Difference between Japanese and USA golf balls

I as recently looking at TSG and saw their golf balls and noticed that their price is considerable higher. Has anyone played these more expensive balls ($90)?

So is the price of clubs...bags...etc

Those are MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price) which is always high. No one pays that price in Japan. Most of those US$ 90 balls sell for 6,000 yen in Japan.

The US$ has lost over 1/3 of its value over the past few years. Just a few years ago, 6,000 yen was $50. Today, 6,000 yen is $78. So, your price went up $28 per dozen, but the price stayed the same in Japan. See how that works?

The golf ball market is tightly controlled across the planet. I would suspect that Tourspecgolf doesn't get much, if any, break on cost. So, I'm sure they've added a hefty markup, which is the way business works. Golf balls from Japan are a novelty since the shipping price could be as much as the product. i would imagine those customers are willing to pay a premium.

Are they any good? Well, I've tried about all of them but haven't found one to adopt. Srixon is huge on the Japanese tour because of endorsement contracts.

Disclaimer: I have always gone back to Titleist Balatas, Tour Balatas, Professionals and Prov1x's after 45 years of flirting with other balls.

The Japanese balls are forged not cast, more expensive to manufacture.

ProVs are more expensive in Japan for the same ball. Same with most other tour balls from almost everyone except brands with a known Japan presence i.e. Srixon. Usually 15-25% more, US street price vs Japan street price.

Re: Japan only balls.

Sometimes your paying more for better technology.

Japan made/researched-designed balls were the first to be multi-layered. Precept had "double cover" balls before the Strata.

The soft-core/soft feeling distance balls that started with the MC Lady (Precept product) started out in Japan as well. Previous to that almost every distance ball was a rock.

"Dimple in dimple" tech that have come out in the past few years I have seen in Japan balls as early as 6 years ago.

The rezin? core in the Nike 20XI has its roots in SRI technology as far back as 10 years ago.

Sometimes you're just paying for bigger and more colorful graphics.

I personally try Tourstage balls almost as soon as they come out, but if I truly like the ball I'll wait a year and stock up on the the cheaper Bridgestone versions.

Please don't try to kid us the balls on sale in Japan are any better than what I buy in the UK. Tourstage and Bridgestone are the same company and will simply re pack for outside Asia. I have hit several Tourstage and PRGR balls and found them to be poor compared to a V1 or Penta.

[quote name='johnstitch' timestamp='1329007360' post='4263235']
Please don't try to kid us the balls on sale in Japan are any better than what I buy in the UK. Tourstage and Bridgestone are the same company and will simply re pack for outside Asia. I have hit several Tourstage and PRGR balls and found them to be poor compared to a V1 or Penta.
[/quote]

Just curious which TS ball did you try and I can tell you the Bridgestone equivalent. I guessing you won't like the Bridgestone version either?

I'm not saying they are better especially across the board, sometimes they do some R&D that eventually becomes a hit. The multi-layer ball researched and developed in Japan revolutionized the game. It came to the rest of the world in a better marketed US ball: Strata, then TW won with a US branded version: Nike TA, then Titleist had to come out because even pros were switching: ProV...further down the line you now have your Penta. The multi-layers balls in Japan were better than whatever else was being offered everywhere else at that time. Did the US companies come out with better multi-layer balls after? probably yes.

However it is a different market over there. Example: Titleist GranZ. That ball carried a premium price tag over in (just slightly less than the ProV) Japan because they like their large-soft core balls there. The large-soft core balls most of the rest of the world is a $20dozen ball market.

i use the tourstage x-01 mild for hard greens like in austraila.
they play very very well indeed. i thought better suited than the srixon z star
bit softer. the Xv is a great over all ball. prob a bit longer off the tee but spun a litle less i though

x-jd for a bit more distance on softer greens in JP where they bite more in summer. like the harder compound on th club face, dont spin as much tho
perfect for japa sumemr golf. def more distance

and the supernewing premium brills on wet days for huge distance and low spin ., not a prob as the ball will just sit down on wet greens
these premium brills are THE best soft feeling balls on the putter face as well . if u need distance, these are the balls
the ball does bounce off it a lot further than the x-01 milds i discoverd over new yr in asutralia considerably more so

the new suepr newing migh be even better than the brills, they are really long!

the penta,, tm penta balls?
not for me thanks tried those didnt last a match.

dunlop and bridgestone as far as i know make rubber produts as a buiness ,
they outta know a thing or two about how to make a golf ball

im pretty happy sticking to thier ball products
and yes they are more expensive if u go to victoria golf and buy them off the shelf

get what u pay for.

As a previous poster said, sometimes Japan is a little ahead of the game technology wise or version wise. The softer Penta TP5 that is released now in the US, is very similar to the TP FIVE that sold in Japan last year (83 compression). Really liked the TPFive, hoping the TP5 in the US is similar.

The Bridestone series with the Dimple in Dimple you will see in the Newing of the Tourstage ball in Japan last year. Have hit the Newing feels like an E6 or E7, they are probably very similar in the new 2012 Bridgestone offerings.

[quote name='stevopagolf' timestamp='1329146473' post='4274931']
As a previous poster said, sometimes Japan is a little ahead of the game technology wise or version wise. The softer Penta TP5 that is released now in the US, is very similar to the TP FIVE that sold in Japan last year (83 compression). Really liked the TPFive, hoping the TP5 in the US is similar.

The Bridestone series with the Dimple in Dimple you will see in the Newing of the Tourstage ball in Japan last year. Have hit the Newing feels like an E6 or E7, they are probably very similar in the new 2012 Bridgestone offerings.
[/quote]


Thanks for the info on the TPFive. I bought a dozen last year but have never tried it because I'm lukewarm on the Penta. I thought it was the same ball.

[quote name='TJCDAS' timestamp='1328712572' post='4237365']
The Japanese balls are forged not cast, more expensive to manufacture.
[/quote]

ha

[quote name='xxio' timestamp='1329179948' post='4279681']
[quote name='stevopagolf' timestamp='1329146473' post='4274931']
As a previous poster said, sometimes Japan is a little ahead of the game technology wise or version wise. The softer Penta TP5 that is released now in the US, is very similar to the TP FIVE that sold in Japan last year (83 compression). Really liked the TPFive, hoping the TP5 in the US is similar.

The Bridestone series with the Dimple in Dimple you will see in the Newing of the Tourstage ball in Japan last year. Have hit the Newing feels like an E6 or E7, they are probably very similar in the new 2012 Bridgestone offerings.
[/quote]


Thanks for the info on the TPFive. I bought a dozen last year but have never tried it because I'm lukewarm on the Penta. I thought it was the same ball.
[/quote]
There were two versions released of the TP Five. The 322 dimple (says it on the sleeve) is the softer version. The normal TP Five (non 322) is the same as the PENTA here. The new 322 dimple came out in the Spring of last year.

[quote name='stevopagolf' timestamp='1329227677' post='4282911']
[quote name='xxio' timestamp='1329179948' post='4279681']
[quote name='stevopagolf' timestamp='1329146473' post='4274931']
As a previous poster said, sometimes Japan is a little ahead of the game technology wise or version wise. The softer Penta TP5 that is released now in the US, is very similar to the TP FIVE that sold in Japan last year (83 compression). Really liked the TPFive, hoping the TP5 in the US is similar.

The Bridestone series with the Dimple in Dimple you will see in the Newing of the Tourstage ball in Japan last year. Have hit the Newing feels like an E6 or E7, they are probably very similar in the new 2012 Bridgestone offerings.
[/quote]


Thanks for the info on the TPFive. I bought a dozen last year but have never tried it because I'm lukewarm on the Penta. I thought it was the same ball.
[/quote]
There were two versions released of the TP Five. The 322 dimple (says it on the sleeve) is the softer version. The normal TP Five (non 322) is the same as the PENTA here. The new 322 dimple came out in the Spring of last year.
[/quote]


I guess I still have the older version. Thank you again.

I've been traveling to Japan multiple times/yr for a long time. Each trip I try to bring back 5-10 dozen of different brands to try out with my golfing buds for kicks. I think I've pretty much hit 'em all. The performance spectrum of balls available in Japan is huge - everything from marshmallows to rocks, ultra spin to no spin and about 27 different colors. Some are really great balls, but there is also a lot of junk. What's fun about them to me is that you can often try balls with construction and materials that won't show up stateside for 2 or more years. For example, the Bridgestone RX ball was available as an older Tourstage X01 model (blue I seem to recall) about 3 yrs before it was introduced in US. Also some very good balls will never show up in the US. Mizuno for example does not sell any of their balls in North America, and they have some great ones. One of my current favorites is their Cross-eight 501 - a fun all around ball. My buds all wanted me to bring back a dozen for each of them on my last trip.

Net messages from my experience: Will at of them improve your game - No. Is it fun to try some of them - Yes.

[quote name='xxio' timestamp='1329010853' post='4263549']
[quote name='johnstitch' timestamp='1329007360' post='4263235']
Please don't try to kid us the balls on sale in Japan are any better than what I buy in the UK. Tourstage and Bridgestone are the same company and will simply re pack for outside Asia. I have hit several Tourstage and PRGR balls and found them to be poor compared to a V1 or Penta.
[/quote]

Just curious which TS ball did you try and I can tell you the Bridgestone equivalent. I guessing you won't like the Bridgestone version either?

I'm not saying they are better especially across the board, sometimes they do some R&D that eventually becomes a hit. The multi-layer ball researched and developed in Japan revolutionized the game. It came to the rest of the world in a better marketed US ball: Strata, then TW won with a US branded version: Nike TA, then Titleist had to come out because even pros were switching: ProV...further down the line you now have your Penta. The multi-layers balls in Japan were better than whatever else was being offered everywhere else at that time. Did the US companies come out with better multi-layer balls after? probably yes.

However it is a different market over there. Example: Titleist GranZ. That ball carried a premium price tag over in (just slightly less than the ProV) Japan because they like their large-soft core balls there. The large-soft core balls most of the rest of the world is a $20dozen ball market.
[/quote]
A while back a Golfsmith salesperson was trying to convince me that the GranZ is a Japanese ProV1

[quote name='Bob_golf1' timestamp='1329410237' post='4299963']
[quote name='xxio' timestamp='1329010853' post='4263549']
[quote name='johnstitch' timestamp='1329007360' post='4263235']
Please don't try to kid us the balls on sale in Japan are any better than what I buy in the UK. Tourstage and Bridgestone are the same company and will simply re pack for outside Asia. I have hit several Tourstage and PRGR balls and found them to be poor compared to a V1 or Penta.
[/quote]

Just curious which TS ball did you try and I can tell you the Bridgestone equivalent. I guessing you won't like the Bridgestone version either?

I'm not saying they are better especially across the board, sometimes they do some R&D that eventually becomes a hit. The multi-layer ball researched and developed in Japan revolutionized the game. It came to the rest of the world in a better marketed US ball: Strata, then TW won with a US branded version: Nike TA, then Titleist had to come out because even pros were switching: ProV...further down the line you now have your Penta. The multi-layers balls in Japan were better than whatever else was being offered everywhere else at that time. Did the US companies come out with better multi-layer balls after? probably yes.

However it is a different market over there. Example: Titleist GranZ. That ball carried a premium price tag over in (just slightly less than the ProV) Japan because they like their large-soft core balls there. The large-soft core balls most of the rest of the world is a $20dozen ball market.
[/quote]
A while back a Golfsmith salesperson was trying to convince me that the GranZ is a Japanese ProV1
[/quote]

Not even close. GranZ and now VG3's are much more like the NXT's here

[quote name='sirukuma' timestamp='1329284110' post='4289153']
I've been traveling to Japan multiple times/yr for a long time. Each trip I try to bring back 5-10 dozen of different brands to try out with my golfing buds for kicks. I think I've pretty much hit 'em all. The performance spectrum of balls available in Japan is huge - everything from marshmallows to rocks, ultra spin to no spin and about 27 different colors. Some are really great balls, but there is also a lot of junk. What's fun about them to me is that you can often try balls with construction and materials that won't show up stateside for 2 or more years. For example, the Bridgestone RX ball was available as an older Tourstage X01 model (blue I seem to recall) about 3 yrs before it was introduced in US. Also some very good balls will never show up in the US. Mizuno for example does not sell any of their balls in North America, and they have some great ones. One of my current favorites is their Cross-eight 501 - a fun all around ball. My buds all wanted me to bring back a dozen for each of them on my last trip.

Net messages from my experience: Will at of them improve your game - No. Is it fun to try some of them - Yes.
[/quote]

Just brought back a couple dozen of Mizuno's latest 5 piece ball called JPX. was just released in March. Played a couple of rounds with it but so far I'm not impressed. I think the older 4 piece MP-8 and MP-8x models have better feel. It also feels harsher than the 5 piece it replaced, the cross eight 501 that I loved.