About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the golf balls which I purchased with my own money in May of 2022.

My take

The golf ball is a tough purchase for many people, as it seems they all offer the same goals: to shoot better scores and fix all of your issues. In my hunt for my best fit, I found the TP5x. The TP5x balls are the triple threat for me, which is a combination of distance, spin control, and soft feel around greens.

About the golf ball I own

• Model: 2022 TaylorMade TP5x
• Color: White

About me

• Average score: 87
• Handicap: 12
• Experience: 32 years of golf
• Right/Left-handed: Right
• Typical shot shape: Draw
• Typical trajectory: High
• Club swing speed: 100 mph (driver)

Test conditions

• When I bought this: May 2022
• Days tested: 10 days
• Where I’ve used it: Practice green, traditional midwest lower Michigan area golf courses
• Weather and wind conditions: Cool, hot, wet, and dry
• Turf conditions: Soft
• Green speeds: Medium to Fast

How they perform

What I was looking for

I hit my driver very high, and have a lot of spin. I use a 9 degree driver adjusted down to 8.5 degrees of loft, and I was looking for a ball primarily to reduce spin on the driver for more distance but without losing distance. A lot of golfers have a fade or slice which means the clubface is slightly open to your target. Usually this is combined with a swing path that is “over the top”. All of these factors translate into too much spin on your driver. When you have too much spin it goes too high and wastes energy going up instead of going far. If you have the opposite issue, the ball doesn’t go high enough to stay in the air long enough (kind of like throwing a baseball one inch off the ground, it doesn’t matter how hard you throw gravity will pull it to the ground). Your goal should be to get a perfect amount of spin so that it isn’t too high or low. Players who have a lot of spin can benefit from this type of a ball as it reduces spin on the driver, which in turn leads to longer drives.

Why I chose this golf ball

This is the low spin version of the TP5, and offers a great combination of distance and feel. The Titleist ProV1x left dash was the other contender in this category, and the primary ball that I tested and played in comparison to the TP5x. When comparing the two I see similar distance with the driver, but less control with the Titleist. When I missed the TP5x with my irons by hitting too much fade, the TP5x would end up closer than the Titleist. I found the TP5x easier to find in stores and online, also.

What I love about it

• Distance: I love the distance with this ball; it’s 5-15 yards longer than the normal ProV1 or TP5 on the driver. It’s the same difference on irons.
• Feel: Really enjoy the feel when putting and chipping with this ball. The best way to describe it would be to hit a cheaper ball like a Nitro. It feels like hitting a rock on your putter and it is hard to hit it the same distance. The TP5x is firm enough so it doesn’t feel like a marshmallow, but has that grippy soft feel that gives you a little feedback on how you hit it with a putter or wedge. Over time your brain processes this feedback, and it helps with distance control.
• Green Spin: The spin I’ve been getting on the greens has been great. I had one shot with a 5 iron that landed on a downhill part of the green, and it stopped within about 6 feet. Many non-premium balls hit the green and would keep on rolling off of the back, which makes it very hard to get close to the pin.
• Durability: The durability is great. The ball endures the usual scuffs when you hit a cart path or tree, but it’s still playable. I haven’t had any cuts.
• Color: The ball has an easy-to-find white color with a glossy finish.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Alignment Arrows: I would like to see a line on the end of the alignment arrows, but still enjoy the clean look. I like to mark my ball with a coin on the green, and then align the arrows toward the hole, or on the line I want to hit it. If the lines were a little longer or extended, it could help me do this more precisely. I could always draw a line by hand or with a template, but I like a clean look. I’d recommend golfers try out lines to see if they help their accuracy.

Best shot with this golf ball

I hit a very long drive on a par 5 with a bunker at 314 yards. I didn’t think I could reach it, but I was surprisingly close. I feel like this 2022 version of the TP5x is just more forgiving. My experience has been that on bad shots, this one stays in play more often. Putting is also better, as it has that soft premium feel, but as it is slightly firmer than the TP5, so it goes a couple inches farther, and I don’t miss short as much.

Value for the money vs. other options

I can usually find a deal that is $4-$5 lower per dozen than the ProV1 line. It’s difficult to buy a better ball for less. For some, the TP5x could be out of the price range they want to spend on balls ($45+ per dozen), but as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. Almost all of the premium balls that have the cover material like TP5 and ProV1 are going to be in this premium range. If you are serious about improving your game, then I think this is the best value in that high-end range. The next tier down doesn’t have the same feel, but if you are just starting out and shoot over 100, and lose several balls per round, this might not be a fit.

Final verdict

Any golfer who is looking to reduce spin off their driver should take a look at the TP5x. It is one of the best options for the money, and even the intermediate or junior golfer will find it very forgiving, and helpful for lowering scores. I would advise any golfer who plays premium tour quality balls to give them a try.