2014 Bridgestone B330 Golf Balls Review Thread

[Sox_Fan]

This thread will serve as a place to share thoughts and testing experiences with the 2014 Bridgestone balls that were sent to 50 THP forum members in the past week or so. Please specify which ball model you are reviewing when posting your comments from experiences.

Thanks to THP and Bridgestone for this incredible testing experience!

I will start it with some pictures of the Tour B330-RX that I received:

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I have not had a chance to hit this yet but will certainly do so and share my thoughts this weekend!

 

[sparksjr]

Thanks for starting Sox. Here are pics of my B330. I'll post more thoughts later today as I have a busy morning ahead! I will say quickly...the hydro core technology has me very...very excited. Chrome+ excited.

Nice letter from Bridgestone:

I am a fan of the new packaging...very sleek IMO

 

[afwcardinal]

I received the B330 S for testing. Have not had them on the course as of yet, but I have had them on the chipping /putting green. I will say that these felt very soft off of the putter and wedges. The ball impressed me from the first putt.
Having only spent a short amount of time with these to date, I will hold off until after my first round to give thoughts on these. Will be putting them into play this weekend

 

[Nebgolfer]

Excited to see this get started as I'm very interested in these balls for 2014. At some point, whether in your initial posting or your initial thoughts, would you all mind posting your average swing speeds since these balls are designed with swing speeds in mind? Look forward to reading all of your thoughts!

 

[Sox_Fan]

My swing speed goes 95 - 100 and I have been using the B330-RX for about 3 years.

I am very interested in the Hydro Core technology. I will sign up any time for more distance and lower spin off the tee!

 

[Johnny mojo]

Have not received mine as of yet. Loving the looks of the packaging though. Really looking forward to testing these out and sharing my thoughts with everyone.

JM

 

[Canes]

Course / Range: CC of Miami - short game practice areas
Date: 1/18/14
Weather: 65* Sunny
Clubs: Titleist Vokey wedges (50*, 54* & 58*) & Nike Method Core 3i putter
Ball Testing: 2014 Bridgestone B330S

Before I begin my writeup, here’s some detailed information included in our letter about the 2014 Bridgestone B330 series and specifically the Tour B330S golf ball.

The new B330 series features our most innovative core design since our patented Gradational Compression technology was introduced over a decade ago. Our new HydroCore Technology allows us to incorporate water into the mixing process to enhance the cores gradation. The direct benefit to you is a softer center for reduced driver back spin and a firmer outer region for faster ball speed. The result, more distance off the tee and a more controllable flight.
Below is a brief summary of the changes made to the Tour B330-S:

• New Hydro Core Technology
• Softest Urethane cover ever made by Bridgestone Golf
• 4-piece construction for players with >105mph swing speed seeking added spin

Pictures of the packaging, letter and close-up of the B330S:













Here's my first review with the 2014 Bridgestone B330-S @ my local muni, CC of Miami, and this write up is focused on short game. The shots covered were pitching, chipping and putting. Here's my findings:

Pitching (30 - 40 yards)

I started my short game practice with 30 yard pitch shots with 54* wedge. This is my second go around with the B330S as I was also a THP tester in 2012. My immediate feedback was a softer feel at impact with that sweet “clicking” sound that I love to hear on a clean wedge shot. It seemed to be a bit hot off the face but the spin and check was exceptional. I felt like I could fly it to the pin, take one hop and slow down to be within range of a reasonable putt.

Chipping (5 - 15 yards)

54* & 58* wedges for greenside chip shots. From 5 yards away, I could either lob it half way there or play a bump and run just over the fringe. On the lob shots, there was a good amount of spin with just enough roll out to not leave me short and at worst only 2-3 feet coming back. Bump and run was a bit more difficult to control as delofting the 58* wedge reduced the spin considerably and it felt hot coming off the face. This is a tough shot for me from close proximity as there is not much room for error.

From 15 yards away, the 54* wedge worked really well on both lob & bump and run shots. Similar to my pitch shots, I can fly the ball more than half way to the hole knowing the spin / check will control the roll out and leave me within 5 feet or so. This is what I really look for in golf ball and it is very similar to my gamer, Callaway HEX Chrome+. The bump and run was easier to manage with 10 extra yards and the roll out was immediate and true.

Putting (5 - 30 feet)

My approach on the practice green was the same as a pre-round warm up. I hit multiple putts from 5-30 feet in 5 foot intervals. The softer feel & almost muted sound off the putter face stood out for me here. No issues with lag putts as the B330S is very responsive off the putter face and holds its line. I really like the alignment aid (see pic below) as it is long enough to not have to draw a line and very visible at address.



After my first day of short game testing, the B330S is everything you want in a Tour golf ball around the greens and will help you shave off strokes in your game. Exceptional greenside spin / check is what I look for in a golf ball, and the B330S will not disappoint. I look forward to using the B330S out on the course soon, and provide a comparison to my gamer.

 

[afwcardinal]

I am looking at a swing speed of 102-106. I'm really looking forward to putting the driver on this ball. Saturday can't get here fast enough.

 

[Trout Bum]

Nice early write up Canes and nice pics everyone.

I have not had a chance to put these into action yet due to travel but will hopefully this afternoon, I'll post pics and early thoughts from the practice green.

 

[O'Carroll]

Great start to this thread. I haven't yet taken the plunge on the B-330 series, but it sounds like the RX(s) would be a good fit for my 102 mph swing speed. I will be glued to this thread.

 

[sparksjr]

Excited to see this get started as I'm very interested in these balls for 2014. At some point, whether in your initial posting or your initial thoughts, would you all mind posting your average swing speeds since these balls are designed with swing speeds in mind? Look forward to reading all of your thoughts!

It has been a while since I have been on a monitor but if I recall my average was around 109 mph. I do remember when I got fit for my XHP's that my 6i swing speed was 92mph if that helps at all.

 

[adwillingham]

Bridgestone did a great job with the updated packaging. The hydro core is an interesting concept and I look forward to reading your thoughts as you go through testing.

 

[Hawk]

Here's a press release on the new balls.

[h=1]BRIDGESTONE’S REVOLUTIONARY B330-RX FAMILY SEES DISTANCE SURGE FROM NEW HYDRO CORE TECHNOLOGY[/h] B330-RX Family’s New Core Formulation Leads To Longer Distance and Greater Accuracy For Amateur Swing Speeds

Covington, Ga. — Can the addition of water in the formulation of a golf ball’s core deliver more distance off the tee? Bridgestone Golf, the #1 Ball-Fitter in Golf, has proof positive that it does. And not just a half-yard or a yard. Real distance. Unveiled today, the latest versions of Bridgestone’s popular TOUR B330-RX family of balls now feature the newly patented Hydro Core Technology. This groundbreaking technology provides golfers with swing speeds less than 105 mph longer distance and greater accuracy. The new balls will be available at retailers nationwide February 1, 2014.

As with any new product, Bridgestone concocted and tested countless compounds for the core of its new B330-RX line. During testing, engineers discovered that a prototype with water in its core formulation produced 30% more gradation. This increase allowed for greater spin reduction from the inner and outer regions of the core producing longer distance and improved accuracy. Thus Hydro Core Technology was born.

“Bridgestone invented an entirely new product category with the introduction of the B330-RX family of golf balls,” said Corey Consuegra, Director of Golf Ball Marketing – Bridgestone Golf, Inc. “We were the first to recognize that optimizing performance based on swing speed improves golfers’ games. With continued innovation in engineering and reliance on amateur testing, our newest models really deliver.”

Like its predecessors, the new B330-RX and B330-RXS golf balls feature a 3-piece urethane cover and continue to rely on Bridgestone’s Dual Dimple Technology. The B330-RX and B330-RXS are optimized best for players with swing speeds below 105 mph. The B330-RX is designed for players with a distance preference while the B330-RXS is targeted at those seeking maximum greenside spin.

“With the addition of Hydro Core Technology, the B330-RX family represents our commitment to using both data collected from 250,000 live ball fittings and R&D’s innovation in the lab,” said Consuegra.

The new TOUR B330-RX and TOUR B330-RXS balls feature a street price of $44.99 per dozen (MSRP $58.00 per dozen) and will be available February 1, 2014 nationwide. In addition to traditional white, the 2014 TOUR B330-RX will also be available in Optic Yellow.

Visit www.bridgestonegolf.com to learn more about Bridgestone Golf’s 2014 plans and to view the comprehensive lineup of new products

 

[Hawk]

And another one...

[h=1]R&D LAB ‘EUREKA MOMENT’ LEADS TO MORE DISTANCE FOR BRIDGESTONE’S AWARD-WINNING B330, B330-S BALLS IN 2014[/h]New Hydro Core Technology Provides High Swing Speed Players Greater Distance and Better Accuracy Than Ever Before
Covington, Ga. — Serious golfers recognize serious innovation. That’s why the new 2014 Bridgestone TOUR B330 and TOUR B330-S golf balls, featuring new Hydro Core technology, have been turning the heads of PGA TOUR stars like Brandt Snedeker and Matt Kuchar. Praised universally by the Bridgestone Tour team for their longer distance, the new 2014 TOUR B330 (B330) and TOUR B330-S (B330-S) models will be available to consumers at retail February 1, 2014.

As with any new product, Bridgestone concocted and tested countless compounds for the core of its new B330 line. During testing, engineers discovered that a prototype with water in its core formulation produced 30% more gradation. This increase allowed for greater spin reduction from the inner and outer regions of the core producing longer distance and improved accuracy. Thus Hydro Core Technology was born.

“When Kuch and I began hitting these balls during the Presidents Cup practice rounds, we noticed immediately how hot they were off the driver and so did others,” said 2012 FedEx Cup Champion Brandt Snedeker. “Needless to say, Kuch and I are very excited about having these balls in play on TOUR in 2014.
Like its predecessors, the new B330 and B330-S golf balls feature a 4-piece urethane cover construction, and continue to rely on Bridgestone’s Dual Dimple Technology. The B330 and B330-S are optimized best for players with swing speeds above 105mph. The B330 is designed for players with a distance preference while the B330-S is targeted at those seeking maximum greenside spin.

“TOUR players get to see the latest and greatest in equipment every week, so when a product can turn their heads like our new B330s did we think that speaks volumes about real innovation,” said Corey Consuegra, Director of Golf Ball Marketing – Bridgestone Golf, Inc. “We’re confident that the new B330s with Hydro Core technology are going to excite high-swing speed amateurs the same way they’ve energized our Tour team.”

The new B330 balls feature a street price of $44.99 per dozen (MSRP $58.00 per dozen) and will be available nationwide February 1, 2014.

Visit www.bridgestonegolf.com to learn more about Bridgestone Golf’s 2014 plans and to view the lineup of new products.

 

[jlukes]

So in terms of spin off the driver from least to most, would it be 330, 330S, 330RX, and 330RXS?

 

[twentytwomonk]

I played 9 with the same ball that Sox Fan is playing on Friday, and I'll tell you, even being a high handicapper (26 oob), without having looked at the numbers yet, the feel and distance are definitely there. I put them up against the e6, and while I didn't see quite the foregiveness that I do with the e6, when hit on the screws, that few extra yards is definitely there.

I'll have more thoughts and pics up later, and I plan to spend some time on the LM with these at Dicks later this week. If anyone is in Augusta and would like to come give them a test run, drop me a line and let me know.

 

[T0AD]

This will be just a quick note to say that I hit my 330RX testers this weekend. I put them in play, with no fear at all, at Sea Island on St. Simons Island, Georgia. Without getting too technical and such for the moment, all I can say is I thought I played really well, and didn't lose a ball until the 18th when one just barely trickled into a pond.

My driver and 3W tee shots were simply fantastic, to me at least. I tried not to say anything on the course, because I didn't want to jinx it, but I had a great, great tee game going. I think I hit 8 or 9 fairways. I also hit some flat bombs. I only measured one, at 270, but there was one or two more I thought were pretty deep. The feel of the driver was top notch and the one I bombed with my 3W was almost like I didn't even hit the ball. The feel was just perfect.

Irons shots were quite impressive to me as well, especially in the 15-20 knot winds we had going on out there. The ball mostly held it's line like a champ, but sometimes the gusts were just too much and it would blow left or right a bit. I hit 2 or 3 bunkers I probably wouldn't have had it not been so blustery, but all in all, the RX off the Apex just felt so solid and assuring. I mostly go for the straight shot, but there were two occasions I wanted to hit low draws around a tree and both times I ended up with perfect results. I was quite impressed with myself, LOL. I was taking dead aim at most of the pins (why not, right?) and had I been more aware of how the ball would react on that initial bounce, I would have hit a LOT of them. As it was, I was either just off, or on the fringe, so I'll take that.

As I said, I was in some bunkers, but managed to get out nicely from all of them with very respectable response from the ball. I know technique and such has more to do with ball reaction out of the sand, but I had some decent looks at sand saves (I got one of them!) from all but one bunker shot. One of the shots, I took with my Apex AW just because I was too lazy to walk over and get my 58* from the cart. To my surprise, it stopped very well and about 8ft past the hole.

Putting. The RX feels just perfect to me off my PTM3. The greens there were, obviously, much better than anything I play here, but I still ended up with only 35 putts. We were joking earlier how many we would four jack (fast!), but I got used to it and starting dropping some nice ones. Great reaction from the ball off the face.

I was more focused on my game at S.I. than the ball, but let me say this, I had to remind myself a couple times I was playing a 2014 ball. It felt like an old friend; comfortable and something I could rely on. I will soon have to go out and focus on the ball itself, but from one round where I just opened up the fresh box and started playing, it felt perfect to me.

 

[jhstew1]

I received the same ball as Canes, my notes are on my home computer & I will post them tonight, but after reading his review I have similar thoughts.

 

[tequila4kapp]

Very interesting. I can't wait to get my hands on these.

You'd think the ball's core properties would change relatively soon due to evaporation and the ball would be prone to performance differences in cold weather - in both cases the core should harden up, no? These questions probably can't be addressed by testing but may require a call to a B-Fit tech.

 

[wluker17]

Bridgestone Tour B330

Bridgestone Tour B330

First off I'd like to thank THP and especially Bridgestone for this awesome testing opportunity.

In the past I have played the B330S after being fit at a store by the Bridgestone fitters. I was actually right in between the B330S and the B330 with a 107mph driver SS (though I usually sit between 110 and 115 mph with my driver) but they recommended the B330S. I played that ball for most of 2012 and came to really like it in the short game area but not so much in the long game. I found the B330S a little too spinney for me off the tee. So I switched back to ProV1, then Z-Star, then Lethal, then ProV1X, and most recently Z-Star XV.

At the THP Tour van event in Atlanta I picked up a couple sample B330 balls and managed to get a few swings on them before my round unraveled and I lost them. But the good strikes I put on them were a revelation. I honestly don't know why I didn't get a dozen of them the next day. Well, actually I was really into the yellow Z-Star then and if the B330 came in yellow that would have done it for me. Now my feelings are that I like yellow balls but they are not a must have.

So all that to say I am really excited to be testing the new Tour B330. I really like the large gradient Hydro core technology. My current gamer ball has a similar type of gradient core. I can't wait to see how it flies out on the course. So far I've hit them on a simulator and putted with them. I'll post my findings on that in my next couple posts. For now, here are some pictures of the new ball and package with the Hydro core technology description.

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[Baldcopper]

Already a huge fan of the B330, I'm pretty excited about this ball.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wluker17]

So in terms of spin off the driver from least to most, would it be 330, 330S, 330RX, and 330RXS?

I think that is how they are billed. Kind of. It depends on your swing speed.

 

[ATLGolfer]

I received the B330S for the Bridgestone testing.

First, a huge thank you to Bridgestone, not only for allowing 50 THPers to test their new B330 line of balls, but also for sending a dozen balls to each tester. Bridgestone could have just sent a sleeve, but they went well beyond that. It can get a little nerve wracking to test balls on the course and only have three of them. This takes a little bit of the pressure off. Thank you, Bridgestone.



We have had some unusually cold weather here, so I have not wanted to take the B330S out into the course yet. I regularly play the B330S, and I find that I have some trouble compressing it when the temps are hovering near 40. So, I use another ball during those conditions.

For now, testing has been limited to putting and chipping. Initially, I wanted to compare the B330S to the prior B330S model. Here is a photo of the two balls together:

The new B330S is on the right.

The balls are very similar in appearance. The new B330S seems to be a little whiter, although that appearance may be because I just pulled the new ball out of the sleeve. Also, the dimples on the new B330S seem more pronounced, but it is very subtle.

I putted around with a mixed assortment of old and new B330S balls, and it was tough to distinguish them solely from appearance. The new B300S feels slightly softer off of the putter, but it is something you have to look for. When I was consciously thinking about the feel of the ball, I could tell the difference between the balls. When I was focused more on putting, it was much harder to tell.

Similar to the prior model, the New B330S has what I would consider a medium feel for a premium ball. There are certainly softer feeling balls out there, but there are many more that feel firmer. It is a very nice feeling ball, though.


Chips with the new B330S performed very similar to the prior model. There was some check on flops and pitches, and the ball released as expected with chips. For someone who has played with the B-Series balls for a while, it was like playing around with an old friend on the green. I really liked the consistency.



The new changes to the B-Series appear to affect the long game much more than the short game. If the weather will cooperate, I plan to put the new B330S to the test this weekend. I'm really looking forward to seeing how the ball reacts off of the driver and FWs.


Thank you again to Bridgestone and THP for this incredible testing opportunity.

 

[cpljohnst]

I received the B330-RX model to test. I'm a long time player of this ball having used it almost exclusively for the last 5 years. During that time I've had less than 15 rounds with other ball types. I'm very familiar with how the ball played in the 2010 and 2012 variations so I'm anxious to see how the '14 performs. Here are some images. I'll post just a couple packaging images first so you can see the changes from the '12 model to the '14 model.

Now the balls themselves. The '12 model is on the left and the '14 model is on the right.

 

[cpljohnst]

I've gotten in 27 holes with the '14 model of the B330-RX since I received them last week, one 9 hole round and one 18 hole round, each on different days. Here are the notes that I took down after each round:

1) 1[SUP]st[/SUP] testing day 1.14.14 – nine hole round at Mirror Lake Golf Club – Lake Course front nine. Alternated playing odd holes with ‘12 B330-RX and even holes with ‘14 B330-RX for scoring. Course conditions: Extremely wet and cart path only. 54 degrees – wind 10 to 15mph
i) On most tee shots hit both balls. On some approaches hit both balls.
ii) Distance appeared to be similar off driver and irons
iii) Putting feel was very similar
iv) Only had a few short game shots. Not enough to judge differences yet.
v) Both balls were new when round started. Durability/wear appears to be very similar.
vi) Played odd number holes – 12’/13’ B330-RX at +3 over par. 3 pars, 1 bogey, 1 dbl bogey. 2/4 FIR, 2/5 GIR
vii) Played even number holes – 14’ B330-RX at +3 over par. 3 pars, 1 bogey, 1 dbl bogey. 2/3 FIR, 2/4 GIR

2) 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] testing day 1.20.14 – eighteen hole round at Mirror Lake Golf Club – Lake Course. Alternated playing odd holes with the 14’ B333-RX and the even holes with the 12’/13’ B330-RX for scoring. Course conditions: Slightly damp in spots, most of the fairways were fine. 45 degrees at start of round, 58 degrees at end of round. Wing – 5 to 7 mph.
i) Played only one type of ball on each hole.
ii) Durability/wear appear was even between both balls.
iii) Played odd number holes – 14’ B330-RX – at +2 over par. 2 Birdies, 5 pars, 1 bogey, 1 triple bogey. 5/7 FIR, 7/9 GIR
iv) Played even number holes – 12’/13’ B330-RX – at +10 over par. 2 pars, 4 bogies, 3 dbl bogies. 4/7 FIR, 3/9 GIR
v) Workability on the 14’ was very good on the one shot that required a draw on the approach.
vi) Putting feel still very similar.
vii) Had some very good mid – wedge results on 3 holes with the 14’ ball. Shot of 80 yards hit, took one bounce and stopped.
viii) Approach shots with 14’ ball seemed to stop quickly near the ball marks on greens. Most within 12 inches of the ball mark.
ix) Similar flight characteristics between the two balls with both irons and metals.


I'm not sure if its an anomaly but the higher percentage of greens hit in the 2nd round out with the '14 ball is encouraging. I'll be watching this closely in my upcoming rounds.

My initial thoughts are that the B330-RX '14 model is again a true premium ball that performs just how you expect this line of balls to. I know when I switched from the '10 model to the '12 model it took several rounds for me to truly appreciate the performance enhancements of the new model. I'm expecting that it will be the same now changing from the '12 model to '14 model. I don't expect to see huge changes in performance but rather small improvements here and there in aspects of the ball that when all put together will in the end show the '14 model to be an upgrade.

More testing to come!



Edit: had a small mistake in the stats above. Corrected number of dbl bogies with the '12 B330-RX to 3 (had mistakenly put 6 down originally).