What’s your Golden Ball? Everyone has a favourite, so to find out what balls golfers around the UK are using, we’ve teamed up with TaylorMade for a four-month-long reader test.
Utilising a selection of core and avid golfers, GolfMagic and TaylorMade have launched a reader test to better understand which balls are best suited to different golfers.
TaylorMade offers a wide selection of golf balls, all offering different characteristics that will benefit different golfers.
GolfMagic has invited three golfers, as well as our in-house Equipment Editor, Alex Lodge, to test out the full range of balls over a four-month period and share their experience.
The GolfMagic testing team was carefully chosen to represent a broad spectrum of handicap levels, with the four golfers evenly distributed from scratch to 18 and above, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of the TaylorMade golf balls.
Over the course of four months, each tester will have the opportunity to experience a different TaylorMade golf ball every month, providing a detailed account of their individual findings and preferences.
So, let’s find out what our team of testers discovered in month one.
Joe
Handicap: 0
Golf Ball: TaylorMade SpeedSoft
Best first-month score: 73 (+1)
After using the TaylorMade SpeedSoft for a month, Joe found that it provided added distance, thanks to less spin being generated with his long irons and woods.
Closer to the green, however, he did find that he could generate less spin when chipping, which produced a noticeably lower ball flight.
He also noted that the ball felt particularly soft, and the thick black line was also very handy for lining up putts.
Would Joe use the TaylorMade SpeedsSoft in the future?
Joe would happily use the Speedsoft during winter months when the greens are softer but would prefer a ball that produces more spin in the Summer months when greens are playing hard and fast.
James
Handicap: 14
Golf Ball: TaylorMade Tour Response Stripe
Best first-month score: 87 (+16)
TaylorMade Tour Response
James used the TaylorMade Tour Response Stripe for the first month, and his biggest takeaways from testing were that the ball looks and feels great.
The solid dark blue stripe across the ball helped James with his putting. He noticed it dramatically increased the number of 6ft+ putts he was holing.
He also enjoyed how the stripe gave him a visual aid for judging spin on chips and bunker shots.
In terms of distance, James also found he was gaining roughly five to ten yards with his driver, which was a big positive.
The only slight issue James had with the Tour Response was that he found it a bit tricky to track in the air due to the blue and white colours.
Due to the mixed-colour design, he also noted that it was slightly harder to find in the rough than a single-colour ball.
Would James use the TaylorMade Tour Response in the future?
Despite the additional yardage James generated with the Tour Response and his improved putting, he decided it might not be the ball for him because he wanted a ball that was slightly easier to see in the air and thick rough.
James would be keen to test out the solid white Tour Response ball, though, as that could provide the perfect balance of performance and visibility.
Yoshimi
Handicap: 23
Golf Ball: TaylorMade Tour Response Stripe
Best first-month score: 101 (+29)
TaylorMade Tour Response Stripe
Yoshimi was testing the TaylorMade Tour Response Stripe ball and particularly liked the feel it produced at impact.
Yoshimi noted that the ball’s interaction with the clubface was particularly enjoyable and also liked its low-spinning nature.
Like James, Yoshimi found the Tour Response hard to find in the rough and would love to test a brighter-coloured ball in the summer months.
Would Yoshimi use the TaylorMade Tour Response in the future?
Yoshimi claimed that the Tour Response is one of the best balls she’s ever used and would definitely continue to use it in the long term.
Like James, Yoshimi is eager to test out the solid white TaylorMade Tour Response ball, so she has less trouble finding it in the rough.
Alex
Handicap: 4
Golf Ball: TaylorMade TP5
Best first-month score: 77 (+5)
TaylorMade TP5
Alex was using the TaylorMade TP5 in month one and noticed that it spans slightly more than the TaylorMade TP5x. This meant he achieved slightly too much spin with his driver, but thanks to the high ball speed he was able to achieve with the TP5, he did notice it still offered bags of distance.
Around the greens, Alex was particularly impressed with how soft the TP5 felt, and he also noticed that it produced excellent levels of spin, allowing him to control the distance the ball was rolling out on the green.
He also found the TP5’s spin rates were optimal with his irons, allowing for excellent workability and distance control.
Would Alex use the TaylorMade TP5 in the future?
Overall, Alex was really impressed with the TP5, and although he would typically use a ball that generates slightly less spin with his driver, the TP5 ticks a vast number of boxes for him, and it’s definitely something he could game long-term.