Which Squash Balls Are Best for You?

What are the best squash balls on the market in 2023? In this guide I’m going to break that answer down by asking the question in a few different ways:

• What is the best-selling squash ball right now?
• What are the different types of squash balls on the market?
• What are the different squash ball brands?
• What are the ideal squash balls to use for different players and situations?

After reading this you’ll understand what the different colored squash ball dots mean, and know which balls to buy depending on your squash skill level and a few other factors.

There’s a lot of detail in the article below, but if you only have a few seconds to spare and want to know the #1 ball on the market, here you go:

Best-Selling Squash Ball

The Dunlop Pro Double Yellow Dot is the best-selling squash ball in the world. It’s used by professional players and is the official ball of US Squash and other squash governing bodies. It’s used in tournaments for both adults and juniors, and is the most popular ball for advanced club players.

Types of Squash Balls

Here are the main different types of squash balls. I’ll explain below what the colored dots mean.

• Double Yellow Dot
• Single Yellow Dot
• Red Dot
• Blue Dot
• Green Dot
• White Ball
• Doubles Hardball
• Singles Hardball
• Black Dot
• Kids’ Balls

Double Yellow Dot

The double yellow dot is the default option for squash players of a high standard. Double yellow dot balls are 40mm in diameter (the smallest size) and are the slowest ball option.

You heard me right: the best squash players play with the slowest ball, not the fastest.

That’s because good players get the ball very warm when they play, and a warmer ball moves faster. The best squash players hit the ball harder than beginners, have longer rallies, and have less downtime between points. All these factors combined mean the ball heats up more during the course of a game, and stays consistently hot throughout play.

So again, that’s why the best players need the slowest ball. If they were to start with a very lively ball, then as it warmed up further it would start bouncing around uncontrollably, and the game would be less fun.

Let me emphasize this point one more time because it’s important: squash balls warm up as you play.

No matter how good a player you are, you need to warm up the ball for a few minutes before you play. Good players always warm up the ball first. This may be called the warm-up or knock-up depending on what region of the world you live in.

Single Yellow Dot

The single yellow dot is the same diameter as the double yellow dot (40mm) but is just a little bouncier.

Red Dot

The red dot ball is even bouncier than the single yellow dot. It’s also slightly larger, at 42.5mm.

Blue Dot

That’s right, folks: the blue dot is even bouncier than the red dot. The blue dot is the largest in the typical squash ball lineup, at 45mm.

Green Dot

Okay, remember when I said the double yellow dot was the slowest ball? Actually that’s not true, because the green dot is even slower. If you play squash at high altitude, the ball travels faster than normal due to the “thinner air” or lower air pressure that exists at higher altitudes, so you need an even slower ball.

The solution is a high-altitude ball, and these are marked with a green dot. You might find youself playing with a green dot if you live in Denver, Mexico City, Johannesburg, Ecuador, or any other beautiful elevated location.

White Ball

The white squash ball is a special case. This is used on glass show courts. It’s 40mm, the same diameter as a standard double yellow dot squash ball.

Note that although the white ball has only a single yellow dot, it’s still meant to mimic the double yellow dot in terms of bounciness and playing characteristics. It’s not an exact science, because glass courts tend to be deader than conventional courts, but basically don’t worry that it only has one dot. It’s the only type of white ball that’s available, as far as I know.

The reason the ball is white is that glass courts actually have a colored tint to the walls so that players aren’t overly distracted by the goings-on outside the court. If the courts were totally clear glass, it would be too difficult for the players to focus on the action inside the court.

The purpose of the white ball, then, is to provide a good contrast against the tinted walls of the glass court. This helps the players see the ball, and also makes for a better TV broadcast experience.

Doubles Hardball

There’s a special form of squash called hardball doubles. This is played two-on-two on a larger court with a much harder ball.

Doubles is an incredibly fun sport and it’s popular in Philadelphia where I live, and in other places, but primarily in North America.

This is the usual ball for hardball doubles, except if you’re playing in a high-altitude location such as Denver, you should check with your local courts first to see what they use.

Singles Hardball

Because America is so special, we invented our own version of squash with a narrower court and a harder ball. We named this sport…squash. Genius! People my age played this form of the game growing up, but in the 1990s America finally adoped the standard international version of the game.

I don’t know that there are too many old-school narrow courts left in the country but if you want to play the classic hardball game, use this ball:

Black Dot

This is a hardball that’s been specifically designed for play on the standard wide court:

Kids’ Balls

There are a few different types of squash balls designed for children.

Dunlop have the Mini Squash line of balls in three colors. The green ones are 40mm in diameter, the same as a double yellow dot, but they are bouncier, and of course come in a fun color. Dunlop says these are for kids 11 and up.

The orange Mini Squash Balls are aimed at children 7-10 years old. They are 50mm in diameter.

Finally the red Mini Squash balls are 60mm in diameter and meant for ages 5-7.

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Squash Ball Brands

Several companies make squash balls.

Here in the USA, and in many countries around the world, the #1 brand of squash balls is Dunlop. They are the official ball of US Squash and of the Professional Squash Association.

It kind of makes sense to me that Dunlop are the top dog: squash balls are made from rubber, and Dunlop has been making products from rubber since the 1800s, although they didn’t cement their status as the number one squash ball producer until after World War II. Dunlop remain the premier option in the squash ball market, and at least where I live, most people buy and use Dunlop.

That said, there are many other brands available. The World Squash Federation, the worldwide governing body for squash, recognizes several other brands besides Dunlop, including Eye, Head, Karakal, Opfeel, Tecnifibre, and Victor. There are even a few brands on that list I’ve never heard of, like Huashen, Mr Price, and Taiball.

In some countries, a non-Dunlop brand will be the top choice. For example I’ve heard in Germany, Victor balls are the default option.

Some Squash Source readers have a preference for non-Dunlop balls. From the comments I’ve read, other brands’ balls are sometimes seen as being a little bouncier, having a more consistent bounce from one ball to the next, and being more durable.

Personally, I have a hard time telling the difference between the different squash balls brands, so I usually buy Dunlop by default.

Bottom line, feel free to experiment with different brands. You can’t really go wrong, in my book.

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Which Squash Ball Should You Use?

My overall advice in a nutshell is: don’t be afraid to experiment. Squash balls only cost a few dollars.

The important thing is to enjoy squash and get some exercise. If the ball is not bouncing much, the points are going to be over quickly, you won’t have as much fun, and you won’t get that great aerobic exercise that squash is known for. If this is happpening, try a bouncier ball.

That said, here are some recommendations for different players & situations.

Advanced Players

As mentioned above, most advanced players are going to use a double yellow dot. Those players have probably been playing for years and will already know the squash ball options available to them.

Good Players on a Cold Court

If you play on a cold court and you feel like the game isn’t as fun or as much exercise as you know it could be, give a single yellow dot a try. Regardless of your playing level, it can be difficult to get long points going on a cold court.

Beginner Adult Players

I would say it depends on how much racket-sport experience you have. If you’re a high-level player in some other racket sport, and you’re just picking up squash, you can probabably jump right in with a double yellow dot. If you’re having trouble keeping the ball warm while you work out the mechanics of squash, then worst case you can also buy yourself a single yellow dot to practice with until you get up to speed.

If you’re new to racket sports, I’d recommend starting with a single yellow dot. Once you’ve developed your power and tempo and ability to keep rallys going for multiple shots, then switch to a double yellow dot. On the other hand if the single yellow just isn’t bouncing enough, especially in those early days, try a blue dot.

Beginner Junior Players

I would follow the guidelines from Dunlop’s range of kids’ balls and get the Mini Squash red balls if your child is 5-7, or the orange balls if your child is 7-10. These are good options if your kid would likely get a kick out of the funky colors.

There’s a certain point at which your child won’t want to be seen using “kids balls”, but they may not be good enough to play with the advanced balls yet. In that case I would go with a red dot or blue dot, which at least outwardly look like “grownup” balls. You can gradually move them towards yellow dots as they progress.

Glass Court

If you’re playing on a glass court, you’ll want a white ball.

High Altitude Location

Check at the local courts if you aren’t sure, but most likely, advanced players will use a green dot. If you’re more of a beginner, then use the next-faster ball, which is the double yellow dot.

Hardballs

These are specialty options and you may want to check with your local courts. If you’re playing doubles, it’ll probably be the hardball doubles ball. If you’re playing hardball singles on a narrow court, you probably want the singles hardball. If you’re playing hardball on a (standard) wide court, you probably want the black dot.

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More Squash Ball Questions

What is inside a squash ball?

Air! Here’s a good article on how squash balls are made. That article also has a good history of squash balls prior to Dunlop becoming the dominant brand.

When should you replace squash balls?

When you first take a squash ball out of the box, it will have a bit of grit on the outer surface, which will grip the walls, floor, and your squash strings. Basically this helps you put spin on the ball, which is part of what makes squash fun and interesting.

Over time, the grit will wear away, and the ball will appear smooth on the outside. If you keep playing with it, the ball will become almost shiny. Personally I like to use the ball until it’s smooth, but not yet shiny, before replacing it. I’d guess I can usually get four or five matches out of a ball before it’s time to replace it.