There have been countless colored golf ball options over the years but historically, very few were designed for any other reason other than to make it a little easier to find when hit in the rough, or for someone who likes a little pop of color. It wasn’t too long ago that golf balls of any color were deemed inferior to their plain white alternatives, but in recent times manufacturers have honed in on the potential performance gains of different color patterns and designs. This has given way to a new category within the golf ball market called, 'vis-tech'.
In the video below, we speak to one of TaylorMade's lead Tour fitters, Chris Trott to find about what these benefits are and how regular golfers can unlock them.
As Chris explains in the video, the biggest gain to be had while using vis-tech golf balls is on the green, especially as the margins between a putt made and missed are so small. The ClearPath alignment on the Tour Response golf balls is a strip of color wrapping round the whole of the golf ball to enhance alignment and offer immediate feedback on how that put is struck. This ClearPath technology used on these golf balls lines up perfectly with the TruePath technology found on some of the best putters on the market, like the TaylorMade Spider GTX. These two alignment tools give the golfer the best chance of holing putts, particularly when losing concentration towards the end of the round as it really helps the golfer focus their attention on the alignment point.
The feedback of the ClearPath alignment both on the Tour Response and the TP5 Pix golf balls not only helps you understand if you have struck the putt as purely as you would like but also whether you have actually read the green and the putt as intended. If your colored stripe on your ball rolls end-over-end perfectly (creating a straight line) and you don't make the putt, you will very quickly learn that either your pace was off, or you have read the line of the putt incorrectly. You can then work on the correct things when going to the golf course to practice.
As beneficial as ClearPath alignment is on the greens, it is also something that golfers can benefit from on the tee on perhaps tighter tee shots that you want be very precise on your aim or even holes which require the ball to be shaped, where by you can use the visual technology on the ball to help guide swing direction.
The PIX golf balls were designed initially with a clever pattern that not only helps with putting alignment, but also to help the ball stand out a little when in the rough and appear a little larger when placed on a tee or on the fairway and so inspiring confidence to the golfer when over their shot.
Both the Tour Response and TP5 PIX golf balls offer slightly different visual technology, but also performance. The TP5 and TP5x PIX balls are the premium TaylorMade offering - a five-piece ball designed for the ultimate control and speed. The Tour Response ball offers much of the same quality, but is a three-piece golf ball and is one of the softest golf balls on the market while still offering a higher launch and lower driver spin than both the TP5 and TP5x golf balls, perfect for those chasing distance from the tee.
The design of the Tour Response golf balls and PIX golf balls have been cleverly thought out to help the golfer get the most out of their game and are considered not only some of the best TaylorMade golf balls, but also some of the best premium golf balls available. Both offer slightly different performance characteristics so understanding which design is better suited to your game is another key element to get right.
