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Rory McIlroy and Nelly Korda won 11 times around the world this season and there was one common denominator: the TaylorMade TP5x ball.
The ball was first introduced in 2017 and TaylorMade released updated versions, the latest of which arrived earlier this season.
TaylorMade says the TP5x is the Tour's fastest and longest ball, with a five-layer design that includes four increasingly stiff layers and a soft urethane cover to improve groove contact on greenside shots for more spin and better feel.
Korda has also won seven times worldwide in 2024, including his second major at the Chevron Championship and is now the first American since 1990 to win seven more times in a season. There was also the Solheim trophy he won and surprisingly he was named Player of the Year.
Korda switched from the TP5 to the TP5x ball due to its ability to keep him face down in the long game. He started testing the new ball last September and it has paid off in his best season on Tour.
Earlier in 2024 he won a ridiculous five races on the trot.
“Nelly was looking to downgrade, especially in her driver, so we did a test in September,” said TaylorMade Senior Tour Manager Ryan Ressa.
“We saw the benefits of the TP5x in his driver and irons that reduced the spin a few hundred RPM. Then, on the greens, his launch on the chips was a little lower and he produced a greener spin with the TP5x than the TP5. He produced a check more of a popular trajectory from the TP5x compared to the TP5. He's been happy with the ball since.”
A quick summary of how balls differ…
Feel
TP5: Soft feel.
TP5x: A strong feeling.
The TP5 is designed for players who prefer a softer feel at impact, especially on the greens, while the TP5x has a firmer feel for more response on the clubface.
Trajectory
TP5: Launching from the middle to the top.
TP5x: Top presentation.
The TP5x tends to fly higher, making it ideal for players looking to maximize carry distance.
Spin
TP5: A lot revolves around vegetables.
TP5x: Slowly spin around the vegetables.
The TP5 delivers exceptional control and stopping power on approach shots and the short game, while the TP5x provides low spin off the tee for more distance.
Distance
TP5x: He went long because of the low spin and high speed of the ball.
TP5: It's still far, but slightly behind the TP5x in pure distance.
Oppression
TP5: Low pressure (85).
TP5x: High pressure (97).
The TP5 is better suited to players with medium swing speeds, while the TP5x caters to faster swing speeds with greater range and control.
The TP5x is a bit stiffer and therefore a bit more resistant to scuffing but that won't be much of a consideration for touring stars.
For McIlroy, his win at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai sealed a sixth Tour to Dubai title and, while the Major barren spell continued, it was still four victories around the world.
The first of those came back from the Dubai Desert Classic earlier in the season where he had just switched to a Qi10 driver, TP5x golf ball and Spider Tour X putter.
McIlroy immediately noticed an extra 7-8 yards off the tee and liked the new low launch and low spin.
“Fastest ball I ever hit. It's unbelievably fast. “Even going into the long clubs, what I picked up with the driver is amazing,” said McIlroy.
“It was a good test to make sure the mid irons were turning green and could hold the green. I think the low launch with the short irons and the soft feel around the greens is kind of the biggest selling point for me. “
There is, also, the added course of using a fixed shot which means the Northern Irishman can line up his shots to the green.
“The thing is that it doesn't spin too much when I hit that shot, I like it a lot because I've always had this fear with any ball that I've played that when I hit that shot it just goes crazy. because it spins very slowly. But I don't really have that fear with this golf ball, which is a really good feeling.”
READ MORE: How far did Women's World No.1 Nelly Korda hit her TaylorMade Qi10 Max driver?
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