Tag Archives: Michael Fox

Golf Balls, TaylorMade Golf

TaylorMade Golf – The path to performance has never been clearer, with the TP5 and TP5x Stripe golf balls

August 26, 2024 – TaylorMade Golf, an industry leader in innovation and technology, introduces TP5 and TP5x Stripe golf balls. Both TP5 – the softest five-layer ball on Tour – and TP5x – the fastest five-layer ball on Tour that’s now a 1⁄2- club longer (*) – are available for the first time with TaylorMade’s cutting-edge 360° ClearPath Alignment.

For the first time, golfers can play the ‘Number One Ball for Them’ with the added benefit of a clear 22-millimeter digital band that wraps around the centre of the golf ball with a thin black line to match putter sight lines providing an immediate aid in alignment. TP5 and TP5x Stripe allow the golfer to align putts more accurately, consistently, and quickly.

The design of Stripe also makes proper strikes easily identifiable as the Stripe rolls consistently toward the hole, while off-centre strikes cause a can’t-miss wobble of the digital band. ClearPath Alignment makes it easy to aim tee shots straight down the middle of the fairway as well.

“The reason golfers have fallen in love with the 360° ClearPath Alignment Stripe is because it really allows them to lock in on their line from behind the ball. The immediate feedback about how the golf ball rolls is pivotal as well,” said Michael Fox, Senior Director of Product Creation, Golf Balls.

On professional Tours, Tommy Fleetwood, who has readily embraced TaylorMade’s Visual Technology and currently plays TP5x pix, is testing TP5x Stripe and using it as an alignment aid during practice. Keita Nakajima also continues to test the TP5 Stripe golf ball.

TP5 and TP5x Testing and Development

The development of 2024 TP5 and TP5x took 42 months. Throughout that time, TaylorMade engineers asked a simple question: how can golf ball performance be simulated in a way that matches what golfers experience on the course? The testing process included:

  • 326 hours of robot testing
  • 19,477 player test shots
  • 18,876 robot test shots
  • 30,312 Aerodynamic Research Lab shots
  • 555 prototypes
  • 67,000 total golf ball measurements
  • 30 dimple iterations
  • 106 materials

Countless hours were spent having real golfers line up putts with 360° ClearPath Alignment and we found that the digital band helped them to aim more accurately.

Proven TaylorMade Technologies

The technology story starts on the inside with the Speed Wrapped Core that’s found in both TP5 and TP5x Stripe. The materials used in the core produce a soft sound and feel while also paving the way for construction that promotes fast ball speeds. The use of core materials is the genesis of being able to both enhance feel and maximise distance without sacrificing one or the other.

Moving outward, Speed Gradient construction incorporates a progressive five-layer design that optimises variable stiffness between the core and mantle layers. The result is less spin with driver, fairway woods and long irons while maintaining spin in the wedges and short irons.

“Our learnings from countless player and Tour tests show that golfers, unsurprisingly, favour a softer, more muted sound with added distance. Historically, the challenge has been the inability to improve one without negatively impacting the other.”

“With this understanding, we’ve evolved our golf ball design by uniquely decoupling feel and speed through material advancement, a complete departure from the conventional. The material-level advancement positions our TP5 and TP5x golf balls as having the best feel in the industry with fast constructions,” concludes Michael Fox, Senior Director of Product Creation, Golf Balls.

The all-new TP5 and TP5x Stripe not only give golfers the tee-to-green performance benefits of the most complete five-layer Tour-level ball, they take the guesswork out of the alignment equation in a way that’s visually appealing to discerning players.

(*) 1⁄2-club longer claim based on robot iron testing at Tour launch conditions showing 2024 TP5x 5 yards longer than 2021 TP5x.

Golf Balls, TaylorMade Golf

TaylorMade Golf – A Major leap on the path to distance with the new TP5 & TP5x 2021 golf balls

February 8, 2021 – TaylorMade Golf today has announced the all-new 2021 TP5 and TP5x golf balls, building on a franchise that has earned the title of Most Complete Tour Ball in Golf.

Relying on the brand’s never done mentality, TaylorMade has once again pushed the boundaries of performance by redefining the path to distance with its new Tour Flight Dimple Pattern – designed to provide improved aerodynamics and carry distance at every level of the game.

The revolutionary new dimple design has a unique dual-radius shape that decouples dimple volume from depth to optimise airflow around the golf ball during flight, ultimately reducing drag and promoting distance.

TaylorMade first set out on this path in 2017, when TP5/TP5x debuted as the industry’s only five-layer Tour ball. By utilising a proprietary construction with four increasingly stiff layers wrapped in cast urethane, engineers effectively created the foundation for optimising both distance and spin.

In 2019, the company wove High-Flex Material (HFM) into the construction of TP5/TP5x to more efficiently convert compression into ball speed. Known as the Speed-Layer System, this design injected a new level of speed into TP5/TP5x compared to the prior generation.

“Since 2017, we have blazed a path to distance and speed with TP5/TP5x – building upon a foundation of Tour-proven performance with the patented five-layer system at its core. With the development of HFM in 2019 and now the Tour Flight Dimple Pattern, we’ve examined every component of the golf ball to ensure that each layer is functioning at its highest possible level and working in unison to deliver unmatched performance on every shot,” says Michael Fox, Category Director, Golf Ball & Accessories of the company.

Unique Improvements to 2021 TP5 & TP5x

While the new Tour Flight Dimple Pattern enhances performance for both TP5 and TP5x, each product was individually improved based on Tour player feedback. Analysing insights from Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and others – who have used both prior models in competition – engineers discovered that players switched from TP5x to TP5 for the enhanced greenside spin and control in the short game. Conversely, players switched from TP5 to TP5x for the added distance and ball speed.

For those reasons, the new 2021 TP5x has a slightly softer cast urethane cover that better grips the grooves on a wedge for increased spin around the greens with lower launch, while remaining the fastest Tour ball in the TaylorMade lineup. The 2021 TP5 now has a larger, more reactive core that delivers more ball speed while retaining the same feel and spin properties of the prior generation.

TP5 still provides a softer feel, increased greenside spin and a lower launch in comparison to TP5x, which is faster, longer and higher launching. The new individual enhancements give golfers performance precisely where they want it the most in both models.

Tour Validation

Team TaylorMade’s top athletes have switched into the new TP5/TP5x faster than any product in the company’s recent history. Major champions Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa both elected to play the new ball in their respective 2021 openers. McIlroy took TP5x (21) to Abu Dhabi for the HSBC Championship, where he led after an opening round 64 before finishing the week in third at 13-under-par. Morikawa gamed the TP5 (21) at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, citing the ball’s wind stability in Maui’s Hawaii breeze. He finished the week T7 at 20-under- par.

Tommy Fleetwood, the latest addition to Team TaylorMade, started playing the new TP5x almost immediately after signing a new long-term contract. Before making the decision, he elicited feedback from fellow TaylorMade athletes who vouched for the ball’s distance, spin control and stability in the wind.

Those comments were quickly validated by Fleetwood’s strong play in Abu Dhabi, his first event with TP5x, where he finished in seventh at 10-under-par. At the time of this release, he ranked third in Total Strokes Gained on the European Tour. This adds Fleetwood to the long list of players moving into the 2021 TP5/TP5x.

“It’s one thing to test a new ball, it’s another to put it in play during competition with confidence and ease. The fact that Rory, Rickie, Wolff, Collin and Tommy all switched into the new ball for their first event of the year speaks volumes. The best players in the world have quickly embraced the performance of the new TP5/TP5x,” says Keith Sbarbaro, VP of Tour Operations.

The Movement Has Momentum

The launch of TP5/TP5x spurred a movement that has TaylorMade among the fastest growing golf ball brands of the last several years. Since 2017, the company’s total market share has been on a steady and steep upswing, a growth trajectory that positions TaylorMade among the largest golf ball companies in the world. Golfers at every level of the game are making the switch to TP5/TP5x, while Tour adoption continues to happen rapidly.

Choosing Between the 2021 TP5 & TP5x

The 2021 TP5 and TP5x offer complete tee-to-green performance thanks to TaylorMade’s proprietary 5-layer construction. Both models deliver world-class distance off the tee, with the TP5 having a softer feel and more spin around the greens, while achieving fast ball speeds with a new reactive core that is larger than the prior generation.

TP5x is the fastest and longest ball in the current TaylorMade lineup, with a firmer feel and higher launch on iron shots. In addition, it has more greenside spin than the prior generation with a new and softer cast urethane cover. TaylorMade staffers anticipated to play the TP5 are Collin Morikawa and Matthew Wolff (pix), while Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood will expectedly gravitate toward the TP5x model.

Visual Technology & High-Visibility Yellow

TaylorMade released pix in 2020 to much fanfare among Tour players and amateurs alike. Being powered by the swagger and appeal of Rickie Fowler certainly helped, but it was the performance and functionality of pix that truly set it apart.

Co-developed in conjunction with Fowler, the ClearPath Alignment system delivered innovation that golfers could see. The 12 evenly spaced graphics enhanced visibility while significantly aiding in alignment on the putting green and helping golfers immediately gauge the quality of their stroke. This technology was only further validated by the adoption of players like Matthew Wolff, who improved his putting inside 6’ by nearly half a stroke after switching and moved his OWGR from 44 to a peak of 14th.

For 2021, the visual technology behind pix will not change. However, the performance has been upgraded to match the all-new design of the 2021 TP5/TP5x with the Tour Flight Dimple Pattern, larger/more reactive core (TP5) and softer urethane cover (TP5x).

The high-visibility TP5/TP5x Yellow will feature a new enriched yellow urethane that provides added durability and while maximising visibility.

The 2021 TP5 and TP5x will be available at retail on 12/03/2021 at an RRP of 58€. The new TP5/TP5x Yellow will be available at retail on 09/04/2021 and the new TP5/TP5x pix will be available at retail on 07/05/2021.

More information about TP5 and TP5x golf balls in TaylorMadeGolf.com.

Golf Balls, TaylorMade Golf

TaylorMade Golf – New Tour Response and Soft Response golf balls for players at every level at an affordable price

February 3, 2020 – TaylorMade Golf gathered insights from thousands of assorted golfers about the performance features they need from a golf ball. The clear No. 1 answer to the company’s question: “I want a golf ball that’s designed for me.”

Golfers asked for it, and the company responded introducing the new Tour Response and Soft Response golf balls from TaylorMade.

Highlighted by a 100% cast urethane cover, Tour Response delivers effortless compression and Tour-quality performance at an affordable price.

Engineered for effortless compression and dominant distance, Soft Response utilises a breakthrough Extended Flight Dimple Pattern along with an ultra-soft ZnO Flex Core designed to increase speed.

“Urethane is simply the best performing cover material you can use on a golf ball. That’s why it’s found on 100% of the balls used on the PGA Tour. It’s that good. We’re bringing that same innovation to our Tour Response line – essentially making a softer version of our TP5/TP5x that utilises multiple Tour technologies. Soft Response is a multi-layer golf ball designed for even softer feel, and with our new Extended Flight Dimple Pattern the player can obtain explosive distance,” says Eric Loper, TaylorMade Director of R&D, Golf Ball.

TAYLORMADE TOUR RESPONSE GOLF BALL:
EFFORTLESS COMPRESSION WITH TOUR TECHNOLOGY

For as long as there have been urethane golf balls, Tour players have used them. It’s the industry standard for premium performance in golf balls, and Tour Response brings that same standard to all golfers at an affordable price while maintaining the same technology found in TP5/TP5x.

A softer 100% cast urethane cover allows grooves to better grip the ball for increased wedge spin – potentially creating thousands more RPMs of spin for the average golfer compared to ionomer products. A crosslinking chemical reaction forms the urethane material and creates an irreversible link for improved shear resistance and greater durability.

The use of cast urethane puts Tour Response a step above other balls in this category and at this price point, as it’s the only non-Tour ball to offer this premium cover from a major manufacturer. It’s a blend of Tour-quality materials with performance specifically engineered to benefit all golfers.

Utilising the same technology that powers the hottest Tour ball in golf (TP5/TP5x), Tour Response relies on Speedmantle with HFMq to produce fast ball speeds. The firmer second layer surrounds the soft inner core and delivers an explosive transfer of energy.

“In this class where performance meets value, why would anyone play an ionomer ball when cast urethane is available? Every manufacturer agrees that it makes a better ball,” says Michael Fox, TaylorMade Category Director – Golf Ball & Accessories.

TAYLORMADE SOFT RESPONSE GOLF BALL
EFFORTLESS COMPRESSION & DOMINANT DISTANCE

TaylorMade utilises a specialised Extended Flight Dimple Pattern to protect distance in a softer golf ball. The shallow u-shaped dimples promote decreased drag and increased lift, ultimately allowing the ball to stay in the air longer at lower spin rates. This design is meant to appeal to players with average swing speeds, who often struggle to keep the ball airborne.

For this reason, many clubfitters match slower swing speed players with drivers that increase spin rates and allow the ball to stay in the air longer. However, with this revolutionary dimple design TaylorMade aims to improve distance for these players through intelligent golf ball design.

A soft ionomer cover adds to the feel of Soft Response, but also achieves improved scuff resistance, shear resistance and overall durability. With an ultra-low compression ZnO Flex Core (a compression of 35), Soft Response is engineered to meet the needs of golfers seeking an extremely soft feel without diminishing distance.

KEY FEATURES

  • Construction: The 3-piece construction further allows for soft feel while maintaining impressive distance.
  • Features: Both Tour Response and Soft Response are engineered to efficiently transfer energy and rebound at impact.
  • Compression: The Tour Response core has an ultra-low compression of 40, while Soft Response is even lower at 35.
  • Colours: Tour Response will be offered in white and yellow, while Soft Response will be available in white, yellow and matte red.
  • Availability: From today 3rd of February 2020.
  • RRP: Tour Response, 45€; Soft Response, 30€.
Golf Balls, TaylorMade Golf, What's in the bag…

TaylorMade Golf – Launch of the all-new TP5/TP5X pix golf balls, co-developed and played by Rickie Fowler

January 29, 2020 – TaylorMade Golf has introduced the second generation of the high-visibility line of pix golf balls following the success of the first generation which was available in the United States only. For the first time, pix will be available in both the TP5 and TP5x models with a revolutionary visual technology developed in conjunction with Rickie Fowler.

Fowler has long been recognised as one of the best putters on the PGA Tour and his insights proved invaluable in the creation of pix. Over the course of a year, TaylorMade teamed with him to develop a golf ball that reflects his swagger and meets the performance demands of competing at the highest level.

“The pix graphics give you a precise focal point to work with. When we started developing the new design, one of my first comments was if we didn’t have the full TaylorMade logo in two places, we would have space to create a path that works for alignment and feedback,” says Rickie Fowler.

CLEARPATH ALIGNMENT

Like many golfers, Fowler prefers to draw a line on his golf ball to help him align putts on the green. The previous generation of pix and all other high-visibility products made that virtually impossible. Inspired by Fowler’s insights, TaylorMade uniquely positioned a single TaylorMade logo and aligned it perfectly with that TP5/TP5x stamp to form a natural pathway through the centre of the ball. Twelve (12) strategically placed multi-color graphics frame the single TaylorMade logo and TP5/TP5x stamp to form the company’s new ClearPath Alignment – the marquee feature of the new pix.

ClearPath not only helps with alignment, but it provides immediate feedback on the quality of the roll. On a well-struck putt where the ball is rolling end-over-end, the golfer can see a clearing in the middle of ball which provides two key pieces of information:

  • You’ve started the ball on your intended line
  • You’ve hit a quality putt

“We learned a lot in the development of the first generation of pix, but through our partnership with Rickie Fowler we’ve learned even more. His vital feedback led directly to the development of the ClearPath™ Alignment System. It’s not just about unique cool designs that are easier to see, it’s now validated at the top of the pyramid with a performance benefit like nothing else out there. It’s the ideal combination of style and function,” says Michael Fox, TaylorMade Category Director for Golf Ball & Accesories.

TP5/TP5X PERFORMANCE

For the first time, pix is available in both TP5 and TP5x models – which utilise TaylorMade’s proprietary 5-layer construction to achieve enhanced speed while still offering complete tee-to-green performance. The company has combined the revolutionary technology of ClearPath Alignment and the unmatched swagger of Rickie Fowler with the hottest Tour balls in the game.

In 2019, TaylorMade enhanced their flagship line of Tour balls and improved speed without impacting other areas of performance. The Speed-Layer System is comprised of four increasingly stiff layers, featuring a material called HFM. HFM is the fastest material TaylorMade has ever used and is essentially a tightly wound spring and when compressed generates more rebound energy for more ball speed.

The Tri-Fast Core consists of an extra-large, low-compression inner core (16 compression in TP5 & 25 compression in TP5x) and a progressively stiffer outer core and mantle. The combination of these three layers work in conjunction to create lower drag and increased carry – the primary reason TP5 and TP5x have become the hottest Tour balls in golf.

The Dual-Spin Cover boasts an ultra-soft cast urethane cover and a 30% more rigid inner cover. This system creates a condition that is ideal for greenside control, as the rigid inner cover forces the soft urethane cover into wedge grooves for maximum spin generation.

The TP5 and TP5x pix will be available at retail on 28 February 2020 at an RRP of 58€ per dozen.

Golf Balls, TaylorMade Golf

TaylorMade Golf – New 2018 Project (a) and Project (s) to complete the golf ball lineup

February 9, 2018 – TaylorMade Golf, makers of the hottest Tour ball with the TP5 & TP5x models, has announced the expansion of its globally successful golf ball line up with the addition of the 2018 Project (a) and the introduction of the all-new Project (s) golf balls.

PROJECT (a): Tour Technology. Soft Feel.

Since its inception in 2014, the Project (a) golf ball has been designed to deliver golfers Tour-level performance in a three-piece construction at an attractive price point. The original Project (a) gained notoriety by being designed with a cast urethane cover to provide Tour-level spin for the average golfer, a performance attribute unmatched by anything in the category. In 2016, the ball was made softer with lower compression while maintaining the greenside spin demanded by consumers. In 2018, Project (a) takes the next step in its evolution with new technologies that make it significantly longer than ever before.

“100% of worldwide Tours use a golf ball with a Urethane cover, while 0% use suryln. If every Tour player and Tour ball manufacturer in the world is telling you urethane is the best material, why wouldn’t you buy the only product outside the Tour ball category using this technology that’s now longer than ever before?”, says Michael Fox, Category Director, Golf Balls & Accessories of TaylorMade Golf company.

The new Project (a) is a three-layer design that incorporates a new Dual-Distance core and a new 322LDP seamless dimple pattern which combined increase driver and long iron distance while maintaining excellent greenside control and feel.

New 322 Dimple Seamless Cover

The Project (a) now uses the same 322 dimple pattern as the hottest Tour ball in golf, the TP5 & TP5x golf balls; resulting in superior distance through a more aerodynamic dimple pattern. Less drag = more speed = more distance.

Dual-Distance Core

The new Project (a)’s dual core design is comprised of a larger, softer-inner core, which scrubs off unwanted spin while providing great feel. The stiffer outer core allows for increased rebound and velocity. In addition to reducing driver and long iron spin, the stiffer outer core also aides in pinching the soft cast urethane cover between the clubface, creating more greenside spin.

PROJECT (s): Soft is Slow without Speed

Complementing the Project (a), TaylorMade is also introducing the all-new Project (s) golf ball. The all-new Project (s) offers an even softer feel while continuing the company’s focus on low driver spin and significant driver distance; a golf ball unlike any in the competitive class to date. To break through in a crowded and diluted space, TaylorMade has designed one golf ball that delivers on the two performance attributes amateur players in this category want most: soft feel AND distance. No longer does the golfer have to choose between one or the other with a single ball. That ball is Project (s).

Dual-Distance Core

Similar to the Project (a) the Dual-Distance Core in the Project (s) decreases the overall compression of the ball for soft feel while maintaining rebound and speed. The Project (s)’s compression is 60, 10 less than the Project (a). The dual distance core is a two-layer system that has a large, low compression inner core that reduces unwanted driver spin and creates great feel. The outer core consists of a softer-resilient polymer that also improves feel and maintains high ball velocities.

Aerodynamic Ionomer Cover

Due to the high COR of the Dual-Distance Core, engineers were able to use a soft ionomer cover that improves feel and control around the green. Compared to the competitive set, the Project (s) has the softest cover which provides more greenside spin and soft feel.

The Project (s) uses TaylorMade’s high lift 342LDP dimple pattern, which, in combination with the lower backspin construction, reduces drag throughout the golf ball’s flight for more distance. In general, lower compression golf balls travel the shortest distance, but with Project (s), TaylorMade’s engineers have solved for soft while maintaining impressive distance. The result is a golf ball that delivers on both distance and feel, allowing for golfers to no longer having to choose between one over the other. In addition to gloss white, the new Project (s) is also available in a matte yellow & matte orange finish that offers a unique look that stands out while being UV resistant.

“The new multilayer design incorporates a softer yet resilient dual distance core that maximises distance and enables us to utilise a softer ionomer cover for soft feel and great control. We are eliminating the need for a golfer to choose between distance and feel in this category. The new Project (s) provides both softer feel AND distance,” says Eric Loper, Director R&D Golf Balls.

The 2018 Project (a) golf balls will be offered in gloss white or yellow, available at retail on February 16, 2018 at an RRP of €45. The Project (s) golf balls in matt white will be available at retail on April 01, 2018 and in matt orange and matt yellow on May 01, 2018 at an RRP of €30.