July 28, 2010 – GolfBallSelector.comcompleted testing on the new Wilson Staff FG Tour and provides this review in our series of new 2010 golf ball reviews.
The Wilson Staff FG Tour is a 3-piece golf ball construction, low compression design with a 318 dimple pattern and a thin urethane cover. Wilson states in their press release “the FG Tour was created as a low compression solution for competitive players looking for tour-caliber spin, maximum greenside control and excellent distance”.
According to Wilson*, the new FG Tour has the following benefits:
• Super-soft, High Velocity Core – The softest core in the game today utilizes advancements in rubber chemistry to maintain high initial velocity.
• HPF Speed Mantle – The speed-generating HPF mantle encases the low compression core to generate higher spin.
• Thin, Responsive Urethane Cover – A super-thin urethane cover provides premium feel with excellent scuff-resistance. From 60 yards and in, the feel of urethane is unmistakable.
• Traction Control Technology – On the multilayer FG Tour, traction control integrates with the thin urethane to generate the highest spin possible off of club faces with 25 degrees of loft or more for ultimate shot-making and scoring.
In testing and evaluation conducted by GolfBallTest.org, the Wilson Staff FG Tour was subjected to bench testing for compression and cover hardness, and to player and robot testing using the driver, 6-iron and sand wedge.
Notable Observations
Player testing across a range of ball speeds indicates that the FG Tour exhibits less spin off the 6-iron and sand wedge but slightly more spin off the driver when compared to Wilson’s earlier “tour-level” ball, the Wilson Staff Tx4 Pro.
In 6-iron testing at higher ball speeds, the spin rate of the FG Tour was approximately 400 RPM’s less than the Tx4 Pro. In comparison to other soft cover “Tour” balls, the FG Tour performs with less spin for a 6-iron than the 2009 Titleist Pro V1 and Nike One Tour but with comparable distance. In sand wedge testing, the FG Tour generated approximately 400-800 RPM’s less of spin than the Pro V1 and One Tour at higher ball speeds. This lower spin rate was compensated by a higher launch angle than both the Pro V1 and One Tour resuting in total carry distances for these three balls at the higher ball speed were comparable.
Our bench testing indicates that the FG Tour has a compression reading range of 89-91 compression points, which is approximately 10% lower than the 2009 Titleist Pro V1. This is approximately 31% lower than Wilson’s last premium ball offering, the Tx4 Pro. The FG Tour is comparable in compression to the Srixon Z-Star and Bridgestone Tour B330-RX, making it a lower compression ball by comparison to most “Tour” golf balls. Additional bench testing measuring cover hardness revealed that the FG Tour exhibited similar cover hardness to the 2009 Titleist Pro V1 and was approximately 8% softer than the TX4 Pro.
One of our testers noted, “The FG Tour is very soft and does not tend to jump off the putter as much as other golf balls I’ve played”. Another tester added, “It is a nice lower priced alternative to the premium balls with soft feel and all around performance”.
In choosing the right golf ball, GolfBallSelector.com believes that golfers interested in the Wilson Staff FG Tour should consider its “best fit” potential for their game in the context of their own preferences and the trade-offs they are prepared to take for distance, control and feel and according to their own unique ballistics measures of ball speed, launch angle and general spin rate. As with any ball, player preferences and individual launch/spin conditions are paramount. Learn more at GolfBallSelector.com.
November 3, 2009 – New York, NY. GolfBallSelector.com, recently completed its initial testing on the TaylorMade Penta TP and provides this preview in advance of the complete testing of major new balls to be entered into the GolfBallSelector.com database in the next release.
The TaylorMade Penta TP, announced September 1st, is a 5-piece golf ball construction, comprised of what TaylorMade describes as a low compression core, three mantle layers and a soft urethane cover with 360-dimple pattern.
In our initial review, the Penta TP was subjected to bench testing for compression and cover hardness, and limited player testing using the driver, 6-iron and sand wedge. The testing was conducted by GolfBallTest.org.
The Penta TP will be included in our next scheduled GolfBallSelector.com site release after the complete human and robot ballistics and bench testing procedures are uniformly applied to this and other newer technology balls, so we do not make any application statements. As with any ball, player preferences and individual launch/spin conditions are paramount in choosing the right ball.
According to TaylorMade, the new Penta TP “is the first 5-layer Tour ball engineered to deliver optimum performance in five key areas: feel, spin, control, launch and distance.” TaylorMade states the benefit of each layer as follows:
• The core promotes high launch/low spin off the driver for maximum carry and distance, as well as more ball speed for long-hitters.
• The inner mantle delivers soft feel, high launch and low spin off the long-irons for exceptional distance plus a high, soft-landing flight.
• The middle mantle gives you more control with mid-irons, and prevents up-shooting, ballooning and falling short of the green.
• The outer mantle promotes optimum spin off short-irons, as well as higher ball speed and increased distance.
• The urethane cover delivers a soft Tour feel plus a combination of higher spin-rate and lower launch angle on wedge shots.
Notable Observations
Initial player testing indicates that the Penta TP exhibited more spin off the 6-iron and sand wedge while slightly less spin off the driver when compared to the TaylorMade TP Red LDP at the relatively higher ball speeds in the range of 140-155 mph.
In 6-iron testing, the spin rate of the Penta TP was approximately 200 RPM’s more than the TaylorMade TP Red LDP. In comparison to other soft cover “Tour” balls the Penta TP performs in the same general spin range for a 6-iron as the Titleist Pro V1 and Nike One Tour. In sand wedge testing, the Penta TP generated approximately 500 RPM’s more of spin than the TP Red LDP. This finding indicates a spin rate similar to the Titleist Pro V1 and slightly less spin than the Nike One Tour, which places it in the group of the highest spinning balls we have tested to date.
Initial bench testing indicates that the Penta TP has a compression range of 98-100 compression points which is similar to the 2009 Titleist Pro V1 compression as posted in the comprehensive compression and cover hardness schedules of GolfBallSelector.com. This is approximately 7% higher than the TaylorMade TP Red LDP and 4% lower than the Srixon Z-Star X, meaning it is an above average compression ball by comparison to most golf balls, and similar to other “Tour” balls. However, with the new 5-piece construction of the Penta TP, such comparative evaluations of compression using these few measurements are limited. Additional bench testing measuring cover hardness revealed that the Penta TP exhibited similar cover hardness to the 2009 Titleist Pro V1 but was 5% softer than the TaylorMade TP Red LDP.
We found the durability to be similar to other premium golf balls. We subjected the Penta TP to approximately 60 strikes in our testing. Here is a comparison of a new golf ball to the ball that was tested.
GolfBallSelector.com believes that golfers interested in the TaylorMade Penta TP should consider its “best fit” potential for their own game in the context of their own preferences and the trade-offs they are prepared to take for distance, control and feel and according to their own unique ballistics measures of ball speed, launch angle and general spin rate. Learn more at GolfBallSelector.com.
About GolfBallSelector.com
Heralded by Golf Magazine as one of the best innovations in golf, GolfBallSelector.com is the independent resource for information and assistance in selecting the right golf ball for individual players. Through this online golf ball fitting system, golfers set their own game objectives and goals as well as their individual preferences for distance, control and feel attributes in a golf ball to derive individualized rankings of recommended balls, from a database of 60 leading golf balls. Annual Memberships are available for $29.95 and 30-Day Memberships are available for $19.95.
About GolfBallTest.org GolfBallTest.org (GBT) is owned and operated by GBT Technologies LLC. GBT conducts continuous testing of leading golf balls sold primarily in the United States, utilizing swing robots and real golfers, and publishes its scientific findings at GolfBallTest.org.
Media Contact
Gary Esayian
1+646-316-1956
gary.e@golfballselector.com
December 8, 2008 – Sherman Oaks, CA. GolfBallSelector.com has completed initial testing on the Tour B330-RX.
The Bridgestone Tour B330-RX, introduced this past August, is a 3-piece golf ball construction, which includes a low compression core, ionomer inner cover, and urethane outer cover with 330-dimple pattern.
The Tour B330-RX was bench tested for compression and cover hardness, robotically putter tested and player tested by GolfBallSelector.com using the driver, 6 iron and sand wedge.
The Tour B330-RX will be included in our next scheduled GolfBallSelector.com site release so we do not make any application statements. As with any ball, player preferences and individual launch/spin conditions are paramount in choosing a ball.
Notable Observations
According to Bridgestone, the new Tour B330-RX “is a ball designed specifically for low handicappers who do not have tour-level swing speeds, but want tour-level performance in their short game”. Bridgestone states the Tour B330-RX is “designed for swing speeds between 85-105 mph”.
Our independent testing and performance benchmarking against the 75 other balls in the GolfBallSelector.com testing database (tour and non-tour balls) confirms Bridgestone’s claims that the Tour B330-RX is a low spinning ball off the driver for lower ball speeds, of less than about 125 mph.
Our bench testing also showed that the Tour B330-RX has a compression reading of 85 using the ATTI golf ball compression test device. This is a reading approximately 10 compression points lower than the Titleist Pro V1, 30 points lower than the 2007 version of the Bridgestone Tour B330 and 13 points lower that the Bridgestone e5+.
Both of these factors – low spin off the driver and a lower compression golf ball construction – may then contribute to improved distance and overall performance for some lower ball speed golfers. However, it is very important to note that distance performance of any ball will vary by golfer profile and by the combination of factors, such as ball speed, launch angle, angle of attack and equipment set-up designed to control for spin.
In our testing using a standard 56 degree sand wedge, the Tour B330-RX provides, in general, less spin than a Titleist Pro V1 and significantly less spin than the Nike One Platinum, which is among the highest spinning balls tested to date.
GolfBallSelector.com robotic putter testing indicates that the Tour B330-RX has similar “hotness” off the putter to the Pro V1; and other bench testing reveals that the Tour B330-RX also exhibits similar cover hardness to the Titleist Pro V1.
In summary, the Tour B330-RX shows many strong characteristics the average to low ball speed golfer may seek; and exhibits short game spin and feel characteristics similar to that of a Titleist Pro V1.
GolfBallSelector.com believes that golfers interested in the Tour B330-RX should consider its “best fit” potential for their own game in the context of their own preferences and the trade-offs they are prepared to take for distance, control and feel and according to their own unique ballistics measures of ball speed, launch angle and general spin rate. Learn more at GolfBallSelector.com.
GolfBallSelector.com is the independent resource for information and assistance in selecting the right golf ball for individual players. Through this innovative online golf ball fitting system, golfers set their own game objectives and goals as well as their individual preferences for distance, control and feel attributes in a golf ball to derive individualized rankings of recommended balls, from a database of 75 leading golf balls. Annual Memberships are available for $29.95 and 30-Day Memberships are available for $19.95.
Media Contact:
Gary Esayian
1+646-316-1956
gary.e@golfballselector.com
January 18, 2008 – In this Head to Head Test we examine the Titleist DT SoLo and Bridgestone e6 golf balls. Click on the link below to see how these two golf balls compare.
December 23, 2007 – Titleist introduced a new version of the NXT Tour back in July and we have recently begun our bench testing of the latest golf balls. In this head-to-head analysis, we look at the old and new versions of the Titleist NXT Tour. Inside we find that both models are of a similar three-piece design construction. The NXT Tour ‘07 is shown on the right.
The compression and cover hardness comparison of the Titleist NXT Tour ‘07 is 93 and 82 respectively while the compression and cover hardness of the Titleist NXT Tour ‘06 is 84 and 80 respectively. Our MPI™ testing showed that the NXT Tour ‘07 has similar cover hardness with a slightly higher compression than the NXT Tour ‘06.
The cover dimple pattern has changed with the new model incorporating Titleist’s Staggered Wave parting line that effectively increases the dimple surface coverage on the golf ball. The side stamp markings now are similar to the ProV1 and ProV1x models with Titleist’s A.I.M. (Alignment Integrated Marking) sidestamp. The NXT Tour ‘07 again is shown on the right.
Our performance testing continues next month with robotic and human testing. Plans are for these results to be incoporated into our new online ball fitting service at www.GolfBallSelector.com near the end of first quarter 2008.
July 28, 2010 – GolfBallSelector.com completed testing on the new Wilson Staff FG Tour and provides this review in our series of new 2010 golf ball reviews.
