Bridgestone balls performing differently than I expected...

[youngskip40]

So I've been trying to find a new ball because the Pro V1 is too spinny for me and I've never been in love with the Pro V1x... so recently I've been trying out some Bridgestone balls with pretty good results, but I'm a bit confused.

I thought the B330-S ball was supposed to be the equivalent, so to speak, of the Pro V1, and the B330 is closer to the Pro V1x.

When I've been playing the Bridgestones, I see very similar results with both balls, but it seems like for me, the B330 spins MORE than the B330-S. Especially on full swings with short irons and wedges, the B330 (which I thought was supposed to spin less) can suck back 10 to 20 feet on soft greens sometimes even when I don't want it to, while the B330-S has a nice one hop and check, or I'm able to draw it back up to 10 feet or so if I want.

The distance is pretty consistent with both, maybe a slight edge to the B330, but no significant loss of distance in the S, and the feel again is pretty much the same, they both feel a little firmer than the Pro V, but not in a bad way and I've been able to get used to that.

Have I got this backwards? Or has anyone else experienced the same kind of thing with these 2 balls?

[Chief Broom]

I have no idea what is actually the case but in Bridgestone's advertisements they maintain that their tour balls are to be chosen by swingspeed as opposed to spin rate. In other words the B330RX is for amature swingspeeds (less than 100mph), the B330S is for swingspeeds betwwen 105-115mph and the B330 is for 115mph plus. I could be off slightly on those numbers (I'm just typing this from memory) but that is the gist of their marketing for the tour balls. Now their e5+, e6+, and e7+ lines are based on shot trajectory and spin. e5+ is higher spin/higher ball flight; the e6+ is lower spin, straighter ball flight; and the e7+ is lower ball flight.

[youngskip40]

I have no idea what is actually the case but in Bridgestone's advertisements they maintain that their tour balls are to be chosen by swingspeed as opposed to spin rate. In other words the B330RX is for amature swingspeeds (less than 100mph), the B330S is for swingspeeds betwwen 105-115mph and the B330 is for 115mph plus. I could be off slightly on those numbers (I'm just typing this from memory) but that is the gist of their marketing for the tour balls. Now their e5+, e6+, and e7+ lines are based on shot trajectory and spin. e5+ is higher spin/higher ball flight; the e6+ is lower spin, straighter ball flight; and the e7+ is lower ball flight.

Yeah, but swing speed is a bit too general for choosing a ball. There's other aspects in choosing a ball then basing it on your clubhead speed, just like there are other aspects that affect what shaft you should pick outside of clubhead speed.

That's just a generalization for the purpose of advertising. Like the generalization of "amateur" swingspeeds. I'm an amateur... and I'm well over 100 mph clubhead speed. It's not like you turn pro and suddenly gain 20 mph in clubhead speed. But that's a dumb relation.

[iacas]

Swing speed is typically only used as a very general, basic fitting guide, and the reason they typically recommend harder balls for higher swing speeds is because often the lower swing speeds don't generate enough spin with the driver and other longer clubs to keep the ball airborne as long as they could with a softer ball (which will spin more).

To get back to the OP, my experience confirms that the B330-S spins a bit more - just a little - and feels a bit softer. I think off full shots they may spin nearly the same, but it's spin around the greens and with other short shots - a 40-yard wedge that actually takes a hop and pulls back a foot versus one that just takes a hop and rolls two feet - that differentiate the two. In my experience, anyway. I haven't tried the Bridgestones in 2009, but I think they're still the same as last year.

[rebby]

I haven't tried the Bridgestones in 2009, but I think they're still the same as last year.

From what I've read the B330's changed this year. The 2007-8 balls were 3 piece and the 2009 balls are 4 piece. The 2009's are also a tad softer and have a little higher spin rate than the 2007's.

In my testing, I found the B330 and B330-S very similar. The B330-S had a little softer feel and higher spin but the difference was not drastic by any means. In the end, I felt that the B330-S was a better fit for me. For what it's worth, I'm generally "backwards" in ball selection. What I mean by that is with a driver swing speed of 118mph, I'm always fitted for the lower spinning ball (ie: the Pro V1x or B330). Oddly enough I've always felt the higher spinning/softer ball was a better fit for me (ie: Pro v1 or B330-S) so you may want to take my comments with a grain of salt.

[youngskip40]

Swing speed is typically only used as a very general, basic fitting guide, and the reason they typically recommend harder balls for higher swing speeds is because often the lower swing speeds don't generate enough spin with the driver and other longer clubs to keep the ball airborne as long as they could with a softer ball (which will spin more).

I would agree that on the touch shots there is a

little bit more spin with the B330-S, but for some reason on full swings the exact opposite has been true. I think, though, after reading the post after yours that I may have figured out the culprit. I believe the sleeve of B330-S balls that I picked up was an older sleeve and the B330 was the 2009 version, which theoretically would make them more similar in their spin characteristics. If it's true that the 09 balls spin a tad more, that very well could be why I'm getting flip-flopped results. Thanks guys.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I played a couple of rounds with a sleeve of B330 RX last week. They're actually too soft and spin too much. It felt like i was hitting one of those pelz practice balls. Espeically with the driver.

[Damien45]

Yeah, but swing speed is a bit too general for choosing a ball. There's other aspects in choosing a ball then basing it on your clubhead speed, just like there are other aspects that affect what shaft you should pick outside of clubhead speed.

It has to do with the core compression.

According to Bridgestone, slower swing speeds do not compress the core enough to last the entire ball flight. As the core decompresses in flight the side spin starts to take over and slice/hook. That is why they offer the 3 tour balls that they do, based on the swing speed. The only real difference is the core compression appearantly. So the spin around the greens would be similiar, but not identical. Whereas the driver spin, and flight, is the true difference. This is all based on my conversation at the Demo Day I went to.

[anthonykim3]

if a ball has a harder compression rate and you can't compress it it will spin more ie. 2007 golf digest ball test prov 1x spinning more than the pro v1

[iacas]

if a ball has a harder compression rate and you can't compress it it will spin more ie. 2007 golf digest ball test prov 1x spinning more than the pro v1

The 2007 Pro V1x did spin a bit more off irons (not the driver) with some swing conditions. Not all, but some. On short game shots and with the driver, the Pro V1 still spun more due to the lower compression and the softer cover.

But higher compression balls don't spin more when you don't compress them. That part's backwards.

According to Bridgestone, slower swing speeds do not compress the core enough to last the entire ball flight. As the core decompresses in flight the side spin starts to take over and slice/hook.

The ball decompresses the instant it leaves the club. It has the same backspin and sidespin properties (except to lose some of each throughout the duration of the flight).

A good ball flight, particularly with the driver, requires a few things: ball speed, launch angle, and spin. With lower swing speed you'll get lower ball speed, and that'll require a higher launch angle and more spin to keep the ball aloft. A higher compression ball won't compress as much and thus won't get as much spin. It'll knuckle off the driver a little bit, and THAT is why a lot of ball companies tout their lower compression balls as "for slower swing speeds."