The TaylorMade TP5x is a premium five-layer golf ball designed for high launch, low driver spin, and maximum speed. It delivers long distance, strong iron performance, and reliable green side control.
Price: £47.99 per dozen
Flight Characteristics:
High launch
Low driver spin
Piercing ball flight
Spin Profile:
Lower spin with driver and long irons
High wedge spin and greenside control
Feel:
Firm but responsive tour feel
Pros
Excellent driver distance – Lower spin and high ball speed can produce strong carry and added total distance off the tee.
High launch with penetrating flight – The TP5x is designed to launch high while maintaining a stable trajectory, helping players maximise carry.
Tour-level short game performance – Cast urethane cover still delivers strong wedge spin and greenside control.
Premium feel – Despite its firmer compression, many golfers still find the feel soft and responsive through the bag.
Very stable in wind – Aerodynamics and construction help maintain consistent ball flight in tougher conditions.
Five-layer construction – Unique multi-layer design helps optimise speed, launch, and spin across different clubs.
Cons
Premium price point – Typically around £45–£50 per dozen, making it one of the most expensive golf ball options.
Lower spin may not suit everyone – Players who rely on higher iron or wedge spin may prefer another ball.
Firmer feel than some tour balls – Golfers who prefer a very soft feel may favour alternatives like the TP5 or Pro V1.
Best suited to faster swing speeds – Higher compression means slower swingers may not fully benefit from its performance characteristics.
Choosing the right golf ball can have a surprisingly big impact on performance. For many golfers, once you find a ball that works well for your swing and style of play, it tends to stay in the bag for a long time.
For me, that ball has been the Titleist Pro V1x. It’s one of the most widely played balls in golf and has built a reputation for delivering a combination of high launch, strong iron spin, and reliable feel around the greens.
However, the TaylorMade TP5x from TaylorMade is one of its closest competitors in the premium golf ball market, and it’s marketed as a low-spin, mid-to-high launch ball that still maintains excellent feel and greenside control.
I wanted to see how it actually performed when tested against my gamer. So I ran a straightforward, numbers-first comparison to understand where the TP5x excels and whether it could genuinely challenge the Pro V1x for a spot in my bag.
The results were interesting.
Test Setup and Methodology
To make the comparison fair, the testing was kept simple and consistent. Both balls were hit using the same clubs and maintaining the same swing speed for each shot.
The goal was to remove as much bias as possible and let the numbers tell the story.
Shots were tested using:
7-iron
Sand wedge
For each shot type, I measured:
Ball speed
Smash factor
Spin rate
Launch angle
Carry distance
Peak height
By comparing these metrics between the TP5x and the Pro V1x, it becomes easier to see where the performance differences lie.
Understanding the TaylorMade TP5x
Before diving into the numbers, it’s worth understanding what makes the TP5x different.
Unlike most tour golf balls, the TP5x features a five-layer construction. This is a unique design used by TaylorMade to optimise performance across different parts of the bag.
The layers are engineered to perform different roles:
Tri-Fast Core – maximises energy transfer for speed
Speed Layer System – improves ball speed with iron and driver shots
High Flex Material (HFM) – increases rebound efficiency
Cast urethane cover – generates greenside spin and control
This multi-layer design aims to produce high ball speed, lower driver spin, and strong short-game performance.
Compared to the standard TP5, the TP5x is slightly firmer and designed for higher launch and lower spin, making it particularly attractive for players looking to maximise distance off the tee.
Driver Performance
One of the most noticeable differences between the two balls came off the tee.
During testing, the TP5x produced roughly four yards more carry distance compared to the Pro V1x.
While four yards might not sound like a lot, in golf terms that’s a meaningful gain, especially when it comes without sacrificing control.
Key driver observations
Carry distance: ~4 yards more with TP5x
Ball speed: slightly higher with TP5x
Smash factor: marginal improvement
Spin rate: lower with TP5x
Launch angle: slightly higher
Peak height: slightly higher
This combination makes sense based on how the TP5x is designed to perform.
Lower spin combined with a slightly higher launch can often lead to more carry and potentially more roll once the ball lands. In this test, the TP5x delivered exactly that.
Most importantly, it did so without dramatically changing the feel of the ball, which is often a barrier when switching golf balls.
7-Iron Performance
The iron numbers told a more nuanced story.
With the 7-iron, both balls performed almost identically in terms of carry distance.
Key 7-iron results
Carry distance: identical at 130.7 yards
Club speed: identical between balls
Spin rate: slightly lower with TP5x
Peak height: noticeably higher with TP5x
Although spin was marginally lower with the TP5x, the higher peak height resulted in a steeper landing angle.
That’s important because stopping power on approach shots isn’t just about spin, descent angle plays a huge role as well.
A higher peak combined with a steeper landing angle can allow the ball to hold greens effectively even with slightly lower spin rates.
For players who prefer a higher-flying iron shot that drops more steeply onto the green, this is a very positive trait.
Sand Wedge Performance
Short-game performance is often where premium golf balls separate themselves.
The TP5x uses a cast urethane cover, which is the same material used in most tour-level balls because it provides excellent friction with wedge grooves.
During the sand wedge testing, the performance differences were extremely small.
Key wedge results
Distance: TP5x travelled roughly 0.5 yards further
Spin: marginally lower with TP5x
Peak height: very similar between both balls
The takeaway from this part of the test is simple:
The TP5x does not sacrifice short-game performance despite being positioned as a lower-spin ball.
It still provides enough spin and control to execute greenside shots effectively.
Feel – 5/5
Feel is subjective, but it matters enormously to golfers.
If a ball feels completely different from what you’re used to, it can quickly undermine confidence — particularly when putting and chipping.
The good news is the TP5x felt extremely similar to my gamer, the Pro V1x.
From full swings to delicate chips, the feel was consistent and responsive. It didn’t feel overly firm or “clicky,” which can sometimes be the case with distance-focused golf balls.
Because the feel was so comparable, switching between the two balls during testing didn’t require any adjustment.
That’s a big positive and one of the reasons the TP5x impressed me so much.
Feel rating: 5/5
Performance – 5/5
From a performance perspective, the TP5x delivered exactly what TaylorMade promises.
The standout feature was the increase in carry distance off the tee, combined with a launch window that suited my game.
At the same time, iron shots still produced a high peak height and steep landing angle, helping the ball stop effectively on the green even with slightly reduced spin.
Crucially, there was no meaningful loss in overall playability or control compared to the Pro V1x.
For me, that combination of:
extra driver carry
strong iron flight
reliable short-game performance
makes the TP5x a serious contender.
Performance rating: 5/5
Value – 4/5
There’s no avoiding the reality that premium golf balls come with premium prices.
The TP5x typically retails at around £45–£50 per dozen, putting it in the same price category as the Pro V1x and other tour-level balls.
For golfers who benefit from the performance characteristics of these balls, the cost can absolutely be justified.
However, because of the price point, it’s important to make sure the ball genuinely suits your game before committing to it.
If you regularly lose several balls per round, it may be worth considering whether a premium option is necessary.
That said, for players who prioritise performance and consistency, the TP5x sits comfortably among the best balls available.
Value rating: 4/5
Who Should Consider the TP5x?
Based on this testing, the TP5x could be a great fit for golfers who:
Want a little extra carry distance off the tee
Prefer mid-to-high launch with lower driver spin
Still want tour-level greenside control
Don’t want to sacrifice feel compared to a premium ball like the Pro V1x
Players with moderate to higher swing speeds may particularly benefit from the lower spin profile off the driver.
Quick Performance Summary
Driver
~4 yards additional carry
Slightly higher ball speed
Lower spin
Slightly higher launch
7-Iron
Identical carry distance
Higher peak height with TP5x
Slightly lower spin
Sand Wedge
Differences negligible
Slightly longer distance with TP5x (~0.5 yards)
Spin marginally lower
Feel
Extremely similar to Pro V1x
Final Thoughts
The TaylorMade TP5x proved to be an impressive performer when tested against my gamer, the Pro V1x.
It delivered on its promise of lower spin and mid-to-high launch, while still maintaining the feel and short-game performance expected from a premium golf ball.
The most notable advantage was extra carry distance off the tee, combined with a high iron flight and steep landing angle that still allowed shots to stop effectively on the green.
Most importantly, the TP5x achieved this without feeling dramatically different from the Pro V1x, which makes switching far easier.
If you’re currently playing a premium ball and want to see if you can squeeze out a little more distance without sacrificing feel or control, the TP5x is absolutely worth testing.
Personally, it performed well enough that it’s made me seriously consider switching from my current gamer, and that doesn’t happen very often.