Taylormade Project (a) Golf Balls

[Fozcycle]

You were selected to receive a free sleeve of our new Project (a) Golf Balls, the #1 Amateur Ball at the 2014 AT&T; Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

You can expect them to arrive in the next 2-3 weeks. When you get them, we suggest that you take them out on course and test them from 30-60 yards. Notice how the ball reacts when it lands and you'll discover why Project (a) was the choice of 83 Amateurs in the AT&T; Pebble Beach National Pro-Am including the eventual winner.

We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see the extra spin you’ll be able to generate which will lead to closer proximity to the hole and hopefully lower scores! And you can get all of this without giving up the maximum distance you crave off the tee! We’d love to have your feedback! Be one of the first to review this new ball at http://taylormadegolf.com/balls/projecta.html - if you do, please note in your review that the balls were provided to you in connection with this promotion.

Thanks!
-TaylorMade Golf

That was the email I got today........looking forward to testing them.

Anyone get this?

[RayG]

Yes, I got mine as well... except I didn't sign up for it. I DID sign up for the Speedblade thing, though. Is this a concession prize or something?

[JPK1988]

I signed up, thinking sure why not give them shot, and got declined... Fine by me I'll stick to Titleist, who's had the same top-level ball for 15 years while TM is on 3? 4? in the last 5 years? TP Black, Penta, TP5, Back to tourpreferred?...

[treebound]

I got "selected" as well. Now too see if the balls get here before the snow melts, if so then there will be a slight delay in any review.

[RayG]

Oh, sorry- I just realized that it was part of the "iWant" promo and not the speedblade thing. So I DID sign up for it. So I WON!

[colin007]

Is this supposed to replace the TP5/Penta? I didn't get that impression, more so that it's going to be the mid tier ball like the NXT to the ProV

[tristanhilton85]

I signed up, thinking sure why not give them shot, and got declined... Fine by me I'll stick to Titleist, who's had the same top-level ball for 15 years while TM is on 3? 4? in the last 5 years? TP Black, Penta, TP5, Back to tourpreferred?...

I don't think that's a fair comment... just because Titleist hasn't changed the name of their top level ball doesn't mean that they haven't had just as many... They release a new one every other year, just like TM and Callaway, etc. TaylorMade just happens to have a new name each time.

Is this supposed to replace the TP5/Penta? I didn't get that impression, more so that it's going to be the mid tier ball like the NXT to the ProV

No. The Tour Preferred balls will replace the Lethal which was the replacement for the Penta and the TP5. The Project (a) essentially replaces their mid level urethane ball (the Rocketballz Urethane, TP3).

[saevel25]

I don't think that's a fair comment... just because Titleist hasn't changed the name of their top level ball doesn't mean that they haven't had just as many... They release a new one every other year, just like TM and Callaway, etc. TaylorMade just happens to have a new name each time.

No. The Tour Preferred balls will replace the Lethal which was the replacement for the Penta and the TP5. The Project (a) essentially replaces their mid level urethane ball (the Rocketballz Urethane, TP3).

Isn't that Taylormades MO really. They tend to go with a lot of different names. Titleist banks in on the same name. So it is just a different philosophy on business model really.

[tristanhilton85]

Yeah. Titleist seems to name things in a particular way whether that be 7xx irons, 9xx woods or the Pro V1 balls. I just didn't think it was fair to say "look at all the different balls TM has had while Titleist has only had one," when in reality they've had roughly the same number of balls but TM just uses new names.

[RayG]

I was just thinking the same thing- The "cachet" of a 'Pro V1' or V1X is plenty for them to get folks to buy them. And don't believe for a second they aren't a different ball EVERY YEAR. they just choose to stick with the recognition of the name. But Titlelist certainly has it's share of ball models that get confusing. It drove me nuts when I was playing the Callaway iX tour. Then it was gone.. changed the name to something else and never really could figure what replaced it. Dabbled with the Lethal and Rocketballz Urethanes and then spent most of last year playing the 3UP ball (and loving it).

[Fozcycle]

According to Taylormade, as can be seen if you select the link I poted earlier.....

TaylorMade engineers have designed a radically new ball for competitive mid-handicappers who need more approach-shot spin. Project (a) is long off every club and feels great. Best, it helps you generate the extra spin you need to stop the ball closer to the hole, leaving you shorter putts to promote lower scores. Project (a)'s game-changing spin comes from SOFT TECH™. TaylorMade's new cast urethane cover that's specially formulated to be soft, durable, and very responsive.

This ball is for those with average swing speeds that want more stop 7 grab around the green.......cost is set at $31.99

[Mr. Desmond]

According to Taylormade, as can be seen if you select the link I poted earlier.....

TaylorMade engineers have designed a radically new ball for competitive mid-handicappers who need more approach-shot spin. Project (a) is long off every club and feels great. Best, it helps you generate the extra spin you need to stop the ball closer to the hole, leaving you shorter putts to promote lower scores. Project (a)'s game-changing spin comes from SOFT TECH™. TaylorMade's new cast urethane cover that's specially formulated to be soft, durable, and very responsive.

This ball is for those with average swing speeds that want more stop 7 grab around the green.......cost is set at $31.99

The RBZ Urethane at the same price point did a fine job stopping the ball on full shots. It's the delicate, partial shots or shots out of the rough with a 56-60 that balls in this price range tend to be weak - they roll out more than your higher priced premiums.

Now Callaway seems to say we've made a ball for different speeds for longer distance and great premium spin on all shots. For $16 less, TM says its new cover makes a spin difference ... but on partials at that price range? That would be nice, but color me skeptical.

As to naming, Titleist has built the ProV1 as a separate brand - it has a life of its own, so it's best to keep the ProV1 Brand -- it's substantial and stands for "the best ball in golf" in many golfer's eyes.

TM has no such sub-brand. Its brand is TM -- so its strategy seems to be "we'll name the ball something new every year to show golfers it is new and improved. The TM brand will sell it."

[tristanhilton85]

As to naming, Titleist has built the ProV1 as a separate brand - it has a life of its own, so it's best to keep the ProV1 Brand -- it's substantial and stands for "the best ball in golf" in many golfer's eyes.

TM has no such sub-brand. Its brand is TM -- so its strategy seems to be "we'll name the ball something new every year to show golfers it is new and improved. The TM brand will sell it."

Yeah, ProV1 is definitely a brand on it's own and there is a good reason that Titleist sticks with it.

I get the feeling that TM is going to try to do the same thing with their Tour Preferred brand as they are bringing that back this year.

[Mr. Desmond]

Yeah, ProV1 is definitely a brand on it's own and there is a good reason that Titleist sticks with it.

I get the feeling that TM is going to try to do the same thing with their Tour Preferred brand as they are bringing that back this year.

Agree -

I don't know the strategy of Callaway and TM as to getting away from the respective "Tour Authentic" and "Tour Preferred" lines. After all, TItleist doesn't have a Tour Preferred brand. Perhaps these brands did not want amateurs to think there was any difference between what a fitted amateur uses and what a fitted professional uses. The strategy is "this is your R1." No difference, just fitted differently.

Now TM is abandoning that idea...

[treebound]

Got my sleeve of Project(a) balls in the mail today. Kind of neat that they are numbered 00. Now if the weather would break and the green grass would surface from below the sheets of ice I could give these balls a try.

[Fozcycle]

Got mine yesterday.......my wife said "now what did you buy?"

[k-troop]

I was just thinking the same thing- The "cachet" of a 'Pro V1' or V1X is plenty for them to get folks to buy them. And don't believe for a second they aren't a different ball EVERY YEAR. they just choose to stick with the recognition of the name.

I actually think you've got it a little backwards.  Don't believe for a second that it's a "radical new ball design...."  Taylormade debuts the same ball every year with a new name, while Titleist sticks to the same name but slightly changes the box or the stamping.

Yes, it's a "different ball."  But it's not the revolution in golf ball design technology as the marketing would have you believe.

[Fozcycle]

I actually think you've got it a little backwards.  Don't believe for a second that it's a "radical new ball design...."  Taylormade debuts the same ball every year with a new name, while Titleist sticks to the same name but slightly changes the box or the stamping. Yes, it's a "different ball."  But it's not the revolution in golf ball design technology as the marketing would have you believe.

Gods point k-troop, as a Titleist ball tester, I get a sleeve to test every October. It seems that they do change the design a bit every year, but they alternate years with the NXT & DT Solo one year then the ProV1 & ProV1x the next.