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Bridgestone Golf Introduces 2024 Tour B Golf Ball Lineup

The newly upgraded TOUR B Series by Bridgestone Golf includes direct feedback and collaboration with Tiger Woods himself.

Bridgestone Golf has unveiled their new TOUR B Series of golf balls for 2024. Designed to deliver the ultimate combination of distance and greenside spin and control, the latest TOUR B golf balls feature the new REACTIV X System that takes Bridgestone’s Contact Science to a new level.  The 2024 TOUR B family comes in 4 distinct models, TOUR B X and TOUR B XS (for swings over 105 mph), and TOUR B RX and TOUR B RXS (for swings under 105 mph).

As in years past, Bridgestone solicited the direct feedback and collaboration from the game’s greatest players, including Tiger Woods, Fred Couples, Jason Day, Matt Kuchar, Lexi Thompson and others to bring this exciting new golf ball family to life.

“Any time you have Tiger Woods contributing to a golf ball design you’ve got a major advantage over the competition,” said Elliot Mellow, golf ball marketing manager. “When you combine Bridgestone’s 900 polymer engineers and Contact Science with Tiger’s knowledge and feel, the results are impressive, and that’s what we have with the new TOUR B lineup. Tiger’s insights give our engineers feedback that allows them to push the design envelope beyond what we originally thought was possible.”

Tiger recently switched from the XS to the X following multiple sessions with the Bridgestone engineers as he needed a bit more distance in his long game. This is not an insignificant change as Woods played his previous golf ball model for nearly 20 years.

“I love working with Bridgestone’s engineers and fitters, and really enjoyed the R&D process of the latest TOUR B,” said Tiger. “Since I now play the TOUR B X, I’m partial to that model, but all four new balls sound, feel, and play better than ever. Once you get fit for the right model, regardless of your skill level, you’ll know you have the best Tour ball made today.”

Here’s more information on the new golf ball construction for each model direct from Bridgestone:

The newly developed REACTIV X System, which combines the brand’s patented REACTIV IQ cover with an EXCLRNT mid-layer, is the result of years of development and multiple iterations of REACTIV technology. In the initial version, REACTIV utilized impact modifiers in the urethane cover of each TOUR B model to create a cover that reacted to the impact velocity of every shot. On aggressive swings off the tee, the cover became firmer for faster ball speed and more distance, while on scoring shots with wedges and short irons it became softer for more spin and shot stopping control.

In the second iteration of REACTIV, called REACTIV IQ, the “smart,” cover of each ball in the TOUR B lineup was specifically tailored to optimize performance for the different players types of each of the four TOUR B models. Now, with the REACTIV X System, not only is the REACTIV IQ cover of each TOUR B model optimized and “smart,” due to the use of impact modifiers, but a denser XCLRNT mid-layer acts as a backboard at impact to create even more shot-stopping spin around the greens. The new XCLRNT layer in the REACTIV X system also contributes to a more efficient transfer of energy from the core at impact for increased ball speed and distance, as well as a slightly deeper sound at impact.

The new Bridgestone TOUR B golf balls will be available on February 16, 2024 and retail for $49.99/dozen.

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Finding the Right Golf Ball for You

Finding the right golf ball for your game is a highly personal choice. Our writer Adam Tatro shares his story on how he found what was right for him.

Have you found your golf ball?

This is not a write up to declare which ball is better than the next. That clearly does not exist. Every company has a ball that performs at the tour level, and to each his own. This is to explain the fact that by trial and error, and process of elimination, I’ve finally found the golf ball I plan to stand behind for an extended period of time, and why I plan to do so.

You should do the same.

My Process Then and Now

As a former teaching professional and fake golf enthusiast, I was in touch for a while with how every ball (the Pro V) performed. Then, I got out of the golf business, started playing/enjoying the game again, and decided to branch out and see how other golf balls stacked up. Once again, this is not a knock against any tour ball; it is a push for any of you to find the ball that fits your game the best.

For a long while, I played the Pro V1x. Let’s face it, for about 3-4 years, the only golf ball that seemed to matter or sell to any player under a 20 handicap was the Pro V.  The facts were well known:

  • the Pro V1 spins

  • the Pro V1x did not

  • both have a soft feel around the greens and off the clubface.

That being said, the X still had a little too much spin for my liking. As someone who is slightly steep at impact with a relatively low ball flight, and plays a cut…spin comes naturally.

So, for the past couple years, I’ve been tinkering with different sleeves each round, settled on a ball for an extended amount of time here and there, but never stopped looking. My adventures included the Pro V 1 and Pro V 1x, the Taylormade TP5 and TP5X, and finally the Bridgestone Tour BXS and Tour BX.

A Moment of Clarity

EVERY BALL IS A GOOD BALL.

That being said, not every ball is for me. Obviously with the amount of spin I put on a golf ball, I lean towards the “X” category.  I still like a ball with the control around the greens and being able to get short wedges to check, stop, or back up, but I have been searching for the ball that wouldn’t rip back 20 feet when I went after an 8 iron from 170.

Found it.

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The Tour BX fits my game exactly how I want it to.  Touch, feel, distance…check those boxes.  Smooth off the clubface…check mark. Workability…yup.  “Hit and stop” rather than “rip or jump forward”…yessir.  The control I feel I have with this golf ball is EXACTLY what I have been looking for in a ball.  I’ve been searching for what fits me, and I’ve finally found it.  Well done Bridgestone. And despite what Hackett or Adam Fonseca will tell you, I still have my moments and hit shitty shots…they’re just grasping for more strokes.

(Editor’s note: Tatro is correct and also a potential sandbagger. Lawsuits are pending.)

Now, as I mentioned before, I’m not just trying to pump Bridgestone’s tires (see what I did there), and tell everyone they have to go out and play Bridgestone golf balls, but some of you should.  What I’m trying to say is play a number of different balls, from all different companies, and figure out which ball fits YOUR game. 

Not anyone else’s game, YOURS.

Some players need more spin into greens, some need less off the tee. What matters to you, doesn’t matter to anyone else. Find a feel or a sound off the clubface, and find a performance to match what you are trying to do with a ball, and play it.

(Adam Tatro is a former PGA teaching professional and collegiate golfer.)

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REVIEW: Bridgestone Extra Soft Golf Ball

The Bridgestone Extra Soft golf balls are made for players with slower swing speeds looking for more feel around the green. Read our review here.

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If you are a golfer with a slower than average swing speed, you probably struggle to find golf balls that fly their optimum distance to benefit your game. The new Bridgestone Extra Soft golf balls were made precisely for players like you, providing a much needed boost in distance and feel when it matters most. I got an up-close-and-personal review of the newest 2-piece ball from Bridgestone. Here are the results.

Feel and Spin

Much as their name suggests, the Bridgestone Extra Soft golf balls feel dull and muted off the clubface... exactly what I like in a golf ball. I used to play balata balls back in the day, mainly due to my slightly slower swing speed (I average around 95 mph with my driver) and overall personal preference in how they felt when hit. The Bridgestone Extra Softs didn't disappoint and stayed true to billing in the feel category.

Spin was another feature that performed as-advertised. I got a fair amount of roll off the tee with these balls yet just enough "check" on the greens. Wedges stuck rather well, even when chipping around the green. I was very impressed with overall spin rates on these golf balls.

Distance

I found the Bridgestone Extra Soft balls to be consistent with my current 3-piece ball preference. Nothing major jumped out at me in this category off the tee or the fairway, which is fine. These were designed with special attention on feel, and it shows.

Why you should buy these golf balls

If you are a player who prefers a softer feeling golf ball or who is looking for more control around the greens, the Bridgestone Extra Soft is for you. I was very impressed with how the ball performed in both categories and will definitely be using them again in the near future.

Why you should not buy these golf balls

I didn't see as much a boost in distance as one might suspect from a 2-piece golf ball. Other players may disagree, but I wouldn't buy the Bridgestone Extra Softs for their length off the tee. There are plenty of other golf balls on the market that I can hit further than these; however, that's not to say these golf balls aren't worth your investment.

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