2013 Bridgestone e6 Golf Ball Forum Testing Thread

3rd Test Report 2013 E6

3rd Test Report 2013 E6

Course: Pine Oaks Golf Course, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia
Weather: 44*, clear and 7mph winds.

Much warmer today than the last two rounds. Also rocking one of my new Bridgestone hats, which I found only appropriate under the circumstances.


Today I played golf. No 2nd balls. No comparing shot to shot. No cameras (except on the first tee, above).
I just wanted to play a round in decent weather, bright sunshine, and only a slight breeze.

So, I pulled out three new E6's, put two in the cup holder in the cart, and didn't touch those two until the 11th hole! I kept the first in play all day up to this point, and only had to change it out because I skipped one off a cart path four or five bounces and it got pretty scuffed. Honestly, I probably would've have kept it in play, but wanted to hit fresh balls for the testing....and I had one heck of a round going on, so wanted to go clean balls all the way!

DRIVER: I had, for me, a slightly above average day off the tee box with driver. I only hit 7 of 13, but I missed two by only a couple yards, one I hit through the fairway long, and a couple that are just standard fair for me.
I did absolutely pound a few out there today and I measured quite a few of my drives, so here's a chart.

Don't know why this program doesn't put them in order, but oh well.
I'll say that 1, 3 and 17 were into the wind. 2 and 8 are downwind, and 5 was downwind but is an uphill shot. I couldn't be happier with the ball flight I had today and the distance as well. I'd say my average is around 245-255 so some of these numbers are nice to see.
The ball feels just so solid, yet soft, off my driver face. I know that's a bit of an oxymoron of sorts, but it's hard to explain. I can feel it on the face, I know exactly where I hit it, it almost feels like it's sticking there for a split second, but then it just disappears.
The trajectory I'm seeing is a nice steady climb to what might be slightly higher than I'm used to seeing, but then getting more roll than some balls I've played. It's not in the chart, but I hit one way out on the toe that I still measured at 231. I don't know if that's ball or driver, but I was shocked. I kind of think the feels is comparable to the DUO, for me, and I think I'm going to play 9 with the E6 and 9 with the DUO and see if I notice any differences in that short time.

IRONS: I flippin' flushed a whole bunch of short iron shots today and one really solid 4i as well, and I just love the feel off the R11 irons. I think I mentioned before a par three that is totally guarded on the right and pretty much eliminates a natural draw approach. Well, for the second time, the long iron just needed to be aimed right at the flag and swung. Much straighter ball flight, a bit lower than usual, but solid and definitely the only ball I've gotten on this green twice in a row for quite a long time.

WEDGE: I've determined one thing at this point. Come down hard and on the ball like you're supposed to, and the ball checks up fine. If you're a skimmer and barely take a divot, it's going to run on you. I've learned this and have used both methods to some success based on either the situation or the lie I'm presented for the shot. If I am in some really fluffy stuff, I just leave myself plenty of room for roll-out and let it work. If I think I can really dig down on it, I'll give it a bit more run towards the flag and let it stop sooner. Something you just have to work with a couple rounds and get used to.

PUTTER: 31 putts today. Still LOVING the feel off my Si3. I am still just 'feeling' how hard to hit it just by looking at the distance and terrain. It's weird. I haven't left hardly anything obnoxiously long or short since putting the new E6.





Previous Posts:
Link to:
Unboxing post.
Link to:
First test report.
Link to:
Second test report.

My previous reviews:
http://www.thehackersparadise.com/f...tone-e6-Golf-Ball-Forum-Testing-Thread/page11 #165
http://www.thehackersparadise.com/f...tone-e6-Golf-Ball-Forum-Testing-Thread/page12 #167

On course testing: Bridgestone E6 Golf Ball, Round 2, 1/27/13

Conditions: Temperature: mid-40’s, Wind 10-15 MPH

Got a chance to play a second test round today with the new Bridgestone E6 ball. My buddy called this morning and said it was going to be in the mid 50’s and sunny so lets go play. Reneged on an agreement to take the wife shopping and headed for the course. Well, it never got out of the 40’s and the sunshine didn’t last beyond the first hole. Conditions were again not ideal, but I did shoot 40/37 for 77 so who needs perfect weather. I did remember to bring the Titleist Velocity to the course and will provide some comparisons in this review.

Driving:
Off the tee I will give the edge to the E6 for distance, but just by a little. Both balls stayed pretty straight all day,but then my normal tee ball is straight with just about any ball. On the first drive, I hit the Velocity straight down the middle and very solid. I then hit the E6 and actually heeled it—probably my worst swing of the day. It was a lame looking fade, but found the middle of the fairway. I thought, well, no contest here. When we got to the balls, to my surprise, the E6 was only about 5 yards behind theTitleist. Drive 2, hit both balls straight down the middle and very solid. The E6 was about 8 paces further. This was pretty consistent the whole round with the E6 usually a few paces longer. I didn’t really notice if this was because of more roll out or not. Ball flight and trajectory was almost identical with both. The last drive of the day was interesting. I hit the E6 first and really nailed it—just a beautiful drive. I then hit the Titleist and I swear I hit it even better. My playing partner actually remarked that it was even better. When we got there, the balls were side by side not 3 feet apart. The E6 went just as far even though the Titleist was probably hit a little better. I missed 2 fairways all day and did not hit the second ball on those occasions.

Iron Play: My iron play was not stellar today despite the respectable score. But, I still love the feel of the E6 after 2 fullrounds, especially on clean, solid hits. I only played the Titleist for comparison on the par threes and a few approach shots. I saw little difference in distance on well struck irons. One exception was on a short par 3 where I hit the Titleist short of the green with a PW and the hit the E6 off the hosel. I was looking for the E6 short and right of the green, but found it pin high to the right in the trap.

Trajectory, Ball Flight: Today the E6 off the irons I would categorize as mid-high, with the Velocity being high. Nothing really remarkable there though.

Green Holding: After two rounds, I am still seeing adequate green holding with the E6 ball. I cannot ding this ball for this, at least not yet. The greens are soft, however, and holding a lot of moisture. We’ll have to wait for firmer greens to see if this remains to be true.

Sound, Feel: I had my playing partner listening intently to the sound of the balls off of the driver and irons, as my hearing isn’t the greatest. His take was that they both sounded the same off the driver, but that the E6 sounded “more solid” off the irons, whatever that means. I like the feel of the E6, as stated,especially off the irons. To me, itf eels like a “premium” (expensive) ball.

Putting: This is much easier without the mittens. I left the winter gloves in the bag and a better day rolling the ball. I love the feel and the sound of this E6 ball off the putter. It really does feel softer.

Durability: The picture below shows the two balls I tested today. The Bridgestone E6 has been played for 2 full rounds. The Titleist Velocity was played today for comparison shots only--maybe 15 to 20 shots max. I think I'll continue to play this E6 until I lose it or hit a cart path or tree.

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Thanks for reading. More after Tuesday’s round.

Nice updates his, that's crazy about durability. I haven't seen much wear, then again mine have avoided the Cart path quite a bit. But that wear doesn't look to bad

v.man thanks for the comparison with the Velocity. I am not surprised by your findings as I think the balls are very similar. I will have to buy a dozen e6s if it ever warms up here and compare the two for myself. Of course with last year's model being $5 cheaper at most places, I may just buy those.

For those who have hit both. Is the 2013 that much better than 2011. Is the 2013 e6 worth the extra money

jcounsman said:

Apologize for the lousy typing. Just wanted to add a comment about durability. Both balls I played still look new. Also, it's not unusual for me to lose three or more balls on this course, the Falcon course at Eglin AFB. Durable and avoids getting lost...pretty good for my wild days! Thanks to all the testers for the comments. Golf is such an amazingly personal experience but it's good to know others have similar issues and still others inspire hope to solve the issues and improve. Really appreciate THP.

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I'm just the opposite on the durability stance. I've gone through several of these balls now because after about 12 or 13 holes, they are scuffed up too bad to keep them in play. Yesterday I had one of the best rounds I've had in a long time as far as keeping the ball in the middle of the fairway and hitting greens, and it was still getting scuffed up pretty bad.

bobbyvjets said:

For those who have hit both. Is the 2013 that much better than 2011. Is the 2013 e6 worth the extra money

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For me the 2013 is defiantly softer. I'll continue to get the 2011 until they are gone.

bobbyvjets said:

For those who have hit both. Is the 2013 that much better than 2011. Is the 2013 e6 worth the extra money

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I haven't seen a huge divide in performance and was a big fan of the 2011 ball. If I saw the old ones $5 cheaper I'd definitely grab them up. I'd have no problem paying full price for the 2013 version either, but see no reason to pay more than I have to. They'll be gone soon though I'm sure.

Just getting caught up with everybody's reviews and I have to give you all a pat on the back. Great information in here.


I did a little side by side testing of the new e6 vs the 2011 e5 with my driver on a Vector. In all honesty, I didn't see a big difference in my numbers, so I'm going to do it again for a little more sample data before I compile and post it. On course testing showed more of the same with the e6 - soft feel on full swings, even in some very cold temperatures, and high balls from long clubs through my scoring irons. I was pretty accurate with my long clubs, aside from a few nasty pull hooks. Not much can be done to straighten that miss out though.

I got out for my second round with these balls. It was pretty windy yesterday. I felt like I hit every club fairly well.

With the driver, I felt like I got more distance out of the ball than I did last time. It's still not as far as I hit the Tour B330, but it was much closer today than it was in last weeks test. I'm not sure if it was weather related (about 25 degrees warmer this weekend than last) or what was the cause, but I was definitely getting more distance yesterday.

I love the feel of this ball of my irons. I didn't get the chance to hit anything longer than a 5 iron yesterday, but on every iron shot, I'm getting the distance I expect to get and I'm not getting any roll out. I hit a 5 iron on the third hole yesterday (par 3 about 180 into the wind). The ball hit and release all of about 3 feet. Left me pin high with about a 12 foot birdie putt which I missed. Some of that could be attributed to the wind knocking it down. However, on 18th hole, my second shot was 176 with a cross wind to a tucked back pin. I hit a 6 iron with a high, slight draw that hit and rolled about 6 feet and left me with another 12 or so footer for birdie, and again I missed. But the ball really seems to check up when it hits the green.

I also get the same feel with the chip shots. I feel like I can hit it and know it's going to bite once it hits the green. That really helps my confidence in my chip shots. I was able to fly the ball close to the hole on most chips shots and leave myself with short putts.

Even though I didn't putt worth a crap yesterday, it wasn't the ball. I had some pretty bad reads yesterday that killed my score. The ball feels great off the putter and does a great job of keeping it's line (it would help if you start it on the right line, though).

Still, my only downfall to this ball is off the tee. With my size and length off the tee, I can't afford to hit a ball that doesn't get me out there as far as possible. Also, I did have a few mishits with the driver and the ball would start to hook or fade a little, but I don't think it was any more or any less than the Tour B330 I normally play. It wasn't enough to get me in too much trouble, but it wasn't straight either and these balls are supposed to be straighter.

bhilton said:

I'm just the opposite on the durability stance. I've gone through several of these balls now because after about 12 or 13 holes, they are scuffed up too bad to keep them in play. Yesterday I had one of the best rounds I've had in a long time as far as keeping the ball in the middle of the fairway and hitting greens, and it was still getting scuffed up pretty bad.

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Do you see durability issues with other balls as well? Reason I ask is that the few times I've hit Jaws wedges, they tend to eat golf balls up. Those wedges combined with the softer cover may be the difference in what you're seeing compared to what VMan is seeing.

Well done guys. This is great testing work.

adwillingham said:

Do you see durability issues with other balls as well? Reason I ask is that the few times I've hit Jaws wedges, they tend to eat golf balls up. Those wedges combined with the softer cover may be the difference in what you're seeing compared to what VMan is seeing.

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I had the old jaws wedges that used to shred golf balls, but the jaws cc wedges don't do that. I've don't typically see this much durability issues with other balls. I can usually get a full round if not more out of the balls, but I have yet to get that with these.

I got out to the short game area yesterday with these and did a head to head with the 2011 E6.

It's been said a few times in here but I believe it was War Eagle that said this ball can best be described as predictable.

I don't think it would be a stretch to say the most benefit from this ball comes from the tee and fairway so just doing chips and pitches won't give the best picture of what an All Star the E6 is.

I was fit for the E6 at a in person fitting last year and the online results match up.
For a distance ball it has a pretty amazing softness to it, that I love when I'm on the green. It is my favorite ball to play for that reason. I feel like that I understand it on the green, its responsive and I can tell if I've hit it good right away.

I am not a high spin short game person so in the testing I did I didn't see any dramatic improvement in the 2011 version to the 2013 version.
They were predictable and since I've gamed this ball for half a season I had a good idea of what would happen with each shot.

I started putting with a 15 foot test and drained the first two putts I attempted with the 2013 E6, so clearly WE HAVE A WINNER!
In all seriousness, to me the ball feels a touch softer than the previous one and that's something that I really like.

I'm looking forward to more full round testing later this week.

Grand Oaks Golf Club
1/27/2013, cloudy, very windy, fairly dry course, mid 60's
18 holes played


Driver - This ball continues to shine off of the tee. I continue to see very little (if any) side to side movement and some solid distance. Winds were gusting up to 30 MPH yesterday so I saw a range of 218 - 290 for shortest and longest drives of the day. I actually ended up seeing 2 different ball flights yesterday off the tee, mostly it was a mid trajectory line drive but I saw a few that got into that mid-high trajectory (abnormal for me) but they just seemed to carry a bit longer than normal likely in the 240-245 range. Think it was more the swing than the ball but worth noting. Hit 8/13 FW on the day with my miss being a ball that started up the left side and did not move....while I missed the FW, the shots were still playable except for one into the drink.

Irons - I have a tendency to judge this area by how my shots react on the green as that is what is extremely important to me. I only hit 5 GIR's on the day but what I did see impressed me:

6 iron from 140 dead into the wind. Ball flight a bit lower than normal and ball released about 10 feet after landing.
9 iron from 125 with cross wind. Ball released 4 feet after landing.
6 iron from 166 with cross wind. Ball released 2 feet after landing.
9 iron from 152 down wind. Ball released 3 feet after landing.

Very happy with this performance when I am playing enough club to compress the ball. I truly believe that getting this ball to stop quickly on the green requires solid compression.

Wedges - Unfortunately, my opinion in this aspect did not change. When I am far enough away to swing and compress, I can see good results upon landing. When I am trying to play a shot with some touch in that 25-50 yard range this ball just does not stop quick enough for me. Here are some examples from yesterday:

Good:

- Greenside chip from 10 yards with the 54* upslope and able to carry it on and nestle up about 6 inches away for a gimme par.
- 75 yards away dead into the wind with a full 54*. Towering shot that landed 6 feet short of the flag and did not move.
- Greenside chip from 14 yards with the 54* downslope. Played this to get a touch more height and it worked greatly with a predictable release to 2 feet and another gimme par.

Bad:

- 30 yards away from the flag and I needed to carry a bunker to a pin about 20 feet past the bunker. Hit a great shot with the 58* wedge and thought I was in business, nice high pitch that landed 5 feet short of the flag rolled another 25 feet to the back of the green and then down a slope 8 yards off the green. I was (still am) befuddled by this one.
- 50 yards away with the 54* and thought I hit a great shot. Released about 13 feet where I am usually able to see this shot stop within 6 feet tops. Actually thought I compressed it well so was surprised to see this much release.
- 25 yards away with the 54* and this one really chapped my hide. Knowing the shot would release I landed it short of a fairly shallow green and then it released all the way through the green and settled into thick grass behind it. Thought I played this perfectly allowing for more release than I typically saw with the B330-RX. This one really shook my confidence a bit with this ball around the greens.

Putter - Putts were good, no abnormal audible sounds at impact. Had several long lag putts that left me kick in tap ins so being able to judge/control distance with these is as I expected - not an issue.

Overall, pleased with the ball in all aspects except for non-greenside pitches/lobs up to 50 yards. Durability is solid, but I really wished they would learn to float. I NAILED 2 trees yesterday and while I saw a green mark on the ball from the impact it did not scuff the ball at all. Unable to test a ball for more than 10-12 holes due to my uncanny ability to find the water 5 times in 2 rounds.

Great reviews so far THP! I love the e6 - glad that it's still a terrific ball off the tee and on the green. My distances are similar to Cookie's, but I'm a low-spin player so I'm used to seeing balls run out a bit and play for that. Overall, seems like the e6 is still a favorite by THPers. :thumb:

Cookie, the new E6 to me seems similar to the Q-Star. I know you love the Q-Star and have been playing it for awhile. Do you see them as very similar in performance and feel?

v.man said:

Cookie, the new E6 to me seems similar to the Q-Star. I know you love the Q-Star and have been playing it for awhile. Do you see them as very similar in performance and feel?

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I am not a big "feel" guy but I think that the performance is quite similar except for the Q-Star having a bit more action on the greens on those shorter pitches that I am struggling with in the e6. For that reason alone, I really want to try the e5.

I went out Sunday because it was such a nice day, weather wise. That's about where the good stuff ends. My game is absolutely terrible. No matter how good the e6 is, nothing could save me from myself. I hit one decent drive with the e6 all day, everything else was either slicing or duck hooking. I have lessons scheduled starting today and hope the pro can help me find my swing. I'll be out next week after the first lesson and hopefully my game will come around enough to be a fair judge of these balls. I know i'm not giving up..........

1/29/31 - 2013 Bridgestone e6 Ball Review

This past weekend logged another round in the books for me with the 2013 Bridgestone e6. Another round that has proven to me that the e6 is without a doubt, a ball that fits my game quite well.

Performance off the Tee; Straight Distance is the claim. And, after two rounds, I can safely say that the claim is legit. From the tee box, whether it's me pulling the driver or a fairway, the results are consistent. One aspect of the e6 that I have greatly enjoyed is the ball flight. Best way for me to describe it is a low riser that hits it's apex quickly, with a trajectory downward that isn't too quick so to maximize carry distance. It's really tough to describe a ball flight in words, at times, but the ball seems to rise to it's apex and carry for a bit before starting back down again. The flight isn't too high, and I do not see an issue with ballooning. Having a predictable shot from the tee box, for me, is a game changer. The feel of the e6 off the tee in incredible. The softer ball really provides the feeling at impact that the ball has been well struck, and gives me the feeling that I put a good swing on the ball.

Irons/Wedges; Straight balls wont spin. Whatever... So far, what I have seen during my rounds with the e6 is just the opposite. While I am not spinning the e6 backwards off the front of the green, the results are typical of what I would expect of this ball, and have been perfect for me. My shots with my irons and wedges are hot off the face and get up quickly, with a steep trajectory downward to give me that hop and stop that I need to hold the green. I don't have a fear of seeing too much "roll out" on my shots, at all. On well struck shots, my ball is usually within a foot of it's ball mark on the green. Accurate and consistent. I'll take that.

Short Game Thoughts; Continuing on my thoughts from above in regards to spin, I will say this; it's not the ball. Often times, I am left with an "in between" wedge distance, and a shot that I absolutely love to use is a short wedge shot, flighted low that will land the green, jump forward and stop. I have not had a problem doing this with the e6, when needing to flight it low with a bit more spin, I find that the e6 handles the shot well. The soft feel of the e6 really seems to allow great feel when hitting this type of shot for me, as the feedback I get when it's struck well let's me know the results are going to be what I want. For touch type shots, I have long been a fan of getting the ball on the ground quickly, and playing the break of the green to get the ball to where I need it to go. For this type of shot, there has been no issue. When needed to get the ball rolling, a quick bump and run type shot works perfectly.

I have been impressed with the e6 so far. Having played it off and on the past few years, I can really say that this evolution of the e6 has really stepped the e-Series line up a bit. For the price of the e6, it will be hard to find a better ball for your money. Proof is in the results so far, it's no wonder the majority of golfers that go through the B-Fit fitting tool are fit to the e6, it just works.

Great writeup WE, and from the sounds of it you have had 2 great rounds so far with this ball.

My gripe has always been the short game with this ball, but I know more than anything its the swing Im putting on the ball more than anything that is causing all the "roll out" im crying about. Its evident through reading the reviews that these balls do enough around the greens to keep a guy like me content with them. And I love them off of the tee thus far.

Bridgestone E6 Testing 1/27/2013 – Alisal River Course, 60 degrees, 0-10mph wind
I got out for my second full round of testing with the e6 and was impressed again with the performance of this ball. Off the tee this ball is the best for me. Distance wise I don’t see much increase, but it is definitely straighter than any other ball I’ve ever played. I didn’t hit any bombs that day, but I was consistently in the 220-240 range. I hit 8/14 fairways, only 2 were more than a 5 yards off when I hit my typical miss, a pull. My flight was slightly lower than I’ve seen in the past but I think that’s due to the fact I move the ball back in my stance slightly to reduce the pull.

The course wasn’t too busy so I had a few chances to hit multiple wedges into greens in the 110-120 yard range. The first time I hit 3 (2013 e6) shots in from 110 yards with my AW. Two of them found the green one back up a good 10 ft and the other about 4 ft. The conditions were soft, but this surprised me quite a bit. I can pull the string every once in a while, but I’ve never pulled one back 10+ft with the 2011 e6, that is something that would only occasionally happed with a urethane covered ball. On another hole I had 115 left and pulled my AW again. I hit the e6 dead at the pin and it landed about 6 ft short and spun back 3-4 feet. I hit a B330-Rx into the green from the same spot and it performed very similar. I pulled it a little but landed about 15 left and it also spun back maybe 4 ft.

I struggled with chipping that day. This ball still rolls out pretty far and if the greens are quick it’s tough to control. There were a few instances when I thought I had enough green to work with but the ball just ran away from the hole. If you short side yourself it definitely makes it hard to chip it close. I’m not saying it can’t be done, but you need to have a more delicate touch. With the B330-RX I feel like I can be more aggressive and attack the pin and that is better for my game. The more delicate the shot, the more I struggle with consistency.

As for durability this ball is solid. I’ve played 2 rounds rotating 3 balls in play and have not had any wear issues. I did lose one on the 28[SUP]th[/SUP] hole, but the other 2 I would continue to play. I think a lost ball is about the only way to end the life of this ball me. Typically a urethane ball would maybe last a round for me. I think a new set of wedges could change that a little.

Overall, this ball is a good ball for me. It reduces my penalty strokes but may cost me a stroke or 2 around the greens on occasion. I guess that’s a good trade off, because it’s easier on my wallet.

Nice thoughts in here today guys. Looks like Schanker and I are experiencing the same stuff around the green while War Eagle is having success. Wondering how much of that could be attributed to greens? Ours are not fast for putting right now but they are firm.....I have to think that is impacting my shots performance after it lands.

mcook77 said:

Nice thoughts in here today guys. Looks like Schanker and I are experiencing the same stuff around the green while War Eagle is having success. Wondering how much of that could be attributed to greens? Ours are not fast for putting right now but they are firm.....I have to think that is impacting my shots performance after it lands.

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Cookie, ours are the opposite of yours right now, fast and wet. I think both of these are contributing to what I'm experiencing. The softness accepts the longer/higher shots and the speed allows them to spin back farther than usual. Around the greens the softness doesn't help that much and it's just the speed that makes it tough.

I am really loving this ball. I shot my third round in the 80's since testing began. My approach shots today checked and held well, my wedge shots and chips around the greens (Herbie) were exceptional today. My putting is becoming one of my strong points and I credit this ball for the touch and true roll it provides me. Ball flight was high today and shots into par fours, were stopping with no extreme roll outs. My shot of the day was a 5 iron into our par 3 number eight which today was set at 160 yards. Green sits uphill and we had wind gusts into our face. The ball mark was three foot past the pin and it stopped four foot from there. Ran the birdie in . The ball flight was as straight as an arrow. Love this E6 ball !