Bridgestone 2022 Tour B RXS Golf Ball Review
I’ve playedBridgestone golf ballsat various times through the years, but the last Bridgestone ball that was my gamer, if memory serves, was the Tour B330 and it was quite some time ago. In fact, when this was in the golf bag I had a bit more hair and some of it was actually still black. I also generated more clubhead speed then - especially with driver - which made it a great fit for my game.
Unfortunately, it’s a different story these days, as I currently max out at about 100 mph with the big stick. Despite the years slowing me down a little, I’m still a pretty good player and I’m therefore looking for a golf ball that offers tour-caliber performance from tee to green, rather than simply a distance golf ball. According to Bridgestone, that combination makes me the ideal candidate to play either theTour B RXor Tour B RXS, bothpremium golf ballswhich Bridgestone has developed for players who swing the driver at less than 105 mph.
Given that I’m essentially the poster child for the “R” models I was excited to be given the chance to test each of these balls on the golf course to see how they performed not only with driver, but also with irons as well as in the short game. I’ll focus on the B RXS in this review as I played full rounds with it and also conducted significant short game testing with it at my club. How did the B RXS perform? In a word, phenomenally.
Before I get into the review, I should point out that this golf ball is tailored to low handicap golfers and won’t suit everyone. Don’t worry though, whatever your level is Golf Monthly have you covered and we have guides for the best golf balls for beginners, best golf balls for seniors as well as best golf balls for women.
Golf balls can be expensive, especially for new golfers who lose a lot of them during a round, so also check out our guides to the best value golf balls and the best cheap golf balls.
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To evaluate the B RXS, I tested it against its Bridgestone stablemate, the B RX, as well as two of the best golf balls I’ve played regularly since the start of 2021; theTaylorMade TP5xandTitleist Pro V1x. I started at the short game area, where based on the research I had done I expected the B RXS to perform well. Sure enough, it did not disappoint.
The first thing to note is that when hitting shots around the green, the B RXS felt incredible. It was soft but not the spongy softness that sometimes comes with low compression golf balls. From a spin standpoint it was truly exceptional. I felt like I had complete control over the golf ball and could play any type of shot I wanted when pitching, chipping, or hitting bunker shots with sand wedge. The B RXS also excelled on partial wedge shots, as I was able to stop the ball very quickly from 40-75 yards. The feel off the putter was great too.
My expectations for the B RXS weren’t as high when it came to long game performance. I expected it come up shorter in distance to the other balls I was testing against, but that never materialized. Interestingly, my on-course results revealed no discernible sacrifice in yardage, as the B RXS more than held its own off the tee and on full approach shots into the green. The only significant difference I found was that the B RXS appeared to launch higher and produced a higher peak height than the balls I tested it against, especially the B RX.
(Image credit: Golf Monthly)
There were other impressive aspects of the B RXS’s performance too. Most notably, it was exceptionally stable in the wind, although I can’t say that came as a surprise. Bridgestone golf balls have consistently delivered in that regard in my experience, and that was certainly the case with the B RXS. Additionally, the cover of the B RXS proved to be extremely durable, as these golf balls showed minimal discoloration and wear despite significant play and practice time.
Aesthetically, I’d say that the B RXS checked all the boxes for me. Although this is obviously a subjective thing it certainly has everything I’m looking for. From the Bridgestone logo on the golf ball to the coloring used for the numbers to the alignment aid on the side of the ball, this golf ball looks great. I also thought the golf ball’s white finish had the perfect balance too – not too glossy but not too dull. If you prefer a yellow golf ball then there’s that option too.
The B RXS retails for $49.99 which is a fair price given the quality it provides. This ball was simply outstanding throughout my testing and I can’t fault it. Whether or not Bridgestone’s development of this ball for my swing speed led to the results I experienced might be hard to quantify. But at the end of the day, what matters is performance, and this ball performed superbly for me in every possible area. It’s a strong contender to find its way into my bag on a full-time basis as, in my opinion, it’s one of the best golf ballson the market today.
