When it comes to golf balls, many golfers end up falling into the trap of either going for whatever is cheapest/on offer/found at the bottom of their bag, or just going for one of the premium balls because they're supposed to be best for them.
But there are plenty of other models available to help everyday golfers get the best from their game.
Step forward the new Tour Response and Soft Response balls from TaylorMade, which take some of the brand's tour-proven technologies and implement them into a ball which will suit the average golfer and won't cost a bomb. There's also a pretty interesting new take on golf ball alignment aids too...
TaylorMade Tour Response Golf Ball
The new Tour Response ball is highlighted by the introduction of the Tour Flight Dimple Pattern, the same as the one found in the TP5 and TP5x balls, and is designed to improve aerodynamics while promoting carry distance.
A new unique dual-radius dimple shape consists of a shallower dimple with the same volume as in the previous ball, optimising airflow during its flight to reduce drag and improve launch.
The ball also takes inspiration from the TP5 line by including the same Speedmantle with HFM (High Flex Modulus). A firmer second layer surrounds the low compression core, helping the ball to 'explode' off the face to maximise energy transfer at impact for faster ball speeds.
The Tour Response is designed to met the needs of non-tour golfers thanks to the 100% cast urethane cover, which adds greenside spin and improves feel compared to an ionomer cover.
The crosslinking chemical reaction used to form the urethane also has the added benefit of improving durability and shear resistance. TaylorMade's testing found that the new cover is 12% softer and 36% more flexible than the previous ball.
At 70 compression, the ball also comes with a Hi-Spring core that is designed to maximise the ball speed produced in a soft feeling golf ball.
Available from March 18th, the Tour Response is priced at an RRP of £39.99 per dozen and is available in either white or high visibility yellow. The new yellow urethane cover is designed to help prevent chipper paint and provide more visibility.
TaylorMade Tour Response Stripe Golf Ball
A new addition to the Tour Response range, the Tour Response Stripe is the latest innovation in alignment technology which has been one of the most popular new trends in the last few years.
Drawing inspiration from the pix design and ClearPath Alignment technologies, the new Stripe design means that this is the easiest-to-align golf ball that TaylorMade have made.
The 22-milimetre band wraps around the centre of the golf ball and helps golfers to aim putts better, faster and more consistently. Inside the band is a thin black line, designed to match with putter sight lines for better alignment at address.
The multi-colour design is also a useful way of gaining instant feedback on the quality of the roll after each putt. Proper strikes can be quickly identified as the stripe rolls 'end over end' towards the hole, whilst off-centre strikes will show the band wobbling.
The Tour Response Stripe is also available from March 18th at a price of £39.99 per dozen.
TaylorMade Soft Response Golf Ball
The softest ball in TaylorMade's range, the Soft Response is now even softer from cover to core and is designed to give amateur golfers more feel while maintaining distance and ball speed.
It's designed for golfers with moderate swing speeds thanks to a new softer core and ionomer cover to add more spin around the greens.
This puts the compression of the ball down to 50, compared to 60 in the previous Soft Response. Adding a 3-piece construction creates efficient energy transfer at impact to provide the combination of soft feel with plenty of ball speed and distance.
An Extended Flight Dimple Pattern decreases drag and optimises lift, which allows the ball to stay in the air longer for those golfers who generate lower speeds and less spin.
The Soft Response is available from March 18th at an RRP of £29.99, in either white or high visibility yellow.
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