Golf Digest equipment editor E. Michael Johnson had the opportunity to ask Woods about his ball-testing process, how he mimics tournament conditions when practising at his home in Florida and where amateurs are missing the mark with their ball choice. Here’s what Woods had to say.
In this exclusive interview with Golf Digest equipment editor, E. Michael Johnson, Thompson discusses her reasons for the switch, her process for testing and the biggest mistakes amateurs make when it comes to their golf ball selection.
Bridgestone’s latest version of its Tour B line of golf balls offers four versions: the X, XS, RX and RXS. Each uses what the company refers to as “Reactiv X”, which combines impact modifiers the company refers to as “Reactiv iQ” with a denser mid-layer to alter the performance attributes of each ball.
The new Titleist AVX, a three-piece multilayer urethane cover ball, continues to meet the specific demands of players looking for a softer-feeling, lower-flying and lower-spinning counterpart compared to the company’s flagship Pro V1.
Although best known for it’s tour-level Pro V1/V1x line, Titleist knows there are players seeking golf balls that perform more than good enough without costing you the equivalent of a filet mignon dinner per dozen. That’s where the Tour Soft and TruFeel models come in.
Callaway’s three new tour-level balls reveal new strides in speed thanks to an improved core formula, and in aerodynamics thanks to a new dimple pattern.
An extension of the Z-Star family, the Diamond model is a three-piece ball that takes technological benefits from the Z-Star and Z-Star XV, and blends them into a single, tour-calibre golf ball.
The new versions of Callaway’s Chrome Soft, Chrome Soft X and Chrome Soft X LS golf balls utilise a new process that allows for tolerances as tight as 1/1000th of an inch. That creates more consistency from ball to ball for more reliable performance.
The three-piece Z-Star and the four-piece, dual-core XV both feature core designs that start soft but get decidedly firmer towards the perimeter to give higher swing speed players more potential for longer driving distance.