Taylormade Tour preferred X Golf Ball Review

[Fireinthehole]

In my never ending search to find "My Ball" I decided to give the Taylormade Tour Preferred X a well deserved shot!

 

Let's start with all of the golf balls I have played/ bought:

Bridgestone: E5, E6, E7, B330, B330-S

Callaway: X hot, Hex Chrome, Hex Black Tour, Supersoft

Titleist: Nxt Tour, Nxt Tour S, Pro v1, Pro V1x

Taylormade: Rocketballz, TP Red/ Black, Project A, Penta TP5, Lethal

Nike: Vapor Black, 20XI, 20Xi-S, RZN Black/ Platinum

 

I guess you can say I have been around the block 

 

While perusing the Adidas Employee Store, I caught out of the corner of my eye some Golf Balls! Tour Preferred X said the box, a quick google search put them in my "Gotta Try" category. That, coupled with the discount, it was to hard to pass! Long story short I bought 2 dozens to try.

Clubs used for testing: Exactly what is in my Signature, though tested using 3 different putters. Scotty Cameron Studio Style, SC 2014 Fastback, Nike Method MC04W

 

 

In hopes of answering questions some might or might not have I will compare to the Pro V1x and Z Star XV- two golf balls that fall under the same category, one considered the ying to the yang of the gold standard ProV1, the other a ball I have been testing.

 

BUT HOW DOES IT PERFORM?!?!?!?!

 

The following is my findings- as always, your mileage may vary!

 

Driver/ Fairaway: You can feel this ball cannon of the face! By that I mean you can feel it being compressed. It is soft, between the Pro V1 and Pro V1x. Harder to distinguish between the TPX and the Pro V1x. The Z star XV was definitely firmer.

 

The TPX was longer for me off the driver than all the others when tested, but they were all in the same general vicinity. The Z star XV was not as easy to shape shots with, that's not to say that I can't hook the daylights out of it. I just seemed to get the most roll-out from the TPX.

 

In the wind it performed better for me than the Pro V1x, because the flight was lower. The Z star was about the same height. No moon balls were hit with this ball, and no drives ballooned in the wind.

 

Irons: The sound was muted compared to the Pro V1x and Z star. It maintains a softer feel on the irons than the Z star, but similar to the Pro V1x. The cover didn't get beat up with full shots, punch shots, or 3/4 shots. For the price one would pay you would hope so!

 

Flight was lower than the Pro V1x and looked to be slightly higher than the Z star. Spin on irons was better than the Z star, as I found the ball closer to the ball mark. Between the TPX and the Pro V1x, it is a harder call, they traded closest to the ball mark awards each hole.

 

Wedges: Often the quietest of the bunch, with the Z star being the loudest. 

On full shots I was able to get more spin out of the TPX than the Z star, and comparable to the Pro V1x. 

 

 50%- 80% wedge shots, the TPX height was lower than the Pro V1x, but higher than the Z star. It had hop and stop performance that I prefer from wedges, where I look for placement over run out.

 

On chips the TPX had slightly more roll out than the Pro v1x, but maybe less than the Z star, It really felt like nit picking which rolled out less- they all looked close, because we are humans, not robots, so the repeat-ability of chips is harder.

 

DOES IT SPIN?!?!?!----This might be more technique, but yes it can spin. The picture below is a 127yd 52* wedge that landed behind the pin and spun back.

 

 

Putter: The section that can be make or break for me.I used the previously mentioned 3 putters to determine if sound carried over regardless of putter.

 

Sound- The TPX was a more muted sound- the quietest of the bunch, followed by the Pro V1x and the Z Star being the loudest. The sound from the TPX was not so quite that feedback was missing, but not loud enough to be distracting.

 

Off the putter face it feels soft ( not duo, project a or supersoft, but soft), with the Z star being the most firm. Though the ball is soft, it doesn't feel like you are putting a rubber ball. None came off the putter face hot.

 

Looks

 

Packaging is very understated, more so than the SHINY SHINY boxes of the Pro V1x and Z star- for whatever it's worth.

 

The ball markings are not obnoxius or large- caused be to pause and ask, "Is this really a Taylormade ball?!" in fact the logo is small compared to the Z star, The on the side of the ball, actually looks smaller than both the Z star and Pro V1x!!!!

 

The Z star ball is brighter than the TPX and Pro V1x,

 

DURABILITY- 

This is typically tough to test, but if you don't lose ball's at the rate of breathing- like I use to, this section is for you.

 

No ball will withstand a cart path or a tree

 

with that said, the TPX was more durable than the Pro V1x, but the Z star was more sturdy. Granted if i hit a 100% wedge shot, the ball will fishscale, suryln two piece balls even get beat some times. 

 

The picture below shoes three balls, the one farthest left is a ball I used for 18 holes on a Par 3 course, the fish scales were a result of a 100% 52* that I wanted to hit 140+ to show off. The one in the middle is a ball that was played for 18 holes ( I didn't lose a ball? - already called the local news) you can see some discoloration in the Taylormade logo. The one on the farthest right was never used. 

 

 

The Conclusion:  I believe this ball has blended the best of the Pro V1 and Pro V1x and seems to be the happy medium between the Pro V1x and the Z star XV. Though i have played with the Z Star recently, the Tour Preferred X is proving too difficult to kick out. If you need further proof, I will now disclose that I have 10 Dozen Tour Preferred X's sitting next to my clubs right now. 

( Only downside to having soooo many in reserve, i don't go searching for the OB shot)

 

I hope this has helped add more choices for your golf ball search. This is one that should not be overlooked- I can't believe it took me this long to take it for a spin!

 

If you made it this far, I tip my hat and raise a glass to you! You are why I sit down and write this. I often find myself asking, that is a good review, how does it compare to ______? so I thought I would incorporate it in this review.

 

BOY THAT WAS LONG WINDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mizuno_lover]

Nahhhh not long winded at all buddy, just a comprehensive well written and very informative review.  They look a lot like the Penta model we had here in Australia that I used to use and quite liked and if I can get 'em here I might just give 'em another whirl on the strength of your review.  Love the bomb you draw on your balls - very artistic!  Well done and thanks for the work

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Excellent review Fire! Played these last year and liked them very much.

[wbealsd]

Great write up!

 

Curious, since I'm currently playing the older TP Black and didn't care much for the Penta.  How would you compare it to the TP Black?

[jaskanski]

I'll be sure to give them a go now I've read this. 

[Fireinthehole]

It performs similar to the TP black with respects to flight. Though I found that the TPX spins a little more greenside than the black did. It is pretty consistant on greenside performance, which I loved about the TP black. TPX was also quiter off the putter, felt softer- not Lethal soft but soft. I was actually thinking that they may have combined the TP black with the Lethal to be honest. Between the two durability wise, its a toss up. I had a Callaway X forged Mack Daddy wedge, that shredded everything when I was playing the TP black.

 

Great write up!

 

Curious, since I'm currently playing the older TP Black and didn't care much for the Penta.  How would you compare it to the TP Black?

[Fireinthehole]

Nahhhh not long winded at all buddy, just a comprehensive well written and very informative review.  They look a lot like the Penta model we had here in Australia that I used to use and quite liked and if I can get 'em here I might just give 'em another whirl on the strength of your review.  Love the bomb you draw on your balls - very artistic!  Well done and thanks for the work

 

With that Bomb ball mark I can easily distinguish which is my ball- when I walk two fairways over to find it . 

[edmundcruz]

Great review! I might need to put these into play this summer! 

[BIG STU]

Excellent write up and test. I am going to experiment this weekend with the Aeroburner softs since I won a dozen of them this past weekend. I did hit a couple of 60* shots and a couple of putts with them Sunday seem ok. In the last few months I have revamped my equipment including balls and have went the softer route all together. I have been playing the Srixon Soft Feels and the Bridgestone Treo Softs which Bridgestone is discontioning I had won a gift certificate for Golfsmith in that package deal and with a discount card ended up with 4 dozen Treo Softs. I may try to do a write up test on here on the Aeroburner Softs.

[wbealsd]

It performs similar to the TP black with respects to flight. Though I found that the TPX spins a little more greenside than the black did. It is pretty consistant on greenside performance, which I loved about the TP black. TPX was also quiter off the putter, felt softer- not Lethal soft but soft. I was actually thinking that they may have combined the TP black with the Lethal to be honest. Between the two durability wise, its a toss up. I had a Callaway X forged Mack Daddy wedge, that shredded everything when I was playing the TP black.

Thanks, that's good to know!

[Fireinthehole]

Like to know how they stack up with the Project A aswell!

 

Excellent write up and test. I am going to experiment this weekend with the Aeroburner softs since I won a dozen of them this past weekend. I did hit a couple of 60* shots and a couple of putts with them Sunday seem ok. In the last few months I have revamped my equipment including balls and have went the softer route all together. I have been playing the Srixon Soft Feels and the Bridgestone Treo Softs which Bridgestone is discontioning I had won a gift certificate for Golfsmith in that package deal and with a discount card ended up with 4 dozen Treo Softs. I may try to do a write up test on here on the Aeroburner Softs.

[BIG STU]

I can tell you already I do not like the project a for me anyhow. I found one the other day and played a few holes with it. The cover seems a little hard to me compaired to the Soft Feels and Treo Softs. It also seemed "clicky" to me off the putter face like the Wilson Duo. Distance was ok though not longer or shorter than the soft balls. I am a very sensitive feel player and something about the project a did not feel right for me. I may hit it some more I threw it in the shag bag

[Fireinthehole]

I found one, tried it off the tee and just didn't go anywhere. Literally. I think it spun too much for me. Approach shots and wedges spun pretty darn good. I had a different story putter wise. It seemed quiet but just felt dead on the putter for me. I would also see it come off a bit too hot for my taste.

 

I can tell you already I do not like the project a for me anyhow. I found one the other day and played a few holes with it. The cover seems a little hard to me compaired to the Soft Feels and Treo Softs. It also seemed "clicky" to me off the putter face like the Wilson Duo. Distance was ok though not longer or shorter than the soft balls. I am a very sensitive feel player and something about the project a did not feel right for me. I may hit it some more I threw it in the shag bag