16 replies to this topic

[WRXClarky]

I know that the WRX Community is much sharper than your average golf forum, and way more informed than the general golfing community. But, I would be amazed if this was the only place where the holy grail of golf balls was talked about so much. Of course I am talking about the famous 4 piece TaylorMade TP Red.

Every time I read a golf ball forum thread or post, it almost always will have a mention of this famous ball. Whoever is touting their new favourite will compare it to years past when using the red.

Every time someone will critique a new ball or comment on someone else's review, the TP Red will come up.

Anytime someone talks about the TM offerings: Penta, TP3, TP5, Project 5, etc someone will mention something that ball doesn't do compared to what the Red used to do well.

TaylorMade is probably the greediest of all golf manufacturers with new drivers/clubs coming out it seems like every 3 weeks on top of each other pissing off the consumer who just spent 500 on the newest best of the best just to find out it is now second best 3 weeks later.

With this said, how is it possible TaylorMade has not jumped at this opportunity?

1) Just simply re-release the TP Red with a marketing campaign that would basically be free as soon as the golf forums find out.

2) Come up with another new ball with a new name and just say......."this ball is designed to replicate the characteristics of the old TP Red 4 piece".....

I really hope they don't do option #2 though because I can only imagine the number of threads comparing the new replicating ball to the old #1 Red.

It would just be great if they would make the exact same ball again and sell shitloads.

I heard a rumour many times that some TM pros had the TP Red rebadged as a Penta so they could continue to play it on tour well after it had gone out of commission.

Come on TaylorMade, you make money of us in every other way possible, bring back the best ball ever.

Funny, I always preferred the black.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

I think you are mistaking the scale on which internet forum hoo-rah operates as being in any way comparable to the scale of the Real World. It's a couple orders of magnitude different, in fact. That's almost as big a mistake as a Land War in Asia or going up against a Sicilian when death is on the line.

When did "TP Red is the best ball in the world" first became a golf-forum meme? It was about the time they started showing up for a dollar or so per ball. At four bucks they weren't particularly popular when compared to other $4 golf balls.  But at about a third of that price? Best. Ball Ever.

Taylor Made is not going to get rich gearing up to sell a couple thousand dozens of some 4-piece ball for 20 bucks a dozen. And if they released it at twice that price, they would mostly sit on shelves until the inevitable markdowns. Been there, done that. TM say no thanks.

[OUZO Power]

OP I think your wrong. The legendary ball that is always compared to everything else is the Pro V1.

However until now I never made reference to it.

Don't play the TP Red or the Pro V1.

[WRXClarky]

I may be wrong on TM making some money here, that was mostly "tongue in cheek" commentary. But, I don't think I am too far off on the mention of the TP Red, check the threads, the TP Red always comes up.

I do love the Princess Bride references though.

[TMBob]

Would never sell at the retail levels under it's past name....we are the minority. I bought 13 doz from a small public course pro shop as they could not sell them....we're on sale right in front of every customers eyes and nothing. This was 15 months ago and when I was there 3 months ago, the Blacks were still there.

If they produced it again, it would have to be,

A) under a different name
B) it would have to be priced much lower then the past...like under $30, or more like $24.99
C) last and most importantly, they would need to market it here to spread the word

[TJCDAS]

I think the the TP Red players need to move on--the ball is gone and dead.

Just let go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


You should also change you title as it is a bit offensive and makes you look like a dolt.

Edited by TJCDAS, 08 January 2013 - 11:22 AM.

[WRXClarky]

TJCDAS, on 08 January 2013 - 11:21 AM, said:

I think the the TP Red players need to move on--the ball is gone and dead.

Just let go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


You should also change you title as it is a bit offensive and makes you look like a dolt.

Can't. I still have a Farrah Fawcett poster.

[KYMAR]

"TM is nothing but a great marketing company and they suck for it"

"TM is horrible marketing company, If they would just bring this ball back they would sell all over! They suck!"

[WRXClarky]

TJCDAS, on 08 January 2013 - 11:21 AM, said:

You should also change you title as it is a bit offensive and makes you look like a dolt.

How do you change a title? Didn't intend to offend anyone.

[Swingem]

What ev? Get over it!

[MadGolfer76]

Was it ever a situation where the TP Red was so close to perfect that it pushed the QC too close to the illegal mark?

[GoogleMe]

KYMAR, on 08 January 2013 - 11:25 AM, said:

"TM is nothing but a great marketing company and they suck for it"

"TM is horrible marketing company, If they would just bring this ball back they would sell all over! They suck!"

I agree with you TMAG is always in the "RED" year after year , they never make any profit or know how to push their product.

And just for the whole TM TP Red golf ball topic.... "we" at golfwrx make up 0.0000001 % of the golfing world, nobody I have ever played with thats not a member on golfwrx.com knows about this ball , miura, epon , $8000 scotty cameron putter and so on.

[Par Fore]

Those of us who loved the TP Red feel very nostalgic about it and I agree that TaylorMade should always have that ball available.  However, even given all the posts about the ball and the comparisons that are made, and yes, there are quite a few. I don't think bringing the ball back will change the TaylorMade profit loss statement at the end of the year.

[storm319]

Fourmyle of Ceres, on 08 January 2013 - 10:44 AM, said:

I think you are mistaking the scale on which internet forum hoo-rah operates as being in any way comparable to the scale of the Real World. It's a couple orders of magnitude different, in fact. That's almost as big a mistake as a Land War in Asia or going up against a Sicilian when death is on the line.

When did "TP Red is the best ball in the world" first became a golf-forum meme? It was about the time they started showing up for a dollar or so per ball. At four bucks they weren't particularly popular when compared to other $4 golf balls.  But at about a third of that price? Best. Ball Ever.

Taylor Made is not going to get rich gearing up to sell a couple thousand dozens of some 4-piece ball for 20 bucks a dozen. And if they released it at twice that price, they would mostly sit on shelves until the inevitable markdowns. Been there, done that. TM say no thanks.

Could not agree more!

[SwooshLT]

GoogleMe, on 08 January 2013 - 12:01 PM, said:

KYMAR, on 08 January 2013 - 11:25 AM, said:

"TM is nothing but a great marketing company and they suck for it"

"TM is horrible marketing company, If they would just bring this ball back they would sell all over! They suck!"

I agree with you TMAG is always in the "RED" year after year , they never make any profit or know how to push their product.

And just for the whole TM TP Red golf ball topic.... "we" at golfwrx make up 0.0000001 % of the golfing world, nobody I have ever played with thats not a member on golfwrx.com knows about this ball , miura, epon , $8000 scotty cameron putter and so on.

ACTUALLY it's .0035714286%..........hehehehehe

[Breaker999]

The original TP line, red and black, is solid.  The pentas are too soft for me.  I can't feel it coming off my putter face.  
I play balls from a few years back.  To me they just feel better or as good as the models out now.  The newer balls tend to be longer off the tee, but its the wedge and putter shots that lower scores for me.

[monkeynaut]

MadGolfer76, on 08 January 2013 - 11:48 AM, said:

Was it ever a situation where the TP Red was so close to perfect that it pushed the QC too close to the illegal mark?

http://www.golfdiges...zzlers-are.html


Puzzling 'til our puzzlers are sore

BOMB: As my daughter likes to say, I'm confuzzled.
Recently we received a communique from TaylorMade regarding its TP Red LDP ball that said, "Some of them were found to exceed the USGA's initial velocity rule, less than two-tenths of one percent. The cause was human error - we accidentally made a batch that paired the TP Red cover with the wrong core. This variance was limited to TP Reds only, and did not affect the TP Black or any other TaylorMade balls."
OK, fair enough. Mistakes happen when you're dealing with human beings. Plus, we're only talking about two-tenths of one percent. Besides, we've been down this road before with the nonconforming drivers due to "manufacturing variances" so I don't think it's all that big a deal.
With one exception.
TaylorMade says the ball is being taken off the conforming list and that another one -- with the same design as the current TP Red LDP but with a new sidestamp -- will take its place to avoid confusion. The note goes on to state the following:
"Because the TP Red that's in the market now, with the original side stamp, conforms to the Rules of Golf they can continue to be used in normal play including those rounds in which scores are posted for handicap purposes.
"That's because only high-level tournaments, like tour events and USGA competitions, typically require contestants to use a ball that's on the Conforming Ball List. Most club championships and member guests don't. Of course, no matter what kind of tournament you're playing in, it's a good idea to ask an official beforehand if you need to play a ball that's on the List. If it turns out a listed ball is required, you'll need a TP Red with the new side stamp. If not, the original side stamp will do fine for the kind of recreational golf that almost all golfers play, including scores posted for handicap purposes.
"You can identify the TP Reds with the new side stamps and a sticker in the top right-hand corner of the box and on individual sleeves reading 'TP Red Tournament Edition.' "
So here is the confuzzling part. If some of these balls exceed the initial velocity and the ball is taken off the conforming ball list, how on earth can it be used for recreational rounds and posting scores? I do get that competitions need to post that a ball on the conforming ball list must be used in order for that to be in effect. But how can a ball whose physical properties exceed the limits set forth by the USGA be used to post a score for a USGA handicap? I don't seem to be able to get a satisfactory answer on that. Perhaps you can enlighten me, pardsy.
GOUGE: Let me see, enlighten, as I understand it means "to furnish knowledge to," although I prefer its more existential definition, "to give spiritual insight to." I can't help you with any of that. I'm lost. I do think it would behoove players who are thinking of competing at state and local events to make sure that if there's a one-ball rule they better make sure the TaylorMade balls they're playing are on the OK list. But still, given that the official USGA procedure allows for three balls in a typical submission of 24 to fail the conformance standards and still have the ball be OK by the rules, I'm confused by all the histrionics. By our understanding, the TaylorMade mistake only applies to 0.2 percent of its production, significantly less than the 12.5 percent that the USGA ball-testing procedure allows. But let's give them credit for being nice guys. I guess.
Who we can give no credit to for being nice guys, however, are the boys at Callaway and Acushnet, who have once again decided to roll around in the mud for the whole world to see. In a nutshell, the latest legal overindulgence involves Acushnet suing Callaway for patent infringement by Callaway's Tour i and Tour ix ball, and Callaway suing Acushnet for patent infringement, claiming the "converted" 2007 Pro V1 and Pro V1x balls AND the new 2009 Pro V1 and Pro V1x balls still infringe patents owned by Callaway. This, of course, comes on top of the already severely muck-ified legal St. Vitus' Dance shaking through both companies over Callaway's successful (thus far) patent infringement claims against the old Pro V1 and Pro V1x balls. If you're not following along -- and why would you at this point? -- this is nothing more than a case of "I know you are but what am I?" All the gory details are best obtained by checking out the website of David Dawsey, the smartest guy in the room when it comes to golf patents, who explains in detail how the love continues between these two not so BFFs. Personally, I find it at least mildly interesting that Callaway is being sued over a ball it introduced last year for patent infringement on a patent that was granted this year. I know, I know, patents are applied for years in advance, but as you my friend might say, "C'mon, MAN!" How does this help anybody in an industry that's in desperate need of positive reinforcement?
BOMB: Bottom line is that this helps no one, my friend—except the lawyers, perhaps. One of the industry's dirty little secrets has long been that patents are infringed all the time and what eventually happens is a game of "I won't call you on infringing my patent if you won't call me on infringing yours." Deals are struck between companies where they agree to share or license certain technologies. It's simply what happens when everyone is designing in the same boxes and the U.S. Patent Office is virtually impossible to figure out. And why these two can't come to an agreement along these lines is beyond me.
GOUGE: Could be they don't like each other all that much. Which means it can only get uglier. And in our business, friend, that's better than Christmas morning.

Edited by monkeynaut, 12 January 2013 - 05:39 PM.