TESTED! Bridgestone Tour B Golf Balls

Canadan

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Back in January, Bridgestone launched their new Tour B golf balls and the feedback has been tremendous on the THP Forum. Since that time, some confusion exists about ball fitting and how compression impacts performance. A new episode of TESTED is here and in this one we are talking about golf balls.



In this video we hit all four golf balls in the lineup and then breakdown the data. Does softer compression mean less distance? Where does spin come into the mix? We cover it all in this episode of TESTED!







Where does pure speed align in your list of choices as to what ball to put in play as compared to actual distance? Does the performance and data shown in the video above match up to what you have seen?



Tiger and Bryson DeChambeau are each using this lineup, albeit different balls. Tiger using the Tour B XS and Bryson opting for the Tour B X. Which...

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Glad you finally did this. Been wanting to see the difference between the X and the RX to see why you play the RX.
 
Excellent video and information. I might try a sleeve of both the RX varieties when I next need balls. It would be interesting future productions to hit a couple clubs each ball but still relevant information and he has a truly beautiful and powerful golf swing even in fast motion!
 
Excellent video and information. I might try a sleeve of both the RX varieties when I next need balls. It would be interesting future productions to hit a couple clubs each ball but still relevant information and he has a truly beautiful and powerful golf swing even in fast motion!
 
Thanks. Very interesting and informative.
 
I can't wait to watch these and see the results. I have found my golf ball, but Bstone was always a ball that was so consistent across the board.
 
May I ask your driver CHS? I believe Bridgestone sets the cut at 105mph to move from b x to brx correct?

What is your course play experience with the brx? Enough stopping power on the irons into the green?
 
Great video and information. Being a long-time Bridgestone ball user and from watching Dan's very near robotic swing for several years, the results are kind of what I expected to see. RX has always been my ball and will continue to be although the 2020 RXS is, surprisingly to me because I disliked every previous generation of this model, a very close 2nd.
 
Loved the info in this one especially how you actually shifted form the X to the RX....great info
 
Dan, you referred to a distance club you were hitting as being an 8 iron but also a 7 iron. Which club? Will you say what brand or loft?

Love the test and the data. I was surprised to see the results.
 
Will have to watch tonight, but should be interesting.
 
Dan, you referred to a distance club you were hitting as being an 8 iron but also a 7 iron. Which club? Will you say what brand or loft?

Love the test and the data. I was surprised to see the results.

Yeah, I noticed that and was thinking, if i could hit an 8 iron 191.....ahhhhh to be young and limber again....I am comfortable with my 165 out of a 7 iron though...
 
Will have to watch tonight, but should be interesting.


All kidding aside, great info for the watch...I would love to be able to hit that many balls with each and grab those numbers for myself
 
Great video. We need those numbers with those balls and a driver now ;)
 
great video! RXS is a pretty good ball i like it, had a fellow THPer @OldandStiff send me some earlier this summer to try out.
@Canadan what did you think about the covers between the 4? how they felt and looked, is it possible to have 1 ball preform the best while liking the cover feel and characteristics of another?
 
Great job. This is almost exactly the same as my findings. I find the XS is about 5 yards shorter for me over the X.
 
Great video and information.
I've been going back and forth this year between the Chrome Soft, RX, and RXS, and keep finding myself back at the RXS.
 
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Dan, you referred to a distance club you were hitting as being an 8 iron but also a 7 iron. Which club? Will you say what brand or loft?

Love the test and the data. I was surprised to see the results.
I used the Callaway Epic Forged 8 iron to produce the numbers. It did an awesome job of removing some of the variables from the testing and let the ball do a majority of talking when it came to differentials.
 
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great video! RXS is a pretty good ball i like it, had a fellow THPer @OldandStiff send me some earlier this summer to try out.
@Canadan what did you think about the covers between the 4? how they felt and looked, is it possible to have 1 ball preform the best while liking the cover feel and characteristics of another?
I think that's going to come down to the personal perspective.

Cover specifically I am not sure I noticed a ton of difference in my extensive testing with Bridgestone Tour B. I do think spin is going to play a role for some around the greens bouncing between the "S" models but not for me personally. Also, firmness is going to play a subtle role in experiences like putting, but nothing that would lean me one way or the other.
 
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May I ask your driver CHS? I believe Bridgestone sets the cut at 105mph to move from b x to brx correct?

What is your course play experience with the brx? Enough stopping power on the irons into the green?
I swing driver around 115 or so on GCQuad. A bit less on Trackman. The 105mph guideline is more of a starting point than anything from my perspective. There are marginal distance concessions when switching to a softer ball if all over variables are in line with optimal performance. Because spin is often times problematic for me (or has been in the past), using a ball like RX which promotes less spin than X has been a distance gain for me, especially in windier conditions. Very positive, as ball speed potential isn't a deal breaker for me in ball performance.

My course experience is very positive with RX. I hit a high ball, so in most cases the ball is landing with an aggressive descent angle and landing firm. This is perfectly fine here in Ohio with bentgrass greens that are in most months receptive.
 
I bought some XS for my meager swing speed - haven't used it on the course but on the practice green, this ball sticks! You can be aggressive. I think these will be Christmas present for my high speed older son.

I am more of an RXS Fit - 90-95 Driver wanting control around the greens. My Titleist Ball is a V1x - more spin, nice control so the RXS seems right.
 
This is exactly the type of comparison I have been wanting to see so thank you for the video. I am playing the Tour B X now, but those spin numbers on the RX tell me it's well for a try for me. I would be willing to sacrifice ball speed for lower spin. Like you, wind is a killer for distance for me due to spin and how high I hit the ball.

Any chance we get to see the same comparison with a driver @Canadan?
 
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This is exactly the type of comparison I have been wanting to see so thank you for the video. I am playing the Tour B X now, but those spin numbers on the RX tell me it's well for a try for me. I would be willing to sacrifice ball speed for lower spin. Like you, wind is a killer for distance for me due to spin and how high I hit the ball.

Any chance we get to see the same comparison with a driver @Canadan?
I'd absolutely love to provide this sort of comparison using driver, but I don't believe my driver swing is in a place right now that would adequately represent these balls. We opted for more of the 'middle of the road' condition of an iron because it presents in both sides of the spectrum.

Hopefully with some tweaking I'll have a more consistent driver swing next year and it can open the door to expanded testing. In the meantime, I'll defer to you guys to show me how it's done.
 
I played a dozen of the RXS earlier this year and liked them. I thought they felt and performed well.
 
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