So there is a lot of buzz around the courses about the new TaylorMade Penta TP golf ball, so I thought I’d take a peak and see what this thing is all about. It goes without saying that since it is a 5 layer ball; it’s not going to be on the inexpensive side, but what great performing ball is?
Each layer of a multi-level ball, as most of you know, is designed to address and enhance specific characteristics of a golf shot. Spin, feel and distance are the most common. What we find in a lot of 4 and 5 layer balls however is that although they seem to excel in some areas, they tend to lack in others, this is perhaps why most golfers use a good two or three layer ball.
The Penta TP has taken the flaws most commonly seen in these balls and addressed each one individually, and seems to have nearly perfected every one of the 5 layers that make up the Penta. Let’s take a closer look as to why this ball my finally solve the riddles lots of higher end balls have failed to do.
Outer Shell Of Penta TP Tour Ball
We all love a ball with a soft feel that can still deliver higher spin rates while still maintaining a lower launch angle. There are a handful of balls out there that accomplish this rather well, however these balls often lack the punch, so we are left sacrificing a little distance.
The Penta’s urethane cover offers all the features you would expect in a tour level ball, with the rare advantage of not having to sacrifice distance and accuracy.
Outer Mantle Of TaylorMade Penta
The outer mantle is the balls spin layer. This layer is optimized for your short iron and rescue club game. More often than not, a ball that promotes higher speed lacks the control and distance factors; Penta has this covered as well.
Not only can you generate the spin needed for the shot you need to make, you can count on the Penta to achieve the distance necessary to get you where you need to be. The ball still maintains that low launch level, while giving you plenty of spin on the ball, a huge advantage rarely seen in any golf ball.
Middle Mantle Of Penta Golf Ball
The middle mantel is made from Penta’s new proprietary material, is main function is to allow the other layers to do their jobs, without sacrificing control. Besides distance, control is perhaps the most sought after characteristic we all want from our golf balls, especially when we are paying north of 40 dollars a dozen.
Designed specifically for your long iron game, the middle mantle allows you to keep the ball low in order to maximize distance. More often than not, balls with the features mentioned previously fall short here, subsequently leaving you ball short of its intended target, in this case the target is the green. With the Penta TP there will be no more ballooning or falling just short of the green into a bunker.
Inner Mantle Of TaylorMade Ball
So far it seems the Penta is only good for low level high spin shots. We all know there are many times throughout the course of 18 holes where we need a high loft and a steep descending angle, to “plop” the ball where we want it. This issue is addressed with the Penta’s 4th inner mantle. The Inner mantle gives you the best of both worlds here, longer distance with a controllable, soft landing.
The Penta TP Tour Core
The core as we know is the heart of any golf ball. Some prefer a lower compression rate, while others are willing to sacrifice distance for more control. The Penta offers you the best of both worlds here. The core allows for high launch levels and low spin rates off the tee, which maximizes the carry AND distance, great for those heavy hitters out there.
How Much Do They Cost?
With the price of golf balls not coming down, I don’t know about you, but I am looking for a deal. You can get this ball online for around $37-$40, which is getting close to the Titleist ProV1…I know. But I
sometimes will get the “non” standard balls, and in this case the TaylorMade Penta TP Practice Golf Balls, which are a bit cheaper at approximately $30. You can also get a sleeve of them for around $13, so you can save a few bucks and see if you like them.
From all indications the TaylorMade Penta TP 5 layer tour ball is the real deal. No longer will we all have to sacrifice on feature for another. If there was a perfect ball in all our heads, this may very well be the one guys!
My name is Mike Pedersen, and I'm an avid golfer just like you. I would consider myself quite obsessive about the game, and want to learn as much as I can to not only improve my game, but yours too.