2015 Newport Cup Sponsor Thread: Kick X Balls

[mvmac]

Each Newport Cup player received a dozen Kick X Tour Z premium golf balls. The players really loved how these balls performed during the matches.

This thread is for the posting of comments, photos of the balls, discussion of how they performed, and anything else Newport Cup team members want to share about the Kick X balls. If any other forum members have any questions for the team members, ask them here.

For now, @iacas and I would like to send a hearty THANK YOU to Kick X Golf!

[jbishop15]

These felt so good off the club face. I usually play a ProV1 or a Bridgestone B-330, but I think I like the KickX Tour Z balls better. According to testing, they spin several hundred RPMs less than the ProV1 while still retaining good feel, and that is perfect for me; I am a long hitter off the tee, and anytime I can reduce spin with the driver and pick up distance and accuracy I am all in.

I also liked the way they felt off the irons. They felt soft, and landed nicely.

I will say that I am not that enamored with the putting aid. It doesn't distract me, but it doesn't really change much for me either. I like to use the line, but don't obsess over it; the triple lined thing they use to properly align you is helpful, but a little over the top.

Would love to play these balls again.

[saevel25]

Over the past couple of years I've been really finding out which golf balls I like the best. I've come up with a short list.

Bridgestone B330

Pro-V1x

Snell My Tour Ball

KickX

I would say any of these are interchangeable. If you want a slightly less spinier golf ball off the driver then I would recommend the KickX. I think it ranks up there with any of the top premium golf balls. The price being upwards of 12-15 dollars less a dozen they are a great value.

I highly recommend anyone trying out the KickX golf balls.

My only complaint would be that I do not like line up marks on the ball while putting. I rather them just leave it blank for us who don't use them.

[Golfingdad]

I am not terribly picky when it comes to golf balls.  I exclusively (for the most part) use premium balls, but I don't have a strong loyalty to a particular brand at this point.  I like Prov1, B330, Snell, Chrome Soft, and KickX.

One thing in particular about the KickX that does stand out a bit is that I find it to be a little less spinny with the wedges while still holding with longer clubs.  It seems that no matter what club I hit into a green with, if I hit a good shot the ball and the pitch mark are always fairly close to each other.**  That is very confidence inspiring and removes an extra variable from your decision making.  No need to consider anything but carry distance.

**At Moon Valley on their very firm bermuda greens, this wasn't the case very often, but it wasn't the case for any other ball either. :)

Another thing I like is the large and colorful markings.  I like standing out in a sea of Titleists and Bridgestones with something that is really hard for somebody to mistake as their ball.  I do not use a line while putting so the alignment aid doesn't factor in for me, but it could be good for those who do.

I would definitely recommend these balls to anybody looking for something new.  They are solid.

All in all, I love playing KickX balls and can't thank them enough for supplying me with a dozen for the tournament!!  (And I'm very glad I only managed to lose 2 or 3 of them.)

[mchepp]

About 5 years ago I told a friend that there was a real need in the market for a low price tour performing golf ball. Basically something to compete with the Pro V1 but at less that $40. It seems that many others had the same idea as me. Today there are a few different choices from Callaway, Snell, and another in that category is KickX. If we did a blind taste test, or rather, feel test I doubt many golfer could correctly identify the difference between the KickX and the Pro V1. They may even find themselves hitting the KickX a little farther than the Pro V1 and pick the KickX even before they find out it is less than the Pro V1.

I found the ball to perform great and will be sharing it with friends to let them know about this great ball.

[SavvySwede]

Played great with the Kick X Tour Z during the Newport Cup and now after giving it some extra testing on my home greens I have to say it's a winner. Less spin overall than a prov1 or v1x but enough stopping power to get the job done. Only place you'd really notice the reduction in spin is those 30-50 yards from a tight fairway lie but the overall accuracy boost in the long game more than makes up for it. Just a very straight ball. My AoA is less than ideal with the driver and the reduced driver spin off this ball has really helped me find a few more fairways and probably a couple extra yards to boot. The feel and sound are fairly muted which I liked but as other posters have noted the markings and logo take up a bit too much real estate on the balls surface. I prefer to leave it white side up when putting. I'd probably switch if I didn't have 1000+ balls chilling out in my basement, a solid overall performer.

[kpaulhus]

I didnt want to post my review of Kick X right after the Newport Cup because I hadnt given them a chance yet. I brought a trusty dozen ProV1x's with me and I intended on using them.

After two weeks and 5 rounds with the Kick X balls I must say, they are a great ball. I performance off the tee and approaches to greens is very similar to any premium ball I have played. Im not a fan of the putting aid, but I didnt use any putting aids before so that is kinda of a non factor. I think the Kick X spins somewhere between a ProV1 and a ProV1x, so its a pretty sweet ball. Not backing up hard off greens but also not really releasing. The ball kinda checks and sits close to its pitch mark on the green. Its soft and again, feels like most other Premium balls off the club face.. The kicker for this golf ball, is the price. I believe they are $10-15 less per dozen. I would highly recommend this ball to anyone looking for premium performance without the premium price tag.

[Big C]

Thanks to Kick X for providing a dozen balls to each of the Newport Cup participants. After playing a couple rounds with these balls in the weeks after the event, I am pleased to add them to my rotation (along with the Bridgestone B-330's, Callaway Chrome Soft's and Pro V-1x). Unlike the other premium balls, which all pretty much perform the same, I did notice a couple of distinct differences with the Kick X balls that I thought worth mentioning.

On the positive side, the Kick X Balls are LONG off the tee. I know every ball touts their ability to maximize distance, but the Kick X is the only premium ball where I have actually noticed a difference. My well struck drives havve picked up at least 5-10 yards when compared to other balls I usually play. And as @SavvySwede noted above, I see a modest decrease on the sidespin on slightly mis-hit shots. So my well hit drives are going longer and my below average drives are missing the fairway by less. All good news!

In terms of the short game, the Kick X performs comparably to other balls. The Pro V stands alone in terms of checking action around the greens, but the Kick X responds nicely, lands softly and generally speaking, does exactly what I expect it to.

The only downside to the Kick X, is that it doesn't seem to provide as much hold on longer iron shots compared to other premium balls. When I hit my irons slightly thin, most other premium balls will "bail me out" of those low, hot shots by giving enough check to stop within a few yards of the landing spot. I have had a few instances with the Kick X where my thin iron shots would hit the green, but continue to roll for another 30-40 feet, in some cases rolling me off the green - other times, leaving me with very long putts. It's a minor issue, but it happens once or twice per round, so enough that I thought worth mentioning.

But all in all, the additional distance off the tee has made a noticeable difference in my game. Hitting short wedges into par 4's and long irons into par 5's makes the game a whole lot more fun. I am happy to recommend Kick X to anyone who asks about it.

[GolfLug]

Kick X is a great addition to my rotation of balls. I mostly use TM Penta TP (old mdel but sells for less) and Maxfli Tours, which are adequate great for my level of play. I would say Kick X performs at a similar level for irons, wedges and putters.

A noticeable difference is in the length of driver. It is 8-10 yards longer when comparing best hits. For a short hitter these are very valuable yards! It just feels a bit heavier of the face (good thing).

Honestly, I am not crazy about the markings since I like subtle/minimalist graphics but it is a low priority feature in general.

Also, since I play similarly priced balls it is not a great difference for me but for anybody paying $40+ currently for a dozen premiums should give these a go.

Truly appreciative of the dozen trials balls for the Newport Cup event!

Regards,
Vishal

[Club Rat]

First off, thank you Kick X for providing a great product to TST members and to the players who participated recently in the Newport Cup.

I have played the Kick X ball on occasion for over three years.

They are a very good ball, equal to the best premium golf balls available, in my opinion.

I like the feel they have with all aspects, full shots to putting.

As a senior golfer, with a lower swing speed, the Kick X ball is very suitable within my game and performs to all standards and expectations.

I have recommended them to many friends and several have purchased them and are still playing them.

I also have mentioned numerous times on TST, my highly valued opinion of the Kick X golf ball.

Again, thanks for the opportunity to play and evaluate your product.

Club Rat