Rumors of a TaylorMade branded ball have been floating around the internet for some time now. Most assumed, however, that when it did happen, the ball would be at most a rebranded MaxFli. It was a good assumption, given that Maxfli is owned by TaylorMade. It’s an assumption that was solidified when John Daly was signed to promote Maxfli balls and TaylorMade clubs.

But it turns out that that we underestimated TaylorMade’s commitment to the cutthroat ball market.

The new TaylorMade balls are just that—TaylorMade balls. Branded the TaylorMade Tour Preferred (TP), they come in red and black versions. The TP Red offers a lower spin rate and lower launch angle for increased distance. The TP Black has a higher launch angle for players with slower swing speeds (this is the one the GolfBlogger will be playing).

So why did TaylorMade do it? Because, they say, TaylorMade is recognized as the best performance brand in the world (and the GolfBlogger would have to agree with that statement). The new balls, according to TaylorMade, will extend that tour-caliber performance into the ball market.

Already a number of pros have switched to the TaylorMade ball, including Sergio Garcia and Hale Irwin. The prototype Garcia has been using for months was a TaylorMade TP with Maxfli branding.

Somehow, I don’t think that these PRECEPT Lady S-III-Multi balls are going to catch on with guys the way the original “Lady” did.

But that’s ok, because these are surely marketed for the growing women’s golf market.

The ball is designed to have a very soft feel to minimize vibration and shock through a player’s hand—it has a 50 compression. The 330 dimple design is optimized to encourage a higher ball flight off the club face. In all, its exactly what’s needed for the slower swings of the ladies.

And, they come in cool colors.

PRECEPT Lady S-III-Multi

The Nike Ignite is a three peice ball that Nike says is for the player who likes low spin, penetrating flight and longer distance.

I’m curious about the marketing of this one, though. The Ignite name belongs to a club that is—well— “so last year.” It seems to me that real marketing genius would be to offer a club and a matching ball at the same time. And from a technological standpoint, wouldn’t it be nice to ahve a ball that is designed to take advantage of the properties of a particular driver or irons set.

Nonetheless, this is a ball that I’m going to try as soon as the weather warms up.

NIKE Ignite Golf Ball

Bridgestone Golf has been around for quite a while, but its only in the last couple of years that I’ve seen their balls on the shelves of local pro shops and retailers. They are fast gaining a reputation for quality. I know a golfer who has converted in the last year to Bridgestone balls and swears that they are the best on the market.

The E5 and E6 models made Golf Digest’s 2006 Hot List for Value Performance balls.

The E5 is designed to produce higher trajectory for greater distance, while still offering soft feel around the green. The ball has a two-piece urethane cover with a seamless 432-dimple pattern. The Seamless Cover Technology is supposed to eliminate any vagries in ball flight that come from the intersection of seams and dimples.

Bridgestone’s E6 is aimed at players who need to hit the fairway more often.  The 330-dimple design and the seamless cover are designed to reduce sidespin, and thus, hooks and slices.

Interestingly, Golf Digest’s criticism of the two balls was that the editors were “not sure how to choose between the two.” Let me help them out: E5=Distance; E6=Accuracy.

BRIDGESTONE E5 Golf Ball

BRIDGESTONE E6 Golf Ball

I’ve speculated that The Masters would be the first tournament to go to a standardized ball, but it seems that the Ohio Golf Association will beat them to the punch.

GolfWeek is reporting that the Ohio Golf Association will use a standardized ball in the Ohio Champions Tournament this August. Golfweek reports that

Although OGA executive director Jim Popa is quick to point out that the tournament ball “is not a short ball, but rather a uniform ball,” it doesn’t take much imagination to understand what the OGA is doing.

Alan Fadel, a former PGA Tour player who has been a reinstated amateur for almost 20 years, is chairman of the OGA ball committee.

“We haven’t chosen the exact ball yet,” Fadel said, “but we are leaning to one that optimizes (distance efficiency off the tee) between 100 and 105 miles per hour (driver swing speed). The ball is not going to benefit somebody at 120 (mph) the way the current ball does. We are trying to achieve a little more equality, that’s all. The guy who swings 120 will still hit it farther than most of the other players, but not quite so far.

I have to say that I’m conflicted over this standardized ball thing. On the one hand, it does seem that the ability to fine tune the ball has given an oversized advantage to the big hitters. But on the other, I wonder if they should be penalized just because they’re good enough to take advantage of that technology.

It still seems to me that the thing to do is to narrow the fairways or let the rough grow deeper. I’ve read that four inch rough will just about force every player to try to get the ball in the fairway. The lie, otherwise, is too risky.

But this thing with the ball bears watching.

MaxFli’s Noodle isn’t so much a golf ball as it is a series. There are currently four versions, and all of them made Golf Digest’s 2006 Hot List in the Value Performance category.

The four Noodles are: Long and Soft, Softest, Longest, and Noodle Ice.

I like the Noodle and have gone through stretches where I’ve played it, but for some reason, I sometimes have a hard time finding it on the shelves. In the best case scenario for MaxFli, that could be a sign that it sells out quickly. I’ve had an easier time getting the MaxFli Revolution balls.

The Long and Soft version is just that: Long and Soft. For me, it goes just as far as the premium balls, and has a nice soft feel around the greens and with a putter. And you can’t beat the price.

Maxfli Noodle Lively Core Distance Golf Balls

Maxfli Noodle Golf Balls Logn and Soft - 15Pk

Maxfli Noodle Ice Golf Balls

I have liked all of the incarnations of the NXT ball over the last couple of years. And this year’s model is the Golf Digest 2006 Hot List Editor’s Choice for a value performance ball. They call it the “working man’s” Pro V1.

I’ve generally liked the NXT, and have played it during various stretches. But I typically prefer a softer feel, and when I play a Titleist, it usually the DT So/Lo. I probably am a little longer off the tee with the NXT, but I feel more comfortable with a softer ball around the greens.

For me, the best thing about all of the Titleist balls is their toughness. You can pop them off trees, skip them up cart paths, and richochet them off sprinkler heads and they stilll are playable. I have yet to see another ball that can survive as many rounds as a Titleist.

TITLEIST NXT Tour