TaylorMade ball finder: Pick the right ball for your game

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TaylorMade ball finder: Four different balls, at three different price points, for different types of player

Picking the right ball is important, says TG Top 50 coach Steve Astle. You won’t Get Down In 2 very often without one that suits your game and gives you control. 

What the Pro says about picking a new ball:

➤ One hundred per cent of Tour pros use a ball with a urethane cover. If every player and manufacturer in the world is telling you urethane is the best material, why wouldn’t you use this technology? Both TaylorMade TP5 balls have urethane covers, but for performance – and value – the new Project (a) ticks all the boxes.  

➤ Prioritise a ball fitting and don’t use balls which are scuffed or worn. It’s hard to quantify how much difference it makes, but having that extra control, feel or distance could help to save that one shot per round which is priceless for most golfers. 

➤ It’s perfectly possible for a ball to deliver extra distance with the driver, and yet feel great and spin with a wedge, too. This was almost unthinkable a few years ago, as there was always a trade-off between balls. Now, we have the ability to choose a ball based on the feel you desire, knowing that it will perform across the board. You can even get soft-feeling, long sub-£30 balls like the new Project (s), so there’s no excuses for giving up distance just to get feel.

 

Project (s)

project s 

Project (a) 

projecta

TP5 

tp5

 TP5x

tp5x
RRP (A dozen): £24.99  £39.99  £49.99  £49.99
Cover Material:  Lonomer Urethane   Urethane  Urethane
Construction: Two-piece Dual-Distance Core decreases the overall compression for soft feel while maintaining rebound and speed. Its compression is 60, 10 less than the Project a. A soft cover improves feel and control.  A three-layer design that incorporates a new Dual-Distance core and new 322LDP seamless dimple pattern.   Five-piece. Three inner layers comprise a very low compression inner core (16) and a progressively stiffer outer core and mantle. They work together to create lower spin and more velocity.   Five-piece. Three inner layers comprise a very low compression inner core (25) and a progressively stiffer outer core and mantle. They work together to create lower spin and more velocity.  
 TM Say:  The new multilayer designin corporates a softer yet resilient dual distance core that maximises distance and enables us to utilise a softer ionomer cover for soft feel and great control. We are eliminating the need for a golfer to choose between distance and feel in this category. The new Project (a)’s Dual Core design is comprised of a larger, softer inner core, which scrubs off unwanted spin while providing great feel. The stiffer outer core allows for increased rebound and velocity. In addition to reducing driver and long iron spin, the stiffer outer core also aids in pinching the soft cast urethan cover between the clubface, creating greenside spin.   A three-piece Tri-Fast core delivers maximum energy and expansion on full shots while a dual spin cover lets more of the urethane engage with the grooves on shorter shots. A softer feel with mid-launch.   Firmer feeling with higher launch than the TP5. It’s 90 compression, but its core ranges in compression from 25-55 from the centre out. The TP5x adds 7-8 yards off the driver compared to the TP5. 
 We Say: The Project (s) offers soft feel through an even lower overall compression. Its two-piece construction provides extra ball speed that average players need, but it’s relatively soft compared to other balls it’s competing with at this price. More layers mean there’s more performance you can tune, so you’re able to get driver distance, launch conditions, feel and control all wrapped up. That new cover boost spin, too.   To simplify the mystery behind picking a ball for your game, TaylorMade have developed softer and firmer Tour balls so you can choose purely based on feel. In our tests TP5 launch 1.5degree lower (with a driver), and spun virtually the same as the TP5x with a wedge – just as promised.    The majority of TaylorMade’s Tour staff have gone with TP5x, which can be explained by them wanting to be as far down the fairway as possible. As high swing speed players they generate lots of spin anyway so don’t need a ball to generate spin for them. The choice around the green comes down to softer or firmer feel. 
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