TaylorMade, an industry leader in product innovation and technology, has announced the release of its enhanced 2019 TP5 and TP5x golf ball models.
Highlighted by its new High-Flex Material (HFM), TaylorMade has taken the ’17 TP5 and TP5x to a new level of performance.
‘With the new TP5 and TP5x golf balls, we knew there was an opportunity to make them even faster. Our research into the driver and ball interaction at the moment of impact along with the development of a new material (HFM) has given us the ability to more efficiently convert compression into speed, at any swing speed. The new Speed-Layer System (SLS) controls spin rates that is critical for driver, iron and wedge performance,’said Eric Loper, the company’s Director of Golf Ball R&D.
The key to achieving enhanced speed without impacting other areas of performance comes down to the ability to weave the new High-Flex Material (HFM) within TaylorMade’s proprietary 5-layer ball construction. It’s claimed that with traditional golf balls with 3 or 4 layers, manufacturers are unable to utilise a soft core and maintain high ball velocities.
With the 2019 TP5 and TP5x, speed and spin are effectively decoupled—which enables a remarkably soft core to be ‘wrapped’ by increasingly stiff materials, creating a Speed-Layer System with each outer layer getting progressively faster.
Based on initial player testing with the 2019 TP5 and TP5x, the top athletes in the world are experiencing speeds they’ve never seen before. During a recent testing session, Jon Rahm (who averages 177-179 mph ball speed with driver) was seeing numbers upward of 186 mph with an average of around 182.5 mph. Additional TaylorMade staff professionals also experienced noticeable gains in ball speed at a recent testing session across high, mid and lower swing speeds.
New Speed-Layer System with HFM
The new Speed-Layer System is comprised of four increasingly stiff layers, featuring a new material called HFM. HFM is the fastest material TaylorMade has ever used and is essentially a tightly wound spring, and when compressed generates more rebound energy for more ball speed. The tightly wound spring characteristic of HFM also increases the force on the driver face, further increasing the speed of the golf ball when it leaves the driver face.
Tri-Fast Core
The Tri-Fast Core consists of an extra-large, low-compression inner core (16 compression in TP5 & 25 compression in TP5x) and a progressively stiffer outer core and mantle. The combination of these three layers work in conjunction to create lower drag and increased carry—the primary reason TP5 and TP5x have become the hottest Tour balls in golf. The Tri-Fast Core delivers breakthrough iron performance by achieving maximum carry, giving golfers of nearly every swing speed (over 60 mph) choosing less clubs into the green.
Dual-Spin Cover
The Dual-Spin Cover boasts an ultra-soft cast urethane cover and a 30% more rigid inner cover. This system creates a condition that is ideal for greenside control, as the rigid inner cover forces the soft urethane cover into wedge grooves for maximum spin generation.
Additional enhancements in the 2019 TP5 and TP5x models include a new Soft-Tough cast urethane cover. In order to achieve improved scuff resistance, shear resistance, and overall durability, the new cover features a cast urethane compound and new paint formulation to help each ball feel better and last longer.
With the improved cover durability, new HFM material, and TaylorMade’s proprietary 5-layer design, TP5 and TP5x are able to produce optimal flight, velocity, and control regardless of which model golfers prefer to play.
How to Choose Between the ’19 TP5 and TP5x
The 2019 TP5 and TP5x offer complete tee-to-green performance thanks to TaylorMade’s patented 5-layer construction. While both deliver significant distance off the tee, the TP5 has a softer feel (85 compression), launches lower on iron shots and has more spin around the greens (+300 compared to TP5x at 100 yards & +200 at 30 yards) while the TP5x has a firmer feel (97 compression) and will generate higher launching iron shots. TaylorMade staffers anticipated to play the TP5 are Rory McIlroy and Beau Hossler, while Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm and Jason Day are anticipated to gravitate toward the TP5x model.
Pricing and Availability
The 2019 TP5 and TP5x will be available at retail mid-March at an RRP of R720 per dozen. To learn more about TP5 and TP5x golf balls, visit www.TaylorMadeGolf.co.za
