Golf balls Spalding (x36) vs Vice Drip Golf Balls: which is safer?
Vice Drip Golf Balls is the clear pick. Golf balls Spalding (x36) carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.
Spalding
Golf balls Spalding (x36)
PFAS grade
Poor 40/100
Overall grade
Poor 28/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 3
Material
Synthetic rubber/polymer core with urethane or dimple coating
Confidence
45%
PossibleVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) from urethane cover
PossibleMicroplastic shedding from degraded coating
PossibleFluorochemical (PFAS) in dimple coating
Our pick
Vice Golf
Vice Drip Golf Balls
PFAS grade
Excellent 85/100
Overall grade
Excellent 85/100
Verdict
Buy
Hazard flags
none flagged
Material
synthetic polymer core with urethane/elastomer cover
Confidence
72%
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from urethane cover, Microplastic shedding from degraded coating and Fluorochemical (PFAS) in dimple coating on the Spalding and not on the Vice Golf.
- The Spalding is Synthetic rubber/polymer core with urethane or dimple coating where the Vice Golf is synthetic polymer core with urethane/elastomer cover, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 45 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Vice Golf is the one to buy.
- We are less certain about the Spalding grade, at 45% confidence against 72%, because it discloses less.
Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More golf balls & equipment: see the full ranking