This month we are going to explore the world of Bridgestone Tour Golf Balls!
I would argue the golf ball is the most important piece of equipment in your bag…..it’s the only piece of equipment used on every shot. When it comes to selecting a ball for purely performance benefits if I am going to change the ball I’m playing, or if I am going to recommend it to my students when I coach it needs to do two things. 1 – The ball needs to spin around the green and when approaching the green. A ball that does not suit your club head speed makes it harder to launch in optimal conditions and it will not give you the performance benefits. And 2 – Can the ball give you any more length? I try and answer these questions in that order because we can save more strokes around and approaching the green, against getting an extra couple of metres!
Bridgestone offer four premium balls which are all designed with different golfers in mind. Here is a simple breakdown and starting point for the Bridgestone Tour range:
• TOUR B X (Black Box) – ideal for players with swing speeds OVER 105 MPH who want additional distance
• TOUR B XS (Blue Box) – ideal for players with swing speeds OVER 105 MPH who want additional spin
• TOUR B RX (Red Box) – ideal for players with swing speeds UNDER 105 MPH who want additional distance
• Tour B RXS (Green Box) – ideal for players with swing speeds UNDER 105 MPH who want additional spin
From here we can start to eliminate a few of the models of golf balls just by simply asking the question, do I swing under or over 105MPH? If not sure, seek out a PGA Professional with a Trackman to identify your current Driver club head speed!
For me the two models that would best suit are the Tour B X and the Tour B XS, however I tried all four balls against the ball I currently use.
Before exploring the ball, I was really excited to see if I could produce more height and more spin, especially approaching the green. My tendency is to have a flatter flight with less spin, so anything to increase the height and spin would be amazing!
Let’s explore what I found! I did a little test with the short game shots first. I played five pitch shots, trying to land them 50m with my 55* SW with a medium flight. I loved the way one ball felt and that was the Tour B X. It felt great, the noise it made off the face and the way it felt when striking it was awesome. This was constant with both the pitch shots and the six-iron shots. Below are the results with my current ball and each of the Bridgestone Tour Range:
As we conclude our exploration, it’s evident that Bridgestone Tour Golf Balls offer a tailored solution for golfers seeking enhanced performance, emphasizing both distance and control around the green. With a range of options designed to suit diverse player profiles, Bridgestone stands out as a trusted ally for improving on-course performance. It’s a ball I will put in play! The Bridgestone Tour B X was able to fly further, higher and spin more than my current ball which is a testament to the staff at Bridgestone for producing a ball that can achieve all of those characteristics.
Michael Cooney is a teaching professional at the PGA Centre for Learning and Performance at the Sandhurst Golf Club in Melbourne and is always on the hunt for the latest and greatest in golf products.
