The golf ball that helped me focus most in 2024

Bridgestone undoubtedly knows how to manufacture quality golf balls, they’ve been challenging the best golf balls in the game for years. Whether that be producing competitors to the best premium golf balls or producing budget-friendly models for beginners and high-handicappers to game.

In recent years, Bridgestone have had the GOAT, Tiger Woods, assist them in designing this exact golf ball, the Tour B XS. However, Tiger now plays with the Tour B X, which is slightly firmer and places more importance on distance than spin.

The Tour B XS isn’t a model found on Tour, the Tour B X is a much more popular model among the pros. For a golfer who’s looking for a soft-feeling golf ball that easily generates spin and has a driver swing speed north of 105mph, the Tour B XS is definitely a model to consider.

We didn’t test any of the Bridgestone Tour B golf balls in our 2024 golf ball robot test, but we did test all four models (Tour B X, Tour B XS, Tour B RX, and Tour B RXS) in our 2023 robot test. Watch this space, because they will feature in our 2025 test.

I know I made a pretty big claim, and it’s probably the reason you’re reading this. Why has this golf ball helped me focus most on the course in 2024? The model I played with was the Tour B XS Mindset which is a great tool.

The Mindset version is available on all four models in the Tour B family. It’s a stamp on the golf ball that helps you focus on the shot at hand by helping you pick a target (red circle), visualize the shot (orange circle), and keep your eye on the ball (green dot).

Mindset was inspired by Jason Day (who plays Tour B X) and his pre-shot routine. Bridgestone describes Mindset as, “A breakthrough mental approach that enables you to separate analytical thoughts from athletic performance.”

I can’t critique that description whatsoever. The biggest positive I experienced while playing with the Tour B XS Mindset is that it helped completely clear my mind and focus solely on the shot I was playing. My mind tends to wander when I play golf and I’m terrible for overthinking shots. However, with the Mindset golf balls, when I was able to take advantage of the visual aid, I seldom had this problem.

Every week I play at Cleveland Golf Club, with the same group of golfers, and I gave two of them a dozen to try out. Both of them are competent golfers playing off 4 – a father and son duo. The former opted for the Tour B RX because his driver swing speed is fractionally slower than 105mph, and the latter plays with Tour B X, so he chose that model. They both agreed that the Mindset golf balls helped them focus.

Versatility

I have to argue that although every model within the Bridgestone Tour B family is a brilliant product that works exceptionally well for different golfers, each golf ball is specifically designed to suit a certain category of golfers. Some golf balls are able to work for a wide range of golfers. However, I wouldn’t say that’s the case with the Tour B XS. Take my playing partners and I, for instance, we all play off a similar handicap, but we all use a different Tour B model.

If I switched into the Tour B X I wouldn’t get enough height or spin off the tee. Similarly, if my playing partners opted for the Tour B XS, neither of them would unlock the full potential of this golf ball because one of them doesn’t have the optimum swing speed and the other hits the ball too high and spinny off the tee to start with.

For those reasons, it’s hard to award the Tour B XS anything above 4 for versatility – this is the case for every model in the TOUR B family. However, this ball earns 4 because although it works best for golfers with a swing speed over 105mph, looking for height, and spin, it can still work well for golfers who don’t meet all three of those criteria.

Although, if you want to find out exactly which Tour B model is right for you, you can find out using the find my ball functionality on Bridgestone’s website. It’s a very reliable tool – Bridgestone are the No.1 golf ball fitter.

Durability

When I was playing with the Tour B XS at the short game area, I was very impressed with how it held up. A couple of the balls did receive battle wounds having been played out of the bunker, but I think that’s to be expected.

What I didn’t expect was how quickly the ball scuffed out on the golf course. The Tour B XS received a nasty wear mark after just a couple of holes, I continued playing with the same ball to see how it impacted performance and how it developed over time.

As you can see from the images below, it did worsen, and after 9 holes it was in this shape. I was forced to retire this ball. Thankfully, the second Tour B XS I used didn’t scuff at all during the back nine.

Tee to Green Performance

As a golfer who needs help adding spin and height off the tee, the Tour B XS is a brilliant golf ball for me. I feel as though from tee to green, this ball performs incredibly well and delivers everything I need and want from a golf ball.

Distance is very competitive, spin and control when playing into greens from the fairway is high, and greenside performance is really strong. Ultimately, tee to green performance, from my perspective is exactly where I want it to be.

However, this won’t be the case for every golfer. Although, this is my personal view of the Tour B XS. For that reason, I have to award it 4.5 out of 5.

Feel and Response

The Tour B XS is a soft-feeling golf ball, which I’m not normally a fan of, but I am with the Tour B XS because it’s very responsive. I think you get a lot of feedback from every shot you play with the Tour BXS – whether that’s a toe hook off the tee or a nailed putt.

Most golfers enjoy playing with a soft-feeling golf ball, and for golfers with a swing speed north of 105mph, I don’t think they get much softer than this. If you’re swing speed is south of 105mph and you want a soft-feeling model then you need to check out the Tour B RXS.

I genuinely believe the vast majority of golfers with quick swing speeds will enjoy playing the Tour B XS, even if that’s just from a feel and response perspective – they feel that good.

Final Verdict

I really enjoyed playing with the Bridgestone Tour B XS, and if I wasn’t such a massive fan of the Wilson Staff Model X, I probably would switch to playing this golf ball consistently. The Bridgestone Tour B XS is probably the golf ball I’ve enjoyed playing with most this season.

The Tour B XS feels amazing, I was getting a ton of feedback from every shot, which I really appreciate and don’t always get from softer golf balls. I think the Mindset tool is fantastic, it really helped to focus on every shot and forget about the previous one, no matter how bad or good it was.

If you’re currently playing with Tour B XS, continue playing it. If you’re looking for a new golf ball, definitely have a look at the Tour B XS, or if it doesn’t sound like the ball for you, check out one of the other balls in the Tour B family.

Alternative options

Bridgestone Tour B XS Golf Balls

RRP: $44.99 / £45.00

Colors: White; Yellow

Construction: 3-Piece

Cover: Urethane

Dimples: 330