This past Saturday I did my 2nd Bridgestone Golf ball fitting. My first was last fall up at a course in the mountains. It was VERY cold and windy during that first fitting, but the net result with my Ping driver at the time was that the best ball for me was the B330-RXS.
Bridgestone Golf ball fitting - Swing doesn't look too bad. Click for larger image.
Fast forward half a year or more and I have a new driver in the bag, Nike Machspeed Black. I also have a new swing, following the new back diagnosis and the still healing separated shoulder. That new swing turns out to be a granny version, 95mph.
Sorry man, but you have a granny swing...
I’ve managed to build a good friendship with my local Bridgestone rep, Matt. Good guy. He was there, along with the fitters who travel around this region.
We tried several balls this time, spent a little more time. I managed to get my swing up to 98 once, but I was averaging 95.
I tried a couple of “tour” balls, which were way too hard. My distance was considerably shorter and my side spin higher. Less accurate and shorter is not what I’m looking for.
The two balls which were the best statistically for me were the Srixon Z-Star and the Bridgestone B330-RX. Both of those balls I’ve played quite a bit over the last year and I do really like them both. Obviously since it was a Bridgestone fitting, they were higher on the RX for me, which is to be expected. That being said, it was cool that they were high on the Z-Star for my game as well.
And now, the humbling
After my session, the local course staff had brought in a very interesting player. This player, who will remain unnamed, is one of the top amateurs in the state. Nearly won the state champ last year. This guy is a total nut. Very heavy on the party end of things but somehow is a “natural” on the golf course.
Humbling golf swing... click to enlarge
This guy shows up in the clothes he’d worn the night before, wreaking of booze. The Bridgestone guy smelled the booze oozing out of his pours and suggested that he drink cologne next time to make himself smell better the next morning. That was funny.
So this guy who has been up all night partying grabs a demo driver and takes a swing. He was hung over, hadn’t slept, was wearing Converse tennis shoes with no spikes. Swing speed was 112 with literally NO side spin. That drive would have airmailed my best by 100 yards.
I watched him hit about 15-20 shots, all with a swing speed of 111-112 with nearly no side spin. He delivered the club the same place every time.
I walked home with my tail between my legs, contemplating my granny swing…
HOGWire – Golf Industry News
When I did a Bridgestone fitting a few years ago, the two balls that they suggested were a 330 of some sort and the Callaway HX-Hot. That confirmed what I thought about the HX-Hot, but I was floored that a Bridgestone rep would suggest a Callaway ball when they do have fairly excellent E5 and E6 in the same price range. I came away confused if the suggestion was to give an air of legitimacy to the suggestion to the 330 in the hope I might use that ball (Not for $16 more at the time!)..
Most rounds I am playing these days is the E6+ Yellow or a ProV1. I do still love the HX-Hot Plus, but for the same money, I will play the yellow E6+. The Callaway is slightly more durable, but both do pretty well. The visibility of the yellow can’t be beat.
I have played the Z-star yellow, and those are great too- but they cost an extra dollar per ball than the Bridgestones.