Premium Balls compared

Joe Blo Golfer · July 4, 2008

My take comparing apples to apples

My take on premium golf balls! (these are all the latest versions by the way)

First of all some things are confusing, a firmer compression ball rolls up the club face more on lofted clubs and spins MORE than softer compression balls that deform more. A softer cover ball grabs the face more and spins more than a firmer cover ball. Not all softer feeling balls spin more than firmer feeling balls.

All modern golf balls travel about the same distance, confirmed by myself and by golf digest. Distance shouldnt be your first consideration when picking a ball. The difference between the overall performance of one premium ball and another is usually minimal, there are pros playing all these balls and scoring better than we ever will and winning on the PGA. I have had great rounds with all different brands so play what you feel confident in playing.

About me, driver swing speed 105 - 107, 5 iron swing speed 86-88. I don't keep a handicap but I shoot around 80 consistantly from the back tees, good rounds high 70s bad ones mid 80s. Generaly I hit the ball better that I score and my shortgame could use some help.

Taylor Made TP red

For me this is the best ball I have ever played hands down, granted it dosent shave 5 strokes off my game but it does what I want a ball to do. The cover is a little firmer than most balls so it is more durable than most, i have played 3 rounds with one ball and it still looked descent, like a PV1 after one round. However the feel layer of this unique 4 piece ball gives it awesome feel and for me has great feel on touch shots comparable to a PV1. On full swings it has great soft feel yet still resiliant and feels like it flies off the clubs, again it is almost as soft as the PV1 on full swings. I live in vegas where the winds kick up in the afternoon and the low penetrating ball flight is the best ball in the wind, apparently the LDP technology is also great in the wind. It seems to go about middle low and flatten out on all clubs, which i love because i hit the ball a little high. For the record the red is slightly less spinning and has a lower ball flight than the black, but it still spins alot and holds my hard dessert greens as well as anything. This ball is also real long, especialy off the driver, golf digest confirmed this and was the longest ball at 90mph, I think i hit it a little longer than other balls too because I hit it a little lower than most (about 14 degrees). At 40 bucks a dozen it is hands down my favorite ball! Overall it is soft, meduim low ball flight, medium high spin, great in the wind, exceptional off the driver and putter with great feel off everything else.

Bridgestone B330s

This is a great ball, I used to play the U-tri balls so I love this ball. In comparison it is slightly firmer on all shots, full and touch, compared to the TP red or PV1. It is still fairly soft but considering it is the soft model it could feel better. The durability of the ball is pretty good and it takes a decent amount to ruin the soft cover, it spins a good amount on the short clubs but not a silly amount where the ball rolls off the green. In the wind it is ok, it balloons a little and is effected by crosswinds about average compared to most balls. The one thing I noticed about this ball is that it feels a little longer of the irons than other balls. It also has a realy nice medium penetrating trajectory off the irons and seems really accurate. This ball is probably one of the best balls off irons. It has good distance off the driver also and probably is only a few yards shorter than the tp red. I would say this ball is medium soft, medium high spin, medium ball flight, great off the irons, it does everything well.

Callaway iX

Let me tell you I went and got a ball fitting at golf galaxy and this was what i was fit into, I used to love the callaway rule 35 but never loved the HX balls but I thought I would give it a chance, I hated it. First off it feels and sounds terrible off the putter and dosen't seem to get rolling right away like other premium balls. I balance my balls for putting using heavy water and a sharpie and every ball in the dozen was off balance which is alot worse that other balls. This probably has to due with the dual density core, as a note after a hole or two all balls are out of balance so it probably isnt an issue but just thought I would mention it. Off full swings the ball felt real hard and and especialy harsh on misshits. With the driver and even the irons it did have great distance. Off the driver i dont think it was more than a yard or two longer than the TP red, however it was carried almost 5 yards longer with my shorter irons, less so with the longer clubs. Off the irons the ball sucks spin wise, I spin my irons a descent amount and never had a problem holding most greens, not with this ball, in a ball test I read all the premium balls spun about the same except for the IX which had about 3/4 of the spin of other balls with a SW. I would regularly repair my ball mark around pin high to only go walk to my ball on the back fringe. The durability was there and was another reason i tried this ball but wasnt amazing but was still probably the best compared to premium balls. The ball fight is high but dosen't balloon and it is good in crosswinds, it seems to launch high and then kind of float up there, I didn't like the way it looked with wedges and short irons. Overall it is hard, low spin, high ball flight, good off the driver and thats about it. p.s according to golf digest it had average distance compared to other balls at 90mph.

PV1 and PV1X

I don't like buying these because they are more expensive and not going to change my score. Putting the PV1 and X both feel great while the x is slightly firmer but still rolls and feels great. On full swings these they are both medium ball flights with the PV1 a little higher and the PV1x a little lower. On full swings the PV1 feels awesome, is is soft as butter and feels the softest out of any ball i have played. The x is still soft and feels good about meduim, similar to the B330s. Of the driver the x is one of the longer balls for me while the PV1 is about average. The durability of the PV1 is not good, a tradeoff of the soft feel for sure and the X is ok, about average which is descent nowadays. Both balls are high spin of the irons. In the wind is where I don't like these balls, the balloon alot for my in the wind and get caught in crosswinds a little more than average. For me the TP red is the ultimate combination of the PVs, durability, distance, and lower ball flight of the x with the feel of the original, plus more penetrating ball flight and better in the wind than both. Plus its about 6 bucks cheaper, it's a no brainer! Overall the PV1 is soft feel, medium high ball flight, high spin, and has great feel on all shots. The PV1X is medium soft feel, medium low ball flight, high spin, great off the driver and the putter.

I haven't played other balls enough to give a fair comparison so thats it, i would like to try both nike balls but dont think i will spend the money considering I have found the best ball for me. In the end like I said there isn't a huge difference between balls except the iX which i traded 3 sleves for TP reds at my local course. I might consider trying the tour i but it probably isnt that durable, cost more, and still has the odd ball flight for me due to hex aerodynamics. I would find the ball that does the one thing that you really want your ball to do, whether its feel or iron spin or whatever, I think this will give you confidence. All modern premium balls that i have played, with the exception of the iX, play good in all aspects of the game, thats why tour pros play whatever brand that pays them to for the most part.

rbmercer · July 5, 2008

I think you are pretty much spot on with comparing Tp REd and Pro V1X....to me, I love the X except in windy conditions....the RED has all the same qualities as the X, but is much better in the wind...I am switching to Red full time more than likely

RNF · July 5, 2008

The Touri is much softer off the putter and spins more into and around the greens than the ix. I agree that both the Callaway's are higher launching than most balls, however they are extremely stable in crosswinds (which in Vegas you have more than your fair share).

I have not messed with the TP balls much, but what I have I have liked. I must admit it was a huge surprise too. I guess I went into it with a closed mind though not really wanting to like them. I have not pursued it though so I have no preference for either Black or Red.

Good review

Where do you play in Vegas?

Joe Blo Golfer · July 5, 2008

I play wherever gives me the best deals, being its over 110 everyday right now thats almost everywhere. Its awesome, if you can handle the heat most courses are pretty much empty and you can play with a cart for about 40$. I always like to play as many different courses as possible, angel park, national, arroyo, and sienna i have probably played the most though.

AM92318 · July 9, 2008

I play wherever gives me the best deals, being its over 110 everyday right now thats almost everywhere. Its awesome, if you can handle the heat most courses are pretty much empty and you can play with a cart for about 40$. I always like to play as many different courses as possible, angel park, national, arroyo, and sienna i have probably played the most though.

I also play Angel Park, Arroyo, Siena, and Badlands.