About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the golf balls, which I received as a gift in April of 2021.

My take

For players with more moderate swing speeds who are looking for a lower-cost golf ball that offers a softer feel and a bright, easy-to-spot color, consider the Volvik Vimax Soft Golf Balls. The Vimax is very easy to see in the air or on the ground, performing well enough off the tee and around the greens.

About the golf ball I own

• Model: 2022 Volvik Vimax Soft Golf Ball
• Color: Red

About me

• Average score: ~83
• Handicap: ~12
• Experience: ~40 years of playing golf
• Right/Left-handed: Right-Handed
• Typical shot shape: Slight Draw
• Typical trajectory: Mid launch
• Club swing speed: ~100mph driver clubhead speed

Test conditions

• When I bought this: Received as a gift in April 2022
• Days tested: 3 (two in practice, one in play)
• Where I’ve used it: Both in the short game practice area and on the course
• Weather and wind conditions: Mild conditions, the mid-70s, partly sunny
• Turf conditions: Medium to soft turf conditions
• Green speeds: Average public course greens

How it performs

What I was looking for

While I was not shopping for this ball, as I received it as a gift, I was looking forward to giving it a try. I like to explore the different golf balls available to help determine which is best for me every couple of seasons. I was happy to give this one a shot.

Why I chose this golf ball

Since I received this sleeve of balls as a gift, I wasn’t looking for it, but rather it was looking for me. That said, it was nice to have another model to try out.

What I love about it

• Distance: The Volvik Vimax Soft offers a solid distance for a softer, low-compression ball. While there are certainly longer balls on the market, few will feel as soft as this one, especially for more moderate swing speeds.
• Durability: Durability can be frustrating when it comes to golf balls. Thankfully, this Volvik Vimax shows some toughness. The matte finish certainly helps reduce scrapes and cuts, keeping the ball looking better for longer.
• Color: Being a bright red matte helps this ball stand out in the rough or woods in case one misses the fairway. It’s very easy to spot from far away and also easy to track in flight with such a vibrant color.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Feel: Soft feel is the Vimax ball's goal, and they do a good job of achieving it. However, while it certainly has a softer feel than several other models, it is not as soft as expected.
• Green Spin: While a softer golf ball feels like it should spin well around the greens, this one falls short of expectations. It isn’t horrible, but the lack of spin is disappointing, as it makes it tougher to stop on the green on some approaches.
• Other: Volvik is one of the first ball makers to feature a colorful matte finish to help with visuals. It put them on the map with success in that category. That said, the competitors have caught up, and now there are several bright, colorful, matte-finish golf ball options.
• Any workarounds?: Those playing this ball in autumn rounds may opt for a different color, as this bright red can easily blend with the color of changing leaves fallen from the trees.

Best shot with this golf ball

When testing on the course, I found this ball to offer a solid, piercing flight off the tee, and its bright red finish made it easy to track as it flew, landed, and rolled out. I hit a phenomenal drive on the fifth hole that required a slight fade off the tee to find the fairway. The ball responded to my fade swing and turned over with an outside spin to find that tough fairway.

Value for the money vs. other options

One of the highlights of the Volvik Vimax Soft Golf Ball is its cost versus its competitors, such as the Callaway Supersoft, TaylorMade Soft Response, or Titleist TruFeel. I found that it offers similar performance and looks for a bit less cost per dozen. Volvik has created a name for itself in the matte finish colorful golf ball market and for good reason. It's a solid value here.

Final verdict

In summary, the Volvik Vimax Soft Golf Ball is a great alternative for those with a moderate swing speed and less serious players looking for a soft-feeling quality golf ball that offers solid performance, a bright, colorful matte finish, and solid value. Worth a shot if this sounds like it fits one’s needs.