dhill
New member
Good job Intimidator! Good info
TaylorMade Project 5 Golf Ball Review Thread
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- #202
12/2/12, The Highlands Course, Sarasota FL.
TaylorMade Project 5 Testing
I put the Project 5 ball in to play today during my round, along side a few other of my favorite balls to try and get some comparison. All in all, I played the Project 5, B330RX and the Z Star.
I had some mixed results with the Project 5 today, and not really to sure what to make of it at the moment. Off of my irons and wedges it was fine, and a ball that I could see myself playing. Off the tee with my driver on the other hand, I was met with some interesting results. My ball flight was noticeably lower with the Project 5, it was about a mid-high flight, but comparing the tee shots I had with the Project 5 to the other balls I was playing, the flight was noticeably different. There was no distance loss, as I was hitting the ball quite well from the tee today and my drives with each ball were on par with what I typically see. Just find it interesting that the flight was lower. Feel with the driver was decent, even though I have said that the cover felt quite soft, off the driver I wasn't getting the same feel. Im wondering if I wasn't compressing the ball as well as I do the other balls I was playing, and that led to a different feel at impact? Could be the case, but not 100%, especially since every swing is always a touch different than the others...for me anyway.
On to my irons... The project 5 worked quite well for me off of my irons. Full shots and less than full shots gave me solid results, and the ball performed as I would expect depending on which shot I was going for. No difference in ball flight here, high shots when I needed them to be, and lower shots when it called for it. The Project 5 really felt nice off the irons, a nice crisp sound at impact and again, solid results. Nothing displeasing to me when using this ball with my irons. I would have liked to see how the ball worked on full iron shots in to the green, but due to the course I was playing having just completed renovations to the greens, they were still quite hard and not very receptive to spin and what not.
Wedges... Full wedges shots, around the green and touch shots, again, the Project 5 worked well for me. I mentioned earlier that the greens were quite hard due to recent renovations, but even with that when I was trying to get the Project 5 to spin, I was seeing enough spin to still get a bit of action, regardless of the greens being harder than normal. I really do feel that this ball performs exceptionally well for my short game. The spin I have seen on the practice area and what I saw in my round today has me curious as to the makeup of this ball, regardless of what it is, I am liking it.
For MWard; I was able to pull off my shots when needed today. When I wanted to get the ball a bit higher in the air from that 70ish yard range for a softer landing, I was able to. When wanting to keep it lower and let it run, not a problem either. Due to the conditions of the greens today, I was playing my shots a bit lower and letting them land in front of the green and relied on rollout to get the ball where it needed to go, and the Project 5 did exactly what I needed it to do. I did have a few shots that I needed to play a bit higher due to trouble in front of the green, and I was able to hit a higher shot with a softer landing without problem.
Putter, not too much here, just a soft feel and a muted tone when the putter strikes the ball. I like it. It feels good and the ball rolls true.
Parting thoughts; Overall, the ball really seemed to work for me today. I had some issues with the ball off the driver and a lower ball flight, but that surely has more to do with the swing, not the ball. Even though the distance was what I normally see off the driver, the lower and more penetrating flight had me thinking a good bit. Irons, wedges and the rest of it, the Project 5 did what I needed it to do. I wasnt met with any surprises from a shot, nor was I left with anything that had me questioning what had just happened. As a big fan of the original TM Penta, and then not liking the newer TP5/TP3 line, I was a bit skeptical about how I would like this or not, but was quite pleased with what I was seeing on the course today with the Project 5. I will be getting a round in later this week, and again next weekend, and am looking forward to playing a course with softer greens than what I was on today so I can see how full iron and wedge shots respond for me, as well as trying to work out the issue I had for a bit off the tee today.
TaylorMade Project 5 Testing
I put the Project 5 ball in to play today during my round, along side a few other of my favorite balls to try and get some comparison. All in all, I played the Project 5, B330RX and the Z Star.
I had some mixed results with the Project 5 today, and not really to sure what to make of it at the moment. Off of my irons and wedges it was fine, and a ball that I could see myself playing. Off the tee with my driver on the other hand, I was met with some interesting results. My ball flight was noticeably lower with the Project 5, it was about a mid-high flight, but comparing the tee shots I had with the Project 5 to the other balls I was playing, the flight was noticeably different. There was no distance loss, as I was hitting the ball quite well from the tee today and my drives with each ball were on par with what I typically see. Just find it interesting that the flight was lower. Feel with the driver was decent, even though I have said that the cover felt quite soft, off the driver I wasn't getting the same feel. Im wondering if I wasn't compressing the ball as well as I do the other balls I was playing, and that led to a different feel at impact? Could be the case, but not 100%, especially since every swing is always a touch different than the others...for me anyway.
On to my irons... The project 5 worked quite well for me off of my irons. Full shots and less than full shots gave me solid results, and the ball performed as I would expect depending on which shot I was going for. No difference in ball flight here, high shots when I needed them to be, and lower shots when it called for it. The Project 5 really felt nice off the irons, a nice crisp sound at impact and again, solid results. Nothing displeasing to me when using this ball with my irons. I would have liked to see how the ball worked on full iron shots in to the green, but due to the course I was playing having just completed renovations to the greens, they were still quite hard and not very receptive to spin and what not.
Wedges... Full wedges shots, around the green and touch shots, again, the Project 5 worked well for me. I mentioned earlier that the greens were quite hard due to recent renovations, but even with that when I was trying to get the Project 5 to spin, I was seeing enough spin to still get a bit of action, regardless of the greens being harder than normal. I really do feel that this ball performs exceptionally well for my short game. The spin I have seen on the practice area and what I saw in my round today has me curious as to the makeup of this ball, regardless of what it is, I am liking it.
For MWard; I was able to pull off my shots when needed today. When I wanted to get the ball a bit higher in the air from that 70ish yard range for a softer landing, I was able to. When wanting to keep it lower and let it run, not a problem either. Due to the conditions of the greens today, I was playing my shots a bit lower and letting them land in front of the green and relied on rollout to get the ball where it needed to go, and the Project 5 did exactly what I needed it to do. I did have a few shots that I needed to play a bit higher due to trouble in front of the green, and I was able to hit a higher shot with a softer landing without problem.
Putter, not too much here, just a soft feel and a muted tone when the putter strikes the ball. I like it. It feels good and the ball rolls true.
Parting thoughts; Overall, the ball really seemed to work for me today. I had some issues with the ball off the driver and a lower ball flight, but that surely has more to do with the swing, not the ball. Even though the distance was what I normally see off the driver, the lower and more penetrating flight had me thinking a good bit. Irons, wedges and the rest of it, the Project 5 did what I needed it to do. I wasnt met with any surprises from a shot, nor was I left with anything that had me questioning what had just happened. As a big fan of the original TM Penta, and then not liking the newer TP5/TP3 line, I was a bit skeptical about how I would like this or not, but was quite pleased with what I was seeing on the course today with the Project 5. I will be getting a round in later this week, and again next weekend, and am looking forward to playing a course with softer greens than what I was on today so I can see how full iron and wedge shots respond for me, as well as trying to work out the issue I had for a bit off the tee today.
Intimadator2007
New member
War eagle was the durability of the ball a good for you as it was for me ? And I did notice the lower ball flight off the tee box but I kinda enjoyed it as it gave me more distance than i normally get with a ProvV1 with great roll out ..
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- #205
I had no issues with durability with the Project 5. Normal wear and tear that i see with my regular ball.
The difference in ball flight wasnt really bothering me, as the distance was what I expect...but it did have me curious as to why I was seeing it.
ATLGolfer
#ATLClive75
I had another chance to take the Project 5 out for a short game session yesterday. Lots of chips, pitches, flops and putts. (I tried to stay out of the bunker for this session to keep the wear down.) The session reinforced for me that these balls are very workable around the green. They have a little more bite than the B330s that I usually play, and they have an incredibly soft feel.
I mentioned this before in a prior post, but I think the best way to describe the feel of the Project 5 around the green is to compare it to a wound ball. The Project 5 really reminds me of the Titleist Tour Professional and Tour Prestige wound balls that were the tour-level balls before the ProV1 was introduced. Obviously, you cannot put a Project 5 out of round or "cut" it, but it has that same incredibly soft feel. I really like the feel of the ball around the green.
I have mentioned wear issues in prior posts, and I do think the Project 5 wears a little faster than other comparable balls. (I know there have been mixed results on this issue.) I don't think the wear issue would be an absolute deal breaker for me, because the ball is still certainly playable after a few scuffs. If I was a touring pro, I would be prepared to play multiple balls during a round -- but if I was a touring pro I also wouldn't be concerned about the cost of the balls. So long as the Project 5 is in the $40 range, I think it would be reasonable to game them. However, if the Project 5 approached a cost consistent with the ProV1 (i.e., consistently above $45), the wear factor would be more of an issue.
I am holding my last three Project 5 balls for the THP Invitational this weekend. (Editor's comment: Motoo is not allowed to use these balls off of the tee under any circumstance.) I hope to have some more comments on the long game playability of the Project 5, since my experience with the ball, to date, has been somewhat limited. I will be interested to see if the side spin issue on the driver is present this weekend, or if I was just having some swing consistency issues the last time I gamed this ball on the course.
Either way, I am looking forward to taking the Project 5 out to True Blue. When you're striking this ball well, it is an absolute pleasure to hit.
I mentioned this before in a prior post, but I think the best way to describe the feel of the Project 5 around the green is to compare it to a wound ball. The Project 5 really reminds me of the Titleist Tour Professional and Tour Prestige wound balls that were the tour-level balls before the ProV1 was introduced. Obviously, you cannot put a Project 5 out of round or "cut" it, but it has that same incredibly soft feel. I really like the feel of the ball around the green.
I have mentioned wear issues in prior posts, and I do think the Project 5 wears a little faster than other comparable balls. (I know there have been mixed results on this issue.) I don't think the wear issue would be an absolute deal breaker for me, because the ball is still certainly playable after a few scuffs. If I was a touring pro, I would be prepared to play multiple balls during a round -- but if I was a touring pro I also wouldn't be concerned about the cost of the balls. So long as the Project 5 is in the $40 range, I think it would be reasonable to game them. However, if the Project 5 approached a cost consistent with the ProV1 (i.e., consistently above $45), the wear factor would be more of an issue.
I am holding my last three Project 5 balls for the THP Invitational this weekend. (Editor's comment: Motoo is not allowed to use these balls off of the tee under any circumstance.) I hope to have some more comments on the long game playability of the Project 5, since my experience with the ball, to date, has been somewhat limited. I will be interested to see if the side spin issue on the driver is present this weekend, or if I was just having some swing consistency issues the last time I gamed this ball on the course.
Either way, I am looking forward to taking the Project 5 out to True Blue. When you're striking this ball well, it is an absolute pleasure to hit.
- Thread starter
- #207
Nice info ATLGolfer, good writeup. I am like you, and am wondering if some of the mixed results I had were due to my swing, or if the ball played more of a role in that or not.
RoundersRob
New member
It's finally stopped raining in Northern California. I can get out for a round or two this week and will play the Project 5 as much as possible and report back.
ATLGolfer
#ATLClive75
It's a valid point that I am trying to keep in mind. Even when I am swinging well, I am not perfectly consistent from swing to swing. While I did seem to notice some side spin issues off of the driver with the Project 5 (and not really with the other balls I was playing), I need a larger sample before I can really attribute that issue to the ball instead of an off swing. Hopefully I can do this at True Blue before losing the last three balls...
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- #210
True Blue should give you the opportunity to swing free from the tee, some of the fairways are quite open.
ATLGolfer
#ATLClive75
I had that in mind. True Blue lets you swing away a fair amount. If I remember correctly, the par 3s can be a little dicey, and I may try to swap out balls for those. But, I should certainly get some driver swings in on Saturday.
- Thread starter
- #212
Any new thoughts or updates guys?
Anyone seeing things they particularly like put of the Project 5 vs their usual ball? Something they don't like?
Anyone seeing things they particularly like put of the Project 5 vs their usual ball? Something they don't like?
RoundersRob
New member
They don't float. That's all I was able to test this past weekend. 
Seriously though - I'm trying to get out mid-week for a round and extended practice session. Keeping my fingers crossed that we won't get the rain forecasted for tomorrow evening and Wednesday. After that it's clear for a while.
Seriously though - I'm trying to get out mid-week for a round and extended practice session. Keeping my fingers crossed that we won't get the rain forecasted for tomorrow evening and Wednesday. After that it's clear for a while.
I played a 2-man scramble round with some buddies this afternoon and was able to get the Project 5 out on the course for the first time. Overall, I liked what I saw/felt throughout the day and what I experienced was a bit different than the info I was getting back in the launch monitor. I played this alongside the Callaway Hex Black and the Srixon Z-Star XV
Off the driver, this ball flew pretty well. It had a nice mid-height ball flight that didn't really get away from me. I'm not a fairway finder by any means, but I didn't really lose too many shots, and was very satisfied with the distance off of the tee. The Hex Blacks probably fly a bit farther for me (at least today), but the Project 5 held its own, that's for sure. My mis-hits are usually off of the toe, and these still seemed to fly pretty well when toed just a tad.
With my mid- and long-irons, this ball seemed to come off the face pretty hot. The ball had a nice launch height and spun surprisingly well. We had a bit of rain last night, so the course was a little soft. I really liked the mix of distance and spin I was getting on these shots and this is definitely a ball that is right on par with the others that I have played over the last few months. I felt that I struck the ball much better than most of my rounds over the past few weeks, but I think that I was just swinging the club pretty well today.
The short irons and wedges is where this ball surprised me. In my simulator session, the Project 5 spun the least out of the balls that I tested with my 7-iron, but on the course today, I was getting considerable back spin on 8-irons and less. Anytime that I had a 3/4 wedge the ball hopped, stopped, and spun back a bit which is nice to have out of a ball. My full swings with short irons and wedges spun a little more for my taste, but the course conditions were pretty soft. There were several shots where I was getting upwards of 8+ feet of backspin. The course I played at had pretty fast greens, but it is still unusual for me to get that much spin on a ball (I will usually have just a few feet on well struck shots) when approaching the green. I wasn't disappointed or anything with the amount of spin, but it was just something that I'd have to get used to.
Chips and pitches were pretty standard with this ball as I was able to get the project 5 to check up/release when needed and reacted very similarly to the balls that I was using alongside this one. I will say that I did not have a whole lot of chips and pitches as the 2-man scramble format put us close to or on the green on the majority of holes. Putting was also pretty universal, to me, in comparison with the other balls that I was playing. Nothing really jumped out to me with the flat stick.
Overall, I was impressed with the ball especially on the longer shots. The short irons and wedges would take some getting used to with how much spin I was getting on them, but I don't think it would take much. Hopefully I can get out for another round this week, but I will definitely get some more practice around the greens at the range at least one day over the next few.
Off the driver, this ball flew pretty well. It had a nice mid-height ball flight that didn't really get away from me. I'm not a fairway finder by any means, but I didn't really lose too many shots, and was very satisfied with the distance off of the tee. The Hex Blacks probably fly a bit farther for me (at least today), but the Project 5 held its own, that's for sure. My mis-hits are usually off of the toe, and these still seemed to fly pretty well when toed just a tad.
With my mid- and long-irons, this ball seemed to come off the face pretty hot. The ball had a nice launch height and spun surprisingly well. We had a bit of rain last night, so the course was a little soft. I really liked the mix of distance and spin I was getting on these shots and this is definitely a ball that is right on par with the others that I have played over the last few months. I felt that I struck the ball much better than most of my rounds over the past few weeks, but I think that I was just swinging the club pretty well today.
The short irons and wedges is where this ball surprised me. In my simulator session, the Project 5 spun the least out of the balls that I tested with my 7-iron, but on the course today, I was getting considerable back spin on 8-irons and less. Anytime that I had a 3/4 wedge the ball hopped, stopped, and spun back a bit which is nice to have out of a ball. My full swings with short irons and wedges spun a little more for my taste, but the course conditions were pretty soft. There were several shots where I was getting upwards of 8+ feet of backspin. The course I played at had pretty fast greens, but it is still unusual for me to get that much spin on a ball (I will usually have just a few feet on well struck shots) when approaching the green. I wasn't disappointed or anything with the amount of spin, but it was just something that I'd have to get used to.
Chips and pitches were pretty standard with this ball as I was able to get the project 5 to check up/release when needed and reacted very similarly to the balls that I was using alongside this one. I will say that I did not have a whole lot of chips and pitches as the 2-man scramble format put us close to or on the green on the majority of holes. Putting was also pretty universal, to me, in comparison with the other balls that I was playing. Nothing really jumped out to me with the flat stick.
Overall, I was impressed with the ball especially on the longer shots. The short irons and wedges would take some getting used to with how much spin I was getting on them, but I don't think it would take much. Hopefully I can get out for another round this week, but I will definitely get some more practice around the greens at the range at least one day over the next few.
ATLGolfer
#ATLClive75
Nice write up, jank.
I am not surprised by your experience with short iron approach shots. The Project 5 really wants to spin for me as well. I was surprised when I saw that your launch monitor results showed similar spin rates for the Project 5 and other balls.
I am not surprised by your experience with short iron approach shots. The Project 5 really wants to spin for me as well. I was surprised when I saw that your launch monitor results showed similar spin rates for the Project 5 and other balls.
- Thread starter
- #216
Jank- Excellent write up dude, well done. I am seeing similar results in regards to spin, and I like it!
Quick questions; You said your ball flight off the tee was a mid-height. Is that normal for you, or were you seeing a bit lower flight than normal off the tee?
Quick questions; You said your ball flight off the tee was a mid-height. Is that normal for you, or were you seeing a bit lower flight than normal off the tee?
- Moderator
- #217
I was definitely expecting the wear to be a bit more than other premium balls based solely on personal experience with former lines, and the same softness around the green is great to hear.
Merging with War's comments about not losing distance while reducing the flight off the tee, and suddenly I am very interested in this ball.
I would say that it is pretty common for me. Not much different than the Hex Black with my swing.
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- #219
I need to spend some more time with it on the course, but the lower ball flight wasnt that bothersome, especially since the distance was the same. However, this time of year we actually see rollout down here on tee shots due to the drier conditions and weather, I have to wonder how that would be treated during out wetter, summer months?
- Moderator
- #220
Maybe a great situational wind ball?
- Thread starter
- #221
For sure dude...I dont have the highest launching flight off the tee as it is, but the flight I was seeing was definitely a more penetrating flight. Pretty much a low rising flight, stayed low for a while and then just rose up to a mid-high flight. All of this talk about it has me wanting to get back on the course with them tomorrow...this may need to happen.
- Moderator
- #222
I can't wait to hear about the results. I'm digging the balls your comparing it to as well, great combinations for me following along!
- Thread starter
- #223
Yeah dude, need to play a course with some not-so-brand new greens to see a true reaction on full shots in to a green as well.
Intimadator2007
New member
This is the same ball flight I noticed and I loved watching the ball rise , My normal ball flight is fairly high off the club face and holds it line with no climb, But with the Project 5 it just kept rising .
- Thread starter
- #225
Going to sneak out for a quick 9 this afternoon, as well as put these in play again this weekend, looking forward to seeing if the results I had this past Sunday are the same as what I see today and over the weekend.
The Project 5 really has me intrigued. Not sure what it is about the ball, and I am sure a lot of it has to be the "unknown" side of things a bit, not knowing properties or layers, etc. The reviews so far show how balls can be so different for different folks. One of my favorite things about ball testing is seeing results for different golfers, as it really shows you how choosing the proper ball for your game is incredibly important.
The Project 5 really has me intrigued. Not sure what it is about the ball, and I am sure a lot of it has to be the "unknown" side of things a bit, not knowing properties or layers, etc. The reviews so far show how balls can be so different for different folks. One of my favorite things about ball testing is seeing results for different golfers, as it really shows you how choosing the proper ball for your game is incredibly important.