Several years ago on a golf trip to Torrey Pines Golf Course, my buddy Big Drew gave me a sleeve of Callaway HX Tour golf balls. This was a new Tour-caliber performance ball being played by the likes of Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els. If we were going to play a PGA Tour course, home of the Buick Invitational, we would play a pro ball.
I played the balls that day in place of my usual two-piece value distance ball and an amazing thing happened. The ball sat on the green. Chips and pitch shots checked up near the hole. The ball was soft and putts rolled true. I played well and shot in the 80s on a long, tough course.
Ever since that experience I have been convinced that decent amateur golfers can only improve so much without playing a premium golf ball. But, I also fell in love with spin. Performance means spin. More spin, more better. It’s the American way, no?
As a result, I have played balls with the most spin I can find. I like to make the ball bite. Short sided? No problem. You can get out of a lot of trouble when you have confidence in your short game. But, here’s the thing. Over time I’ve learned that too much spin is not your friend.
It’s one thing for Tiger Woods to play a ball with more than 13,000 RPM off a wedge when playing hard and fast championship greens on the PGA Tour. But, do most of us need that much spin? Probably not. Too often my chips check up short of the cup. And, I can’t count how many times I’ve spun the ball off the green with one of these premium golf balls.
When I first switched to a “performance” golf ball my scores improved. Now I think some balls hurt my game.
Earlier this year I played my career best round with a new golf ball. I got one of those promotional two-ball giveaway packs from a major warehouse retailer. Something different happened that day. My approach shots sat where they landed. My chips checked up, and then released near the hole. This ball had less spin than I was used to, but enough to make the ball do what I wanted. The ball? The Bridgestone B330-S.
Like many other balls on the market, the B330-S is a four-piece performance ball with a soft urethane cover. The B330-S offers plenty of distance off the tee, though less than the Titleist NXT Tour. The B330-S offers plenty of spin, but less than the Nike ONE Tour D and the former Nike ONE Platinum. And, the B330-S has a soft feel but the cover is plenty durable even for square groove wedges, which was a problem with that original Callaway HX Tour ball.
I highly recommend the B330-S for better players who want distance and performance around the greens, and who are skilled enough to spin the ball with their short game. Priced at about USD $42 per dozen, this ball is not cheap but is priced slightly less than comparable balls like the Titleist ProV1 and ProV1x, which often retail for about $45.
If you need more distance or more value, try a different ball. The NXT Tour, for example, remains one of the best performing mid-priced balls on the market. Of course, there are so many ball brands on the market that it’s enough to make your head spin. But, if you want a ball that does it all – with enough spin for scoring, but not too much – the Bridgestone B330-S is worth a try.
Very good review, Corey ! And you’re right – the “S” is a terrific ball. And if that one gives you too much spin, there is the regular B330 and the RX.
Amateurs really shouldn’t pay attention to what the pros play – very few of us can come anywhere near to putting the amount of spin they can. I have seen Mickelson practicing chips of no more than 8′…and he was spinning them back. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Check out BridgestoneGolf.com and see if they are going to have a ball challenge in your area. It’s very cool and you’ll learn a lot about your own game and ball technology.
Still in search of the perfect ball. Now playing the TM Burner TP. My problem – too much side spin with the short irons. I’m hitting hooks with a wedge…that ain’t right.
i’ve been looking for a reason to try the bridgestone ball. When the TM runs out, I’ll check out the 330-S