First Five-Layer Tour Ball Delivers a Superior Balance of Performance in Five Key Shot Categories
TaylorMade Golf has introduced the Penta TP, a new Tour ball designed to deliver a superior balance of performance in five key shot categories, the result of three years of research and development.
"We spend a lot of time with tour pros asking questions," said Dean Snell, head of TaylorMade golf ball Research & Development. "Most think the ball they play is lacking somewhere. Some say their ball performs great in the short game but costs them distance, while other players said the opposite about their ball. Some feel their ball performs great off the middle and short irons but isn't long enough off the tee and doesn't spin enough on short shots.
"The takeaway was simple; if we could create a ball that performed well in all areas we would have a revolutionary product. That's what inspired us to create our newest ball, Penta TP, which is every bit the breakthrough we hoped it would be."
Penta TP is the first tour ball with five solid-layers, with each layer engineered to optimize performance in five key shot categories that skilled players need – driver, long-irons, middle-irons, short-irons and partial wedges. The five layers of Penta TP include the core, inner mantle, middle mantle, outer mantle and cover, and each one plays a critical role in optimizing the performance of each of the five key shots.
Layer 1 – Cover
The soft Urethane Cover promotes a higher than average spin-rate on the
all-important partial wedge shots required in the scoring zone, within
100 yards of the flag. These are the types of shots where many current
tour balls fail to deliver the goods because they launch too high and
don't spin enough. Instead, most tour pros want a ball that launches
lower and spins enough to stop fast after one or two bounces, which
gives them maximum control over these types of shots. Penta TP's soft,
durable Urethane Cover has the necessary characteristics to deliver
that coveted combination of lower launch angle and higher spin-rate,
while also providing soft tour feel.
Layer 2 – Outer Mantle
The firm and fast Outer Mantle promotes optimum spin off the
short-irons to stop the ball quick without sucking it off the front of
the green or drawing it back too far from the hole. The Outer Mantle is
the fastest mantle in the ball; because it's positioned just beneath
the cover it's easily compressed by slower swingers (ball speeds 120
mph and below), helping them to generate higher ball speed for
increased distance.
Layer 3 – Middle Mantle
The semi-firm and fast Middle Mantle, which surrounds the Inner Mantle,
promotes mid-launch and mid-spin off the middle irons. Mid-launch
promotes control; mid-spin keeps the ball from up-shooting, ballooning
and falling short of the target. The Middle mantle consists of a fast
material, allowing medium-slow swingers (who average from 120 to 140
mph in ball speed) to generate more ball speed and distance, as they
will compress only the two outermost mantles underneath the cover.
Layer 4 – Inner Mantle
The soft, fast Inner Mantle, which surrounds the core, promotes soft
feel, high launch and low spin off the long-irons for exceptional
distance and high, soft-landing flight that helps the ball sit quickly
on the green. The Inner Mantle, which is made of an exceptionally fast
material developed by TaylorMade engineers over the course of several
years, helps players who average from 140 to 160 mph in ball speed to
generate more ball speed and distance, because although they don't
swing fast enough to activate the Core, they are able to activate the
three layers between the core and cover including the Inner Mantle,
which is the deepest of the three.
Layer 5 – Core
The extremely soft, low-compression Core is the most critical layer to
promoting high launch and low spin off the driver, which are well known
to be the launch conditions that promote maximum carry and distance.
Despite being soft and low-compression, Penta TP's core is still very
fast, which allows players who generate fast ball speed -- in the 140
to 180 mph range -- to generate more ball speed. Which means that if
long-hitters who play a tour ball will likely be longer with Penta TP.
Progressive Distance Promotes More Yardage at a Variety of Swing Speeds
The layers of Penta TP are configured strategically to promote
"Progressive Distance," which allows it to deliver terrific distance to
all types of swing speeds. That's because, as mentioned above, each
layer is exceptionally fast. Slow swingers who generate only enough
clubhead speed to activate the Outer Mantle will benefit. Medium
swingers who can activate only the Outer and Middle mantles will
benefit. Fast swingers who activate the Outer, Middle and Inner mantles
will benefit. And of course, very fast swingers who activate every
mantle plus the core will benefit.
Added Spin and Control in the Scoring Zone
The added spin Penta TP promotes in the scoring zone is especially
important in light of the groove-change rule that will be implemented
in high-level competitions by the USGA and R&A in 2010. The new
grooves will impart less spin depending on the lie (much less out of
the rough) and swing type (shallow swingers will lose more than steeper
swingers). Penta TP will help some players recover some of the spin
likely to be lost because of the new rule.
Recent testing with TaylorMade Tour Staff pros drew rave reviews from Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, Retief Goosen and Justin Rose, who complimented Penta TP's all-around performance and singled out for praise the spin and control on the all-important 30- to 75-yard wedge shot. "That's been the biggest shortcoming in today's tour balls," says Dean Snell, head of TaylorMade's golf ball R&D department.
LDP Technology for Improved Distance on Driver Mis-hits
Penta TP also incorporates TaylorMade's LDP technology, which uses
improved aerodynamics to promote increased lift to keep the ball in the
air longer for more distance on the most common types of driver
mis-hits, which occur on the top half of the clubface. TaylorMade robot
testing shows that LDP improves driver distance on mis-hits
dramatically, and that TaylorMade balls with LDP are clearly longer on
driver mis-hits compared to competitive balls without LDP. Also, Penta
TP's dimple configuration delivers the same hold-the-line stability in
the wind that the TP Red and TP Black are renowned for.
Three Years in Development, Five-Layer Penta TP Delivers a New Level of Performance
"Penta TP took three years to develop as our golf ball R&D team
carefully experimented with different mantle materials, compositions
and thicknesses until the ideal combination was defined," said Dr.
Benoit Vincent, TaylorMade's chief technical officer. Extensive
computer modeling, prototype creation, robot testing and player testing
went into creating what we believe is the finest all-around performing
golf ball of its kind, a ball that delivers outstanding performance on
every key type of shot a golfer has to hit while also delivering
tremendously soft and responsive feel off everything from driver to
putter."
Penta TP on Tour
Penta TP is already being played on tour, first by Sergio Garcia and
Retief Goosen, who switched into it at this year’s PGA Championship. At
the Wyndham Championship six players put Penta TP in play, including
Justin Rose. "It usually takes players several weeks or even month of
trial before they'll change balls," says Snell. "We're seeing players
switch into Penta TP after testing it for nine holes. That's proof that
Penta TP offers a dramatic improvement in performance."
A Great Choice for Every Level of Player
Penta TP was created for our tour pros, yet it's a great ball for every
level of player. You don't have to be a fast swinger to achieve
excellent distance with Penta TP, and it delivers the kind of spin in
the scoring zone that a distance ball can't compete with, giving
shorter hitters the added control to get up-and-down more often. The
same goes for higher handicappers – the extra spin Penta TP promotes
will only improve the quality of their short shots, helping them score
lower.
Golfer’s Guide’s lucky researcher recommends this ball. At first, you’ll be intrigued, as I was, by the elegant packaging. When you start to play the ball, you’ll surely find it an upgrade over your existing ball or in my case, the TaylorMade’s TP Black (3-piece) or TP Red (4-piece).
On my first round, I noticed that I gained a few extra yards, per club with the Penta. My next two rounds confirmed this fact so accordingly, I am making the switch on a permanent basis. Luckily I don’t have to wait long to buy my allotment.
Penta TP will be available starting on December 1, 2009 in the Sunbelt states (Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, southern Nevada and southern California) and February 15, 2010 nationwide at a retail price of $45.99 per dozen.