Bridgestone tour 330s trade off - distance v accuracy?

splashtryagain

splashtryagain

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I got a dozen of these balls off amazon last month and since then using them thinking I'm going mad. They are short!! I usually use an fg tour x in summer or a dx2 or 3 in the winter and find the yardages fairly consistent between the models but since changing to these I don't know what happened! That are easily a club shorter, but here's the trade off, they are very easy to control - tonight I shot 1 under gross for 9. Using a club more not too much of a problem but has anyone else noticed this drop in distance or is it just me - and my playing partners who I demonstrated it to using a pro v and one of these! They feel fabulous round the greens and putt well, just the loss of distance getting me!
 
Bridgestone do a lot of ball fittings across the country to find the ball that is best for you. I can certainly recommend trying one. I did and was quite surprised by the ball they fitted me for (E6). If I had just used the descriptions or fitting tool on their website, I wouldn't have picked that. When I was told by the fitter that this was the ball to try, I was sceptical, but I was given a 2-ball pack for free to test out. and have stuck by them since as they really do seem to be best all round for me of any ball I've tried. My SS isn't high enough for anything like the B330-S, but I don't believe the B-330S is inherently short as a friend of mine was fitted for them and gained about 5 yards over the Pro V1. Others might find quite the opposite. Just like club fitting, a ball fitting is worthwhile.
 
splashtryagain said:
Drive it 250-270, you reckon ok? Had swing speed measured once but years ago with a six iron at 88 mph?
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Not fast enough to compress the ball correctly. I have been using the 330s and last week had a go on a Bridgestone ball demo at the range and was told that I do not hit it it hard enough (which shocked me) to get the 330s to compress correctly. I then hit the RXS and was getting far more control and a bit more distance. He geva me a 2 pack of the RXS to use on the course and they performed fantastically.

my 6i swing speed by the way is 96mph if that gives you an ideas of how fast you need to swing to get the most from the 330s.
 
MadAdey said:
Not fast enough to compress the ball correctly. I have been using the 330s and last week had a go on a Bridgestone ball demo at the range and was told that I do not hit it it hard enough (which shocked me) to get the 330s to compress correctly. I then hit the RXS and was getting far more control and a bit more distance. He geva me a 2 pack of the RXS to use on the course and they performed fantastically.

my 6i swing speed by the way is 96mph if that gives you an ideas of how fast you need to swing to get the most from the 330s.
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so they are saying 96mph isnt fast enough with a 6 iron for the B330s? that would put you around 112mph with driver?

Theres not many tour pros greater than that with a 6 iron and way less ams so I wonder who their target market actually is with this ball?
 
CMAC said:
so they are saying 96mph isnt fast enough with a 6 iron for the B330s? that would put you around 112mph with driver?

Theres not many tour pros greater than that with a 6 iron and way less ams so I wonder who their target market actually is with this ball?
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That is what surprised me as they'd market the 330s for higher swing speeds. I wonder though if it was because I was using my mini driver and until it gets it new shaft in the read outs where not good, so may have had something to do with it. I averaged 104mph with the club head but only a 132mph ball speed. So that might have had something to do with why I was not compressing the ball properly.
 
I've been using the s over the normal 330 for the last couple of rounds. As you say the control is excellent and if anything I have seen a small increase in distance. Maybe half a club longer. I think I do swing fairly fast though. Not sure of actual swing speed though. Got a lesson booked next week so will find out then.
 
I use the 330s with my meagre 96mph driver SS and there is no distance loss between these or any other ball I have tried as far as I can tell.
 
Andy said:
Is your swing fast enough for them? >105mph
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MadAdey said:
Not fast enough to compress the ball correctly. I have been using the 330s and last week had a go on a Bridgestone ball demo at the range and was told that I do not hit it it hard enough (which shocked me) to get the 330s to compress correctly. I then hit the RXS and was getting far more control and a bit more distance. He geva me a 2 pack of the RXS to use on the course and they performed fantastically.

my 6i swing speed by the way is 96mph if that gives you an ideas of how fast you need to swing to get the most from the 330s.
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Seriously?

Bridgestone have made a ball that only works when it's hit above a certain swing speed?

What about hitting a soft 6 iron, knock down shot or 3/4 wedge? Does the ball simply stop performing?

If so.... That's a pants ball!
 
Gareth said:
Seriously?

Bridgestone have made a ball that only works when it's hit above a certain swing speed?

What about hitting a soft 6 iron, knock down shot or 3/4 wedge? Does the ball simply stop performing?

If so.... That's a pants ball!
Click to expand...

chatting to the Bridgestone man he was saying that is why they are going around ranges getting people to hit the different types and finding the correct one. Part of the analysis is a slow mo camera so you can actually see the ball being compressed. They aim for the ball to be compressed a certain amount to get the optimum distance from the ball as this fitting is aimed at a driver.

He basically explained like this, if you are not compressing the ball enough then you are not getting to the core, which is the part of these multilayer balls that distance comes from. He said the RXS and S will feel the same around the greens and I will get just as much spin off the short and mid irons. But when it comes to, driving, fairway woods and long irons, I will get better distance from them, while still getting good control and spin.

I took the complimemtary 2-ball pack of 330RXS out to the course straight away and everything he said was spot on. I hit a lovely 2i into a green that just flew and stopped pretty quickly on landing. They felt fantastic off the putter face and was getting some great check on pitch shots.

regarding what you said about about 3/4 shots etc, it does not matter as spin wise it still performs the same as the other 330's, it is more to do with distance shots and getting the correct compression for both optimising and getting a consistent distance.
 
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MadAdey said:
chatting to the Bridgestone man he was saying that is why they are going around ranges getting people to hit the different types and finding the correct one. Part of the analysis is a slow mo camera so you can actually see the ball being compressed. They aim for the ball to be compressed a certain amount to get the optimum distance from the ball as this fitting is aimed at a driver.

He basically explained like this, if you are not compressing the ball enough then you are not getting to the core, which is the part of these multilayer balls that distance comes from. He said the RXS and S will feel the same around the greens and I will get just as much spin off the short and mid irons. But when it comes to, driving, fairway woods and long irons, I will get better distance from them, while still getting good control and spin.

I took the complimemtary 2-ball pack of 330RXS out to the course straight away and everything he said was spot on. I hit a lovely 2i into a green that just flew and stopped pretty quickly on landing. They felt fantastic off the putter face and was getting some great check on pitch shots.

regarding what you said about about 3/4 shots etc, it does not matter as spin wise it still performs the same as the other 330's, it is more to do with distance shots and getting the correct compression for both optimising and getting a consistent distance.
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If I'm reading your explanation (Which is very good BTW) correctly, Bridgestone market there balls based on driver or higher end swing speeds?

Strange that Titleist do the exact opposite :mad:
 
Gareth said:
If I'm reading your explanation (Which is very good BTW) correctly, Bridgestone market there balls based on driver or higher end swing speeds?

Strange that Titleist do the exact opposite :mad:
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Bridgestone's marketing blurb aimed the B330-RX at players with SS of less than 105 MPH with RXS for those looking for more spin. The B330 and B330S were aimed at the those with SS greater than 105 MPH.
 
garyinderry said:
ive never found a ball to be a club shorter than the other!
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With an iron, no. With the driver, absolutely! There are quite a few charts around the web showing the difference in spin characteristics of various balls off the driver, and if you get fit for a ball that has optimum launch and spin for your swing characteristics (and that you can compress properly) you will see a difference. That is why a ball fitting is so useful.
 
I've used the 330 RX RXS and S, I don't notice any distance loss on my driver 270 ave or irons 6i 180yds and I've been using them for past 18 months. My SS is 100mph for driver 86mph for irons. I have noticed one thing tho, they are a damn site cheaper then the ProVs and are equal to them.
 
3565 said:
I've used the 330 RX RXS and S, I don't notice any distance loss on my driver 270 ave or irons 6i 180yds and I've been using them for past 18 months. My SS is 100mph for driver 86mph for irons. I have noticed one thing tho, they are a damn site cheaper then the ProVs and are equal to them.
Click to expand...

270yds with 100mph, smash factor must be bang on 1.50 I reckon, great swinging!
 
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