Bridgestone Tour B X Golf Ball

Bridgestone has had quite a 2018 season.  One of the big reasons for their success has been the Bridgestone Tour B X golf ball.  This ball differs from the rest of the lineup with its firmer cover and reduced side spin, which increases accuracy and distance.  If you’re a better ball striker that can compress the ball, the Tour B X may be just what you’re looking for.

How Does it Feel?

One of the hallmarks of the Bridgestone Tour B X golf ball is the new SlipRes cover.  This cover is designed to feel soft but firm enough for you big swingers.  This section is certainly subjective, but aligns with my historical Bridgestone ball experience.  The Tour B family replaces Bridgestone’s successful B330 balls.  While I always thought the B330 balls were strong performers, I always thought they felt “clicky.”  The new Tour B X (replacing the standard B330) has drastically improved on that feel. The Tour B X still performs well with the woods, but has a more relaxed feel off your irons through putter.  I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the updated feel.

Please keep in mind that feel of a golf ball is extremely subjective and player dependent.  Use this feedback a starting point for your own testing.

Off the Tee

Bridgestone uses a core that they call the “Gradational Compression” core which is designed to give you a “higher initial ball speed and lower side spin.”  Additionally, the Dual Dimple technology is also there to add distance to your shot.  Think of this technology as a dimple inside of the dimple to improve the aerodynamics of the ball.

If there’s one thing I’ll say about the Tour B X, it’s great off the tee.  The ball jumps off the face of your woods and holds its path.  Should you choose to shape your shot, the ball is easy to manipulate while maintaining power.  Subsequently, I got excellent roll out of the ball which may or may not be due to the “outer dimples.”  The outer dimples are supposed reduce the degree of descent for the ball which means more carry and more roll. Can I scientifically prove this with wind tunnels and such?  No way.  I got a business degree.  But my numbers supported good carry and roll for strong total distances off the tee.

On the Approach

The Bridgestone Tour B X’s approach performance shares a lot of commonalities with its tee game.  A lack of side spin and advanced aerodynamics seemingly make the Tour B X easier to control.  Now, you don’t always want minimal spin from your irons and you want some bite into the greens.  My on-course experience was that I was able to get the spin I needed with my irons, but I was able to add a little extra with shorter irons.  That’s the benefit of the ultra-responsive SlipRes urethane cover.

Control is more than just shot shaping.  The Tour B X’s also built to be an extremely accurate golf ball.  A lot of this will come down to how strong of an iron player you are, but if you are a good striker and can compress the ball, the Tour B X is a dart thrower’s dream.

Around the Green

Around the green, the Bridgestone Tour B X has a responsive, soft feel and plenty of zip.  But wait, Bill, I thought you mentioned that spin is reduced with this ball?  Good catch. Remember, the ball is designed to have reduced side spin.  Bridgestone still wants us to be able to get plenty of bite on the greens.  If you’re a stop-and-drop wedge player that likes to the pull the string, the Tour B X has that shot.  The SlipRes cover increases friction, and a nice set of grooves is able to nicely bite into the ball.

When I say the Tour B X has a soft feel, I want to be clear that it isn’t a marshmallow.  The feel is solid enough that you get great response, but soft enough that you’re confident in all of the cute little touch shots you need to make around the green.  On the putter face especially, the Tour B X feels like a textbook modern urethane golf ball.

Final Thoughts

I’ll go so far as to say that the Bridgestone Tour B X is my favorite Bridgestone golf ball to date.  The performance off the tee is extremely impressive and the updated feel made a huge difference for me compared to previous Bridgestone balls.  Remember though, your swing is different than mine, so I’ll always recommend some additional research and some real life experimentation.  Fortunately, Bridgestone has thought of that.  If getting an in-person fitting is not an option, you can access Bridgestone’s “Find My Ball” tool here.  This tool will help you pick the best ball for you depending on your game and personal preferences.

Previous Next