Lexi Thompson plays the Maxfli Tour golf ball, a choice that turned heads because it wasn't from one of the major brands dominating the professional circuits. This article dives into the specifics of her golf ball, the compelling reasons behind her switch, and what lessons amateur golfers can take from a top pro's meticulous equipment selection process. We’ll show you how to apply her data-driven approach to find the perfect golf ball for your own game.
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Lexi Thompson's Choice: The Maxfli Tour Golf Ball
Lexi Thompson, one of the most powerful and recognizable players on the LPGA Tour, currently has a multi-year deal to play the Maxfli Tour series golf balls. This is a significant move, as Maxfli is a brand sold directly to consumers, primarily through retailers like Dick's Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy. This isn't the usual path for a Top-10 player, who typically signs with one of the big three: Titleist, Callaway, or TaylorMade.
Her decision wasn't a casual one. It came after extensive sessions of blind testing where the Maxfli ball consistently produced the best results for her specific swing and game. She primarily alternates between two models depending on the course and conditions:
Maxfli Tour: A 3-piece ball with a soft urethane cover, designed for a combination of great feel, spin control, and distance.
Maxfli Tour X: A 4-piece ball that is slightly firmer and offers lower spin on long shots for maximum distance, while still retaining excellent greenside control.
The key feature of both these balls is the cast urethane cover. As a golf coach, this is what I always point to when students ask about premium golf balls. A urethane cover is softer than the Surlyn or ionomer covers found on most two-piece distance balls. That softness allows the grooves on your wedges and short irons to "bite" into the cover at impact, creating significantly more spin for stopping power on the greens. For a pro like Lexi, controlling the ball on approach shots is non-negotiable.
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Lexi's partnership with Maxfli is one of the most interesting equipment stories in golf. For years, she played a Bridgestone ball, a top-tier choice for many professionals. The switch came about not because of a pre-existing sponsorship but because of raw, undeniable performance data.
The story goes that Lexi was looking for improvements in her game, particularly seeking more ball speed off the tee without sacrificing the feel and control she needed to score. Her brother, Curtis Thompson, who plays on the Korn Ferry Tour, had also gone through a similar ball-testing phase and found success with Maxfli.
Here’s the part that every golfer should pay attention to: she conducted a blind test.
This means she hit various top-tier golf balls - including her previous model and the Maxfli Tour - that were all marked with black pen so she couldn’t identify them by brand. She relied solely on the feel and the launch monitor numbers from her Trackman. The a-ha moment came when she discovered that one ball consistently gave her better numbers across the board.
This "mystery" ball was quieter off the clubface, felt softer, and, importantly, gave her:
Ample spin with her wedges to attack pins confidently.
That ball, of course, was the Maxfli Tour. Her decision teaches an incredibly powerful lesson: the best equipment for you is the stuff that performs, regardless of the name on the box. Trust the data and your feel over marketing and what your friends play.
Maxfli Tour vs. Maxfli Tour X: What's the Difference?
Choosing between two versions of a tour ball gives Lexi incredible versatility. She can tailor her equipment to the specific demands of a golf course, something you can learn from as well. Here’s a breakdown of the two models.
Maxfli Tour
This is the 3-piece construction ball and can be considered the "all-arounder" of the two. It's often compared to other popular balls like the Titleist Pro V1 or the Callaway Chrome Soft.
Feel: It has a lower compression rating (around the high 80s), which translates to a softer feel on all clubs, especially the putter and wedges. Players who dislike a harsh, "clicky" impact sound will love this ball.
Driver Performance: It’s engineered for low spin off the driver to promote a straighter flight and maximize distance for a wide range of swing speeds.
Iron &, Wedge Performance: The soft urethane cover and mantle layer work together to generate high spin rates on scoring shots, allowing you to stop the ball quickly on the green.
Best For: This ball is ideal for players with moderate to high swing speeds (think 95mph and up) who prioritize a soft feel and excellent greenside control without giving up distance.
Maxfli Tour X
This is the 4-piece, slightly higher-compression model. The additional layer is designed to add another dimension to performance, typically for faster-swinging players who can activate all the layers of the ball.
Feel: With a compression rating in the high 90s, it feels firmer than the standard Tour model, but still much softer than a classic 2-piece distance ball.
Driver Performance: This model is designed for maximum distance. For high-speed players, its construction often produces even lower spin rates off the driver, resulting in a penetrating ball flight that can add a few extra yards.
Iron &, Wedge Performance: The 4-piece design often generates slightly more spin with mid-irons than its 3-piece counterpart, allowing for greater workability (shaping shots like draws and fades) and stopping power on long approach shots.
Best For: This ball is geared towards players with high swing speeds (105mph+) who want to squeeze out every possible yard off the tee while demanding precise workability and spin control into the greens.
Lexi might choose the Tour X for a tournament where the greens are firm and fast, requiring her to hit high, soft-landing irons. On a windy course where keeping the ball down is advantageous, she might favor the slightly lower-spinning standard Tour model.
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Your Guide to Finding the Right Golf Ball (Inspired by Lexi)
You may not be a long-hitting LPGA superstar, but you can absolutely steal her method for finding your S-tier golf ball. As your coach, here are the steps I’d walk you through.
Step 1: Perform a "Mental Reset" on Brands
Just as Lexi did, try to strip away your preconceived notions about brands. Your friend who swears by Pro V1s might have a completely different swing than you. The ball doesn't know what its logo is, it only reacts to physics. Be open to trying balls from different manufacturers and at different price points. Lexi proved that performance can come from unexpected places.
Step 2: Be Honest About Your Own Game
Before you buy, ask yourself some simple questions. Don't think about what you *want* your game to be, think about what it *is* right now.
What is my biggest miss off the tee? A slice or hook? Some balls are designed to be lower-spinning and can help reduce sidespin.
Do I need help holding greens? If your iron shots consistently bounce over the back, you desperately need the spin a urethane-cover ball provides.
What feel do I prefer? Do you like a soft "thud" or a firm "click" when you putt and chip? This is purely preference, but it can boost confidence.
What's my swing speed? If you don't know, you can use a launch monitor at a local store or estimate. Be realistic! A low-compression ball will feel better and perform better for a slower swing, while a high-compression tour ball will feel like a rock and rob you of distance.
Step 3: Conduct a Simple On-Course Test
You don't need a $20,000 launch monitor to do this effectively. Buy a sleeve of 2 or 3 different balls that you think might fit your game based on Step 2. Go to the course for a practice round and test them head-to-head.
Tee Shots: Hit a few of each ball off the same tee. Don't just look for the longest one. Which ball tends to stay in the fairway more often? That's more important than five extra yards in the trees.
Iron Shots: Hit a few shots with each ball into a green from 150 yards. How do they land? Does one stop quickly while another releases 20 feet?
Chipping: This is the most important test. Take all the balls to the chipping area. Feel how they come off the clubface. Try hitting a low runner and a high, soft parachute. Which ball is the most predictable? You're looking for consistency.
Putting: Finally, hit several 10-foot putts with each. Which feel provides the best distance control?
Take notes on your phone throughout this process. By the end, one ball will almost always stand out as the clear winner for your game.
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Lexi Thompson's golf ball choice is a fantastic lesson in trusting data and feel over marketing hype. She plays the Maxfli Tour series because it gave her the best performance in blind testing, optimizing her distance and spin to make her more competitive. Any golfer, regardless of skill level, can adopt this evidence-based approach to equipment selection to find a ball that truly complements their swing.
Just like choosing the right equipment, making smarter decisions on the course is one of the fastest ways to lower your scores. The uncertainty golfers feel when facing a tricky lie or deciding between clubs is exactly why we created Caddie AI. Our app acts as your personal caddie and 24/7 golf coach, giving you expert strategy and shot recommendations right when you need them. From getting a game plan on the tee box to analyzing a tricky situation with a photo, we take the guesswork out of the game so you can play with more confidence and enjoy the game more.
Spencer has been playing golf since he was a kid and has spent a lifetime chasing improvement. With over a decade of experience building successful tech products, he combined his love for golf and startups to create Caddie AI - the world's best AI golf app. Giving everyone an expert level coach in your pocket, available 24/7. Caddie's mission is simple: make world-class golf advice accessible to everyone, anytime.
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