TaylorMade TP5 vs TP5x (Differences, Which Is Better?)

 

If you are a TaylorMade fan, then you probably know about their two high performing golf balls, the TP5 and the TP5x.

These golf balls are very well known to amateur golfers, and for good reason, they can be an excellent choice for your game.

We are going to break down some of the differences between these two golf balls and help you figure out which one might be the best fit for you.

Lets first take a look at each ball individually.

 

TaylorMade TP5 vs. TP5x

 

1. TaylorMade TP5

Colors Available: White, Yellow

Cover Material: Soft Tough Cast Urethane

Number of Pieces: Five Piece

Feel: Softest

Compression: 85

Driver Spin: Medium

Greenside Spin: Higher

Distance: Long

Trajectory: Mid

 

Performance

There is no denying that the TP5 is a high-performance golf ball.

As you may have seen in many of our golf ball reviews, any golf ball with more than three pieces has lots to offer.

The TP5 is a five-layer golf ball.

When a manufacturer can provide five layers of performance, they will be able to offer varying benefits off the tee as well as around the green.

When you play with a two-piece golf ball, you will have to choose between getting something that is long off the tee and hard around the green or vice versa.

There are lots of amateur golfers who have no problem making this choice, but overall, having performance in all areas of your game is a positive.

The TP5 is known for being very long off the tee.

You will get tons of ball speed with this 85 compression golf ball.

The newest version of the TP5 golf ball has a brand new technology called the HFM.

This stands for High Flex Material.

The HFM allows more flex inside the golf ball and can give players ball speeds they have never seen before.

In addition to the HFM, the ball is also equipped with what TaylorMade calls the Tri-Fast Core.

We mentioned that the TaylorMade TP5 is a five-piece golf ball.

TaylorMade says three of those pieces make up the core of the golf ball.

With most competitors having a single material core, you can see that there are some advantages to this golf ball.

The three-layer core allows for the extra ball speed and keeps this ball very long off the tee.

When you are applying your maximum swing speed to the TP5, it knows how to do the rest.

Some golf balls that can offer this type of speed don’t have the feel and performance around the greens.

TaylorMade uses the Dual Spin Cover for the performance in the short game area.

The outer two layers, made up of ultra-soft cast urethane and a semi-rigid inner cover, help to make up this dual-spin cover.

The combination of these two varying materials will help create a tremendous feel and spin around the green.

You can work the TP5 golf ball so it reacts how you need it to on the greens.

There is not an area of your game that the TP5 won’t address and help you to improve.

 

Handicap Level

The TP5 is considered a tour-level golf ball.

TaylorMade has packed all of their best technology in this ball to help the best players get the performance they need.

If you are mid to low handicapper, you are going to see the most benefit with this golf ball.

Higher handicappers may enjoy the distance off the tee, but the ball could spin more than you need it to.

Golfers with mid to high swing speeds will do best with the TP5.

 

Pricing

Since the TP5 is a premium golf ball, it is going to be priced higher than many other choices on the market.

Anytime you add more than three pieces to a golf ball, you will likely have to pay for it.

 

2. TaylorMade TP5x

Colors Available: White, Yellow

Cover Material: Soft Tough Cast Urethane

Number of Pieces: Five Piece

Feel: Soft

Compression: 97

Driver Spin: Medium

Greenside Spin: High

Distance: Long

Trajectory: Higher

 

Performance

The TP5x is a five-layer golf ball consisting of a three-piece inner core and a two-piece cover.

The TP5x is a ball that is widely used by some of the strongest and fastest swinging players in the world of golf.

The newest version of the TP5x has slightly higher compression than the older version released a few years ago.

The new compression is 97, which is considerably high and certainly better suited for the faster swinging golfer.

Each layer of the TP5x is built to give players the speed they need off the tee and the spin they need around the greens.

This is a very fast spinning golf ball which will give the most spin on wedge shots around the green.

If you want to be able to back a ball up, the TP5x is certainly capable of helping you do that.

The two layers of the outer cover are made of a very soft material.

This softer material helps golfers get the grip and traction with the grooves on the club and spin the ball exceptionally well.

The TP5x is also known for being a higher flying golf ball both off the tee and from the fairway.

The new HFM works like a spring for golfers.

When you hit the ball correctly, the golf ball can compress more than in the past because of this softer material.

The High Flex then helps increase the yardages you can obtain when using the TP5x.

The HFM is a brand new material that has golfers wondering why it took this long to make it to golf ball technology.

The differences people are noticing in ball speed are quite significant, and it is seen almost immediately after switching to this golf ball.

The seamless 322-dimple pattern helps golfers get that piercing ball flight and much less drag.

Even though the outer two layers of this golf ball are softer than some other choices on the market, they are made with a urethane compound.

The urethane is a tough material that will hold up well against scratches and cuts.

For the higher swing speed players, this is very important.

The last thing you want is to cut the ball on your very first wedge shot into the green.

 

Handicap Level

The TP5x is ideal for golfers who have very high swing speeds and want lots of spin around the greens.

Although this golf ball is quite long, the players who are using it probably don’t have that much trouble with distance off the tee.

The ball will appeal more to the lower handicappers and mid handicappers who demand high levels of performance from a golf ball.

Higher handicappers could see some benefits by switching to the TP5x as long as their swing speed was relatively high.

 

Pricing

With the TP5x offering all that it does, you will see that the price is also at the top of the market.

The golfers who are using a golf ball like this probably won’t lose them quite as quickly as the higher handicapper or beginner would.

 

Comparison

 

Now that you have a better idea as to what the Tp5 and the TP5x have to offer, let’s start to compare them.

Although any two golf balls in the same series or line are going to be similar, some significant differences are worth mentioning.

 

1. What Golf Ball Should Low Handicappers Choose?

 

Low handicappers will enjoy both the TP5 and the TP5x.

The best way to determine which golf ball is going to be better for you is to consider swing speed.

Since the TP5x has higher compression, you will need a faster swing speed to hit it well.

If you don’t have this speed, then the TP5 is a natural choice.

The other factor you should use to determine which is for you is the characteristics you are looking for.

The TP5x is going to spin much more around the greens, but the TP5 will be slightly longer off the tee.

Which of these two things matters most to you?

 

2. Which One Goes Further?

 

The TP5 seems to go a bit further than the TP5x.

The TP5 has high levels of ball speed which seems to be caused by the slightly rigid second piece in the dual-layer cover.

The TP5x has both outer layers being a little softer.

This will help the TP5x to spin more around the greens, but it is not ideal when it comes to distance off the tee.

Don’t be entirely discouraged by this fact because the TP5x is still one of the longest golf balls on the market.

The TP5 just gets slightly higher ball speed.

 

3. Are Any Professionals Using the TP5 or the TP5x?

 

Yes, golf professionals are using both the TP5 and the TP5x.

Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy are two of the biggest names known for using the TP5x.

When you think about the clubhead speed these two players generate, it is no wonder this is their ball of choice.

You can also watch the amount of spin they get around the greens from using this new golf ball.

Of course, this type of performance is going to be related to their swing in addition to the golf ball.

 

4. What Is the Difference Between the Old TP5 and the New TP5?

 

The TP5 is not a new golf ball.

TaylorMade had been making this golf ball for several years, but in 2019, they released the newest version.

The significant difference in the 2019 version is the new HFM (High Flex Material) that is part of the five-piece makeup of this ball.

The HFM works like a spring to help golfers get even more ball speed than they did with the older model of the TP5.

 

5. What Is the Tp5 Pix and the TP5x Pix?

 

You may have noticed that there are two other versions of the TP5 and the TP5x, and these are the Pix models of this golf ball.

Pix is a new concept that places pictures on the golf ball in strategic areas.

The golf balls are easier to spot, they are easier to focus on, easier to line up, and many golfers say that it helps them track if they are hitting the ball properly.

It can be hard to see if your golf ball is rolling end over end on a putting green.

With the Pix ball, you will be able to tell immediately if you have struck the putt solidly or if it skidded off the clubface.

Some golfers think this concept is a bit of a gimmick while others find it to be helping their golf game.

 

6. What Other Golf Balls Does TaylorMade Make?

 

TaylorMade makes several other golf balls in addition to their tour-level TP5 and TP5x.

If these golf balls are a bit more than you need in your current golf game, you can look at the other choices TaylorMade has.

• Tour Response
• Soft Response
• Project S
• V3 Urethane

 

Which Is Better: Tp5 or Tp5x?

 

Hopefully, our review of the TP5 and the TP5x has helped you decide which of these golf balls is going to be better for your game.

It is hard to say if there is a true winner between the Tp5 and the TP5x.

These golf balls are going to appeal to two different types of players, and because of that, it is hard to compare.

However, since the TP5 can get a bit more distance off the tee, this one does pull slightly ahead for the mid to low handicap amateur.

If you are a player who has a very fast swing speed, then the TP5x will offer you all the benefits you need.

Indeed, both golf balls are worth giving a try.

The idea is to find the ball that fits you properly, and both the TP5 and the TP5x have plenty of performance to give them a five-star rating in our book.