Golfers who demand the ultimate combination of distance off the tee and spin around the green play premium golf balls that typically come with a premium price. For instance, Bryson DeChambeau plays a Bridgestone Tour B X, Tiger Woods prefers Bridgestone’s Tour B XS and Lexi Thompson opts for a Bridgestone Tour B RX. Each of those balls is loaded with technologies, and they cost $47.99 per dozen.
However, for several years Bridgestone has offered other golf balls in its e-Series that are specifically designed to help different types of players who also want to pay less than the price of Tour B balls.
For 2023, Bridgestone has updated the three e-Series balls. Here’s what you need to know.
e6
Price: $24.99 per dozen
Specs: Two-piece construction with Surlyn cover. Available in white and yellow
Who They’re For: Slow-swinging golfers who want soft feel and more distance.
The Skinny: The first e6 ball was released 15 years ago, and it has been a popular part of the Bridgestone ball lineup from the start. For 2023 the e6 remains a two-piece ball with a large gradient core that is softer in the center and grows gradually firmer toward the outside. This helps create a more efficient energy transfer with long irons, hybrids and woods.
The thin Surlyn cover is designed to provide durability, improve aerodynamics and reduce drag off the tee, so the e6 is not pushed offline by the wind easily.
Bridgestone e6 golf balls - $24.99 per dozene9 Long Drive
Price: $29.99 per dozen
Specs: Two-piece construction with Surlyn cover. Available in white only
Available: March
Who They’re For: Golfers who want more carry distance and more overall distance.
The Skinny: Designed in conjunction with World Long Drive (WLD), the new e9 Long Drive is now the official ball of World Long Drive and will be used in all WLD competitions. The company said it is the longest ball in the Bridgestone Golf portfolio.
Like the other e-Series balls, the e9 Long Drive has a gradient core, but the center is softer than many distance-oriented balls. It flies higher with more speed and less spin to maximize carry distance.
The injection-molded, seamless Surlyn cover has a 330-dimple pattern that Bridgestone said reduces the effects of wind.
e12 Contact
Price: $34.99 per dozen
Specs: Two-piece ball with contact-modified Surlyn cover. Available in white, plus matte green, red and yellow.
Available: March
Who They’re For: Golfers who want more distance and a straighter ball flight
The Skinny: The e12 Contact has a unique cover material that Bridgestone calls Flexativ. Thanks to the addition of an impact modifier to the Surlyn, the cover spins less on hard-hit shots but amplifies spin on slower-swinging shots.
The Flexativ material is complemented by a special dimple pattern. The Contact Force dimple pattern is constructed with a series of interlocking hexagonal dimples that have a raised, circular dimple in the center. At impact, 38 percent more surface area of the ball comes into contact with the club face which, according to Bridgestone, helps send more energy into the shot. In flight the outer dimple is designed to reduce sidespin. The result is longer shots that fly straighter
Bridgestone also said the Contact Dimple design helps on short-game shots because more of the ball’s surface can be grabbed and spun by wedges and short irons.
2022 e12 Contact golf balls - $29.99 per dozen
