The invention provides a solid golf ball having a solid core and a cover layer that encases the core and has an outermost layer on an outside surface of which are formed a plurality of dimples. The solid core is formed of a rubber composition composed of 100 parts by weight of a base rubber that includes from 60 to 100 parts by weight of a polybutadiene rubber having a cis-1,4 bond content of at least 60% and synthesized using a rare-earth catalyst, from 0.1 to 5 parts by weight of an organosulfur compound, an unsaturated carboxylic acid or a metal salt thereof, an inorganic filler, and an antioxidant. The solid core has a deformation, when compressed under a final load of 130 kgf from an initial load of 10 kgf, of from 2.0 to 4.0 mm, and has a specific hardness distribution. The cover layer has a thickness of from 0.5 to 1.9 mm, and a Shore D hardness at the surface of from 50 to 70. The ball has at least one intermediate layer between the core and the cover, any one of which intermediate layer or layers has a surface hardness in Shore D units of from 40 to 60, the intermediate layer or layers having a total thickness of from 0.9 to 7.0 mm. The golf ball has a deformation, when compressed under a final load of 130 kgf from an initial load of 10 kgf, of from 2.0 to 3.8 mm. The solid golf ball is advantageous overall in competitive use.