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HomeShopGrading Explained

Clear grades. No nasty surprises.

Second-life golf balls have already lived a little, so appearance varies. Our grading system focuses on cosmetic condition and makes those differences easy to understand before you order.

Every ball is inspected and placed into the grade that best reflects what you will see when it arrives.

A Best of the Best lake golf ball, glossy and free from markings

Best of the Best

Our highest cosmetic tier, reserved for selected Titleist Pro V1, TaylorMade TP5 and Callaway Chrome models. These balls must have a near-new appearance, retain their full gloss and be free from logos, pen marks and player identification marks. They remain second-life balls and are not represented as new.

Best suited to

Golfers who want an eligible premium model in the finest cosmetic condition available from Fish Food Golf.

A Grade A lake golf ball with light marks and good gloss

Grade A

Our strongest standard cosmetic grade. These balls are clean and present well, with good colour and gloss. They may include a manufacturer or corporate logo, a genuinely minor identification mark or a single alignment line. Any signs of previous play should be light and should not dominate the appearance of the ball.

Best suited to

Regular rounds, golfers who care about appearance and anyone looking for a smarter-looking second-life option without expecting a brand-new ball.

A Grade B lake golf ball with visible scuffs and a player line

Grade B

Good playable balls with more obvious signs of their previous life. Expect heavier writing, multiple or thicker player lines, noticeable staining, reduced gloss or more visible cosmetic wear. They will not look as tidy as Grade A, but remain a practical value choice.

Best suited to

Everyday golf, practice, winter rounds, higher-loss courses and golfers who value function over finish.

A tray of scruffy Dirty Dozen lake golf balls with stains and pen marks

Dirty Dozen

The scruffiest playable balls that still deserve another outing. Expect a proper mix of stains, markings and cosmetic wear. These are not display pieces; they are the balls to reach for when danger is waiting or when appearance simply does not matter.

Best suited to

Practice, beginners, water carries and fearless shots where losing a pristine ball would hurt more than the scorecard.

What our grades do and do not mean

  • Grades describe cosmetic condition.
  • Logos and player markings may be present where the grade says so.
  • A second-life ball is not represented as new.
  • Individual balls naturally vary within a grade.
  • No grade can guarantee distance, spin, feel or scoring performance.

Model years and generations

Unless a specific model year or generation is stated, golf balls may include a mix of different model years or generations. All balls are graded by condition and sold according to the product description shown.

Hands inspecting a golf ball under a lamp above a wooden grading tray
Graded under the lamp

Clear grades. No nasty surprises.