● TAYLORMADE PERFORMANCE ★ ★ ★ ★ INNOVATION ★ ★ ★ ★ IS IT FOR YOU?
● TITLEIST
● WILSON DUO SOFT R35 PERFORMANCE ★ ★ ★ ★ INNOVATION ★ ★ ★ ★
● XXIO REBOUND DRIVE II RXX PERFORMANCE ★ ★ ★ ★ INNOVATION ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
SPEEDSOFT R35
TOUR SOFT R50
PERFORMANCE ★ ★ ★ ★ INNOVATION ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
IS IT FOR YOU?
IS IT FOR YOU?
IS IT FOR YOU?
• Sub-50 compression provides a cushiony feel • Ionomer cover is highly durable • SpeedSoft Ink delivers a paint-splatter visual FEEL RATING (SOFT-FIRM) . . . . . << . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT GAME (POOR-EXCELLENT) . . . . . . . . . . >> . . . . . . . . FULL SWING (POOR-EXCELLENT) . . . . . . . . . . . >> . . . . . . .
• More spin and feel than a typical ionomer cover • Large core delivers increased ball speed • Low compression fosters a soft feel at impact FEEL RATING (SOFT-FIRM) . . . . . . << . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT GAME (POOR-EXCELLENT) . . . . . . . . . . . . >> . . . . . . FULL SWING (POOR-EXCELLENT) . . . . . . . . . . . >> . . . . . . .
• More short-game spin than most low-compression balls • Four coloured matte finishes: green, red, yellow and orange FEEL RATING (SOFT-FIRM) . . . . . << . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT GAME (POOR-EXCELLENT) . . . . . . . . . . >> . . . . . . . . FULL SWING (POOR-EXCELLENT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . >> . . . . .
• Low compression offers a soft feel in a distance ball • The 338-dimple pattern promotes a higher flight • Also available in lime yellow and pink FEEL RATING (SOFT-FIRM) . . . . . . . << . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT GAME (POOR-EXCELLENT) . . . . . . . . . . . >> . . . . . . . FULL SWING (POOR-EXCELLENT) . . . . . . . . . . . . >> . . . . . .
WILL THE BALL ROLLBACK REALLY ROLL BACK THE GAME (YOURS INCLUDED)?
● The USGA and R&A’s golf-ball rollback is essentially an effort to mitigate the progress of elite male golfers and involves increasing the swing speed of the robot that tests balls by eight kilometres per hour. This would make every ball currently played on the pro tours non-conforming. The rule will go into effect in 2028 for elite competition and for all golfers in 2030. Average driving distance on the PGA Tour has reached nearly 300 yards, about 40 yards more than it was 30 years ago, and ball speed of the top 50 players is 15 kph faster than it was 15 years ago. Bryson DeChambeau ( left ) can produce ball speeds in excess of 320 kph. The rollback could temper tour driving distance by 14 metres, but for how long? Elite female and recreational golfers are likely to be im- pacted less. For swings of 144 kph or lower, the new rule could be negligible, according to research, maybe five metres total for two full swings on a long par 4. The USGA has said that a certain percentage of balls could still conform, but those models won’t be around in five years. What might be around are new balls ad- hering to the new guidelines that might be even bet- ter for average golfers. Wedge designs, for example, flourished in the years after the 2010 grooves rollback. Maybe the golf-ball rollback will inspire a similar imaginative turn in ball design. – MIKE STACHURA
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 107
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator