Equipment
Bridgestone’s new B330 golf balls
At GolfWRX and in the golf industry as a collective, we talk a lot about club fitting, encouraging golfers to put the right tools in their hand. But if they’re not using the correct golf ball, then is performance really optimized?
In the development of its new B300 golf balls, Bridgestone used feedback, statistics and information from its golf ball fittings — more than 300,000 to date according to the company — to develop golf balls better suited to its target audience.
As such, Bridgestone has developed four new golf balls: the B330 and B330S for those who swing faster than 105 mph, and the B330 RX and B330 RXS for those who swing slower than 105 mph.
The urethane covers of all the B330 golf balls are made with new processes and different polymers, a technology the company calls SlipRes. By reducing slippage between the cover and inner layers of the golf ball, SlipRes covers increase friction, and thereby spin, on wedge shots around the green. On driver shots, the technology actually decreases spin for more distance. Bridgestone also says the new covers are softer and more durable than past models.
Learn which B330 golf ball is best for your game below.
Bridgestone B330 and B330S
Bridgestone’s B330 golf balls have a dual-dimple design for a better flight.
According to Bridgestone, only 25 percent of golfers swing more than 105 mph with their drivers. If you’re one of them, Bridgestone says its upgraded B330 and B330S golf balls are best for you.
Like previous models, both balls use a four-piece design. They use 28 percent larger cores (Bridgestone calls them TourCores) than their predecessors, however, which will create increased ball speeds. Combined with the SlipRes cover, the new golf balls are said to provide better control, distance and durability.
The B330S balls have a slightly softer feel and will produce more spin than the B330 balls, which are designed for maximum distance.
Bridgestone’s B330 and B330S will in stores on March 4 and sell at retail for $45 per dozen.
Bridgestone B330 RX and B330 RXS
With a softer compression than the B330 and B330S, these golf balls are designed for the 75 percent of golfers who swing less than 105 mph with their driver. They have what Bridgestone calls an AmateurCore, which has lower compression than the TourCore, producing a higher trajectory with more spin for most golfers.
Both balls with help golfers with slower swing speeds produce maximum height and distance with their drives and longer shots, while still offering tour-caliber feel around the greens with its SlipRes cover and three-piece urethane construction.
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
…The Jailbird craze hasn’t really slowed down in 2024, either. According to Odyssey rep Joe Toulon, there are about 18-20 Jailbird putter users on the PGA TOUR.
Most recently, Akshay Bhatia won the 2024 Valero Texas Open using a broomstick-style Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter and Webb Simpson is switching into a replica of that putter at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Now, Fowler, who essentially started the whole Jailbird craze, is making a significant change to his putter setup.
Fowler, who has had a couple weeks off since the 2024 RBC Heritage, started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup.
According to Fowler, while he still likes the look and forgiveness of his Jailbird putter head, he’s looking to re-incorporate more feel into his hands during the putting stroke.
He told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Championship that the 38-inch counterbalanced setup “served its purpose” by helping him to neutralize his hands during the stroke, but now it’s time to try the standard-length putter with a standard-size SuperStroke Pistol Tour grip to help with his feel and speed control.
Although Fowler was also spotted testing standard-length mallets from L.A.B. Golf and Axis1 on Tuesday, he confirmed that the custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 is the putter he’ll use this week at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Head over to PGATour.com for the full article.
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- Akshay Bhatia what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. Bhatia is deciding between drivers. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Callaway Rogue ST Max LS (9 degrees @7.2, 2 grams lead tape heel, 4 grams toe)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X (44 7/8 inches, tipped 1 inch)
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D (9 degrees @7)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (15 degrees @13.9)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X (43 inches, tipped 1.5)
Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW Prototype (19 degrees @17.8)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 10 X
Irons: Callaway X Forged UT (21 degrees) Buy here, Callaway Apex TCB Raw (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS $-Taper 125 S+
Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (50-10S @49, 54-10S, 60-08C @61)
Shafts: KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 135 X
Putter: Odyssey Versa Jailbird 380
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Split
Grips: Iomic
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour
More photos of Akshay Bhatia’s WITB in the forums.
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- Emiliano Grillo what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (9 degrees @10)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (15 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Blue RDX 70 TX
5-wood: Cobra LTDx Prototype (18.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Blue RDX 70 TX
Irons: Callaway Apex TCB (4-9)
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Callaway MD3 Milled (46-08S), Callaway Jaws Raw (50-10S, 54-10S, 60-08T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Flatso 1.0
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Emiliano Grillo’s clubs here.
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Chip
Jun 28, 2016 at 11:19 pm
I can’t speak to the B330S, but you are wrong about the B330…it is a 3 piece ball, not a 4 piece ball.
Eddy
Jan 28, 2016 at 3:46 am
I very much likes the durability of the old Bridgestones. In my opinion much better than the Titleists (much more abrasion on those).
john
Jan 26, 2016 at 11:08 pm
the old 330 felt … heavy, went the same distance as every other tour ball with the same greenside spin, just felt.. i don’t know how to describe it other than ‘heavy’. I will give the new ones a go if the price point is fair, i’ve found with “Tour” balls (prov1 included) that they are perform pretty much the same – just the one who’s branding you like and price point is the ball for you
nick
Jan 26, 2016 at 1:50 pm
durability on the 330’s (s/and regular) is lacking. last years anyways. compared to the 2015 pro v, its not even close. cheers to bridgestone if they correct this. i do buy them when they go on sale.
RHJazz
Jan 25, 2016 at 9:12 pm
Do they still add water to the core? I’m amused by their campaign that you need to compress the ball to “boom” the ball… Water doesn’t compress.
Mat
Jan 25, 2016 at 3:29 pm
Durability? B330s I have used have zero problems related to their durability. What are you doing to them?
Nihonsei75
Jan 25, 2016 at 11:10 am
Will somebody please post from the merch show if Bridgestone has really improved durability? I like Snell over the previous 330 and RX for durability alone, nvmd price. Thanks if you do!