Bridgestone Golf’s Ball Fitting Challenge  

- A custom ball fitting program that Bridgestone Golf started two years ago has golfers increasing their driving distance by an average of 12 yards… at least that’s what Bridgestone Golf states on their website. A lot seems to be riding on this marketing approach – namely, to position Bridgestone’s Tour Performance Series golf balls as legitimate contenders to the Pro V1 from Titleist.

I had a chance to witness how the ball fitting process worked during the 2009 Haggin Oaks Golf Expo in Sacramento, California, where golfers of all levels took their turn swinging under watchful “eyes”.

Normally a ball fitting takes 15 or more minutes. For the Haggin Oaks Expo, this process was adjusted to get as many golfers through the system as reasonably possible.

Step 1-Data Collection:

After providing basic lead generation information (name, email, age, number of rounds played, etc.), you are asked some specifics about how you play:

Your average score is?

a. 60's
b. 70's
c. 80's
d. 90's
e. 100+

Your average driver distance is?

a. 275 yards+
b. 245 - 275 yards
c. 215 - 245 yards
d. under 215 yards

What performance are you looking for in a golf ball?

a. Maximum distance off the tee with a soft feel
b. Primarily spin performance in the short game and distance off the tee

What is your priority among the following characteristics?

a. Straighter ball flight to minimize a slice or hook
b. Higher ball flight to gain more carry
c. Extra soft feel off all the clubs
d. Extra spin around the green

These questions can also be found in the Quick Fit section of the Bridgestone Golf website (http://www.bridgestonegolf.com/en/fitting/quick.aspx).

Step 2-Hitting Drives with Your Regular Ball:

After the data has been collected the technician asks what ball you normally play. He hands you that type of ball, dug out of a large bucket containing “other” balls, and let’s you swing away with a driver into a net (that way you only need one ball).

Using a sophisticated computer system named “Science Eye,” they are able to capture things like clubhead speed, ball speed, launch angle, backspin, sidespin and total distance after just 4 or 5 swings.

Based on this information a specific model of Bridgestone (or Precept) ball is recommended.

You are handed the recommended ball and then instructed to do 4 or 5 more swings. After capturing the data needed the technician sits down with you to talk about the results –-giving you a printout with a side-by-side comparison of all data, which allows you to see the difference having “the right ball” can make on the numbers in key categories.

To complete the session you are handed a 2-pack of balls and sent on your way.

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Why Bridgestone thinks ball fitting is important:

“There is a myth among golfers that if you’re not playing a certain kind of ball, you’re not a serious player. We hope that ball-fitting dispels this myth and is the first step in changing the dynamic of the golf industry – creating marketing based on proven science and technology, instead of pure emotion,” said Dan Murphy, senior director of marketing for Bridgestone Golf.

Bridgestone Golf believes that if the objective is to improve your golf game and lower your score, having fitted golf clubs is merely half the equation. So they put together the Ball Fitting Challenge. During its beta-testing period Bridgestone documented that 73% of the golfers were not playing the ball best suited for their swing.

Roughly a year and a half after introducing the ball fitting concept Bridgestone Golf unveiled three “Tour level” balls that were a direct result of data gathered during its ball fitting sessions: The B330-RX, and the newly enhanced 4-piece versions of the award-winning TOUR B330 and TOUR B330-S.

The B330-RX is recommended for swing speeds between 85-105 mph. This multilayer ball was designed specifically for low handicap amateurs who want a soft feel.

The Tour B330 is designed for swing speeds of 112+ mph and will appeal to players who appreciate a slightly firmer feel.

The B330-S is optimized for players with swing speeds ranging from 103-115 mph, and will appeal to players who value a softer feel.

One of the things the ball fittings helped Bridgestone do is establish a “sweet” spot for the company to address: low handicappers who can’t swing 115 miles per hour. Clearly, this differentiates them from “the industry’s top selling manufacturer” of golf balls.

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Things you should know… Bridgestone’s Assumptions:

Bridgestone Golf’s recommendations are based on some interesting assumptions. When a ball is hit by either a driver, fairway metal or long iron, the ball itself is deformed (flattened). Large deformation means less spin and longer carries. To maximize distance they believe it is important to select a ball that will provide an appropriate amount of deformation for one’s specific golf swing.

When using short irons and wedges the ball as a whole is not greatly deformed, so the softness and material of the cover largely determine the amount of spin. Urethane covered balls, which are the type typically used by most Tour players generally generate more spin off the short irons than a Surlyn covered ball; this allows for greater control around the greens.

Getting the golfer into the right ball not only increases the distance off the tee, but it allows golfers to utilize the accuracy of their shorter irons to hit more greens in regulation.

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Conclusion and Recommendations:

Doing the Bridgestone Golf Ball Fitting Challenge at the ultra-busy Haggin Oaks Golf Expo was not exactly ideal. As mentioned, a normal fitting takes 15 minutes and involves a driver test and a short iron test. But with the crush of people waiting their turn, the process was truncated – where only a driver was used. I noticed that many of the people getting fitted were using one of the demo drivers that were readily available, not their own. That can impact results. Also, because there was a considerable wait from the time you signed up until your name was called (nearly 1 hour), when it was your turn, you pretty much are pushed though the system with little warm-up.

My husband just grabbed a driver, took a few practice swings, and then belted the Wilson 50 (“his ball”). I wasn’t surprised to see the significant improvement using the Bridgestone e6+ because he was warmed up and swinging better (much more relaxed too).

Having a ball fitting is a great idea. But as we say in my household, plan ahead for better results: bring your own clubs, loosen up, and relax.

We are looking forward to a do-over so we can compare results.