Equipment
TaylorMade launches new Tour Preferred, Project A golf balls
It’s easy to tell the difference between TaylorMade’s three premium new golf balls: just bounce them on your wedge. Each will make a different sound.
If that test was done with the previous version of TaylorMade’s Tour Preferred and Tour Preferred X golf balls, however, the sound, which golfers equate to feel, would be nearly identical.
Both the Tour Preferred and Tour Preferred X were previously 88-compression golf balls, but they had two different constructions. The four-piece Tour Preferred was designed to give golfers more iron spin to help them stop approach shots more quickly on the green, while the five-piece Tour Preferred offered less iron spin for more distance. Off the tee and around the greens, the performance of the two balls was relatively the same.
“We wanted to make the differences more noticeable,” said Eric Loper, TaylorMade’s director of golf ball R&D. “One way to do that is to make the golf balls feel different.”
Loper and his team conducted a study with TaylorMade’s PGA Tour Staff players and found that they were much less sensitive to the feel of a golf ball than its performance.
“[PGA Tour players] are more focused on, ‘How is that ball going to perform as it comes off the face and lands on the green?'” Loper said. “But as you go out and work with consumers, you find that they are much more focused on feel.”
Users of TaylorMade’s Tour Preferred X include four of the top 11-ranked golfers in the world: Jason Day (No. 1), Justin Rose, Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia, each of which said they’ve been happy with the performance of the Tour Preferred X from tee to green.
“The TaylorMade ball surprises people,” Justin Rose said. “The last two Ryder Cups, we’ve played my ball [in alternate shot].”
On each golfer’s wish list was more spin on shots around the greens, however, which TaylorMade achieved with a small tweak. The Soft Tech cast urethane cover of the ball was made slightly thicker — from 0.030 to 0.035 of an inch — and the adjacent layer was made thinner by the same amount. It sounds like a simple change, but it took more than 43 prototypes to perfect, according to Loper.
“YOU CAN HIT THAT LOW SHOT AROUND THE GREENS WAY EASIER NOW,” DUSTIN JOHNSON SAID. “IT TAKES TWO HOPS, AND THEN BOOP.”
TaylorMade made more substantial changes to the Tour Preferred. It’s still a four-piece golf ball, but the compression has been reduced — from 88 to 80. That’s thanks to a new inner mantle layer, which surrounds the core of the golf ball. It’s called Speed Mantle 2, and boasts 65 percent more flexibility.
“It offers the same speed of the original Speed Mantle, but is that much softer,” Loper said.
Like the previous Tour Preferred, the ball will appeal to golfers who need more spin from their iron shots, and now a much larger crowd — golfers who prefer a softer feel.
The Tour Preferred and Tour Preferred X will sell for $47.99 per dozen when they arrive in stores on November 6.
Project A
Unlike the Tour Preferred and Tour Preferred X golf balls, the Project A is designed for golfers with average clubhead speeds. A TaylorMade study revealed that from 150 yards, amateurs with handicaps of 10-24 missed the green by an average of 35 yards. For that reason, the Project A was given the same cast urethane cover as the Tour Preferred and Tour Preferred X, which will give average golfers the maximum amount of greenside spin to enhance their chances of getting up and down.
“[All three balls] will have about the same spin off the tee,” Loper said. “Where you will see the difference between the three balls is with the irons,” Loper said. “The Project A has the highest iron spin, the Tour Preferred is in the middle and the Tour Preferred X has the least iron spin. Around the greens, the balls will perform about the same.”
Like the Tour Preferred, TaylorMade’s Project A golf ball will resonate with golfers who prefer a softer feel. TaylorMade developed a new, softer core for the ball, which uses special additives that allowed the compression to be dropped from 86 to 70 without compromising distance.
The Project A will be in stores on November 6 and sell for $34.99 per dozen.
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- Kris Kim what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. More photos from the event here.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @7)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 60 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (15 degrees @13.5)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 73 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (2, 4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120 X
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-09SB, 56-12SB, 60-11TW)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 WV 125
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Check out more in-hand photos of Kris Kim’s equipment here.
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TaylorMade is continuing its UDI/DHY series with the successor to the Stealth UDI and DHY utility irons: PUDI and PDHY (which the company styles as P·UDI and P·DHY). TaylorMade is folding the designs in with its P Series of irons.
TaylorMade outlined the process of developing its new utilities this way. The company started with the data on utility iron usage. Not surprisingly, better players — i.e. those who generate more clubhead speed and strike the ball more precisely — were found to gravitate toward the UDI model. DHY usage, however, covered a wider swath than the company might have expected with six-to-18 handicappers found to be bagging the club.
TaylorMade also found that the majority of golfers playing UDI or DHY utilities were playing P Series irons at the top of their iron configurations.
Can you see where this is going?
Matt Bovee, Director of Product Creation, Iron and Wedge at TaylorMade: “As we look to the future, beyond the tech and the design language, we are excited about repositioning our utility irons into the P·Series family. P·UDI is an easy pair for players that currently play P·Series product and P·DHY is an extremely forgiving option for players of all skill levels. It is a natural fit to give these players the performance in this category that they are looking for.”
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TaylorMade PUDI
TaylorMade PUDI technology cutaway (via TaylorMade)
Crafted with tour player input, TaylorMade sought to develop a confidence-inspiring utility iron that blends with the rest of the P Series irons. Also of note: Interestingly, the PUDI has a more compact head than the P790.
In comparison to past UDI products, the PUDI has a more traditional iron shape, slimmer toplines, and less offset with a little of the backbar visible at address.
TaylorMade PDHY
TaylorMade PDHY tech cutaway (via TaylorMade).
Larger in profile than the PUDI, the PDHY seeks to position center of gravity (CG) lower in the club for ease of launch. The toe height is larger and the profile is larger at address — roughly five millimeters longer than PUDI — the sole of the club is wider for improved forgiveness.
Club Junkie’s take
Golfers who feel like they are missing something at the top of the bag could find the PUDI or PDHY a great option. The look of the PUDI should fit the most discerning eye with a more compact look, less offset, and a thinner topline. If you want a little more confidence looking down the P-DHY will be slightly larger while still being a good-looking utility iron.
For being small packages both models pack a pretty good punch with fast ball speeds, even off-center. The feel is soft and you get a solid feel of the ball compressing off the face when you strike it well. Your ears are greeted with a nice heavy thud as the ball and club come together. The PDHY will launch a little higher for players who need it while the PUDI offers a more penetrating ball flight. Both utility irons could be the cure for an open spot in the top end of the bag.
PUDI, PDHY, or Rescue?
TaylorMade offers the following notes to assist golfers in filling out their bags:
- PUDI has mid-CG right behind the center face to create a more penetrating mid-to-low ball flight
- PDHY has a lower center of gravity to produce an easier-to-launch mid-to-high ball flight.
- Both PUDI and PDHY are lower-flying than the company’s hybrid/Rescue clubs.
- PUDI is more forgiving than P790.
- PDHY is the most forgiving iron in the entire TaylorMade iron family
Pricing, specs, and availability
Price: $249.99
At retail: Now
Stock shafts: UST Mamiya’s Recoil DART (105 X, 90 S and 75 R – only in PDHY)
Stock grip: Golf Pride’s ZGrip (black/grey)
PUDI lofts: 2-17°, 3-20°, 4-22° in both left and right-handed
PDHY lofts: 2-18°, 3-20° and 4-22° in both left and right-handed
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (5/3/24): Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
From the seller: (@wwcl): “Has been gamed as pics show. 33.5 includes original h/c and grip. $575 includes shipping and PP fees.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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cmyktaylor
Oct 30, 2015 at 5:28 pm
I play the current Project (a). Confession: I found a Pro V1 on the course two rounds ago and I’ve been playing it for the past few rounds. Very happy with it. Not interested in the price though.
Golfandpuff
Oct 30, 2015 at 7:40 am
Updates sound good, but I would much prefer picking up dozen(s) of current offering at half the price.
Al385
Oct 29, 2015 at 3:21 pm
TP and TPX are pretty good balls. It’s good that they kept the same brand for 2016, which is not the usual marketing strategy for TM.
Alan Jackson Jr
Oct 28, 2015 at 12:31 pm
They better not screw up the Project A’s or I will be ticked.
Mark
Oct 26, 2015 at 2:19 pm
Please ensure these balls feel firm. Too many new balls feel like a wet sponge.
Trab
Oct 27, 2015 at 2:42 am
The X definitely is firm. To make the other ones softer, wow, they must feel like nothing to hit with the irons.
Ian
Oct 26, 2015 at 2:09 pm
So are we (a) all suckers for “soft feel” instead of focusing on performance?
Trab
Oct 27, 2015 at 2:42 am
Yes, you’re all weaklings who are too soft
Joe
Oct 27, 2015 at 8:33 am
Hey! Look everyone! A real life troll!
Sam
Oct 26, 2015 at 11:37 am
I use the current version of the Project (a) ball and I love it. I’ll definitely be picking up some of these when my current stock runs out. I have been going back and forth between these and the Wilson SPIN Duos.
Charlie
Oct 28, 2015 at 12:32 pm
Sam, How do you rate the Wilson Spin Duos?
DeAngelo
Oct 31, 2015 at 9:18 pm
The spin duo’s are great balls. Especially when you factor in the “bang for buck” factor. 35 compression ball so it is soft. I really do love the project (a) ball. offers a lot of spin and not too spongy.