TaylorMade Tour Response vs Soft Response Golf Balls [Comparison]

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The Tour Response and Soft Response are new 2022 golf balls from TaylorMade that have a number of awesome new features. In this guide, we go over the TaylorMade Tour Response vs Soft Response golf balls and go through the features, pricing, and availability of each.

We’ll be going over:

  • Key features in each golf ball
  • What type of golfer each ball is made for
  • How to buy the TaylorMade Tour Response and Soft Response golf balls today
  • What I like and don’t like about each ball

After you read this, go and buy a pack of these new TaylorMade golf balls today and check them out for yourself.

RELATED: Read our brand new TaylorMade Stealth Driver review.

How to Buy the TaylorMade Tour Response and Soft Response

Tour Response

Soft Response

What is the TaylorMade Tour Response?

The TaylorMade Tour is the newest golf ball released by TaylorMade in 2022, providing great tour quality at an affordable price. These golf balls aren’t made to be a bargain, however compared to other premium golf ball brands on the market you definitely can’t go wrong with these.

For the first time ever, TaylorMade has added their patented Tour Flight Dimple pattern to the Tour Response ball, which has previously only been found in the TP5 and TP5x balls. The 100% Urethane cover provides the softest feel in a golf ball which will help maintain distance while also keeping spin and distance control.

The new TaylorMade Tour Response golf balls were released on March 18th, 2022 and come in white, pure yellow and also a one-stripe colorway. These golf balls are similar to and often compared to the Bridgestone E6 and E12 golf balls.

Tour Response Stripe

The Tour Response Stripe is a custom ball released by TaylorMade on the same day as the regular Tour Response. It carries the exact same features and feel as the Tour Response, but will be more loved by alignment lovers. 

The Tour Response Stripe features a 360 degree, 22 millimeter alignment stripe running around the centre of the golf ball to help with aiming. The stripe is yellow with a thin black line on the inside that matches up with the player’s putter sight lines.

This will help ensure that amateur golfers have their putts lined up correctly. The stripe also helps provide a type of feedback to the golfer on the roll of each putt. 

Key Features

Tour Flight Dimple Pattern

TaylorMade introduced their patented Tour Flight Dimple pattern on the TP5 and TP5x golf balls and it has now made its way over to the Tour Response ball. This dimple pattern has shallower dimples of equal volume, meaning the ball will carry farther in the air for maximum distance. 

The 2020 version of the Tour Response had deeper dimples, which hindered the ball flight slightly. Golfers with average swing speeds should find immediate improvement from the new Tour Response dimple volume vs the 2020 version.

Urethane Cover

The new Tour Response balls have a 100% Urethane cover on them, which provides a softer ball feel. These balls have maximum durability. Urethane is a stronger bonded material than Ionomer, which will ultimately provide a softer feel. 

The softer feel also increases interaction with the grooves on your clubs, which will help generate more spin and control.

Three-Piece Construction

The new Tour Response balls are a 3-piece construction that is designed to maximize efficient energy transfer in your swing and produce incredibly fast swing speeds. This, along with the soft feel of the Urethane cover will help the ball explode off the face at impact.

SpeedMantle

Another feature taken from the TP5 and TP5X, SpeedMantle is a feature that allows the mantle (inner core of the ball) to flex better on impact. This feature helps to increase distance in the ball.

What is the TaylorMade Soft Response?

The new TaylorMade Soft Response is the softer golf ball of the new releases. Soft golf balls are more geared towards moderate to slow swing speeds as they provide a little more feel at impact. The Soft Response utilize a soft Ionomer Cover on the ball, which helps increase the feel and also provides great durability hit after hit.

Overall, it has a softer core than most other balls on the market. The lower spin rates are more forgiving though, making it easy to keep the ball on track. Greenside spin is also minimized and the landing on the ball will be soft.

The Soft Response released on March 18th along with the new Tour Response balls. The Soft Response balls are designed more for the golfer that is looking for soft feel without sacrificing any sort of distance on their shots.

Key Features

Extended Flight Dimple Pattern

The Soft Response balls have a shallower U-shaped dimple pattern on them. This new dimple profile will promote less drag off the tee and also an increased ball flight at impact. This should allow the ball to stay in the air longer with low spin rates.

ZnO Flex Core

The new TaylorMade Soft Response golf ball is more geared towards slow swing speed golfers. They have an ultra-low 35 compression core, which provides a soft feel in the golf ball all while keeping maximum impact off the tee. These balls carry far even on slow swing speeds!

TaylorMade Tour Response vs Soft Response

The TaylorMade Tour Response vs Soft Response, each ball has a number of unique features. Other than release date, the two balls have a different design and purpose. Let’s break down these components in more detail.

Dimple Pattern

Although each golf ball released has a different dimple pattern, the premise is still the same. The Soft Response has the shallower U-shaped dimple pattern, whereas the Tour Response has the new Tour Flight pattern. 

Each still promotes less drag off the tee and promotes higher ball flight which in turn equals farther distance with less spin.

Outer Cover

The Soft Response have a soft Ionomer cover on the ball whereas the Tour Response is a 100% Urethane cover. 

The Ionomer cover will definitely give a softer feel, but that is what the Soft Response is marketing towards. The Tour Response balls still have a very soft feel for a Tour-ball and you will not sacrifice any distance with them.

Pricing

The new TaylorMade Tour Response balls start at $43.99 USD for a case, whereas the Soft Response balls only start at $27.49 for a case. This is quite a big price gap between the two and there are a couple of reasons for this. 

The Tour Response balls are geared towards high swing speed golfers, which will be the low handicap and tour players. You will find PGA Tour players using these balls all the time. 

The Soft Response balls are geared towards slow swing speed players, which are the amateurs and regular weekend golfers. You will never find a PGA Tour player using the Soft Response ball because they are looking for maximum distance and maximum durability, which the Soft Response can’t provide. 

Either way, the pricing on both of these are excellent compared to some of the other golf ball brands out there.

Number of Layers

Both the Tour Response and Soft Response golf balls are a 3-layer constructed golf ball. Both incorporate new dimple patterns to help promote ball flight and maximum distance with swing speeds ranging from slow to fast. 

The Tour Response feature a Urethane cover which will promote more spin, where the Soft Response has an Ionomer cover which will have a softer feel and less spin.

Who is the Tour Response made for?

The new Tour Response golf balls are made for low to mid handicap golfers looking to enhance ball speed and spin. It is for moderate swing speed players looking for tour-like spin while also increasing distance. 

The Tour Response has the Tour Flight dimple pattern taken from the TP5 and TP5x balls. The new dimple patter gives the balls speed-enhancing effects. The 100% Urethane cover is soft and the everyday golfer will find success using the ball.

Who is the Soft Response made for?

The new Soft Response golf balls are made for those amateur golfers with a slower swing speed that are looking for a soft feel while not sacrificing as much distance. They feature a soft Ionomer cover on the ball that provides durability. 

With the shallower U-shaped dimples, it still allows the ball to carry through the air so you won’t lose as much distance. These balls are perfect for the high handicap golfers and regular weekend golfers.

If you are still trying to establish your handicap, the Soft Response is for you.

TaylorMade Tour Response/Soft Response vs TP5/TP5x

The TP5 and TP5x have been revelations in the professional golf ball world since they were introduced back in 2017. Many PGA Tour players have won using them and they are still used today. TaylorMade has just recently released the new Tour Response and Soft Response golf balls so we will compare them to the TP5 and TP5x.

The Tour Response and Soft Response are definitely great affordable alternatives for mid to high handicap golfers. They cost quite a bit less than the TP5 options.

The TP5 and TP5x are a five-piece construction and are a very firm golf ball compared to the Tour Response and Soft Response. They seem to launch off impact and keep their line quite a bit more compared to the softer models. They also keep a lower spinning ball flight, especially through the wind which will result in further drives.

The TP5 and TP5x are also quite a bit more expensive since they are a tour golf ball. A dozen TP5x balls can cost over $60, which is nearly double what the Tour Response does.

Lower handicap players will definitely prefer the TP5 and TP5x as they will provide further distance, more spin and overall enhanced tour feel.

What I Like About These Golf Balls

The Tour Response golf ball is a really good mid-quality golf ball for average golfers. Adopting the same dimple pattern as the TP5 golf ball is smart design by TaylorMade. However, the half price point is better for casual golfers to spend.

The Soft Response golf balls are one of the easiest golf balls I’ve ever hit on the golf course. They are perfect for beginner golf balls who want a reliable golf ball from a top brand. Once you can hit faster ball speeds, then an upgrade to the Tour Response will be beneficial.

What I Don’t Like About These Golf Balls

Being softer golf balls, these aren’t great for practicing your backspin. This is fine for most casual golfers, but something to consider if you want a more advanced feel. 

The Tour Response Stripe version also feels a little pointless to me. They are designed for more experienced golfers anyway who don’t need to rely on a big obnoxious line around the ball. I would have liked to see the stripe on the Soft Response for newbies to try out.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Tour Response and Soft Response balls are a great option if you are looking for a cheaper alternative to premium tour golf balls. They provide a high launch, while holding consistent distance and the soft feel is great especially around the green. 

Tour Response vs Soft Response, both golf balls from TaylorMade have a ton of really nice features. The Soft Response is a great golf ball for recreational golfers who want to simplify their game. It might be the softest ball on the market.

For a better feel and more control, the Tour Response offers next-level aerodynamics. It is a softer version of a tour level ball.

Both of these TaylorMade golf balls are worth trying out today. The price point for them is very reasonable.

Use the links below to buy these golf balls today.

Tour Response

Soft Response

Frequently Asked Questions

What professional golfers use the Tour Response and Soft Response golf balls?

A lot of PGA tour professionals use the TaylorMade TP5X golf ball, including Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy. The Tour Response golf ball should be picked up by some of the pros soon, but the ball has just only hit the market. We’ll be updating this guide as soon as we see some professionals using the ball.

What is the compression of the TaylorMade Tour Response?

The Tour Response has a low 70-compression design. This means that it should be used by golfers who have a swing speed around 70 MPH. A low compression golf ball has better rebound off the club when hit, but are a little tougher to control.

What is the compression of the TaylorMade Soft Response?

The Soft Response has a really low 50-compression design. This means that it should be used by golfers who have a swing speed around 50 MPH. A really low compression ball like this maximizes energy transfer when it is hit, letting it travel a longer distance with a slower speed.

Does the TaylorMade Tour Response replace the Project A golf ball?

The Tour Response does in fact replace TaylorMade’s Project A ball. It provides a cheaper and more affordable golf ball, while retaining some of the key features found in the more expensive TP5 and TP5X.

Ryan William
Ryan William

With over 25 years hands-on experience in the golfing world, Ryan is not just an avid golfer but a topical authority. His journey has had him delve deep into the nuances of the sport, from mastering the swing to understanding new golf technology. As an entrepreneur, Ryan is at the forefront of the latest golf trends, reviewing all new clubs, accessories, and training aids. His insights and expertise are backed by a prolific writing career, with over 1000 articles published across various platforms. Ryan's commitment is clear: to guide and inform the golf community with unparalleled knowledge and passion.

Last update on 2024-04-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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