn’t advertise the compression rating of the Chaos, but I imagine it to be around 80 (maybe even a little less).
This would fall into the mid-compression category, benefiting the average swing speed golfers.
Powerful Core
The two piece construction of the Wilson Chaos is a large, powerful core and an Ionomer Cover. The benefit of having a large core like this is power from the tee. The larger core can compress fully, and as it expands, it provides the extra distance players need.
Ionomer Cover
Wilson Chaos golf balls feature an Ionomer cover, which is supposed to provide a softer feel around the greens and a bit of responsiveness.
Ionomer covers and Urethane covers feel quite different – you can see from the outside of the ball that the finish on this is a bit dull, and it certainly doesn’t offer high-spin technology.
24 Pack of Golf Balls
The Wilson Chaos comes as a 24-pack of golf balls, and the price is incredibly fair for this many balls. In addition, they offer a 24-pack with just white or one that is a variety of colors.
Performance
To test the Wilson Chaos golf balls, I went right to the course. Sometimes I’ll spend a bit of time on the chipping green and putting green with a ball, but I was ready to bring this straight to the course. Interestingly, everyone in my foursome was also willing to try the ball. Our opinions (handicaps ranging from scratch to 25) were all very similar.
Price
The Wilson Chaos golf ball’s price point is incredibly fair. If you are looking for a fairly priced golf ball and don’t have much money to spend, the Chaos is a great choice. You will notice that I have some negative feedback about the Chaos, but I still believe they are worth the price that you pay.
Feel and Sound
The feel of the Chaos is a bit dull. Coming off the face of the club, I expected a pop just because of that larger, more powerful core they advertise. This wasn’t the case. I think the Ionomer cover just doesn’t jump quite like a Urethane.
Around the greens, Wilson claims that the ball has a “calming feel.” I’m not fully sold on this – it is a medium-soft feel, but it feels a little clunky.
I know that may seem like a difficult concept to wrap your head around, but I encourage you to think about chipping with a premium ball vs. chipping with a range ball. You know how the range ball just doesn’t click quite like the premium ball?
That’s the experience you get with the Chaos.
The sound is a bit dull (almost hollow), and the responsiveness is not what I was hoping for.
Low Driver Spin
I had no trouble with spin on the driver when playing with the Chaos. After a long carry, the ball jumped forward and continued down the fairway. In addition, the ball flight with the driver was good.
Sometimes on these lower-priced golf balls, they travel a little too high and end up costing you distance. This was not the case with the Wilson Chaos balls.
Greenside Control
I checked the performance from 100 yards to 50 yards for the greenside control portion and then short shots right around the green.
From 100 yards away, I can stop a Wilson Chaos quite easily. The ball is responsive (again, feels a little clunky) and stopped almost in its pitch mark when it landed on the green. Overall, the spin on full-swing shots with the Wilson Chaos is not bad.
From 50 yards and in, you lose a little of the spin. Essentially, the longer your backswing, the easier it seems to be to stop the ball on the greens. The softer feel around the greens will likely help you a bit with greenside control, but I would imagine it would take some getting used to.
If you’re switching to the Chaos from a premium golf ball, there will be an adjustment period.
Distance
The total distance with the Wilson Chaos was good. I found that from the tee, I got plenty of yardage, and iron shots were also acceptable. It’s not the longest golf ball I’ve ever played with, but it certainly holds its own from a distance perspective.
After all, this one is designed to be a distance ball.
Durability
The Ionomer cover on the Wilson Chaos is a bit cheap. I’ve played with other Ionomer formulations and had better luck. The cover of the Chaos takes a beating, and you can see it at the end of the round. The dimples are deep and hold a ton of dirt, making it hard to keep the ball clean.
Overall, I think you will max out at two to three rounds with a Chaos before you may need to replace it. Premium golf balls can go 5 or more rounds.
If you’re a golfer that struggles to keep the ball in play, the Chaos will provide the better value.
What I Like About The Wilson Chaos
The Wilson Chaos golf balls certainly serve a purpose. Although I may not be switching to this ball anytime soon, after playing with it for a few rounds, I can clearly see its position in the market.
Ball Speed & Solid Distance
I had no concerns about total distance when playing with the Chaos. If you’re searching for maximum distance off the tee and low spin, I think this is a good choice. Overall, the iron distance was about average.
Affordable Price
While I have pointed out several negative points about the Chaos, they are a great value. Honestly, even with the negative comments about durability, feel, and sound, the price point of the Chaos is incredibly fair.
If you were purchasing 12 golf balls for the price of the 24 you get from Wilson, I might raise the caution flag a bit.
Who Should Play
The Wilson Chaos is an incredible choice for golfers that lose a lot of golf balls on the course and even those that are new to the game. I love this golf ball for junior golfers and teenagers that are just starting to get involved in the game.
Do you know that “I can’t tell the difference between golf balls” concept? If you are in that stage and don’t necessarily care about greenside performance and premium feel, the Chaos will check the boxes for you.
What I Dislike About The Wilson Chaos
The shortcomings in the Wilson Chaos golf balls have everything to do with the price point and the target market. I mentioned that the greenside feel and spin are not overly impressive, but the makeup and materials used in the Wilson Chaos are not designed to help with performance in this area.
Feel
The feel around the greens just isn’t great. The ball is not overly soft or hard – it just comes off the face a bit dead. Could you get used to this and become skilled at working with the Chaos? Yes. Is it ideal? No.
Longevity
The deep dimples and cheaper Ionomer cover can leave you with a bit of a mess. You will not keep this golf ball in play round after round. This is why Wilson Chaos becomes an even better choice for those who lose a ton of golf balls in a round.
Look
When you look at the overall finish on the cover and even the alignment line on the Chaos golf ball, it looks cheap. Again, I know it is cheap, but it’s worth mentioning so you’re not disappointed when you get 24 of these delivered to your house!
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
