Golfing News & Blog Articles

Bridgestone e9 Long Drive Golf Ball – Key Takeaways

Designed by Bridgestone for official World Long Drive competitionsFirm enough for distance, soft enough for low spin$29.99/dozen. Available at retail in March

The new Bridgestone e9 Long Drive golf ball is, as far as we know, a first.

As in, it is—we believe—the first golf ball designed specifically for the Professional Long Drivers and World Long Drive Associations. If you watch any of those long drive competitions on TV, they’ll be smashing the new Bridgestone e9.

And it also fills a bit of a void that’s been in the golf ball marketplace since the days of the old Rock Flites: a firm true distance ball.

Just how this ball came about is actually a pretty cool story. We promise you, if you tee this one up, it’ll go high, far and deep.

 Bridgestone e9 Long Drive – The Genesis

“It’s a culmination of two different projects we’ve been working on,” says Elliot Mellow, Bridgestone’s Golf Ball Marketing Manager. “The perfect storm ultimately led to the e9.”

Titleist has announced black versions of its T-Series iron lineup.The limited release features a new titanium carbide vapor coating.Also announced are Vokey SM9 Jet Black Premium wedges.Global availability for both begins March 3.

As clubs roll into Year Two of the cycle, it’s typically the time when companies launch “black” versions of products and the golfer interweb gets flooded with ever-so-clever Back in Black headlines.

And here we are.

While Titleist is guilty of the first part (and that’s fine because golfers seem to appreciate the black options), I won’t be guilty of the latter. I also won’t be doing anything around Fade to Black, Black Betty and definitely not Baa Baa Black Sheep, though the price tag is sure to leave some of you bleating like angry goats.

Kicking off the march to 2023's U.S. Open with a look at the architects who transformed a mediocre course into a masterpiece.

This is the first of several looks at Los Angeles Country Club’s North Course as we begin the march to June.

The next event on the PGA Tour is the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California. Here is how you can watch all of the action, which starts Wednesday.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley have recused themselves from the Official World Golf Ranking board that is considering whether LIV Golf League players will receive world-ranking points.

PGA Tour players Collin Morikawa and Adam Scott were added to the roster of players in the TGL golf league.

LIV Golf's team championship will be played in Saudi Arabia in November, sources confirmed to ESPN. Last year's team final was held at Trump National Doral in Miami.

Titleist has announced the addition of the TSR1 driver to the TSR driver family.The TSR1 features aerodynamic shaping and a light overall build weight.The objective is to create distance though faster clubhead speed.Retail price is $599. Pre-sale begins Feb. 2. In stores Feb. 23.

The launch of the Titleist TSR1 driver shouldn’t come as a surprise. When TSRs 2, 3 and 4 were released, Titleist was up front about the fact that its lightweight model—the TSR1—was coming in early 2023. It’s a small thing but it’s kind nice that the company gave its “1” players the head’s-up that a replacement was in the works.

Your patience has been rewarded.

About the Titleist TSR 1 Driver

The TSR1 leverages weight (or lack thereof) to deliver more clubhead speed to what Titleist graciously calls the “moderate swing speed player.” More specifically, the primary audience for the TSR1 is golfers who swing below 90 mph.

Bridgestone e12 Contact – Key Takeaways

New FLEXATIV ionomer coverFirm when hit with driver, soft when hit with wedgeAvailable in white plus Matte Green, Red and Yellow$34.99/dozen, available in March

The new Bridgestone e12 Contact is an interesting release for a handful of reasons. Foremost on that list is that it represents the kind of R&D effort most OEMs don’t usually commit to in ionomer offerings.

Typically, an OEM gives its “premium ionomer” ball some trickle-down technology from its Tour-level balls and calls it “innovation.” Bridgestone, as you’ll see today, tomorrow and Wednesday, puts some thought into this category.

Whether it’s enough to make this ball more attractive to golfers than a direct-to-consumer urethane ball at a similar (or even lower) price is the proverbial open question.

So let’s dissect the new Bridgestone e12 Contact. First off, we need to understand the holy trinity of Contact Science, impact modifiers and FLEXATIV.

Bridgestone e12 Contact: Contact Science

When Bridgestone introduced the original e12 Contact two years ago, it brought “Contact Science” into golf’s lexicon. Contact Science was the result of five years’ worth of R&D. In basic terms, Contact Science describes what happens when ball and club collide. Bridgestone developed a unique, if not weird-looking, dimple-in-a-dimple pattern called Contact Force. It’s a pattern which, according to Bridgestone, increases club-to-ball contact by 38 percent over traditional dimples.

Titleist has announced the TSR1 fairway woods and hybrids.The TSR1 features light overall build weight.Performance benefits include higher launch and improved MOI/forgiveness.Retail price is $349 (fairway), $299 (hybrid). Pre-sale begins Feb. 2. In stores Feb. 23.

With the TSR1 fairway wood and hybrid, the first shall be last … numerically speaking, at least.

Several months ago (Sept. 8, to be exact), Titleist introduced the first batch of TSR drivers and fairway woods which included the expected TSR2, TSR3 and TSR4 models. The TSR2+ fairway wood provided an unexpected surprise.

Then last week, Titleist launched its TSR2 and TSR3 hybrids and now, with the TSR1 fairway and hybrid, the family picture is complete.

Are you the (TSR) 1?

Let’s start with a simple question: Do you swing the driver at less than 90 mph? If so, that’s the soft line Titleist draws to help define “moderate swing speed” players who can benefit from the lightweight design of TSR1. That doesn’t necessarily exclude golfers with more speed—particularly if there’s a clear need for technological assistance in creating higher launch and more spin.

Srixon Z-STAR Golf Balls for 2023 – Key Takeaways

Updated Z-STAR, Z-STAR XV, Z-STAR DiamondZ-STAR XV is now single core, three-layer; previously dual-core, four layersUpdated DIVIDE for Z-STAR and Z-STAR XV$47.99/dozen; available Feb. 15DIVIDE available April 14

The new Srixon Z-STAR golf balls differ, for the most part, by just a few tweaks, adjustments and enhancements from the 2021 models. There’s nothing revolutionary here. According to Srixon, they’re going to be better. Not sure by how much, but better is better, right?

If you like the Srixon Z-STAR line, you’ll like these a little better. If you didn’t, well, you probably will like these a little bit less, I guess.

You will find a major change in the 2023 Z-STAR XV, some noticeable tweaks to the Z-STAR Diamond (probably to make Brooks happy) and some minor improvements to the Z-STAR. And the changes on one hand are barely skin-deep.

On the other hand, the upgrades cut deep to the core.

That, friends, is what’s known in literary circles as foreshadowing. Or it’s an allusion. I can never remember.

Jon Rahm wins again, Brooke Henderson makes an equipment switch and the best from golf this week.

Jon Rahm outlasted rookie Davis Thompson, closing with a 4-under 68 to win The American Express by one stroke on Sunday. He's now won four times in his last six starts worldwide and moved up to No. 3 in the world.

Brooke Henderson was dominant throughout and delivered a 2-under 70 on Sunday at Lake Nona to win the season-opening Tournament of Champions.

Steve Stricker closed with a 7-under 65 for a six-shot victory in the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.

- Jon Rahm got off to a hot start and shot a 7-under 65 on Saturday on PGA West's Stadium Course for a share of the lead with tour rookie Davis Thompson in The American Express.

Brooke Henderson went from complete control of her game for two days to having to scratch out a good score Saturday. The result was a 3-under 69 and a three-shot lead in the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.

Rookie Davis Thompson made three more eagles Friday, carded an 8-under 64 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West and took a 2-shot lead into the weekend at The American Express.

Brooke Henderson ran off four birdies beginning at the second hole, was 9-under par by the time she stepped onto the sixth tee and played mistake-free for a 6-under 66 at Lake Nona and a 4-shot lead in the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.