TaylorMade TP Red 2008

TaylorMade 2008 TP Red

Higher-spin players can get Tour performance and faster ball speed with the TaylorMade 2008 TP Red Golf Balls. Features include a cast thermoset urethane cover for predictable spin and supreme shear-resistance, 360-dimple Low-Drag Performance (LDP) aerodynamics to improve distance on off-center hits. The 2008 TP Red Balls feel 15% softer than the original TP Red.

amazing ball

I really like this ball. It is long and wind-piercing off the driver, and feels pretty soft off the irons and putter. I used a Nike One Platinum for a golf trip prior to trying out the TP Red, and the spin/check-up around the greens with the NOP was just awesome -- but it was a problem off the driver. This ball can't spin like the NOP, but the feel is very good, and you can quickly learn what kind of spin you get with the TP Red.

The Red has been my ball of choice so far this year.

Not bad!! I like the black a little better though.

Not bad!! I like the black a little better though.

85-90 MPH swing speed ?

What swing speed is this ball best suited to then?

I have used the red and quite like it, better in the wind than the pro v1's but not quite as nice feel off the irons and putter.

4 out of 5 for me

;) This ball is long and very long. Very responsive around the greens.

Elsewhere on this board is an interview with the TM ball R&D guy. This ball is everthing he says it is supposed to be.

For me, stability in the wind is a big factor in ball selection. Here in Texas, in the spring it is common to play in 20-35 mph wind (note: where the wind is never less than 20 mph). This ball is a really good compromise on spin, feel and trajectory, and is as good in the wind as any ball I can remember.

Inside 100 yds, several balls have good performance for me. I put a lot of spin on the ball. Even though this ball is supposed to spin less than other comparable balls, I have not seen any difference.

I am the kind of guy who doesn't like to buy new balls. But in a golf store a friend told me to give this one a try (red) and bought a sleeve of 3. I have tried this ball last weekend and ...

... I will definitly change from Pro V1!

Very long, spins enough! Longer than the titleist off the driver. It flyies, flyies forever!

I will put in play my last pro vs and chane for this one!

BEST BALL EVER!

this is a very very good ball, maybe not as much spin as I like around the greens but more thatn a lot of balls, anyone played both this one and the black? How do they compare?

I've played with both - the black will offer more spin than the red. I am a high ball/high spin player and found the red to be about perfect for me from a driver down to the lob wedge. I switched from the ProV1x and haven't looked back. Don't be turned off by the red being "low spin" as it has plenty of spin off of the irons.

J.

I have played this ball for 2 rounds now and feel it is superior to the ProVs (X or regular). I have yet to play the black, but I am a high ball player and this does not get caught up in the wind for me like other balls. The other benefit I found was that it is durable as hell!!! With my Vokey SM I typically shred the cover on any other ball and it barely left a blemish on this ball. I was able to play the same ball the entire round and I haven't done that in years due to balls scuffing.

I highly recommend this ball to anyone that tends to have their ball get caught up in the wind. Only downside for me was that it doesn't spin as much as a ProV1x, but still held well and has a nice feel so I'm willing to compromise for all the other upsides.

After Sergio's TPC victory and comment about the TP Reds I tried a dozen, and loved them.

Being the cheapie I am, I purchased 6 doz off eBay at a great price. They arrived today, but are the 2007 reds. What is the difference? Curious...

Scott

I would have never thought that the TaylorMade TP Red LDP would be so good that I would want to get rid of all my Pro V1's and play it exclusively. I played one round with the TP Red LDP and I was thoroughly impressed to the point where I'm getting rid of my Pro V1's. I played them on a tree lined course that I had never played before. The greens were very firm and were rolling very nicely. I found the TP Red LDP to be longer than the Pro V1 off every club (approximately one club longer or 8-15 yards longer), softer off the club face, it putts like a dream and is more durable than the Pro V1. I also believe the LDP technology works; I hit a couple very poor shots and got amazing results.Titleist Pro V1 Golf Ball.

Mike

I have been searching for a ball like this for years. I used to play the Maxfli HT100 and A10 and this ball reminds me of those around the greens. I could easily get 18 holes out of 1 Maxfli HT100 or A10 and I can do the same with the new red. Lately I've been playing the Srixon Z-URS which performs well but not around the greens a much. The Z-URS scuff up really bad like the ProV-1 on wedge shots. I'm extremely happy with the new red and have bought several dozen off ebay at $25 each.

I have been using the TP black as a PROV1 replacement this year. Shooting well lately (breaking 80 near every outing), I have noticed that they do fly a little HIGH for my liking. I would like to know what I can expect from the TP red Ldp if I were to pick up a dozen. I have picked up yardage with my driver and the LDP black but, the irons are about the same - I think because of the high traj.

I need no help in spinning the ball with my irons/wedges and carry my driver over 250, normally total gps logged distance 265-70. 7 iron 160-5. Primarily looking for lower flight on 7 iron down to wedges. I also rip the tp ldp black up fairly fiercely with my wedges, a y groove tm and titleist SM. Maybe use two balls per round, the 06 prov1's were the last ball I found that lasted more than a round for me.

Thanks much for the help.

JC

I have been using the TP black as a PROV1 replacement this year. Shooting well lately (breaking 80 near every outing), I have noticed that they do fly a little HIGH for my liking. I would like to know what I can expect from the TP red Ldp if I were to pick up a dozen. I have picked up yardage with my driver and the LDP black but, the irons are about the same - I think because of the high traj.

 

 

I need no help in spinning the ball with my irons/wedges and carry my driver over 250, normally total gps logged distance 265-70. 7 iron 160-5. Primarily looking for lower flight on 7 iron down to wedges. I also rip the tp ldp black up fairly fiercely with my wedges, a y groove tm and titleist SM. Maybe use two balls per round, the 06 prov1's were the last ball I found that lasted more than a round for me.

 

Thanks much for the help.

 

JC

Try the Red. It does fly a bit lower and spins just fine off the short irons.

Funny though. I played with the TM Y-cutter wedges last year and, while there were slight scuff marks (not enough to make me change the ball) I found no great scuffing going on.

THIS year however, I've changed to the Callaway X square grooves and on a full sand wedge the cover does scuff/cut/shred (pick one) a fair bit more. Still not enough to force me to a 2nd ball during a single round but it IS noticable.

I am going to pick some red up most certainly.

My y groove is a tour issue rac, I think it might be a box groove (it has the two dots on the hosel though and yellow flag) because it shreds, and I have had it for 3 years. I owe its durability to infrequent practice and the stainless steel construction. Probably has more to do with my angle coming into it on wedge shots. I can hit it super spinny/high 110 with a full shot 56* but it can/will/has balooned before.... So I mostly do a half swing with PW or 52* for 100yds depending on if flag is front/back.

Appreciate your advice.

JC

interesting that many of you are saying that the red spins less that the black i thought it was the other way around?? the red is comparable to the prov1, nike one plat, etc. and the black was a comp to the prov1x, nike one black, etc. is this not correct??

no, supposedly the Black has a slightly harder feel to it, but it is their high spin, high launch ball (Pro V1), whilst the Red is slightly softer but is lower spin, lower launch (Pro V1X). I think they switched them around this year from last year, when the Red was the higher spinning ball. It's a little hard to understand - we had to ask the TM reps at work when they released it cos my colleague and I always used to argue over which was which hahaha

Based on comments from different individuals on both the Black and Red, I really believe you need to try both balls yourself to determine the best one for you. Even though the Black is supposed to be longer and spin more than the Red, for me I've found the Red to be longer off the driver and irons with just as much spin. Also, the Red has a much softer feel.

it is also going to depend on your swing speed. It you swing <100mph you will be longer with the TP black....>100mph = longer with TP Red.

Here's the dilemma of the modern day:

I think there is such a big difference between the titanium springy heads of drivers compared to the forged steel faces of Fairway woods and Irons that it's hard to pick the right ball to perform for both just as well.

This ball I love for my driver. Good mid, boring, beaming trajectory and no balooning - but, for the irons, since I am a clean-crisp hitter rather than a digger, unless I crunch down really well with the short irons the ball does not want to spin much. But I prefer the softer feel of the ball overall compared to the Black, so I play this one.

I tried the Black - the Black has a much more stickier, grippier cover that will help people who don't have the spin-power to get more spin. But the click off the irons and woods I did not like as much, and the ball does get up higher quicker.

As for putting - for my milled faces that I like, the Red is better for fast greens as I get a better feel on downhill putts.

Spent some time working with The TP Red this week/weekend versus my usual ProV1x. Lowering the spin fit nicely with other changes I recently made to the driver. The real deal I wanted to see was inside 150 to the green. There was a dramatic difference in spin back between the two. My swing is very consistent and I had very similar shots into the same greens all four rounds I played so the comparison is good...even if not 100% scientific.

I perceive the difference to be something like 6 feet or so spin back. The Red's hit and basically stopped within a foot. The ProV1X drew back the extra 6 feet or so. With the greens being so soft right now at our club and around town, the Red's charcteristics are much better. They seem to bore through the wind slightly better as well. I would imagine that the firmer greens of summer would give controllable release of the ball and the ball would still work well. One thing I have not seen anyone mention is when you really WANT to spin the Red....I did notice that the ball does not quite bite as hard on the punch wedges (Cleveland's with the aggressive grooves)...and had a little more diificult time really spinning the ball from Sand when I wanted it to stop immediately.

In all, the judgement on which ball to play is really what will benefit you the most considering all situations. The Red is a better fit for me than the ProV1X because of what I can do with it going into the greens.

I am a high ball hitter and for a couple of seasons played the Bridgestone b330. My only complaint was how firm the ball felt but I liked the results. After a couple of seasons with the b330 I started trying to play different balls last year and my ball flight definitely was higher again. I decided to try to TP RED LDP this year since it was also suppose to be a low flight ball but softer then the b330. I have to say I hit some very long drives with it yesterday and it lowered my ball flight much like the b330. It also felt softer then what I remember the b330 felt like. It checked up just fine for me on iron shots and chip shots. This will probably by my gamer this year. Very impressed so far.

I spin the ball a lot and don't like high trajectories so I had been playing ProV1X's for a lengthy time, not the new version though, haven't tested it and don't plan on it at this juncture.

Not long ago after testing TM Black (thinking it was their high spin ball) against ProV1X and ix, I switched to Callaway ix because it was longer for me and still danced around the greens. The other day on a fluke I purchased a sleeve of TM TP Red LDP for testing to see if it matched up well with the R9.

I went to my normal practice green, the green was hard, so I didn't expect much and it performed ok. However yesterday I was really suprised on the first Par 5 hole. I tee'd off using 2i and almost went through the fairway, then hit 3i to 90yds; never of which had I done before with those clubs.

What surprised me was carry and run out. Run out is more sporatic with "ix". Yesterday on average my 2i found new longer off the tee spots so I'll be testing the TP Red till for this sleeve. The TPRed sticks on fast greens too, I like :rolleyes:, but I'll reserve my conclusion until I am done with this sleeve.

can anyone please clarify?

which ball is the higher spinning one?

i thought the red was the "pro v1" and the tp black was the "pro v1x"?

NO you have it opposite!

Red=provx

Black+pro v

Elsewhere on this board is an interview with the TM ball R&D guy. This ball is everthing he says it is supposed to be.

 

For me, stability in the wind is a big factor in ball selection. Here in Texas, in the spring it is common to play in 20-35 mph wind (note: where the wind is never less than 20 mph). This ball is a really good compromise on spin, feel and trajectory, and is as good in the wind as any ball I can remember.

 

Inside 100 yds, several balls have good performance for me. I put a lot of spin on the ball. Even though this ball is supposed to spin less than other comparable balls, I have not seen any difference.

I find this ball really consistent for spinning although with other balls i can get more spin but i have learned not not play with spin as much as i play in the wind all year ( i'm from scotland) so even on a good day there can be a really big wind :( :russian_roulette: and also I find that this ball is way longer for me off the tee than both ProV1 and ProV1x balls . . .i would reccomend this ball to anyone

can anyone please clarify?

which ball is the higher spinning one?

i thought the red was the "pro v1" and the tp black was the "pro v1x"?

On TM's site they have a chart that shows trajectory - Red is low, Black is high; that equates to Red being a lower spinning ball for high spin players like myself; black is the higher spinning ball that produces a higher trajctory for people that need help spinning the ball.

http://www.taylormadegolf.com/mainlevel/golfshop.html#30I10

Red=ProV1X

Black=ProV

Keeping in mind when trying to understand which does what if a player hits a Black further then Red, it's not surprising he might think Black is the longer ball when in fact that ball is best fit for his SS and ball striking.