TaylorMade TP5/TP5x Ball
The TaylorMade TP5 and TP5x are the brand’s latest premium ball offerings. Both options feature a 5-layer construction with a “tri fast core” (aka a three layered core) and “dual-spin cover” (two layered cover) to provide maximum distance off of the tee, with short game spin around the greens. Hell, Rory claimed one of the main reasons he went to TaylorMade was for this ball, so let’s see what it’s all about.
How Does it Feel?
I’ll be the first to admit that in the past, I never played TaylorMade golf balls due to the feel. A lot of their premium offers felt too soft to me, almost like hitting a marshmallow. Let me be the first to tell you that the TaylorMade TP5 is worlds better.
The TaylorMade TP5 is the softer of the two balls, but that doesn’t mean the TP5x doesn’t still offer a reasonably soft feel. The biggest factor for me was that both balls felt soft yet responsive off of the driver. It didn’t feel like I was hitting pillows, but it also wasn’t like hitting a rock. Shots with irons felt amazingly soft on the hands with the TP5 (when matched with a softer feeling iron), while the TP5x had a little more click to them. Off of the putter both felt great. The TP5 is definitely geared more towards a player who likes a softer putter feel, and the TP5x will again provide more of a “firm” feeling. In my opinion, these are the best feeling balls from TaylorMade in a long time.
Around the Green
Wedge shots had great responsiveness and spin with the TaylorMade TP5 balls. I was easily able to “hop and stop” chip shots, and stick mid-range pitch shots. The TP5 gave me zero spin issues, and I felt in control of the ball knowing exactly how it was going to perform. The TP5x provided great spin and responsiveness, but did not spin to the level of the TP5.
The one thing I thought both TaylorMade balls excelled at in the wedge department is durability. While other premium offerings get gouges in them with one full wedge swing, both the TP5 and TP5x seemed to withstand full wedge shots much better.
For putting, the ball performance seemed to go hand in hand with the feel. Both TP5 balls seemed to have great feel off of the putter, with the TP5 being the softer of the two. Putting is such a personal aspect of golf, I won’t dive too deep into it, but if you want a soft feel with good response off of the club face, the TP5 is a great fit. The TP5x will provide you with a little more of a firm feedback.
On the Approach
Iron shots with the TP5 gave me a good distance boost from both previous TaylorMade Tour Preferred models, as well as balls from the competition. I gained a steady five yards with the TP5 as opposed to the similar competitive counterpart. I loved the mid-trajectory with my irons, and the mid spin was enough for me to hold greens. The TP5x launched a little high for my liking, even with the lower spin rates of the two.
The biggest performance takeaway from the TaylorMade TP5 and TP5x are how well they hold in the wind (even Rory agreed when he gave reasoning for why he switched to the TP5, and we’re very comparable). Even the high trajectory of the TP5x held better in the wind than I expected, due to the lower spin rates. The TP5 flat out performed marvelously in the wind, and is the reason I still choose to play them.
Off the Tee
Off of the tee is where I found the biggest distance gains with the TaylorMade TP5. I usually hit an incredibly high ball with my driver, but the TP5 was able to actually bring my ball flight down to a more optimal level resulting in about 7 more yards off the tee. If it fits your game, the TP5x may do the same, but I just had better results with the TP5.
I found the TP5 spin rates to be comparable to their competitors off of the tee while maintaining a better feel as mentioned above. The TP5 also had a more consistent ball flight than other premium balls I have used, probably due to a reduction in tee shot spin. Again, similar to the iron game, the ball performed incredibly in the wind. I would find myself making normal adjustments for wind off of the tee, hitting my shot, and thinking “maybe there wasn’t as much wind as I thought?” Nope it wasn’t that. The ball just performs and penetrates through the wind better than any other ball I’ve hit.
Final Thoughts
I was never a fan of TaylorMade golf balls in the past, until I hit the TP5 lineup. After my first round with these in the bag, I knew I had found my gamers for the foreseeable future. The TP5s offer exception feel, performance, and durability. What else could you want in a premium golf ball? If you’ve been stubborn or loyal to a particular ball brand in the past, you may want to put them up against the TP5 or TP5x. You may be pleasantly surprised at what you find.
