Practically every golf ball manufacturer out there has an option or design with some type of visual alignment aid implemented into it. However, Bridgestone Golf had been a notable holdout, until now. Previously, the brand stood by the notion that they weren’t going to follow trends for the sake of it, but would entertain such an offering if there was one they believed to be both unique as well as a difference maker.
Apparently, it took Bridgestone staff member Jason Day and his mental coach to get there.
Bridgestone Golf MINDSET Visual Technology
With a name like “MINDSET”, it makes sense that a mental coach was involved with this one. However, it isn’t just any mental coach, it is Jason Day’s mental coach, Jason Goldsmith. The two worked in coordination with Bridgestone golf to create a “graphic pattern” which originates with the three-step mental game process which Day has been using for almost a decade.
“Jason Goldsmith and I worked together to develop a pre-shot technique that went beyond the simple visualization I did when I was a kid,” said Day. “He understood how critical pre-shot visualization was to my game but also knew I needed a more structured, complete routine. The MINDSET process we developed gives me everything I need to perform at my best on every shot.”
You, like me, are surely asking aloud at this point, “but what is it”? Well, that is a complex question. The process which the design is rooted in hinges around three steps: Identify, Visualize, and Focus. Those steps are each represented on the golf ball by three circles. The red outer level coincides with working to “Identify” the shape, trajectory, distance, and club choice of the given shot. Once those decisions are made, the yellow then prompts the golfer to “Visualize” the shot to its entirety within their head. Once there is a picture painted within the mind, the green inner dot should remind the player to “Focus” on execution. Green, of course, also means “go”.
Seem like a lot to follow? Well, Jason Day’s mental coach breaks it down as such:
“The MINDSET process allows anyone to do what all professional and high-level players do, which is to utilize a pre-shot routine that gives them the focus they need to perform at their best,” said Goldsmith. “When we started developing the pattern it consisted of concentric circles only, and there was no flow to the design. After some experimentation we came to the current pattern with three different colored circles with arrows, which provides a natural progression through the process. I’m very happy with the final product and believe it can be effectively used by players of all skill levels to improve their scores.”
The Details
Bridgestone always said that they wouldn’t do any type of “printed golf ball” unless it was unique, and it certainly feels like the Bridgestone Golf Mindset checks that box.
This new MINDSET pattern will be available 2/16/24 and be an option on all four of the 2024 Tour B golf ball models. They will not cost any more as the price per dozen will remain at $49.99.
[QUOTE=”MtlJeff, post: 12366410, member: 68350″]
MtlJeff being in Montreal which is basically Siberia, when selected in testing groups
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And me waiting for mine…
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League tonight on a short, tight 9 which requires good placement with less than driver off the tee for good approach angles. Its rained as lot lately and this course is already known for its deep, thick rough. I have lost balls that weren’t even 5 yards off the fairway, and if you do find it your only recourse is to hack it back to the short grass with a lofted iron or wedge. Hopefully, with the inherent stability of the RX in the wind, I wont lose any today.
I was looking for a new ball at the beginning of 2023. I had given the Tour B XS a really good look after a few Ballnamic iterations suggested it as the best fit. Performance was right there with the long time incumbent ProV1x. So I do have a pretty good idea of ball performance as I head into this testing. I did end up sticking with ProV1x after the 2023 testing, mainly due to durability. Tour B XS was fine in that category, but in my previous experience the ProV1x was just super durable.
Will certainly give these another good fair shake to kick the incumbents out of the bag.
The hardest thing is much like our swings, we’ve built this process in. So it gets uncomfortable for a while when we try to change. How often do you find yourself reverting to older habits? It’s like going from the US and driving on the right side in our normal spot and going to like NZ and having the steering wheel on the other side of the car while we drive on the left lane. But the more you do it it should hopefully simplify!
I just received the Bridgestone Mindset Tour B XS golf balls. My first impression, nice packaging and great marketing, but there is too much going on. The brown shipping box was easy to open and kept the golf balls secure. The Bridgestone box is eye catching but is very busy. I was also a little confused on what “Tour Validated” means. I enjoyed reading the market insert; however the back the box has a lot more detail about the Mindset premise.
I’m excited to try these babies out on the course this weekend. I have at least 2 rounds scheduled a really nice private track that will most likely be firm and fast – spin and trajectory are going to be put to the test. My current go to golf ball is either a Titleist AVX or ProV1x so it be interesting to see how the Tour B XS compares.
I will report back next week on it goes!
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[QUOTE=”hadi05, post: 12366267, member: 50784″]
We gotta go play a round together!
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I agree! Kids soccer season just wrapped up so Saturday mornings are looking good for some Bridgestone testing!