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.
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:
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.
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:
That ball, of course, was the Maxfli Tour. Her decision teaches a 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 favour the slightly lower-spinning standard Tour model.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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