50 Words or Less
The 2024 Bridgestone Tour B golf balls continue to be leaders in fitting options and high end performance. Mindset markings remind players of the importance of the mental game.
Introduction
The Bridgestone Tour B golf balls are consistently among the best performing Tour balls available. Bridgestone makes four models that are clearly differentiated to fit a wide array of players and uses some of the best cover technology in the game. The 2022 Tour B [review HERE] was in regular rotation for many of our writers, so Matt Meeker and I put the 2024 Bridgestone Tour B golf balls through their paces to see if they’re even better.
Feel
All of the 2024 Bridgestone Tour B golf balls fit comfortably into the normal feel parameters for a Tour ball. There’s no doubt that a lot of recreational golfers wouldn’t notice if you traded one for the other. But you’re not most golfers, so we’ll dig into the tiny details of these four models.
On the green, the Tour B X is the firmest of the four with a crisp, clear “tock” and responsive feel. Compared to Tour balls generally, this is right in the middle for feel. Next in line is the Tour B XS which feels a little softer and has a slightly duller sound.
I’ve always felt that there was overlap between the feel of the Tour B XS and the Tour B RX, and that’s still true here. The Tour B RX still has a responsive feel despite being built for slower swing speeds. Finally, the Tour B RXS is the softest of the four with the quietest impact sound. I found that the audio difference between the RX and RXS was bigger than the feel difference.
Looking year to year, Matt Meeker noted that the 2024 Tour B RX had a little more “click” to it than the previous version.
Moving to the full swing clubs, the differences in feel are more noticeable. The Tour B X has a firm feel and “snap” off a wedge. There is a pretty dramatic change to the Tour B XS which is softer in feel, duller and quieter in sound. The Tour B RX and RXS are closer to each other and the Tour B XS with a softer feel and slightly duller sound.
Short Game
For those not familiar with Bridgestone’s Tour B family, it divides on two dimensions. The Tour B X and Tour B XS are meant for players with swing speeds over 105 MPH. The RX and RXS are meant for players below that mark. Choosing the X or RX prioritizes distance; the XS and RXS offer more spin, per Bridgestone. Matt Meeker and I each did our own testing as players with swings speed below and (sometimes) above 105 MPH.
In wedge testing, Matt Meeker found a modest difference across the 2024 Bridgestone Tour B line up. He got the most spin with the Tour B RX, but only a few hundred RPM – less than a 10% difference. At a Tour level, that type of difference might be meaningful, but amateur players can regard all four balls as high spin in the short game.
My results were not too different from Meeker’s, but they were more in line with Bridgestone’s stated specs. I got the most wedge spin from the Tour B XS and Tour B RXS. The gap to the Tour B X and Tour B RX was, like Meeker, a few hundred RPM. What impresses me about the entire 2024 Bridgestone Tour B line up is the spin consistency. My poorly struck shots still get a lot of spin, which makes my short game more predictable.
Long Game
Typically, I find that performance differences shrink in the irons and expand at the edges of the bag. Matt Meeker found the opposite with the 2024 Bridgestone Tour B golf balls. The largest difference between the four models was with his irons where he found 5% more spin with the Tour B RXS. This added extra height and carry distance to his shots, explaining why this is his preferred Tour B.
I also found more variance than normal in the iron performance of these four balls. The Tour B RXS and Tour B XS both had iron spin that was a few hundred RPM above average. In contrast, the Tour B X and Tour B RX were a few hundred RPM below average. These aren’t huge, day-and-night differences, but they can affect carry distance and stopping power, especially for players who are already on the higher and lower ends of the spin spectrum. I will add that I was seeing about 2 MPH more ball speed from the Tour B and Tour B XS compared to the “R” models.
Finally, with the driver Matt Meeker found limited difference among the four 2024 Bridgestone Tour B golf balls. His exact words were “virtually identical on Trackman.” For me, the driver performance mirrored what I saw with the irons. The Tour B X and Tour B XS were faster than the RX and RXS. In terms of spin, the XS and RXS were a bit higher than the X and RX. The spin differences were fairly small for me, but I’m a low spin player; high spin players may see larger gaps.
Bridgestone Tour B Mindset
While the excellent performance of the 2024 Bridgestone Tour B golf balls is the most important thing, Mindset is what’s getting the most attention. At first glance, it just looks like a colorful decoration. Nothing new there, plenty of OEMs are covering their balls in all types of designs.
However, the Mindset markings are a lot more than a fancy ornamentation. This symbol was designed in conjunction with Jason Day and his mental coach, Jason Goldsmith. The idea is that the three circles remind you to perform the three-step Mindset process – identify your target, visualize the shot path, and focus on the dot.
Overall, I’m a big fan of almost anything that puts a spotlight on the importance of the mental game, so I like this. Matt Meeker did point out that these graphics work best on tee shots and putts – on other shots, you may not be able to see the green dot at all.
Conclusion
The 2024 Bridgestone Tour B line continues to give players an unmatched level of choice in their Tour golf balls. Whether you’re a faster or slower swinger, a high or low spin player, you can find exactly what you need in this line. Take advantage of Bridgestone’s focus on fitting to make sure you’re getting all the distance and spin you deserve.
Visit Bridgestone Golf HERE
Buy the 2024 Bridgestone Tour B HERE
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
- Performance Golf Click Stick Training Aid Review - October 18, 2024
- Callaway Opus Platinum Wedge Review - October 17, 2024
- When to Take a Break from Golf - October 15, 2024
4 Comments
according to Ballnamic online ball fitting site. It recommended the tour BX for swing speeds over 105. When I questioned this since my swing speed is know where near 105 I was told this is just marketing. The results were increased Driver distance with enough short game spin, over my gamer ProV1x
Great write up on the 2024 Bridgestone Tour lineup! I gamed Pro V1 for years but decided to do some Trackman testing last winter with all major premium balls to see if the numbers woukd pursuade me to try something new. I ended up in the 2024 Bridgestone Tour B X and can’t say enough good things about it. I’ll also add that I’ve made it 18 to 36 holes with one ball a few times and the ball has held up well.
Totally agree. I played BRX next to ProV1X and the Bridgestone was about 3 yards longer off the drive and more consistent with irons and short game. I can easily get 3 rounds out of one ball. Bridgestone just keeps improving an already great ball.
Recently I attended a ball fitting by Bridgestone at my golf club. The fitter had me hit 3 of my gamers (TP5X) and then 3 of the Bridgestone balls they recommended. Given my results with the TP5X I was asked to hit the Tour B X. I was truly surprised by my results. The Tour B X had 30 more yards carry (255 TP5X v 288 Tour B X) and less backspin (2800 TP5X v 2600 Tour B X). They gave me a 2 ball sample and I played 18. Great ball, firm off the driver which I prefer and nice ball flight with my irons. Firm with wedges and surprisingly soft-ish with the putter (my putter has an insert). I will continue to evaluate this ball with additional rounds but I must say I was impressed with the ball fitting and the results of the Tour B X.