TaylorMade TP5/TP5X Golf Balls! - 2024 Forum Review

[ronnieg]

4 hours ago, GolferXY said:

Good review with great media!  Thanks for the time, it was well spent.

Appreciate it! 

[Michael.Sandoval33]

On 4/27/2024 at 11:21 PM, Wib081 said:

 

The Review 

Is now live!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great review @Wib081 I am for sure interested in getting a box to try out now as I'm kind of in ball-hunting mode for the summer. Hoping the durability with the wedges can last since that is where I would most likely use them most.

[Wib081]

So I went to the range last night and in my bucket right on top was a TP5x. Stuck it in the back pocket as a “keeper”. Then after my last shot I was like what’s one more and who cares I’ll hit this thing. Uh yeah it was flushed with a no name brand 7 iron I picked up from goodwill as my work I’m bored let’s go hit balls at lunch club, and the half a club longer is no joke. Range signs are range signs just based on feel and flight I can tell you it definitely went 5-10 yards longer in the air for me. Definitely impressed with the 5x distance claim. 

[bogeygolf02]

Durability issues are concerning to me. One of the primary reason this has been my go to ball was the durability. I usually hit a tree or two per round, possibly a cart path, and they come out unscathed. 

Sounds like that might not be true any more with the new version.

[ronnieg]

1 hour ago, bogeygolf02 said:

Durability issues are concerning to me. One of the primary reason this has been my go to ball was the durability. I usually hit a tree or two per round, possibly a cart path, and they come out unscathed. 

Sounds like that might not be true any more with the new version.

I definitely found the durability lacking over previous version of the TP5X. I know other testers did too. I think a few testers didnt see those durability issues. It could also be a consistency issue. TM is using a new factory this year from what I recall. The core and mantle are made overseas then shipped to the US for the cover.

[MissionMan]

2 hours ago, ronnieg said:

I definitely found the durability lacking over previous version of the TP5X. I know other testers did too. I think a few testers didnt see those durability issues. It could also be a consistency issue. TM is using a new factory this year from what I recall. The core and mantle are made overseas then shipped to the US for the cover.

Are the TP5 and TP5X using the same cover? I tested the TP5 against the TP5X and the TP5 is definitely better with durability, but not sure if that is luck over actual ball. One tree hit with the TP5X and the damage was bad enough to replace it where the TP5 endured a couple of those without incident.

[ronnieg]

30 minutes ago, MissionMan said:

Are the TP5 and TP5X using the same cover? I tested the TP5 against the TP5X and the TP5 is definitely better with durability, but not sure if that is luck over actual ball. One tree hit with the TP5X and the damage was bad enough to replace it where the TP5 endured a couple of those without incident.

Both are supposed to have the tour flight cover. So could be like someone said and the softer core of the TP5 allows for better durability. Or it could be something in the manufacturing process that differs between the 2 balls. 

[ronnieg]

Just now, ronnieg said:

Both are supposed to have the tour flight cover. So could be like someone said and the softer core of the TP5 allows for better durability. Or it could be something in the manufacturing process that differs between the 2 balls. 

I've been playing TP5 this week and haven't had nearly the issues I had with the X. It's not the most durable ball but it's not falling apart like the X

[MissionMan]

56 minutes ago, ronnieg said:

Both are supposed to have the tour flight cover. So could be like someone said and the softer core of the TP5 allows for better durability. Or it could be something in the manufacturing process that differs between the 2 balls. 

Potentially. This could be the answer as I think a harder core would be less forgiving if the cover is wedged between a hard core and a hard club. The Prov1x wasn't very durable for me and has a hard cover/hard core, similar issues to the TP5X and a mate of mine was complaining about the 2023 AVX durability which has a soft cover and hard core for extra distance and lower flight.

Edited May 2 by MissionMan

[Rob Person]

Great reviews!  Hard to maintain a loyalty to a ball when it performs Great but doesn't stand up against the playing  elements!

Do you think it's made that way to inherit more sales, as they will need to be replaced more often?

[OdinSnipes414]

9 minutes ago, Rob Person said:

Great reviews!  Hard to maintain a loyalty to a ball when it performs Great but doesn't stand up against the playing  elements!

Do you think it's made that way to inherit more sales, as they will need to be replaced more often?

Not sure but here is what I can tell you the mass generated TP5x pix is not holding up but then balls like the doughnuts and peach have been holding up better and don’t show the same wear as the original 

[MissionMan]

2 hours ago, Rob Person said:

Great reviews!  Hard to maintain a loyalty to a ball when it performs Great but doesn't stand up against the playing  elements!

Do you think it's made that way to inherit more sales, as they will need to be replaced more often?

I don't think so. I think the demands on performance to stay competitive are so high that companies will do what they can to beat others. Titleist has owned the PGA for a long time due to their performance and companies are trying to beat them. As an example, if budget is not a constraint, you are going to take the best-performing balls. Most professionals would be sponsored and get their balls free, so durability is not an issue. Rory can replace his ball every hole, while us mere mortals without a diamond-plated budget try to get them to last at least 18 holes. 

[Wib081]

7 hours ago, OdinSnipes414 said:

Not sure but here is what I can tell you the mass generated TP5x pix is not holding up but then balls like the doughnuts and peach have been holding up better and don’t show the same wear as the original 

Have you noticed any of the cover inconsistencies with the peach or doughnut balls? I’m now wondering if it could be a batch issue rather than a product wide issue

[MissionMan]

I've just put up my review. I was late to the party because my balls took a little longer to arrive. Check it out here

[DiscipleofPenick]

2 hours ago, MissionMan said:

I've just put up my review. I was late to the party because my balls took a little longer to arrive. Check it out here

Speaking of, mine just arrived yesterday, so my review is just getting going.

[OdinSnipes414]

4 hours ago, Wib081 said:

Have you noticed any of the cover inconsistencies with the peach or doughnut balls? I’m now wondering if it could be a batch issue rather than a product wide issue

I have not noticed any issues so far 

[bogeygolf02]

19 hours ago, ronnieg said:

I definitely found the durability lacking over previous version of the TP5X. I know other testers did too. I think a few testers didnt see those durability issues. It could also be a consistency issue. TM is using a new factory this year from what I recall. The core and mantle are made overseas then shipped to the US for the cover.

With the changes to the ball TM describes I wouldn't be surprised that the recipe for the cover had to change. I have a sleeve of the new gen I've yet to try. Be interesting to see if I have the same experience. 

[Lefty11]

I'm planning to give the TP5 pix a try this year. After using the TM ball selector, it recommended it to me. I played with the TP5x last year, but I didn't quite enjoy the clicky sound it made off the putter. I’ll report back with my findings. 

[Wib081]

13 hours ago, Lefty11 said:

I'm planning to give the TP5 pix a try this year. After using the TM ball selector, it recommended it to me. I played with the TP5x last year, but I didn't quite enjoy the clicky sound it made off the putter. I’ll report back with my findings. 

I think you’ll like the sound of the TP5 coming off the putter. It’s pretty good to my ear. I mixed it in with some Titleist velocity’s couple older TM balls and prov1’s and it was great. 

[MissionMan]

1 minute ago, Wib081 said:

I think you’ll like the sound of the TP5 coming off the putter. It’s pretty good to my ear. I mixed it in with some Titleist velocity’s couple older TM balls and prov1’s and it was great. 

I agree. Love the feel and sound off the putter.

[Lefty11]

22 hours ago, MissionMan said:

I agree. Love the feel and sound off the putter.

Thank you for your opinion!  I can’t wait to test them out. 

[GolfSpy SAM]

I got the chance to put the TP5 (both Pix and Non-Pix) to test over the last few weeks, and all I can say is "wow."  I had first put a TP5 pix into play about three years ago, after having scored a dozen of the previous-gen balls (I believe they were 2019 issue) for a good price, and it was the first "premium" ball I'd paid for.  I remember thinking then how GOOD it felt off of every club - in particular the putter and wedges.  I lost all but one over the course of a few weeks (this is back when I'd yet to break 90, so give me a break ), and the one I had became one of my "putting green" stable around the house, and has now been "gifted" to my four year old, who calls it the "flag ball" (the Pix are American Flags).  

That being said, the memory of the feel of that ball has stuck with me, and as I've progressed in my game, I've also progressed in trying different balls of varying quality - but the "Holy Grail" for feel still is that TP5 - not to say that other balls don't feel as good (or better), but it was the first ball that really struck me with how GREAT it felt, and, well - we all know how we remember our firsts

So, fast-forward to this year.  I currently have, in my garage, two boxes of Maxfli Tour X, two boxes of Maxfli Tour, a box of Srixon Z-Stars, a box of Bridgestone RXS (with Mindset logo), and a box of the new TP5 and TP5 Pix.  I've been bouncing back and forth for the last month or two between the Mindset ball and the TP5 Pix, using them both with the same "intention mindset" game-play:  Tee it up, pick a spot as my intended line, imagine the shot, pick a spot on the ball to focus on, HULK SMASH.  Or something like that.

The reason I'm using the TP5 Pix is I find it's INCREDIBLY easy to pick ONE of the "Pix" logos to be my focal point (very much like the "mindset" logo on the Bridgestone).  For me, when teeing it up, I place it so a All-Black Pix spot is on the back of the ball, exactly where I imagine the driver making contact.  This then becomes a super easy focal point to stare at, as it really stands out from the Black/Orange Pix logos around it.

I'll be honest, driver is (historically) the weakest part of my game - I can hit it pretty far, just not always very straight I'm sure NONE of you reading this have experienced anything similar (heavy use of /s/ (arcasm) there, friends).  But the last few rounds of using this technique have led to three of the best driving rounds I've ever had.  Being able to narrow down my focus to ONE spot on the ball has paid some HUGE dividends.

And here's where, to my surprise, it just keeps getting better.  Despite being a relatively low-spin player (it was recommended to me by a fitter early last year that I should be playing high-spin variants of balls on the market (so Pro V1X, TP5X, Chrome Tour X, etc.) but I found that I REALLY gravitated to the feel of the softer variants (Pro V1/TP5/Chrome Tour), and that the slight benefit of the added spin did not translate to lower scores, and the extra firmness of those balls didn't help my "feel" game at all.

And, make no mistake about it, I am a FEEL player through and through.  I've gotten quite competent around the greens with my wedges, and have found that, with the TP5 especially, I'm getting all the spin I could ever need.  The added benefit of the Pix Balls is that you can actually SEE the spin of the ball on those short chips/pitches, which I really, really love.  I fully recognize that SEEING the spin doesn't make it spin MORE, mind you, but it is really helpful to me to see the spin I'm putting on the ball, as it helps me decipher (especially when practicing pitching/chipping) how much I'm imparting onto the ball, and also what a "good" shot looks/feels like versus a "bad" shot.

In the last round I played, one ball lasted 10 holes until I managed to plunk it into a water hazard, but had zero marks or scratches on it until that point - and that included two bunker shots.  The ball I finished the round with, I actually started the next round I played, where it lasted an additional 8 holes before it, too, met a watery grave.  Same thing with that ball, however - other than a few grass stains, it looked and played brand new.  

Putting with the ball has a mesmerizing effect, especially on my playing partners.  Using the aiming line on the ball, hitting it pure, watching it topple end-over-end, the Pix logos IMMEDIATELY let you know if you've hit it on your intended line or not, and I've had at least two separate people comment on how "cool" it looks when it rolls.  Of course, it only looks "cool" if you've hit it well, so I take that as a high compliment, indeed.

As for the feel of this ball, I would say this is my favorite-feeling ball yet.  Prior to this, I would have said the Chrome Tour was my favorite (and I still LOVE the triple-track variant of that ball), but there's just something "special" about the way this balls plays and handles.  To be fair, it could just be that I've had a run of pretty-good-for-me golf, and there's some recency bias, but when I go to the garage to grab a sleeve (or two) to play with, I find myself immediately reaching for the TP5 over the other balls.  

I've thought a lot, lately, about making a little shelf to hold some of my favorite golf balls (and/or balls that I've played particularly good rounds with), and aside from the "Flag Ball" mentioned at the top of this post, there are only a few that I think would immediately join it on the shelf.  

This latest generation of the TP5 Pix is one of those balls, hands-down.  

It's also just a REALLY pretty ball when cut open - I don't normally do this to balls I could still play, but for the sake of this review, I sacrificed one of these guys to the Ball Cutter

I'm not "scoring" this review in a normal way, but know that this has become my go-to ball for this summer, and likely for the rest of the year.  I like it that much.

 

 

[ronnieg]

3 hours ago, GolfSpy SAM said:

I got the chance to put the TP5 (both Pix and Non-Pix) to test over the last few weeks, and all I can say is "wow."  I had first put a TP5 pix into play about three years ago, after having scored a dozen of the previous-gen balls (I believe they were 2019 issue) for a good price, and it was the first "premium" ball I'd paid for.  I remember thinking then how GOOD it felt off of every club - in particular the putter and wedges.  I lost all but one over the course of a few weeks (this is back when I'd yet to break 90, so give me a break ), and the one I had became one of my "putting green" stable around the house, and has now been "gifted" to my four year old, who calls it the "flag ball" (the Pix are American Flags).  

That being said, the memory of the feel of that ball has stuck with me, and as I've progressed in my game, I've also progressed in trying different balls of varying quality - but the "Holy Grail" for feel still is that TP5 - not to say that other balls don't feel as good (or better), but it was the first ball that really struck me with how GREAT it felt, and, well - we all know how we remember our firsts

So, fast-forward to this year.  I currently have, in my garage, two boxes of Maxfli Tour X, two boxes of Maxfli Tour, a box of Srixon Z-Stars, a box of Bridgestone RXS (with Mindset logo), and a box of the new TP5 and TP5 Pix.  I've been bouncing back and forth for the last month or two between the Mindset ball and the TP5 Pix, using them both with the same "intention mindset" game-play:  Tee it up, pick a spot as my intended line, imagine the shot, pick a spot on the ball to focus on, HULK SMASH.  Or something like that.

The reason I'm using the TP5 Pix is I find it's INCREDIBLY easy to pick ONE of the "Pix" logos to be my focal point (very much like the "mindset" logo on the Bridgestone).  For me, when teeing it up, I place it so a All-Black Pix spot is on the back of the ball, exactly where I imagine the driver making contact.  This then becomes a super easy focal point to stare at, as it really stands out from the Black/Orange Pix logos around it.

I'll be honest, driver is (historically) the weakest part of my game - I can hit it pretty far, just not always very straight I'm sure NONE of you reading this have experienced anything similar (heavy use of /s/ (arcasm) there, friends).  But the last few rounds of using this technique have led to three of the best driving rounds I've ever had.  Being able to narrow down my focus to ONE spot on the ball has paid some HUGE dividends.

And here's where, to my surprise, it just keeps getting better.  Despite being a relatively low-spin player (it was recommended to me by a fitter early last year that I should be playing high-spin variants of balls on the market (so Pro V1X, TP5X, Chrome Tour X, etc.) but I found that I REALLY gravitated to the feel of the softer variants (Pro V1/TP5/Chrome Tour), and that the slight benefit of the added spin did not translate to lower scores, and the extra firmness of those balls didn't help my "feel" game at all.

And, make no mistake about it, I am a FEEL player through and through.  I've gotten quite competent around the greens with my wedges, and have found that, with the TP5 especially, I'm getting all the spin I could ever need.  The added benefit of the Pix Balls is that you can actually SEE the spin of the ball on those short chips/pitches, which I really, really love.  I fully recognize that SEEING the spin doesn't make it spin MORE, mind you, but it is really helpful to me to see the spin I'm putting on the ball, as it helps me decipher (especially when practicing pitching/chipping) how much I'm imparting onto the ball, and also what a "good" shot looks/feels like versus a "bad" shot.

In the last round I played, one ball lasted 10 holes until I managed to plunk it into a water hazard, but had zero marks or scratches on it until that point - and that included two bunker shots.  The ball I finished the round with, I actually started the next round I played, where it lasted an additional 8 holes before it, too, met a watery grave.  Same thing with that ball, however - other than a few grass stains, it looked and played brand new.  

Putting with the ball has a mesmerizing effect, especially on my playing partners.  Using the aiming line on the ball, hitting it pure, watching it topple end-over-end, the Pix logos IMMEDIATELY let you know if you've hit it on your intended line or not, and I've had at least two separate people comment on how "cool" it looks when it rolls.  Of course, it only looks "cool" if you've hit it well, so I take that as a high compliment, indeed.

As for the feel of this ball, I would say this is my favorite-feeling ball yet.  Prior to this, I would have said the Chrome Tour was my favorite (and I still LOVE the triple-track variant of that ball), but there's just something "special" about the way this balls plays and handles.  To be fair, it could just be that I've had a run of pretty-good-for-me golf, and there's some recency bias, but when I go to the garage to grab a sleeve (or two) to play with, I find myself immediately reaching for the TP5 over the other balls.  

I've thought a lot, lately, about making a little shelf to hold some of my favorite golf balls (and/or balls that I've played particularly good rounds with), and aside from the "Flag Ball" mentioned at the top of this post, there are only a few that I think would immediately join it on the shelf.  

This latest generation of the TP5 Pix is one of those balls, hands-down.  

It's also just a REALLY pretty ball when cut open - I don't normally do this to balls I could still play, but for the sake of this review, I sacrificed one of these guys to the Ball Cutter

I'm not "scoring" this review in a normal way, but know that this has become my go-to ball for this summer, and likely for the rest of the year.  I like it that much.

 

 

Both the TP5 and TP5x will give you everything you want, performance wise. I think it probably has the best numbers of any ball this year. I also preferred the TP5 over the x in my testing. Better feel and held up better. 

I did want to address one thing you mentioned. You said you should be playing a higher spinning ball like the TP5x, but the TP5 is the higher spinning of the 2 TM balls. It's confusing because it's the opposite of the ProV1 and Prov1x where the Prov1x is higher spinning. So in that regard, you are playing the TM ball that should fit your game best. 

[MissionMan]

4 minutes ago, ronnieg said:

I did want to address one thing you mentioned. You said you should be playing a higher spinning ball like the TP5x, but the TP5 is the higher spinning of the 2 TM balls. It's confusing because it's the opposite of the ProV1 and Prov1x where the Prov1x is higher spinning. So in that regard, you are playing the TM ball that should fit your game best. 

Yeah, I've seen numerous people make this assumption. In reality however, the TP5 is about on par with the Pro V1 on spin, so it isn't higher spinning like the ProV1X, it's more of a case of the TP5X being the low spin ball like the Pro V1x Left Dash

[ronnieg]

19 minutes ago, MissionMan said:

Yeah, I've seen numerous people make this assumption. In reality however, the TP5 is about on par with the Pro V1 on spin, so it isn't higher spinning like the ProV1X, it's more of a case of the TP5X being the low spin ball like the Pro V1x Left Dash

I found the tp5 to be much higher spinning than the ProV1 within 50 yards. Comparable to the Prov1x. I'd say outside of that yardage it lies somewhere between the V and X. At least for my game. I thought the TP5x was actually closer to the ProV1 greenside.

[GolfSpy SAM]

Fascinating! Thanks for the clarification - either way, I'm loving the non-X

[MissionMan]

1 hour ago, ronnieg said:

I found the tp5 to be much higher spinning than the ProV1 within 50 yards. Comparable to the Prov1x. I'd say outside of that yardage it lies somewhere between the V and X. At least for my game. I thought the TP5x was actually closer to the ProV1 greenside.

Actually you're spot on. My full shots were in line with a pro v1 but the pitches and chips were higher. 

[Lefty11]

I’ve been putting with the new tp5.  It definitely feels softer than the previous iteration.   I like the sound and feel off the putter.  

Edited May 10 by Lefty11

[GolfSpy_BNG]

Taylormade TP5x Ball Quick Review

I have just over 36 holes with the TP5x balls and can say without a doubt, these aren’t for me. The TP5x Pic ball made it 2 holes before it was pocketed. This isn’t a knock on the Pic being distracting or anything as that is a personal preference thing. For me it was pocketed because it was difficult for me find in the rough. I have terrible eyes and the Pix just blended in for me. 
 

When I switched to the regular tp5x ball, it was much easier to track and find. The issue I had was I could not stop these on the green to save my life from any distanced. Even with the almost 5” of rain over the past week and a half.  Just completely unusual for me.  I switched between the tp5x and the prov1x left dash yesterday and had zero issues holding greens.  Thinking it was a fluke I did the same thing today only this time I switched to a 24 Wilson Staff Model ball I found and I was right back to holding greens.  Don’t get me wrong it wasn’t all negative as i absolutely love the performance off the tee and with fairway wood but irons, wedges, and to a lesser degree the putter was lacking. 
 

I ended up giving the rest to my BIL. He played the pix ball the last couple rounds. He loves them. He says it feels like his slight misses are much more consistent.  He plans on stocking up on them for the year. Guess that’s why there are so many different balls on the market. 

Here is the best shot from testing with the tp5x ball. It’s on the 157 yard Par 3 that is normally a stock 7-iron to the middle of the green. This time I grabbed an 8-iron, landed short and ran it on. Unfortunately that isn’t a consistent way for me to play and score my best. 

[chisag]

On 5/1/2024 at 2:56 PM, ronnieg said:

I definitely found the durability lacking over previous version of the TP5X. I know other testers did too. I think a few testers didnt see those durability issues. It could also be a consistency issue.

 

... I received two trial packs of 2 TP5x balls and was interested in how they compared to my favorite ball, the Maxfli Tour. The thing that stood out to me about the TP5x was how durable the cover is. My wedges are well worn in so no issue there. I play in a desert so rarely hit a tree but the fairways are sand based and especially the thinner grass areas can reduce the luster of the cover without changing the performance, at least for one round. 

... I usually start every round with a new ball but I have played a few round with the TP5x and it still looked new, so I have gotten 36 out of a few TP5x. After the trial pack I picked up the buy 3 get one free promotion and continue to love everything about it, including the durability. I am also playing the standard white TP5x version, not the PIX so that may be a factor.