2020 Bridgestone Tour B RXS
The 2020 Bridgestone Tour B RXS ball is designed for players with swing speeds under 105 mph looking for softer feel and maximized spin around the greens. Bridgestone’s REACTIV cover helps the Tour B RXS maintain its distance with longer clubs, but still say soft and bite around the greens. In order to get the best feedback I could on this ball, I reached out to an extremely reliable golf friend of mine that is one of the most meticulous equipment selectors I know and fits the demographic for this ball perfectly. He’s also a current player of the Bridgestone e6 ball with a steady single-digit handicap. This review will be based off his responses from extensive testing.
How Does it Feel?
Much like the rest of the 2020 Bridgestone lineup, the Tour B RXS was firm in the long clubs, soft in the short clubs. It was probably a touch firmer than the e6 on faster swings as a result of the REACTIV cover, but comparable for sure in the shorter, softer swings. The response was good and didn’t have any of that marshmallow feel that lower compression/high spin balls have at times.
Before we continue, let me explain the “smart” REACTIV cover Bridgestone used in this year’s lineup. The idea is that the urethane material of the cover acts like an “impact modifier”. This is fancy talk for acting like a shock absorber. If you hit the ball at slower speeds, it will feel softer. If you hit the ball at higher speeds, the level of impact is higher and the cover will feel more firmer. Meaning, it will feel firmer off of the face of a driver, softer off of a light 9 iron.
Off the Tee
My tester found that he was getting some extra yards off the tee with the Bridgestone Tour B RXS that he wasn’t getting with his gamer. From a control perspective, he felt like he didn’t have to adjust to the new ball. By making a good swing, he was able to manage his preferred flight in terms of shape and trajectory. As he told me, and I’ll paraphrase this, “this ball was just as reliable and easy to control as my faithful e6.” Where the bonus came in was that he was getting extra yards from the ’20 Tour B RXS with the same swing.
The control and distance of the Tour B RXS can largely be attributed to the “Gradational Core”. This core increases ball speed (think “more pop per mph of club speed”) and reduces side spin for more accuracy. Bridgestone also used a Dual Dimple design that enhances the aerodynamics of the ball by reducing drag. This allows the ball to fly more efficiently through the air for longer carry and more distance.
On the Approach
Much like off the tee, our tester was seeing more distance in approach shots with the Bridgestone Tour B RXS. As I understand his game, he is a “medium spinner” of the ball and his spin on approach shots was about where he expected it. Which was totally fine with him. Spinning the ball at about the same rate he already was, but with some extra distance is a nice combination for his game. Approach shots were controllable and responsive off of the club face.
Around the Green
Scrambling around the green is our tester’s bread and butter in his golf game. Especially with the course he plays most regularly. (Trust me, I’ve played it. You better be able to scramble around the greens there…) He found that the 2020 Bridgestone Tour B RXS performed great and was impressed with its feel on this range of shots. There was reliable control as well as good bite with wedge shots, especially off tight lies. Everything he asked the Tour B RXS to do, it did it well.
The Tour B RXS felt soft, yet responsive, on putts. My tester got the feedback he was looking for, but didn’t feel like it was clicky at all. The ball rolled just as smooth as it felt off of the face. This led to good accuracy and strong distance control. All in all, the Tour B RXS performed like you’d expect a premium ball to perform on and around the greens.
Final Thoughts – 2020 Bridgestone Tour B RXS
Bridgestone’s ball lineup this year has been extremely impressive on so many levels. I firmly believe the REACTIV cover is the real deal. To produce the spin and soft feel that Bridgestone does is quite uncommon across the ball market. Bridgestone has done a really good job of truly giving players the best of both worlds from distance and spin balls. From my experience with my tester, I would say the Tour B RXS delivers on its promises and is a great ball for the player with a more moderate swing speed that likes soft feel and good bite in their ball.
If you aren’t sure which Bridgestone ball is best for you, learn more about their VFIT fitting process here.
Special thanks to my friend, Mark, in helping out with this review.
Hi Bill,
I have tried the RX, RXS and the Tour B X. In weather below 60 degrees the RX and RXS perform very well. But above 60 degrees they become marshmallows and the Tour B X is the best ball. In fact, I switched from the TM TP5X to the Tour B X. I found the Tour B X to have a better flight and feel than the TP5X.