Bridgestone Tour B XS Golf Balls Review
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At a glance
- TG Rating
- Owner Rating
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Pros
- Long and straight in the long game
- Incredible feel off the face
- Exceptionally soft and responsive on approach shots and around the green
- Lovely feedback off the putter face -
Cons
- Doesn't perform as well for slower swing speeds
What we say...
The Bridgestone Tour B XS golf balls incorporate smart technology for maximum distance, soft feel, and increased spin.
Competition within the golf ball market is perhaps the highest it has ever been with brands, such as Bridgestone, manufacturing balls challenging to be the best golf balls available.
Since the Bridgestone Tour B XS was released on Tour and to the public it has been well received becoming one of the most favored golf balls in the game – a genuine rival to the Titleist Pro V1.
Pros
- Long and straight in the long game
- Incredible feel off the face
- Exceptionally soft and responsive on approach shots and around the green
- Lovely feedback off the putter face
Cons
- Doesn't perform as well for slower swing speeds
Key Tech
Bridgestone are notorious in the golfing world for manufacturing premium golf balls fit for the best tour players. However, these balls do not only appeal to the elite being one of the best premium golf balls, the Tour B XS is one of the most favored balls among club golfers as well. What is it that makes these balls so popular?
REACTIV iQ
The REACTIV iQ is a smart urethane cover technology which reacts to the force of impact which helps to offer more distance off the tee and more spin and control on approach shots. This technology is a feature on the entire Tour B range.
Gradational Compression Core
Offering higher initial ball speed and lower side spin the gradational compression core is a welcomed addition to any ball and it only helps to improve the overall performance of the Tour B XS.
Dual Dimple Technology
The dimple technology on the Tour B XS golf ball is different from its competitors, featuring dual dimple technology. This has been a feature of Bridgestone golf balls since the early 2010s. The dual dimple technology enhances aerodynamics (resulting in extra distance) and produces a more efficient ball trajectory by reducing drag during flight.
Seamless Cover Technology
Helping to deliver a consistent flight and performance is the seamless cover technology. This creates a perfectly balanced dimple pattern – giving you a ball you can trust to travel as intended.
Who uses Bridgestone Tour B XS golf balls?
While Bridgestone does not have as many tour players playing their ball as Titleist or TaylorMade they do have one extremely notorious golfer who opts for the Tour B XS – and even helped with the creation of this ball.
The golfer is 15-time Major Champion, Tiger Woods, who has worked with Bridgestone for a lot of years to make the best ball for his game. Tiger was using the Tour B XS golf ball when he won the 2018 Tour Championship and at the 2019 Masters where he won his fifth green jacket.
Which Bridgestone Tour B golf ball should I play?
Bridgestone offers a full range of Tour B golf balls, the Tour B XS being the long-distance, high-spinning ball for golfers who swing a driver quicker than 105mph. However, that is not to say it is only for those golfers, it is worth trying them all to find out which is the best Bridgestone ball for you.
Bridgestone undoubtedly improved its reputation when they acquired arguably the biggest name in golf, so if you are looking to play the ball the GOAT uses then the Tour B XS is the one for you.
The Tour B X offers less spin and flies lower than the Tour B XS; still intended for golfers with a swing speed north of 105mph. Used on Tour by Jason Day and Matt Kuchar.
Tour B RX is built to increase distance off the tee for those who swing the driver slower than 105mph.
If you are looking for more greenside control and spin the Tour B RXS is a suitable option for a golfer with a driver swing slower than 105mph – it works for 1992 Masters Champion Fred Couples.
Bridgestone Tour B XS review: Robot golf balls test verdict
| Driver 85mph Swing | Bridgestone Tour B XS |
| Ball speed (mph) / Launch angle (º) | 123.4 / 13.1 |
| Backspin (rpm) | 2,901 |
| Carry (yards) | 191.3 |
| Driver 100mph Swing | |
| Ball speed (mph) / Launch angle (º) | 144.6 / 12.2 |
| Backspin (rpm) | 2,731 |
| Carry (yards) | 239.6 |
| Driver 115mph Swing | |
| Ball speed (mph) / Launch angle (º) | 165.7 / 10.8 |
| Backspin (rpm) | 2,147 |
| Carry (yards) | 291.1 |
| 7-Iron | |
| Ball speed (mph) / Launch angle (º) | 106 / 21.3 |
| Backspin (rpm) | 5,713 |
| Height (feet) | 87.9 |
| Descent angle (º) | 46.4 |
| Carry (yards) | 146.6 |
| Wedge | |
| Backspin (rpm) | 7,790 |
| Shot area (sq yds) | 8.6 |
| Carry (yards) | 105.7 |
| Average shot area | |
| Averaged over driver, 7-iron and PW | 26.2yds sq |
Bridgestone say the Tour B XS ups spin over the Tour B X. Our data supports their thinking, but we’re talking very small amounts. An additional 39rpm backspin compared to the Tour B X with driver (at 115mph) means giving up 2.7 yards of carry.
With a 7-iron the backspin difference drops to 11rpm (with just 0.1 yards carry distance between the two), and 111rpm with a PW, so club golfers are likely to struggle to see any real difference between the pair.
Interestingly, both balls were inside our test average for shot area, with the higher spinning Tour B XS, which racked up the smallest area at our 115mph driver speed, boasting 26.2yds sq compared to the Tour B X at 30.4.
See how it compared to the other 27 models in our robot golf balls test.
Bridgestone Tour B XS availability
The Tour B XS is available in white and yellow. The balls come as standard with numbers 1-4 colored blue on the white ball and black on the yellow ball. However, if you buy the Tour B XS – TW Edition all the balls are stamped with the number 1 and Tiger.
The balls are available to purchase from numerous retailers at an RRP of £44.99 / $49.99 per dozen; a respectable price for a ball that challenges the best golf balls in the game.
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James Hogg – Golf Equipment Writer
James Hogg is a golf equipment writer for todays-golfer.com.
He has a degree in English Language from Newcastle University and an MA in Journalism from Kingston University.
James previously worked for American Golf alongside his studies as part of the sales and fitting team. Having worked in golf retail for seven years he has all the skills and knowledge necessary to review and recommend the perfect equipment for golfers of all abilities and has a strong knowledge of putters, golf balls, and golf apparel, including trousers.
Despite nobody else in James’ family playing golf he took a keen interest as a teenager which saw him become a junior member at Saltburn Golf Club, North Yorkshire. Since returning to Teesside in 2022 James has joined his home course, Cleveland Golf Club. His handicap index is 4.7 thanks to consistent distance off the tee.
Away from golf, James enjoys a multitude of sports, specifically watching Formula 1, American Football and Horse Racing. He’s also a proud supporter of Middlesbrough FC, likes cooking and reading travel literature.
James uses a Callaway Mavrik SZ Driver, Callaway Mavrik SZ 3-Wood, TaylorMade Stealth UDI 3-iron, Ping i210 Irons (4-PW), Cobra King Snakebite 50° Wedge, Mizuno S23 56° and 60° Wedges, TaylorMade Spider X Putter and a TaylorMade Tour Response Stripe golf ball.
You can contact James via email for loads more golf equipment insight.
Product Information
Bridgestone Tour B XS
RRP: £36.99 per dozen | VIEW UK OFFER | $49.99 per dozen | VIEW US OFFER
Construction: Three-piece golf ball
Cover: 338-dimple REACTIV iQ injection-molded urethane cover
Colors: White; Yellow
