In July 2023, Neil became just the 9th editor in Golf Monthly's 112-year history. Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he has also presented many Golf Monthly videos looking at all areas of the game from Tour player interviews to the rules of golf. I suggest golfers with visual impairments select the easier-to-follow yellow balls. There are no performance or price differences between the 2 options. It comes down to personal choice. There is also further help in the form of a prominent side stamp in the shape of an alignment lineon the side of the ball, with the 338-dimple pattern working extremely well to deliver a reduction in drag and to get the ball airborne as easily as possible.

The TaylorMade Soft Response golf ball will be available in white, yellow, and matte red. I recommend avoiding matte finishes. They look cool (especially the red), but they’re inherently less consistent when moisture is introduced, but then again, Soft Response isn’t really a performance-first ball choice anyway. The simple story behind the new TaylorMade Tour Response and Soft Response golf balls is that they’re made for you. The made for you thing comes from the fact that when TaylorMade asked golfers what features they want in a golf ball, the #1 answer was, “I want a golf ball that’s designed for me.” Besides its sensation, the ionomer cover proved effective in gripping into the grooves of my irons and wedges and raising the spin rate. Conversely, the cover helped to minimize spin and preserve ball speed on high-impact shots, encouraging enhanced rebound off the clubface. Speed Mantle Layer On mid to long iron shots, both balls had the same stable straighter flight you expect from the best TaylorMade golf balls and deviated less than other mid-range golf balls. For those of you for whom price considerations outweigh performance considerations, TaylorMade is offering the Soft Response golf ball. Billed as providing Effortless Compression & Dominant Distance, Soft Response boasts an ultra-low 35 compression core.As was the case with those other balls, TaylorMade is surrounding its soft core with a firmer casing layer. TaylorMade calls it Speedmantle because god forbid you don’t brand every layer of the ball. It’s likely the combination of ZnO Flex Core and the Speedmantle that account for any speed gains. A softer golf ball is good for getting more feel off the clubface especially when it comes to hitting shots around the green, and when on it as well. In the past using a soft ball would've meant compromising on distance but this is not really the case anymore because of technology. The first port of call to test golf clubsis usually the indoor simulator at Foresight Sports, where the team can test in a controlled environment using premium balls and the GCQuad launch monitor. The majority of Golf Monthly’soutdoor testing takes place at West Hill Golf Club, a stunning course in Surrey with excellent practice facilities. After testing the TaylorMade Tour Response from the same range I was excited to test out the TaylorMade Soft Response as I was impressed with the quality and performance from a mid-range ball. Although they’re priced higher than the Wilson Zip, Distance +, and Warbird, the Soft Response golf balls are still attractive to the average golfer. High Visibility Yellow

The Tour Response is longer and more consistent when it came to distance control on the launch monitor.The affordability of the Soft Response balls is another welcome feature. It is more expensive than alternative distance balls, but they’re still significantly more affordable than premium TaylorMade balls like the TP5. The Tour Response has a firm feel but in short game tests, it was hard to tell the difference between it and more premium models like the TP5 and TP5 X. Ball Flight I found the Tour Response to offer more short game control and while the Soft Response felt great on the wedge and putter, it released more on chip shots and doesn’t offer the same precision as expensive models like the TP5 and TP5x balls. Which ball should you choose? On the course, both balls launched well and reached a healthy peak height that meant shots held the greens well.