TP5 vs. TP5x Balls: The Difference
The TaylorMade TP5 has more spin around the greens and a lower ball flight compared to the TP5.
The TP5x will have more distance, a higher ball flight, and a slightly firmer “clicky” feel vs. the TP5.
The TP5 will have a softer feel off the club, and will stop more quickly upon landing vs. the TP5x.
The additional spin with the TP5 is also ideal for shaping shots.
Comparison Table
| Ball | TP5 | TP5x |
|---|---|---|
| Flight | Mid | High |
| Feel | Soft | Firm |
| Driver Spin | More | Less |
| Driver Spin | More | Less |
| Short Game Spin | More | Less |
Which One Should You Play?
Most simply put, and from TaylorMade themselves, “… if you prioritize wedge spin over distance, the TP5 is the golf ball for you.”
The TP5 may work better for you than the TP5x if:
- You prefer a softer feeling golf ball
- You have a naturally high ball flight
- You want the ball to stop quickly after it lands
- You like shaping your shots (draw, fade etc)
- You play in an area with a lot of wind
- You want the most spin on the greens possible
The TP5x may work better for you than the TP5 if:
- You prefer a firmer “clicky” feeling golf ball
- You want the most distance possible
- You wan’t the ball to roll out after it lands
- You struggle to get the ball high in the air on longer shots
- You want the most distance possible
Me personally, I put a premium on being able to control spin and yardage with my scoring clubs (9 iron – 60° wedge).
The increased ability to control spin rate with these clubs puts the TP5 above the TP5x for my personal game.
TaylorMade TP5 In Depth:
In its simplest form, the TP5 golf ball is TaylorMade’s response to the Titleist Pro V1. It is the softer feeling ball between the TP5 and TP5x, the higher spinning ball between the two, and TaylorMade claims it “provides the highest performance around the greens with the lowest launch of all the golf balls we’ve created.” While the TP5 is the highest spinning ball TaylorMade produces, it is built like the TP5x to be low spinning off the tee with the driver to keep control high and help players find the fairway more often.
In direct hand-held comparison, the newest iteration (2024 version) of the TaylorMade TP5 both looks and feels different than older generations, thanks to an upgraded version of TaylorMade’s “soft cast urethane cover.”
A “soft cast urethane cover” is a fancy way of saying the ball’s outer layer is constructed with extra tough, yet ultra-thin and soft urethane.
This outer urethane cover has been revamped to be more durable and provide a slight distance advantage compared to the previous generation of the TaylorMade TP5.
TaylorMade says their new “Tour Flight Dimple Pattern” featured on the TP5 and TP5x contains a 322-dimple pattern engineered to improve ball flight aerodynamics and carry distance. The “shallow” overall dimple reduces the golf ball’s “drag” during its ascent to the apex, then the “steep walls” maintain lift and keep the ball airborne for longer than older generations.
In fact, to boost the speed and distance of the TP5 to keep up with the TP5x, TaylorMade has introduced a larger and more reactive core than the previous generation TP5.
The larger core was designed to store and release energy more efficiently, delivering a springing effect off the driver swing to increase distance and speed off the tee.
You must figure out what category of player you would put yourself in, as this will most easily help many golfers decide between these two balls from TaylorMade. As a player who prioritizes short games and more precision around the course, I would categorize myself as a player with a “spin and feel preference” over a pure “distance preference.”
The incredibly piercing ball flight produced with the TP5 boosts it above many premium balls (including the TP5x) for my game.
| Key Features of the TP5: |
|---|
| Highest Spinning TaylorMade Golf Ball |
| Best Short Game Performance |
| Distance/Speed Boost from Previous TP5 |
TaylorMade TP5x In Depth
We’ve explained the TaylorMade TP5 is designed for more greenside spin, less distance, and more control, so shouldn’t the TP5x be the opposite of that? Of course, it can’t be that simple.
The TP5x from TaylorMade is the lowest spinning ball the manufacturer produces, but the TP5 and TP5x are extremely close distance-wise with the driver.
Users will find a firmer feel with the TP5x and slightly more distance than the standard TP5, but how the ball actually feels to users will vary from player to player.
To me, the TP5x feels about twice as “hard” as my standard ProV1 and the TP5.
Also, if you’re into acoustics and sound-related shot feedback, the clicky sound of the TP5x is very different than the more muted sound of the TP5, and which one you prefer is entirely personal to each user.
The newly remodeled cover on the TP5x is first noticeable visually in the changes made to the dimple pattern.
Both the new TP5x and the TP5’s dimple design were tweaked to provide a more shallow dimple depth than previous models, yet with higher “walls” between dimples.
While those things may sound like they contradict, TaylorMade has found these factors work together to provide between 100 and 200 RPMs of spin to users of the TP5 and up to 300-400 more RPMs of spin to users of the TP5x while also providing a softer feel to users for even greater greenside spin and control when directly compared to the previous model of the same ball.
The TP5x golf ball from TaylorMade is unique in the fact it’s constructed with five layers.
From the core outwards, increasingly stiff layers are added until the outer cast urethane cover is reached.
TaylorMade has found this design approach leads to the best performance off the tee without sacrificing feel on scoring opportunities.
The TP5x shows its most significant difference in upgrades in direct comparison to its own previous generation.
The previously mentioned TP5x’s softer cast urethane cover increases groove interaction on each shot and adds an extra level of greenside spin compared to the previous TP5x.
The updated TP5x provides more spin while maintaining the speed and distance off the tee and with irons that made PGA Tour players take notice of the Tp5x to begin with.
The previous model of TP5x was notorious around high-level players for its “overly clicky sound” and lack of greenside control, making players like Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson switch to the TP5.
After the latest redesign, however, players like Tommy Fleetwood, Jason Day, and Rickie Fowler (three players known for fantastic wedge shots) and even former users Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson have returned to the TP5x!
If you’re the type of player who prioritizes more distance, a higher ball flight, and a slightly firmer feel, the TP5x will be a perfect golf ball for you.
While you may find less spin than the standard TP5, I still encourage you to test the spin rate yourself, as the TP5x has jumped the “Tour Preferred Golf Ball” list in the last year or two.
| Key Features of the TP5x: |
|---|
| Lowest Spin Ball TaylorMade Produces |
| Boosted Greenside Performance |
| Higher Ball Flight than TP5 |
How I Test a Golf Ball
As a lifelong Pro V1 and Pro V1x player, writing this almost felt like cheating on a partner, but here we go.
- When I find a golf ball I want to test, I always begin with putting and chipping for a long time. Seeing as that’s where I tend to spend a lot of my practice time, and putting and chipping makes up 50%+ of each of my rounds, I can pretty quickly determine if the ball is worth moving to the next testing steps.
- After I find the golf balls’ performed appropriately on and around the greens, I take it to the course and hit a tee ball with my current “daily driver” ball, then with the new ball to immediately compare ball flight, overall distance, and carry distance vs. rollout distance. If the ball performs to the same or better standards than my current ball, it moves to the final and arguably most important step. Even better if you have access to a launch monitor and can get exact statistics.
- As the last step before actually implementing a new ball into my game, I hit 20-30 wedge shots between 135 and 15 yards at different greens around my home course. I know how my standard ball reacts to well-struck shots at the greens around my home track and thus know if the new ball is the right ball for me through this final step.
Every player needs a ball they can depend on in “crunch situations” when the pressure is at an all-time high. Hopefully, my personal ball testing routine can help you find a ball that will help you play and score better in your upcoming rounds!
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