Equipment

Choosing your “rocket ball”

Published

12 years ago

Jan 10, 2012

The longest golf ball in TaylorMade’s 2012 lineup is not the new Penta TP5. It’s not the new Penta TP3, or the Rocketballz ball, either. According to Dean Snell, Senior Director of Research and Development for golf balls at TaylorMade, the longest ball in TaylorMade’s 2012 lineup is all of them.

That’s why Snell, who has been designing golf balls for more than 22 years, said the least important part of fitting a golf ball is testing it with a driver.

“There isn’t a TaylorMade golf ball that doesn’t come up to the USGA threshold of velocity,” Snell said. “Off the driver, they’re all pretty much going to go the same distance … Nobody is going to be able to give you a ball that goes 20 yards further [off the driver] any more.”

For that reason, Snell said golfers should choose a golf ball that is best for them from 150 yards and in. That sounds simple enough, but it raises another question. What makes one golf ball better than another from that distance? Luckily, there’s a pretty easy way to find out.

Snell said that golfers should spend less time testing the latest golf clubs, and more time testing golf balls. He wants you to test golf balls the same way many tour players do – by playing nine holes with different types of balls, and spending extra time hitting shots around the greens with them.

“Notice how the balls feel, how they release, how they putt, how they come out of the sand,” Snell said. “At the end, the results should sing to you.”

But before you start testing golf balls, there are a few things you should know about golf ball design. Understanding the advantages of different types of golf ball constructions can save you shots off your game, and money off your golf ball purchases. And for the better player, it can help justify paying a premium price for your next dozen.

…

The No. 1 thing Snell wants you to know is that a player’s ball speed is not the most important aspect of fitting a golf ball. It’s the launch angle and spin rate of a golf ball that golfers should monitor the most closely. That’s because at tour swing speeds, a 1 percent increase in ball speed equates to only about 2.5 yards of extra distance. But a change in launch angle, say from 9 degrees with 2500 rpm of spin to 12 degrees with the same amount of spin can add as much as 15 to 20 yards of distance. Golfers would be hard pressed, however, to find a new golf ball that can cause such a drastic change in their launch conditions off of the driver. But where they can find radical improvements with different golf balls is with their shorter clubs.

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TaylorMade’s most expensive ball, the Penta TP5, will cost $45 per dozen when it is released in March. Its five-piece construction is similar to the original Penta TP, with the exception of a softer core compression and softer first mantle (the layer closest to the core), which will cause the ball to spin less on full shots than the original Penta.

Snell said that because of its softer construction, the TP5 performs better for high-spin players from 150 yards and in. It will also reduce spin for those players on shots with drivers and three woods. But the favorite part of the ball for many TaylorMade Staff players is its softer feel, which according to Snell actually has little to do with the way a golf ball reacts with the club.

“In our research, feel is actually a product of sound,” Snell said. “It’s a subjective measurement, but the softer the sound, the more control tour players feel like they have off the face.”

TaylorMade’s Penta TP3 is a three-piece ball that features all the benefits of the TP5, yet will cost about $10 less per dozen. Its cover is made of the same ultra-thin cast thermoset urethane material, and has the same compression as the TP5, but it is designed to spin more on full shots. Without getting into the technical details of golf ball design, Snell offered an easy solution on which Penta better players should have in the bag.

“If the current Penta hits the green and stays, or it spins back a little with your shorter irons, play the TP5,” Snell said. “But if it bounces forward, you probably want to try the TP3. And I promise golfers won’t be able to tell a difference in how the balls feel. If they can, I need to hire them as a product tester, because our tour pros can’t even tell the difference.”

For players that struggle with shots “knuckling,” or “falling out of the sky,” trajectories which mean the golf ball does not have enough spin, Snell recommends that they try the Rocketballz ball, a three piece ball that will cost $26 per dozen.

“People don’t believe me when I say this, but the Rocketballz balls and balls like it are actually softer than tour balls,” Snell said. “If you don’t believe me, try bouncing them on a wedge.”

The reason the Rocketballz ball is softer than the Penta line of balls is because of its ionomer cover. But ionomer, like surlyn, another popular material for covers in less expensive golf balls, must be made thicker, and is not as good at creating spin around the green as urethane covers. These less expensive balls also lack the firmer outside mantle that makes balls feel louder and “clickier,” yet adds short-game spin.

“Better players get more performance with urethane as you get closer to the green,” Snell said. “That’s what you pay for.”

For that reason, the Rocketballz ball will pitch a little higher and with a little less spin than the TP5 and TP3. But what the Rocketballz ball lacks in greenside spin, it makes up for with full shots. The Rocketballz ball will launch higher and with more spin than the Penta balls, which means average golfers will be able to hit the Rocketballz ball further than the TP5 and TP3 – a huge advantage for those that struggle from tee to green.

What’s next?

Snell said it’s hard for him to predict what’s next for golf ball technology, but admits it will be hard to improve on the design of the this latest version of golf balls.

“Tour players like Jason Day, Sean O’Hair and Sergio Garcia – they tell me, ‘This is the ball that I love,’” Snell said. “We’ve got the top of the pyramid covered.”

With the success of Penta’s five layers, five shots campaign, Snell is often asked – “You get to have 14 clubs, so why not 14 layers?” It’s something Snell said could happen in the future. But what he really hopes he sees in the industry is better golf ball education and fitting.

“Right now we put players into categories when we’re designing golf balls,” Snell said. “As the categories get tighter, we can create more product, but I don’t think that’s the answer. It creates more confusion, because there’s no explanation for all the golf balls on the wall. In the future, I hope we can take all the feedback and help from the multilayer designs to design product for a stronger database of people. It would be nice to say, this is the tour ball for you.”

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Whats in the Bag

WITB Time Machine: Billy Horschel’s winning WITB, 2017 CJ Cup Byron Nelson

Published

2 hours ago

May 1, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

The tournament bearing the name of one of golf’s all-time greats is now known as the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Back in 2017, it was still the AT&T Byron Nelson and Billy Horschel was still a full-bag PXG staffer. The Florida Gator leveraged those wares to a playoff victory over Jason Day securing his fourth PGA Tour win in the process.

Check out the clubs Horschel had in play seven years ago in Texas.

Driver: PXG 0811X (9 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Atmos Tour Spec Black 6 X

3-wood: PXG 0341X (15 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 75 6.5

Check out more in-hand photos of Billy Horschel’s gear from 2017 here.

5-wood: PXG 0341 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 75 6.5

Irons: PXG 0311T (3, 5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Check out more in-hand photos of Billy Horschel’s gear from 2017 here.

Wedges: PXG 0311T Milled (52-10, 56-10, 60-07)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: PXG Bat Attack
Grip: SuperStroke Flatso 1.0

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Check out more in-hand photos of Billy Horschel’s gear from 2017 here.

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Equipment

How Cleveland Golf’s wedge selector tool improves the wedge buying process

Published

2 hours ago

May 1, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

More than most golfers would care to admit, confusion often reigns when it comes to selecting a wedge — let alone configuring an entire wedge setup. Make? Model? Loft? Grind? Finish? Two wedges? Three wedges? Four? The questions abound!

While it’s easy to get off the fairway and deep into the rough quickly, the framework question for choosing wedges is the same as the entirety of the golf bag: How should I set up my golf bag to shoot the lowest score possible?

Manufacturers, in addition to, well, manufacturing golf clubs, also understand that golfers need to make informed decisions to get the most out of their equipment. It’s with this in mind, and to help golfers answer the aforementioned foundational question about their wedge setup, that Cleveland Golf has launched its wedge selector too.

To learn more, we talked with Cleveland’s Senior Product Manager, Casey Shultz.

GolfWRX: What was Cleveland seeing in the marketplace that led to the development of the wedge selector? How do golfers benefit?

Casey Shultz: Currently, there is a lot of talk about what grind players should play and what is right for their game in that aspect of selecting a wedge. But there is more to improving wedge play than finding the proper grind. We would even argue it’s one of the smaller dials for improvement. Players can find more success with wedges designed from head shape to shaft, sole width, gapping, and then the grind. Putting a system in place that makes the process of selecting the right wedge easier is something we feel can have a massive impact, especially for recreational players.

GolfWRX: Now, in breaking down Cleveland’s wedge selector tool, the point of departure is figuring out whether you’re an RTX or CBX player. Can you briefly spell out who each of these wedges is for?

CS: For lower handicappers, the RTX series is our tour-validated line of blade wedges. These are for players looking to play a lot of open-faced shots around the green, prioritize workability, and like to flight their wedges. CBX wedges are designed to make the short game easier, while still offering some level of versatility for the mid-high handicapper looking for a wedge that will reduce chunks and add forgiveness on all strikes. CBX’s are also a great option due to them blending well in weight and shaping with more cavity back iron sets.

GolfWRX: Proceeding through the RTX wedge selector, one of the first forks in the road is wedge finish. Can you break down the finish options and the considerations for a golfer in making their selection?

CS: With the RTX series we offer Tour Satin, Black Satin, and Tour Rack finishes. Tour Satin is our most popular finish and offers the most grind options. With HydraZip face blasts on the newest RTX Wedges, glare is significantly reduced at address compared to other silver finish offerings. Black Satin offers custom skin options as personalization and is one of the more durable black finishes on the market but will have some visible wear over time especially on the sole. Finally, Tour Rack is our tour authentic raw finish that will rust over time. The Tour Rack finish also comes with the option of applying any of our Tour Crafted leading edge and sole grind offerings to the Wedge for players really looking to fine-tune their performance.

GolfWRX: Can you walk us through the rest of the RTX wedge fitting process?

CS: Once players have selected their preferred finish, we gather information on their iron set and loft preferences to determine proper gapping. A properly gapped set of wedges, both with each other and transitioning from a player’s last iron, is key to ensuring their set covers a wide range of approach yardages well. We then ask specific questions about the performance the player is looking to achieve in their sand and lob wedges to determine proper grinds for each of those wedges. Lastly, we confirm a preference for traditional or Full-Face grooves at each loft. Full-Face grooves offer a new level of versatility, especially with open-face shots, but it’s up to the player if they want to transition to this groove design. Our algorithm will then take these results and determine a set of wedges best suited to the player’s game.

GolfWRX: Let’s circle back to grinds. Is there a grind configuration across their wedges you’re seeing the majority of players choose or is it pretty evenly divided?

CS: The MID grind is certainly the most popular grind across all lofts, with the blend of versatility and forgiveness in a wide range of conditions suiting many players. In sand wedge lofts, the second most popular grind is our FULL, which has a little more bounce than the MID and is especially effective out of the sand or rough. In lob wedge lofts, the popular alternative to the MID is the LOW grind, offering max versatility around the greens. We’re also seeing more amateur and tour players opt for our Full-Face models, especially in the lob wedge lofts where they are planning to open the face and get creative around the greens.

GolfWRX: Can you take us through the CBX wedge selector?

CS: In the CBX selector, we start by determining if a player is looking to play a lob wedge or not. For many recreational golfers, a lob wedge may not be necessary for the consistent short-game performance they are looking to achieve. Next, the CBX selector focuses on ensuring players end up with a set that transitions well into their irons, while also staying within the constraints of a player’s bag setup. With new players distance, game improvement, and super game improvement iron lofts becoming stronger than those of the past, creating a properly gapped set of wedges is trickier than ever for these players. The selector tool takes the guesswork out of the equation, while also considering a player’s set makeup and interest in replacing a wedge. Finally, players are given the option of when or if they would like to transition into a Full-Face design for added spin on strikes all over the face.

GolfWRX: Is there anything else you think GolfWRXers need to know about Cleveland’s wedge selector tool?

CS: Our wedge selector tool is designed to be used in concert with our set builder webpages. At completion of the selector, a player’s recommended wedge set will automatically be applied to the appropriate set builder. From there, they can easily adjust components or build specs to every Wedge all in one place. Players can also add Tour Crafted sole and leading edge grinds to refine their performance on our Tour Rack wedges, or personalize custom characters, skins, and paintfill in the same place. It’s a one-stop shop to build the perfect wedge set for any player’s game.

This article was presented in partnership with Cleveland Golf. Check out the wedge selector here.

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Equipment

Golf fans left surprised by LIV’s choice of course for its 2024 individual championship event

Published

2 hours ago

May 1, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

On Tuesday, LIV announced their individual championship will be held at Bolingbrook Golf Club just outside of Chicago. The event will take place September 13-15.

The late announcement is seemingly due to LIV looking for the right course in the Chicago area that has the infrastructure that can accommodate a professional event.

The choice of Bolingbrook Golf Club has received some feedback on social media.

Maybe Rich Harvest Farms wasn't available? RHF is 50miles from Chicago but at least it's surrounded by farm land so plenty of space to set up

— Crawf_Indiana (@captaincrawf) April 30, 2024

Awful course choice, it's a dog track!

— Rob (@piratedwight) April 30, 2024

????#LOOK: Bolingbrook GC in Illinois, site of LIV Golf’s just announced Individual Championship has tee times available around the $50 mark.

Are you teeing it up here? pic.twitter.com/b8Lgv9ZzhK

— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) April 30, 2024

LIV fans were quick to point out that Bethpage Black, which is hosting the 2025 Ryder Cup, can also be played for a reasonable price, making the point the greens fees don’t always equate to the quality of the golf course.

During LIV’s first two seasons, LIV utilized Rich Harvest Farms in Chicago. It’s unclear why that course is off the rotation in favor of Bolingbrook.