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Do you remember seeing significant improvement with a new ball release?

SuperStroke
Tenputt

Tenputt

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This question is often asked about drivers. Is there actually measurable performance improvement from one release to the next?

I can’t often say that I see definitive improvement in a new ball release, but I really felt like Bridgestone’s balls were much better this year than the prior iteration. The Tour B X was as long as anything I played, but the spin I noted around the green was also as good as anything. That is a wonderful combination.

We all know that Titleist is going to be releasing a new iteration of its Pro V lineup. It will be fun to see how/if it plays differently. Sometimes, though, I just think I should stock up on a ball near year end when the manufacturers lower pricing, in anticipation of a new release. Do any of you have FOMO on the new release by stocking up when better pricing is available?
 
The original Bridgestone e6 golf ball release. Was playing another ball and found one, put it in play and switched immediately. Played it till the 2nd, 3rd and subsequent e6 balls were released. None of the later versions were anything like that original e6 ball.
 
2020 callaway chrome soft x is light years better than 2019 csx
 
Not me, specifically, but I think there have been balls introduced that will fit a segment of golfers better than anything out there. Thinking of something like the AVX, which is going to drop a ton of spin vs. a lot of other urethane balls.
 
I really wish I had longer to test the new Bridgestone Tour B balls, before I lost my 2 samples. I csnt seem to find a ball that worked for me off the tee, but got good spin around the green. The Tour B seemed to be that ball, and I might look there next year.

Every ball I got that I loved off the tee, seemed too firm around the green. I like the Snell MTB-X, as it had great feel and performance for me off the tee, but I still want something a bit softer for all other shots.
 
McLovin said:
2020 callaway chrome soft x is light years better than 2019 csx
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I've found that I'm seeing better spin into greens with the 2020 CS vs. what I remember last year with the 2019 model as well. But part of that might be technique.
 
I agree this year about Bridgestone. I'm well documented being a big fan of the BX and its improvement from last year. I don't normally see improvement in tech year to year (I'm not that driver guy :ROFLMAO:) but this time I did. That's why I'm stocking up on BX in the end of seasons sales and through the generosity of my Secret Santa!
 
I haven't seen a substantial change since the original Pro V. I feel everything else has been marginal improvements. When you add them all together they are substantial improvements but year to year has been marginal.
 
Assuming that I am simply going from one year's iteration to the next, I have never seen a consistent noticeable difference. I think that there are so many variants in my swing, that I can't really attribute anything specific to the ball other than maybe feel.
 
McLovin said:
2020 callaway chrome soft x is light years better than 2019 csx
Click to expand...

This! I was playing the 2018 ProV1x last year and 2018. I gave the CSX from 2019 a try and it lagged way behind on the driver by 9-10 yards. Fast forward to the 2020 and it flipped the script on it and is 9-10 yards longer. Love this ball!
 
actual on-course performance? Only in durability have a noticed big improvement on some model upgrades. LM has at times has shown me differences in speed, spin, and some other metrics. But for the most part, if I play, for example, the newest QST vs the previous gen, I don't really see a noticeable, quantifiable difference on the course.
 
Yes, I got to test 2020 Chrome Softs this summer. I thought they were significantly better on and around the green than the earlier versions.
 
I don't have data to support it, but I felt the TP5X ball gave me some extra yards across the bag.

ProV1 has been my go-to though. Been so good for me, scoring wise.
 
Have not done it in the last couple of years, but Target Stores usually starts running a clearance program on their inventory. This includes their golf gear inventories

We used to make a day of it, visiting as many of these stores as we could, looking for shopping deals. I would always wind up with a dozen or so boxes of my favorite golf balls which would last me for a next year's worth of playing. Examples would be e7 balls for $8-$10 a dozen. PV-1s for $20 a dozen.

I'm not sure Target still does this clearance sale, but will check again this year.

I was a bit put off when the supply of e7s dried up, and and apparently was replaced with the e12 by Bridgestone. At least I have been told this by the local Golf Galaxy employee.

For me, the e12 didn't play the same as the e7. I switched back to the e6.
 
McLovin said:
2020 callaway chrome soft x is light years better than 2019 csx
Click to expand...
Both versions of the Chrome Soft are better than prior gen.
 
I see notable differences between most balls, so a lot of new releases stand out to me in different ways. The one that seemed the most impactful recently was AVX. That was a game changer for people in Nebraska wind, so when they changed the spin profile a little this year they took away the overwhelming majority of complaints. If it was a fit, it mostly fit better.

Agree about the Chromesoft X being noticably better on some performance aspects, but I think that speaks more on how far it had to come than anything else.

The latest versions of the TP5s, especially the X, were noticably improved imo. It is really hard to find a ball with the distance and spin combination of the X.

I'm really curious to see how the newest ProV1 performs because they change it a lot in Little ways, but people keep saying they're seeing a difference in these.
 
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Occasionally I can but for the most part they seem pretty similar. I could immediately see an improvement in the new Chrome Soft. I noticed a little different in the Bridgestone lineup also. For the most part though it seems like pretty small differences.
 
I had played Titleist ProV1X for about 10yrs......

Then I went to a Bridgestone event lol. I immediately gained 12yds of carry and brought my spin way down. roughly 15-20 more yds off the face of my driver. The only thing that changed was the ball. Then, greenside....the spin absolutely changed the way i had to play most short game shots.

The Bridgestone Tour B XS......ABSOLUTELY showed me some things i had just ignored for far too long by just being a brand loyalist.
 
I feel as if I see better performance with the 2017 pro v1 vs the 2019. That's the opposite of what you're asking, but yes, i guess.
 
Year to year, I don't know that I see a significant performance increase within the same ball model. I do see significant differences in some of the different offerings though.
 
The Bridgestone Tour BX from this year has been pretty good. I normally play the Srixon XV or TM TP5x and was very happy with those. I got a free sleeve from my local proshop and tried it out. Ended up buying a couple dozen. Just something about the way they feel and fly, but for me the best feeling was on putts.
 
Nope- which is why I will generally buy my premium balls (ProV, Tp5, etc) on clearance around this time of year. “Last years models” aren’t a stigma since there is no real way to tell unless you cut them open AND they really changed the logo or something.
 
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