TaylorMade Soft Response Golf Balls

Product Information

In July 2023, Neil became just the 9th editor in Golf Monthly's 112-year history. Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he has also presented many Golf Monthly videos looking at all areas of the game from Tour player interviews to the rules of golf. Ideally, I’d prefer a golf ball that spins lower and optimizes length. However, I welcomed the easy launching nature and consistent carry distance it produced. I feel the highly compressible, easy-launching design of the ball suits slow and moderate-swing-speed golfers. Affordability

With Tour Response, TaylorMade’s is using what it calls a speed-increasing ultra-soft ZnO Flex Core. As we’ve touched on before, all soft materials aren’t created equal. There are faster soft materials and slower soft materials. Similar to the stories built around new versions of Titleist’s AVX and Callaway’s Chrome Soft, the TaylorMade-supplied info suggests a faster soft ball. Contrary to most distance balls, TaylorMade inserted a middle layer between the low compression core and the soft ionomer cover. An ionomer Speed Mantle Layer works tirelessly to increase energy transfer and ball speed while restricting spin. In long game testing, the TaylorMade Tour Response was a clear front runner over the Soft Response.

Urethane Cover

The TaylorMade Soft Response golf ball will be available in white, yellow, and matte red. I recommend avoiding matte finishes. They look cool (especially the red), but they’re inherently less consistent when moisture is introduced, but then again, Soft Response isn’t really a performance-first ball choice anyway. Although they’re priced higher than the Wilson Zip, Distance +, and Warbird, the Soft Response golf balls are still attractive to the average golfer. High Visibility Yellow

When it comes to the golf ball, there are a variety of models that do a variety of things. Whether you are a new player to the game who is looking for models that will just go forward, an improver who is wanting one of the best mid price golf balls for their bag, or perhaps a single figure handicapper who wants one of the best premium golf balls to add to their arsenal, there are different golf balls for everybody.For high speed, high spin players, lower spinning soft balls can work really well because the distance gained from spin reduction can more than offset the speed penalty. Those same high spin players typically don’t have issues generating enough iron spin. The feel of the Soft Response golf balls impressed me, considering my experience with other firmer, distance golf balls. It produced a pleasant sensation off the clubface and felt soft in the hand. Its squashy feel stems from its lower compression core and soft ionomer cover to boost spring off the clubface and spin around the green. Wedge Spin

After testing the TaylorMade Tour Response from the same range I was excited to test out the TaylorMade Soft Response as I was impressed with the quality and performance from a mid-range ball.It’s refreshing to see a 3-layer distance ball that delivers a superior greenside experience over its peers. The Soft Response comprises a low-compression core, a speed mantle layer, and an ionomer cover. An Extended Flight Dimple Pattern lines the ball cover for enhanced aerodynamics and consistent flight. Lower Compression Core Bauer Media Group consists of : Bauer Consumer Media Ltd, Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited, The Tour Response has a firm feel but in short game tests, it was hard to tell the difference between it and more premium models like the TP5 and TP5 X. Ball Flight

The Soft Response predictably feels soft. Very soft. That’s no surprise for a ball rated 35 compression. It also has a ‘hi-spring core’ matched with a ZnO FLEX CORE™ and enhanced SPEEDMANTLE™ just below its thin tough cover, which makes the ball feel lively off the face and exceptional off the putter. For example, the design team shows a ball getting squashed from the side to represent the low-compression core. I also liked the image of a ball shooting forward to highlight the Hi-Spring Construction. ColorsThe Extended Flight Dimple Pattern excelled on takeoff and landing, obliterating drag as it left the clubface and enhancing lift on the descent. On takeoff, the aerodynamic dimples elevated the ball into the sky and propelled it forward for longer carry. I found the Tour Response to offer more short game control and while the Soft Response felt great on the wedge and putter, it released more on chip shots and doesn’t offer the same precision as expensive models like the TP5 and TP5x balls. Which ball should you choose? I was apprehensive to test such a soft-feeling ball as I didn’t want to lose distance. With my wedges, I didn’t lose much distance but with a driver and 7 iron I was losing around 10 yards which was disappointing but was to be expected from such a soft golf ball. As mentioned previously the Response range from TaylorMade is designed for a mid-range golfer with a lower compression rate so someone with a slower swing speed may not see this drop in distance. While faster soft balls are all the rage right now, it’s important to remember our key fitting considerations. In some cases, the lower spin properties of soft balls can make up for the speed penalty; however, they often bring with them lower spin, which can be problematic in the iron game.