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2014 Bridgestone B330 Golf Balls Review Thread

SuperStroke
As you can see from cookie's post a few above this one, the B330 S was put into play today. My first time on course with them. Really enjoyed the ball today. I wish I had had a decent swing today, but did get some thoughts from today's round. As I have said from the beginning, I really like this ball on the green. I can feel the softness of this ball on the green, better than any ball that I can remember. The greens were difficult for us to read today, as far as break, but I think I controlled the speed on the green better today than with other balls I have had in play this winter. Always around the hole and no 3 putts.
Distance wise, I really can't say today. It had nothing to do with the ball, but lack of time with my sticks for the past few months. I had no real feel for the clubs today. But I will say these felt quite nice off the face, with minimal side spin. With the crappy swings that I was putting on the ball, I was still seeing pretty good results. On good shots, I really did not see anything extra in distance, but nothing lost either.
I will be trying to get on the course again later this week, weather permitting, on a course that I am very familiar with and can see about the carry distances. I hope to put these up against a few other balls in the bag. Chrome +, 2012 B330, and maybe a 2012 B330rx.
 
I'm loving the stop action you guys are seeing on the RX ball :thumb: I'm hoping to get out for some golf and give these a go on Monday.
 
Good stuff so far. Keep up the good work everyone!
 
Ole Gray said:
I'm loving the stop action you guys are seeing on the RX ball :thumb: I'm hoping to get out for some golf and give these a go on Monday.
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I definitely was surprised to see a few of the shots I have hit stay on the green with the RXS. The greens here can be hard so depending on the course it is hard to hold past an 8 iron. What I have liked is it seems to be like an e6 with the driver going very straight but with irons/wedges it has that check up.
 
Great stuff , loving the stopping power into the greens these are showing.

Anyone testing the 330 or 330S that can give some thoughts against the Z-star XV

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 
Spent over an hour on the practice green today and didn't do any comparisons to other balls. I'm playing a round tomorrow and wanted all 330S all the time. It was a real treat to get locked in and roll various putts. Once again the feel of these is just impeccable. My favorite part of spending more time with the ball was the realization that these balls are very consistent off the putter face. Can't wait to get me out tomorrow!
 
Played 18 today with the B330 and again really impressed. My back went out 5 days ago so my swing was a little off, but I still out drove my playing partners several times. This ball is long! My buddy was so impressed that he talked me into letting him play one. He then went on and shot a couple birdies. I think he will be a buyer. The spin I'm seeing is crazy good. Both he and I had several check and cone back for us. Neither one of us normally have the ball come back like they did today. I normally don't pay as much for balls but if I continue getting these results, I might reconsider.

swing your swing
 
TheHeez said:
Spent over an hour on the practice green today and didn't do any comparisons to other balls. I'm playing a round tomorrow and wanted all 330S all the time. It was a real treat to get locked in and roll various putts. Once again the feel of these is just impeccable. My favorite part of spending more time with the ball was the realization that these balls are very consistent off the putter face. Can't wait to get me out tomorrow!
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Just as I said in one of my posts aboutvthe Tour B330. The feel of the putter face is second. The best feedback I have seen in a ball. Really thinking of dropping the e6 for the Tour B330
 
c0ncept said:
I definitely was surprised to see a few of the shots I have hit stay on the green with the RXS. The greens here can be hard so depending on the course it is hard to hold past an 8 iron. What I have liked is it seems to be like an e6 with the driver going very straight but with irons/wedges it has that check up.
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Hey ball going straight off the tee and checking up on the greens makes a country boy smile :thumb:
 
romeyrome87 said:
Any of the oyher Tour B330 testers test them against the highly acclaimed pro v1x? What are your results as far as distance and greenside control? I have only tested mine against the e6 and maxfi u3 and have seen nothing but positive results. Best iron and putter feedback I have seen so far
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I will compare the B330S vs ProV1 chipping and putting this week
 
So I recieved my B330 and I've been doing as much testing as possible, weather allowing of course.

So far, I'm majorly impressed. These balls can FLY! And they are easy to hit around the greens. I tested them side by side with some Pro V1x's I got for Christmas. Not only did the B330 fly 15 yards farther than the Pro V1x on each and every tee shot (ground was wet, so this was all carry), the ball felt better and was easier to control with any wedge shot I needed to play.

This last week, I was able to do some simulator and numbers testing with these balls. I put the new B330 vs. the old B330 vs. the 2013 Z-Star XV. I'll post pictures and the results tomorrow.

Thank you Bridgestone for not only making one helluva golf ball, but allowing us to test them for you. Such an honor.
 
BRIDGESTONE 2014 B330S testing


Two round feedback....


From Bridgestone:


TOUR B330-S Technology
Tour Performance specifically designed for swing speeds above 105 mph seeking maximum TOUR SPIN.


The NEW TOUR B330-S features Hydro Core Technology, designed to reduce spin for longer distance. Combined with Bridgestone's patented soft 330 Dual Dimple Urethane cover and 4-piece construction, the B330-S will provide tour level performance and spin for players who swing above 105 mph.


Key Features
NEW Hydro Core optimized for swings speeds above 105 mph
Reengineered Dual Mantle design reduces spin for longer distance
Very Soft Tour proven Urethane cover for extra greenside spin & control
330 dual dimple technology for a consistent flight


I have gone through the Bfit process on more than one occasion and always ended up with the B330s. I have played the last three versions of the ball and have enjoyed every shot over the years. The B330S always seems to find its way back into my rotation.


With such a saturated ball market sometimes it's hard to choose which ball to play. But Bridgestone makes the choice easy through BFit and a true performance ball. It's almost comforting looking down at the logo every time I tee it up. I have some special rounds with the B330S and I'm glad it's back in play.


Distance:


The B330S has never been a short for me. When I tee it or play a shot from the golfing grounds, I know I'm going to get exactly what I expect. There are no surprises like coming up a club short or blasting one over the green. The ball just gets up and flies, on mid, mid high, low and high. It was Niue to place the ball in some areas I haven't been in for a while.


Spin:


I saw some amazing spin off the wedges. Being as aggressive of a player as I am, I tend to get short sided when I miss. Not a lot of green to work with and the B330s had a tendency to nestle in nice. Almost going in the hole on a few greens. It's nice to be able to be aggressive with you swing knowing the ball is going to hit and stop. I'm talking 5 yards off the green or 100 yards away, the ball when struck crisply responds with glue like stickiness.


Durability:


I didn't find the last installment of the B330S to be the most durable but this one is very much so. I played 18 holes with a single ball today and it only had a a yew tiny wedge marks on it. No fraying or slicing of the skin. It retained its ball flight and spin for all 18 holes. With the amount of high spin shots I haying would have expected more damage but not much to write about.


Closing thoughts:


I have played every premium golf ball on the market and in that time I have yet to find a better ball. Not to say other don't perform very well for me but more to say no other manufacture for me has produced a ball that I can as is better.
 
Tadashi70 said:
Spin:


I saw some amazing spin off the wedges. Being as aggressive of a player as I am, I tend to get short sided when I miss. Not a lot of green to work with and the B330s had a tendency to nestle in nice. Almost going in the hole on a few greens. It's nice to be able to be aggressive with you swing knowing the ball is going to hit and stop. I'm talking 5 yards off the green or 100 yards away, the ball when struck crisply responds with glue like stickiness.
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I agree 100% Freddie. This is where the B330S shines and will help everyone's short game.
 
Had my first go with the new Tour B330-RX yesterday. Conditions were temps in low to mid 50s and very windy. To say I was impressed with it would be an understatement! I played several shots side by side with the 2012 B330-RX for comparison purposes. Following is a quick summary of the comparison then I will elaborate:

Wood Distance: Even
Iron Distance: Even
Wood side spin: +
Wood back spin: Even
Iron side spin: +
Iron back spin: ++
Chipping / Pitching: ++
Putting: +
Durability: +
Feel: +

So basically what all of my ratings mean is that I saw equal to or better results with the 2014 B330-RX in comparison to the 2012 B330-RX. I saw slightly less side spin off both woods and irons and much greater back spin with irons. As is typical for this time of year, the course was quite soggy so I could not tell much in the way of roll out from tee shots thus I rated the wood back spin as equal. I felt that short game control (pitching / chipping) was much improved with the 2014 ball due to the increased back spin with this ball. To me, the 2014 ball has a softer feel for all shots than the 2012 ball had.

I absolutely agree with this ball does what it is supposed to do according to the marketing features stated by Bridgestone.

I am currently playing at a 5 - 6 handicap level and my swings speeds as last measured were about 97 with driver and 86 with 6 iron.

In conclusion, as others have mentioned, the best feature of this ball to me was the vastly improved short game control from 100 yards in. The first chip shot I hit on # 3 from left of the green came up about 6 - 8 ft. short of the hole because I was expecting to get some more roll out like I was used to getting from the 2012 ball. After that shot, I became much more aggressive and the ball responded beautifully and predictably!
 
Sox Fan said:
Had my first go with the new Tour B330-RX yesterday. Conditions were temps in low to mid 50s and very windy. To say I was impressed with it would be an understatement! I played several shots side by side with the 2012 B330-RX for comparison purposes. Following is a quick summary of the comparison then I will elaborate:

Wood Distance: Even
Iron Distance: Even
Wood side spin: +
Wood back spin: Even
Iron side spin: +
Iron back spin: ++
Chipping / Pitching: ++
Putting: +
Durability: +
Feel: +

So basically what all of my ratings mean is that I saw equal to or better results with the 2014 B330-RX in comparison to the 2012 B330-RX. I saw slightly less side spin off both woods and irons and much greater back spin with irons. As is typical for this time of year, the course was quite soggy so I could not tell much in the way of roll out from tee shots thus I rated the wood back spin as equal. I felt that short game control (pitching / chipping) was much improved with the 2014 ball due to the increased back spin with this ball. To me, the 2014 ball has a softer feel for all shots than the 2012 ball had.

I absolutely agree with this ball does what it is supposed to do according to the marketing features stated by Bridgestone.

I am currently playing at a 5 - 6 handicap level and my swings speeds as last measured were about 97 with driver and 86 with 6 iron.

In conclusion, as others have mentioned, the best feature of this ball to me was the vastly improved short game control from 100 yards in. The first chip shot I hit on # 3 from left of the green came up about 6 - 8 ft. short of the hole because I was expecting to get some more roll out like I was used to getting from the 2012 ball. After that shot, I became much more aggressive and the ball responded beautifully and predictably!
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Did you have a launch monitor to gauge your spin or lack of spin? How did you know the spin was different off the woods and irons?
 
Tadashi70 said:
Did you have a launch monitor to gauge your spin or lack of spin? How did you know the spin was different off the woods and irons?
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I was gauging the side spin from the amount or right to left dispersion I was seeing off of my woods and irons and left to right dispersion off of my woods (cannot make an iron fade for anything). I know it is not scientific, but with the amount of golf I have played in my lifetime, I know based on feel of contact how the ball flight is going to be. My typical miss is on the toe end with both woods and irons and I was not seeing as much tendency for this ball to hook / draw as much as the 2012 ball.

The back spin was judged by what I was seeing with my irons that were hit into the green. I experienced more stopping power from all distances with this ball in comparison with the 2012 ball.

They don't even know what launch monitors are in South GA! haha
 
One other observation I neglected to mention in my other post that I had with the 2014 B330-RX ball was that I was experiencing a slightly lower ball flight off of both woods and irons than with the 2012 ball. The difference was pretty negligible in my opinion and may not have even noticed it if I were not hitting the same shots from the same places with both balls.
 
Finally catching up on this thread, it's been a great read. Keep up the good work, guys.
I've been gaming the B330RX/RXS for the past year and have really liked the performance around the greens. With what I've read so far it sounds like Bridgestone has produced another winner.

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Two good rounds this weekend with the B330-RX. I have had the opportunity to play allot lately with the weather and schedule working out so I have had 5 rounds with these now.

Durability = A++
Really impressed here. I have only taken two balls out of play on my own. One from a tree smack with a Driver and one from three cart path hits-- and that's just a mental thing--I will still use it for chipping/net practice at home. Made 17 holes with a previous round ball that decided to take a bath on the last one--still have not worn a ball out due to normal play yet (without trees or Cart path damage). I'm sure its possible to eventually do, I just play around allot of woods and lakes.

Feel =A +
Truly a tour level ball that I just love the feel at decent contact--this is where I can tell if I am hitting a range rock or a great ball--softer and better for my tastes than other tour offerings so far (hex Black, Hex Crome+, Pro V1 and V1x)

Spin on Irons/Wedges = A
I'm not a high spin player and don't back shots up, but stopping nice on full approach shots into the green--I would conclude this is due to a decent backspin on landing. And we are talking about winter greens with dead grass--I might back up a ball if I get these on some real grass. Had one shot 130 out with a PW that was only 14 inches past the ball mark--that is perfect for my play style. I chip/Pitch more using the bounce of the club so I am not really trying to check the ball up using spin--If I went to that style I think I would move into the "S" offering, but I like bump and run type of play right now for my style.

Spin on Driver = A+
Into the wind I love this ball--compares to Chrome + into the wind, but just outshines that ball in durability and feel. This is likely a combo of lower side spin and lower spin and a well hit drive.

buoyancy = F
They don't float :)
 
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The weather did not cooperate for me today. Cold and windy weather prevailed, so I hit balls instead of playing. The testing with the B330s continues to be limited to short game stuff.

Similar to my prior testing, the new B330s reminds me a lot of the prior model around the green. This is a very good thing. The ball feels great off of wedges and the putter, and I still think that it feels moderately softer than the prior B330s. Spin is very similar. Pitches and shots out of the sand had a nice amount of check to them that I could anticipate. Not much rollout on sand shots in particular that I was trying to stop.

Chips rolled as expected. No checks or unexpected spin on chips with the PW or 54*. Everything played as I expected when I executed the shot.

The B330s also seems durable, which is a continuing trend that I've found with Bridgestone balls. Even after using them from the bunker, there was very minimal wear shown. This is nice to see for a ball on the higher end of the price range.

I'm hoping that the cold weather trend finally ends so that I can get these balls out on the course. I'm really interested to see how the new B330s performs off the tee compared to the prior version. I understand that this is supposed to be the most significant change for the 2014 ball.

Thanks again to THP and Bridgestone for allowing me to participate in this testing.
 
ATLGolfer said:
The weather did not cooperate for me today. Cold and windy weather prevailed, so I hit balls instead of playing. The testing with the B330s continues to be limited to short game stuff.

Similar to my prior testing, the new B330s reminds me a lot of the prior model around the green. This is a very good thing. The ball feels great off of wedges and the putter, and I still think that it feels moderately softer than the prior B330s. Spin is very similar. Pitches and shots out of the sand had a nice amount of check to them that I could anticipate. Not much rollout on sand shots in particular that I was trying to stop.

Chips rolled as expected. No checks or unexpected spin on chips with the PW or 54*. Everything played as I expected when I executed the shot.

The B330s also seems durable, which is a continuing trend that I've found with Bridgestone balls. Even after using them from the bunker, there was very minimal wear shown. This is nice to see for a ball on the higher end of the price range.

I'm hoping that the cold weather trend finally ends so that I can get these balls out on the course. I'm really interested to see how the new B330s performs off the tee compared to the prior version. I understand that this is supposed to be the most significant change for the 2014 ball.

Thanks again to THP and Bridgestone for allowing me to participate in this testing.
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Same here and what's going on with our Georgia weather :angry:. I went out today to test a sleeve of these and the greens were frozen hard as a rock. I'm going back out tomorrow and hopefully I can put my RX test balls in play for the first time!
 
Got in another 18 with the new B330-RX today. Did not get to play it "side by side" with the 2012 version like I did yesterday because the course we too crowded. Definitely a GAME CHANGER is regards to the short game. Was not hitting the ball particularly well on the back 9 today but still shot even par thanks to 6 straight up and downs (4 from 10 yards and in and 2 from greenside traps). The ball also feels awesome on putts.

Fairways were a little dryer today and did get more roll out with the driver than I typically get in similar conditions. I would say maybe 3 - 5 yards. This kind of affirms the Bridgestone claims that driver spin is reduced with these balls.
 
Ole Gray said:
Same here and what's going on with our Georgia weather :angry:. I went out today to test a sleeve of these and the greens were frozen hard as a rock. I'm going back out tomorrow and hopefully I can put my RX test balls in play for the first time!
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Bring your dead horse beating self down to South GA to test your balls! We had high 50s / low 60s dry weather today.
 
I took the new B330-RX and the Cleveland Smart Sole to the practice green today to get a good feel for these. I also had last year's model along with me to compare.

With putting, I didn't see much of a difference. You could probably have blindfolded me and I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. It was a little cold today, so that may change when it warms up. I loved the B330-RX off the putter before, so that's not a bad thing at all.

With short chips using the Smart Sole, I did notice a difference. Feel was similar, but again it was cold. Where the big difference came was in the amount of spin I was seeing on short chips. Last year's ball would hit, check and then roll out a little where the 2014 model just one hopped and stopped nearly every time. I did this over and over again because I actually couldn't believe that they could improve an already great ball that much.

I handed one to an old friend of mine who doesn't get much spin on his shortgame shots and had him hit some and after a few shots, he was firing them right at the pin with very minimal runout, something that he doesn't do.

I foresee a lot of lower spin players falling in love with these.
 
Very nice write-ups so far everyone.

My testing has been limited so far by weather and being sick. I went out today and hit the range for a bit and then went over to the putting green. I brought 2012 B330 and the 2014 which I am testing. I didn't notice any difference with the putter. Both felt soft and rolled out as I expected. I will hopefully get out next weekend to play as the weather is looking better then.
 
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