Snell Golf Balls Review – Amazing Performance

Last Updated: Feb 14, 2024

A friend recommended Snell golf balls a couple of years ago. He was a big fan of Snell Golf because they were less expensive and the founder had a very long history working for major golf ball manufacturers. Including Titleist and TaylorMade. I am glad I finally tried them.

Snell Golf is a direct to consumer company with two golf ball models, the MTB Black and MTB-X. I recently bought their test pack and put them through the simulator. I’ve also played a round with both models. I was impressed!

The Brand

Snell Golf was created in 2015 by Dean Snell. Snell had worked for almost 30 years in the ball manufacturing business. He was the co-inventor of the ProV1 and invented several balls in TaylorMade’s lineup.

I recently did a review on Cut golf balls, another direct-to-consumer manufacturer. If you have not heard of them, check it out.

Dean Snell has been granted more than 40 U.S. Patents and has several more pending. The company is committed to developing premium balls at a low price. To achieve lower prices, they sell direct to consumers and do not offer big Pro sponsorships.

Snell Golf Ball Comparison – Technology & Key Features

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MTB-X Golf Ball

• Firmer Feel
• 85 – 90 Compression Rating
• 3 piece construction
• Cast urethane cover
• Refined aerodynamics for low drag

MTB Black Golf Ball

• Soft Feel
• 75 – 80 Compression Rating
• 3 piece construction
• Cast urethane cover
• Refined aerodynamics for low drag

Detailed Reviews

Snell MTB Black Review

The MTB Black golf ball performed almost identical to a ProV1 in the simulator, it’s almost like it was the same ball. I also compared it to the Vice Pro, which is my regular ball. Again, those results were very similar. After removing outliers due to mishits, and a couple of tweaks to my driver to optimize spin, all 3 balls were averaging the same distance. Give or take a couple of yards. Overall, good distance!

Around the green, I felt almost as if I could not tell the difference between a ProV1 and the MTB Black. They both reacted the same off of the club face, putter and wedges. They also felt extremely similar with my 8-iron from about 150 yards out. My usual Vice Pro feels a bit softer, which aligns with my personal preferences.

Overall, I have to give the MTB Black a thumbs up! Although I am not surprised, my research and the recommendations I’ve heard about them had me thinking it was a good ball and worthy of trying.

– Tyler

Tee Performance / Distance

Greenside Control

Durability

Summary

If you are looking for a ball that performs right alongside the best balls on the market, give Snell a try! They come highly recommended based on reviews on their site, on Amazon, and from my own experience. Personally, I prefer a softer feel ball and the MTB Black is a great option. I especially like the discounted price from your normal “premium” balls on the market today.

4.3

Snell MTB-X Review

The MTB-X was noticeably firmer, but only slightly. Interestingly, that is part of their marketing for the ball. “Slightly Firmer Feel” says the info card, and I found that to be absolutely true. I am not a fan of a firm ball, but I would actually consider playing this ball over the MTB Black.

Why? Well, first of all, off the tee I was getting an extra 7 yards of distance on average. With wedges, I found the spin numbers to be a bit higher than the MTB Black and a ProV1. This resulted in the ball holding the green a bit more, especially on some lower trajectory shots. Although slightly firmer, it felt just fine off the putter. I usually don’t like a firm ball on my putter, but it wasn’t bad.

Overall, the MTB-X gets a thumbs up! I was really impressed with the increased distance off the tee.

– Tyler

Tee Performance / Distance

Greenside Control

Durability

Summary

If you are looking for a ball that performs right alongside the best balls on the market, give Snell a try! They come highly recommended based on reviews on their site, on Amazon, and from my own experience. Personally, I prefer a softer feel ball, but the MTB-X was not what many consider a “firm ball”. I especially like the discounted price from your normal “premium” balls on the market today.

4.5

Testing Results

We conducted two separate tests in the simulator to account for different swing speeds. I personally tested and averaged 110 mph swing speed. I also pulled in a good friend and current 2022 Sr. Club Champion, Mr. Fitz. His driver swing speed is 89 mph.

In the chart below, you can see Snell vs. Pro V1 from both golfers.

Performance at a Lower Cost

Historically, Snell has offered tiered pricing with discounts when you buy 3-dozen or more. Then a steeper discount at 5-dozen. But with recent supply chain issues, Snell will only sell 2-dozen balls per customer on their website. They also sell out and are routinely labeled as “coming soon”.

I would not let that discourage you from trying them however. They come into stock pretty quickly and fulfill backorders. They currently sell for 34.99/dozen direct from their website.

These will beat many on the golf ball market. They are comparable to tour balls with similar ball flight and ball speed. But they are significantly less expensive than a tour ball. Overall, I’d say both models are a great ball.

Personally, I would recommend trying their test pack. You get two sleeves of the MTB Black and MTB-X. You can test each out in your approach shots, then in the short game to see which you’d prefer. Overall, the performance I observed was right in line with that of a premium ball, but you’re going to save quite a bit.

Snell Golf Balls – Frequently asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Who should play Snell Golf Balls? Well, anyone! Almost. I would consider them to be performance balls that are very comparable to that of a ProV1. Although inexpensive compared to a ProV1, I would only recommend them to golfers who have been playing a while and are looking for a quality ball.

If you are a beginner golfer, I would not recommend them. I have other recommendations for beginners and high handicappers.

If you are not sold on giving Snell a try, you may also be interested in Vice. I have a full review of Vice Golf balls here. You can also check out our ball selector tool, just answer a couple of questions and see your custom recommendations!

Good luck on the course!