Equipment
Built on Tiger’s feedback, 2022 Bridgestone Tour B golf balls feature new Reactiv IQ cover
Built with input from Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau, the new Bridgestone Tour B series continues the company’s focus on the moment of impact across all 14 clubs in the bag.
Because of this effort — termed “Contact Science” — Bridgestone touts superior driver performance and greenside control, relying on an improved version of its Reactiv IQ cover.
Designed to cater to the unique needs of each club, the new Reactive IQ cover utilizes unique impact modifiers to rebound quickly on tee shots. Around the green, the new Tour B stays on the clubface longer — or to use a Tiger Woods term: gets more “face time” — for more spin.
“When you combine 900 polymers engineers and layer in feedback from Tiger and Bryson, it’s a recipe for innovation,” said Elliot Mellow, Bridgestone’s Golf Ball Marketing Manager. “These guys are hands-on with R&D which really helps push our designs to the next level. Our R&D focus the last few years has been the study of contact science, optimizing the moment of impact for the needs of each shot. With REACTIV iQ, we have made great lengths to do just that.”
The impact modifier recipe is maximized for each ball in the Tour B lineup. As a refresher, the 2022 Tour B family comes in four distinct models. Tour B RX and Tour B RXS (for swings under 105 mph), and Tour B X and Tour B XS (for swings over 105 mph).
Engineers sought to continue to decouple the relationship between distance and spin and develop a ball — in the X and XS — that produced a flatter trajectory a the request of Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau. DeChambeau was also keen for more greenside spin in his Tour B X ball.
Tiger Woods, who has been playing a Bridgestone golf ball for more than 20 years (presently plays the Tour B XS) said
“I have been with Bridgestone a long time,” said Tiger, “But these last few years I have had a more active role in R&D. With the Bridgestone team, we have been able to perfect the recipe for the cover which has yielded REACTIV iQ, which is an amazing engineering feat. For my game, the new TOUR B is more consistently in my window off the tee while also giving me more feel around the green.”
Elliot Mellow told us on a slightly wonkier level, the dimple radius has been slightly adjusted for better performance in the wind.
The Bridgestone Tour B family of balls will hit retail in February 2022 at $49.99 per dozen.
For help selecting which Tour B model is the right ball for them, Bridgestone says consumers should try V-FIT for a free video ball-fitting consultation, or visit bridgestonegolf.com to find more information on OTTO, Bridgestone’s new Autonomous Ball Fitting Cart, or to use Bridgestone’s online golf ball selection tool.
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Whats in the Bag
Kris Kim WITB 2024 (May)
- 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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Equipment
Welcome to the family: TaylorMade launches PUDI and PDHY utility irons
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
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
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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Pingback: GolfWRX Deep Dive: The new Bridgestone Tour B golf ball – GolfWRX
geohogan
Feb 1, 2022 at 8:44 am
Now we know how Tiger is able to stop his Bridgestone b so quickly… its the ball.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVsIDrHdCq0
Paulo
Jan 25, 2022 at 4:42 pm
How much competitive golf has the get played to have meaningful feedback ? Unless they’re saying they ignored some of his feedback for the last iteration ?