TaylorMade announces new 2019 TP5 and TP5x golf balls

TaylorMade’s TP5 and TP5x golf balls – the latter of which wooed Rory McIlroy into a TaylorMade staff deal due to its performance in the wind, according to him – are getting a material upgrade in 2019. For its new renditions, TaylorMade has incorporated something called “High-Flex Material” that weaves into its five-layers constructions for higher ball speeds.

With its original TP5 and TP5x five-layer golf balls that came out in 2017, TaylorMade’s goal was to have soft inner cores to take advantage of compression on full shots, then increasingly firmer outer layers to influence greater greenside spin, with those layers being wrapped in a cast urethane cover. The combination of these designs was said to produce higher ball speeds without giving up greenside control.

Now, for its new 2019 golf balls bearing the same names, TaylorMade is furthering the separation between the inner core and outer layers, and has introduced the new High-Flex Material (HFM).

“With the new TP5 and TP5x golf balls, we knew there was an opportunity to make them even faster,” said Eric Loper, Director Golf Ball R&D for TaylorMade. “Our research into the driver and golf ball interaction at the moment of impact, along with the development of 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.”

The SLS system, according to TaylorMade, generates more rebound energy than the previous golf balls when compressed, thus increasing ball speed. As for the inner-most cores, TaylorMade has not changed the compression numbers for either golf ball; it still reports the TP5x golf ball’s inner core measures 16 compression points, and the TP5’s inner core measures 25 points. But, what’s different for 2019, is a 30 percent more rigid inner cover. TaylorMade says the increase in stiffness will increase greenside control because the stiffer inner cover will force the urethane cover into wedge grooves. This being the case, TaylorMade is also introducing a new “Soft Tough” urethane cover for greater durability compared to its predecessors.

How do you know which ball, between the TP5 and TP5x, is right for you?

According to TaylorMade, the TP5 has a softer feel, launches lower on iron shots and has 300 rpm more spin from 100 yards than the TP5x. On the other hand, it says the TP5x has a firmer feel and will yield higher launch on iron shots. As always, however, you should get fit. To help with the fitting process, TaylorMade says it has brought on 55 golf ball fitters worldwide, and it estimates those fitters will perform over 100,000 golf ball fittings in 2019.

The 2019 TP5 and TP5x golf balls will be available on January 15 and will sell for $44.99 per dozen.