Spin it Like the Big Boys with Project (a)
Amateur golfers would often love to hit many of the shots they see the professionals hitting. But we also need a little a help with that. Enter TaylorMade’s project (a) golf ball. The truth is that amateur golfers only generate about half the spin that Tour pros do. So TaylorMade designed the project (a) with the same cover as Tour performance golf balls for maximum spin from 30 yards and in. To get the inside look at just how the project (a) works, here’s our exclusive Q & A with TaylorMade about this exciting golf ball for amateurs.
TGW: How important is it to make a ball that’s specifically built for amateurs?
TaylorMade: There are many obvious differences between a tour player and an amateur player but the most often overlooked is the tour player’s ability to control the ball around the green(<30yds). Tour players rely on their ability and equipment to get the ball as close to the pin as possible so that they have a better chance of making the putt…putting stats improve significantly with distance. The amateur player hits approximately 4 greens in regulation (vs 12 for tour player) so they are in a position around the green more often than the tour player. This places more emphasis on the amateur players ability to control the ball around the green, most often to save par, than the tour player. The amateur player generates about half as much spin around the green than a tour player due to the way they strike the ball, older more worn wedges, and the ball they play doesn’t provide high greenside spin. For these reasons we’ve designed the Project (a) which gives the amateur player the ability to stop the ball quicker on shots around the green due to higher spin.
TGW: What technology in these golf balls allows amateurs to spin the ball more?
TM: It’s never a single technology that improves golf ball performance but more of a combination of materials and layers that interact to maximize performance from tee to green for specific player types. The Soft Tech Cast Urethane cover is a soft and durable material that enables the amateur player to increase wedge spin and is the same cover we use on our tour golf balls(TP/TPX). The 3 piece multi-layer construction generates high driver ball speeds at all swing speeds and low driver spin for distance off the tee.
TGW: What kind of distance does this ball get with the added spin?
TM: The project (a) is designed to have high wedge spin and higher iron spin for the amateur players that need spin. If you spin the ball too much it will come up short…this is why the Project (a) is designed for the amateur player. Sergio generates a lot of iron and wedge spin and if he were to play the Project (a) it would come up short or pull back on the green which for him is not beneficial. Even though the Project (a) generates high wedge spin, the 3 piece construction keeps the driver spin low for excellent distance off the tee.
TGW: Once this ball is on the green, how does it perform with the putter?
TM: This ball will feel very similar to the TP/TPX golf balls on the green. It is very consistent and predictable as a tour player would expect.
After trying many golf balls, finally found this on the recommendation of a golf pro at a Central Coast club. For my club head speed, this ball is excellent. I lost no distance and the feel and spin on shorter shots is outstanding. I’d highly recomend giving this ball a shot if you are looking for a lower priced alternative. I also play in windy conditions in Northern California quite often and this ball has proved to work well in the wind. My club head speed with the driver is <100.
John901, Handicap: 7-12
