Well, it seems TaylorMade has done it again. Theyโve taken a perfectly good golf ball, one that already had the pros drooling, and somehow made it better.
Introducing the TaylorMade TP5 and TP5x Stripeโgolf balls that not only know where theyโre going but make sure you do too.
Letโs start with the basics. The TP5 is the softest five-layer ball on the Tour, which is just a fancy way of saying it feels like a dream when you hit it.
The TP5x, on the other hand, is the speed demon of the duo. Itโs the ball you want when you need that extra half-club length to impress your buddiesโor save yourself from the bunker you just know is lurking on the other side of the green.
But hereโs where it gets interesting: TaylorMade has slapped on something they call 360ยฐ ClearPath Alignment, and believe me, this is no ordinary marketing gimmick.
Picture a digital bandโa 22-millimetre ring of alignment goodnessโwrapped around the centre of your golf ball, complete with a thin black line that mirrors your putterโs sight line.
Itโs like having a caddie who never lies and never goes to the pub after a bad round.
Now, why should you care about this stripe? Simple. If youโve ever cursed yourself after a missed puttโand letโs face it, who hasnโtโthis little feature is going to be your new best friend.
The TaylorMade TP5 and TP5x Stripe let you line up your shots with the precision of a Swiss watchmaker.
And when you strike the ball just right, that stripe rolls true, heading straight for the hole.
But miss-hit it, and that stripe will wobble like a three-legged dog on a trampoline, giving you instant, and often humbling, feedback.
Michael Fox, the guy behind these little miracles, says, “The reason golfers have fallen in love with the 360ยฐ 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.” And if thereโs one thing Iโve learned in all my years on the course, itโs that feedbackโespecially the instant kindโis worth its weight in gold.
Even the pros are getting in on the action. Tommy Fleetwood, who already uses TaylorMadeโs Visual Technology, has been spotted practising with the TP5x Stripe. And Keita Nakajima? Heโs testing the TP5 Stripe like itโs the Holy Grail of golf balls.
Of course, this wasnโt something TaylorMade whipped up overnight. It took them 42 months, 326 hours of robot testing, and 67,000 golf ball measurements to get it just right. They even went through 555 prototypes.
The result? A golf ball that doesnโt just performโit practically does your taxes for you.
The TP5 and TP5x Stripe also come packed with all the usual TaylorMade wizardry.
Thereโs the Speed Wrapped Core that gives you that soft feel and fast ball speeds, and the five-layer design that somehow manages to reduce spin on your long shots while keeping it where you need it around the green. Itโs like having your cake and eating it tooโexcept in this case, the cake is a birdie putt.
And if youโre wondering when you can get your hands on these little beauties, they hit the shelves on August 29th.
Theyโll set you back ยฃ49.99 / โฌ68 / 759SEK / 759NOK / 499DKK / 68CHF per dozen, but letโs be honestโcan you really put a price on shaving a few strokes off your game?
So, whether youโre a weekend warrior or someone who dreams of donning the green jacket, the TaylorMade TP5 and TP5x Stripe are worth a try.
After all, the path to better golf is now clearer than ever.
