The Golf Ball – Main Equipment in this Game of Golf
The Latest and Greatest Balls have Arrived!
Part Two
Bridgestone Golf’s Raison d’ê·tre
Based in Covington, GA, Bridgestone Golf USA manufactures premium golf balls, clubs and accessories under the Bridgestone and Precept brands.
The company started making golf balls in 1935, and today has 800 golf ball design patents. Beginning in 2006, Bridgestone revolutionized golf ball selection with its custom ball-fitting program, identifying a golfer’s ideal golf ball based on personal swing characteristics.
Today, as the #1 Ball-Fitter in Golf, Bridgestone has conducted over 2.2 million fittings via a combination of live-fitting, online selection and VFIT video ball fitting. The consumer data gathered from ball-fitting continues to inspire Bridgestone’s innovative new golf ball designs, yielding industry-leading performance products for the entire range of players, from recreational golfers to the best in the world.
Bridgestone Golf’s stable of icons include Tiger Woods, Fred Couples, Matt Kuchar, Bryson DeChambeau, and Lexi Thompson.
Below are the extensive details of Bridgestone’s most popular balls currently on the market. As the construction of golf balls is highly technical, much of the data shown below is directly from the manufacturer to ensure you, the reader, understands the nuances of the specific brands covered and I have the correct technical data.
Bridgestone TOUR B XS
This month Bridgestone Golf, introduced their extremely popular Tour B XS in yellow. The demand for yellow balls has shot through the roof over the past years. I for one, am extremely pleased, as I had pleaded with Bridgestone since 2014 for yellow balls.
Like the standard white TOUR B XS, the yellow version features REACTIV cover technology, which employs an “impact modifier,” to allow the urethane to behave differently based on swing speed.
For example, when struck with a driver or any longer club, the REACTIV urethane cover “reacts,” as a firmer, more resilient material, providing more speed and distance. However, on slower swings with a wedge or short iron, the cover performs like a softer material, creating more shot-stopping spin and control.
“While others focus on marketing hype and decorations, we’ve focused on making a better performing ball,” said Dan Murphy, President and CEO of Bridgestone Golf. “The REACTIV cover technology is the most dramatic change to cover construction since 2000 when we led the industry from Balata to Urethane covered Tour balls.”
Other features of the TOUR B XS yellow include a three-piece construction, patented Gradational Compression Core, and an Active Acceleration Mantle that helps provide maximum distance in the long game. Another noteworthy aspect of the TOUR B XS yellow is that unlike many other colored urethane models, it does not need to be painted, as the injection molded urethane cover material already contains yellow pigment. Removing this step in the production process yields a more consistent product that performs identically to the standard white model (which also does not require a painting process).
For help selecting which premium Bridgestone model is the right ball for them, consumers should try Bridgestone’s VFIT for a free video ball-fitting consultation.
$44.97
Bridgestone e12 Contact Ball
Following the great success of the award-winning TOUR B series featuring REACTIV cover technology, the latest e12 is designed with next-generation contact science and aimed at players looking for a combination of game-changing distance and forgiveness with exceptionally soft feel and enhanced short game performance.
The new Bridgestone e12 CONTACT is straight distance you can see! The true game-changer is a new CONTACT Force dimple, which features a unique structure with a raised area in the center and an outer portion that slows horizontal rotation during flight.
The raised area allows for 38% more contact with the clubface at impact than traditional dimples, yielding a much more efficient transfer of energy and improved core activation. The result is faster ball speed and straight distance with every club in the bag. Available in white, matte green, matte red, and matte yellow colors.
The true breakthrough in the e12 CONTACT design is the innovative new CONTACT Force dimple, which features a unique structure with a raised area in the center and an outer portion that slows sidespin during flight. The raised area of the new dimple allows for 38% more contact with the clubface at impact than traditional dimples, yielding a much more efficient transfer of energy and improved core activation. The result is faster ball speed and more distance with every club in the bag.
“Bridgestone has long been a pioneer in bringing to market unique dimple shapes, sizes and constructions in the golf industry, but up until this point that has primarily been a means of achieving optimal aerodynamic performance,” said Elliot Mellow, Golf Ball Marketing Manager for Bridgestone Golf. “In the new e12 CONTACT, dimples actually serve as a source of increased power and distance as well. They also contribute to minimizing hooks and slices, making the newest e12 a golf ball that provides performance you can actually see in terms of straight distance.”
The new CONTACT Force dimple design not only creates more efficient energy transfer and less in-flight drag for longer straighter shots, it also promotes longer contact time with the clubface on pitches and chips for increased spin and control on shots in the scoring zone. Many players will also see benefits on the green with more consistent putting results due to improved putter face contact. In addition, a new, softer core contributes to significantly enhanced feel on all shots.
“REACTIV was our first significant foray into increasing performance through contact science,” said Dan Murphy, President and CEO of Bridgestone Golf. “Now our engineers have determined that with the cutting-edge CONTACT Force dimple design we can transfer more energy to the core for greater distance while also optimizing aerodynamics to cut down slice and hook spin. It really is an amazing development.”
The 3-piece Bridgestone e12 CONTACT features a street price of $29.99 per dozen. In addition to the classic white version, the e12 CONTACT will be available in Matte Green, Matte Red and Matte Yellow color options.
Bridgestone e6 Balls
The new e6 is a soft feeling and long distance ball – every golfer’s dream.
The new, reformulated e6 ball, the longest running current model in the company’s lineup, is now made with a larger, softer core, offering moderate swing speed players more distance with improved feel and overall performance.
Features of Bridgestone’s newest e6 include a two-piece construction with a larger, softer core for an exceptionally soft, responsive feel and added distance for moderate swing speed players. Though the e6 has enjoyed an impressive 15-year track record of success, the new design is specifically tailored to modern players who value a ball that provides a melted-butter feel at impact without the loss of distance sometimes associated with lower compression models.
In the case of the new e6, those with moderate driver swing speeds can greatly benefit from the larger, more responsive core formulation as well as Bridgestone’s advanced dimple technology and aerodynamics. In a nutshell, the new 2-piece construction with low compression core is designed for high ball speed while maintaining soft feel. Available in white and optic yellow
“The e-Family has a lengthy, storied history at Bridgestone,” said Elliot Mellow, Golf Ball Marketing Manager – Bridgestone Golf. “The e6 is actually the longest running model in the e-Family and is our most successful two-piece Surlyn golf ball model to date. It has a significant following among moderate-speed players who demand a very soft feel with maximum distance off the tee and enhanced forgiveness on the long- and mid-irons. As a bonus it also provides incredible feel on and around the green”.
$21.99 per dozen Available in white and optic yellow
Bridgestone Lady Precept golf ball.
Building on a lengthy heritage that has produced the best-selling women’s ball of all time, the new Lady Precept is specifically designed to help players with moderate swing speeds hit higher and longer shots.
“A lot of brands have given up on a lady’s golf ball design and simply re-labeled one of their distance models,” said Elliot Mellow, Golf Ball Marketing Manager at Bridgestone Golf. “We actually design a ball that benefits this segment of players in a specific way.”
Aimed at players with moderate or slower swing speeds, the new Lady Precept was designed with a softer, reformulated gradational core that’s engineered to provide easier and faster launch for increased distance and a bit more forgiveness on off-center hits.
“The heritage really started with the MC Lady in the late 90’s,” said Mellow. “The target audience for the Lady Precept is still the same, but the gradational core technology, design, and overall performance has improved significantly over the years.”
The 2-piece Bridgestone Lady Precept is available now with a street price of $19.99 per dozen. In addition to the classic white version, the Lady Precept is also available in Optic Pink. For help selecting which premium Bridgestone model is the right ball for them, consumers should try Bridgestone’s VFIT for a free video ball-fitting consultation.
Bridgestone has a ball for every swing and for every golfer. You simply cannot go wrong using Bridgestone’s balls!
Barry Lotz, J.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America. He is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America, the California Golf Writers Association, and serves both as a Consultant and Mediator to the golf industry. He is also the author of numerous books, including “333 Best Web Sites for Golfers”, “How to Build Business Relationships through Golf” which is in the Top Ten Golf Business Book’s bestseller list. His latest book,” The Right Mind for Golf is now in its 10th printing. He currently works with 14 Tour Players on mental coaching and scoring techniques.
He can be reached at www.pgtaa.com or drlotz@cbsgolf.net