50 Words or Less
The TaylorMade Project a Golf Ball is designed to give amateur players the short game spin that the pros have. Very soft feel.
Introduction
I’ve given a lot of short game lessons, and I think every single one has included the question, “How do I make the ball spin?” Technique is a big part of the equation, but the equipment matters too.
With their new Project a golf ball, TaylorMade claims to bring tour player spin to amateur golfers. We put it to the test to see if that’s true.
Feel
Off the putter, the TaylorMade Project a Golf Ball is extremely soft. It combines a urethane cover with a low compression feel which produces a quiet, solid thud with the flat stick. I found that it actually felt softer than many tour balls.
With a full swing, the Project a also feels very soft and easy to compress. Wedges shots produce a slightly mushy sensation that gives you the feeling that the ball will really spin. When I hit Project a with a driver, I got the feeling that the ball turned into an oval on the club face before flying down the fairway.
Short Game
Short game spin is the calling card of the TaylorMade Project a Golf Ball, and it certainly delivers in this area. It spins as much or more than any tour ball that I compared it to, and the spin was consistently high. With a tour ball, I can easily judge the quality of the strike by looking at the spin rate – poor strikes don’t produce as much spin. With Project a, there was a spin gap between good and bad strikes, but it wasn’t nearly as big.
In addition to my own testing, I had some higher handicap golfers hit some wedge shots with Project a. For those players, the Project a gave them spin that they’d never had before. Project a really does produce tons of short game spin, even for average golfers.
Long Game
After observing the way the TaylorMade Project a performed in the short game, I was expecting it to be a dud in the long game. I was wrong. Though it’s not the lowest spinning ball off the tee, its spin numbers are very reasonable. In fact, many golfers will be better served by a ball that produces a little more driver spin like the Project a does.
Similarly, approach shots spin a little more than average, but not so much that they’re uncontrollable. Players who naturally create a lot of spin will not be a good fit for Project a, but golfers looking for more bite on their approaches will love it.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for short game spin and soft feel, there is no ball that provides the value of the TaylorMade Project a Golf Ball. At $32 a dozen (less if you search a bit), you get all the spin of a tour ball, some of the softest feel available, and solid performance in the long game.
Buy TaylorMade Project a golf balls HERE
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He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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23 Comments
So if this ball spins and performs like a tour ball, then what separates a ProV1/ProV1x from it to justify the cost difference? Are there launch monitor numbers that tell the full story? Or is it feel or durability?
Adam,
In short, nothing. As I said, this isn’t the lowest spinning ball off the driver, so that will be a factor for some. Others may think it spins too much with wedges and irons. The ball category, much like nearly every other area o the game, has gotten so much better for consumers over the last few years. You can get a ball that’s 90%-100% of a $48/dozen ball for half that price. Sadly, most people will continue to blindly play ProV1’s because it’s “#1 on Tour.”
-Matt
I’m gonna put a box of these in play to test them out. Seems like they could be a great option for my next order of company logo balls…
How does this compare to the Wilson Duo Spin
Robin,
The Duo Spin isn’t quite as high spinning, and it has a different feel because of the lower compression.
Best,
Matt
I really enjoyed hitting the Project A ball last year. Thanks for alerting everyone, now the prices are going to go up. Oh well. I agree with many of your comments about the $30 balls really meeting many people’s needs. There really are a bunch of great balls now in this price range (Snell MTB, Project A are 2 that come to mind).
Andy,
I wish I had the kind of clout that would drive prices up and down.
-Matt
How do they compare to the Snell “My Tour Ball” which is a similar price point? (I think Dean Snell was involved in the Project (a) as well).
Jason,
We have not tested the Snell balls yet, but we will see what we can do about fixing that.
Best,
Matt
Spin is important to me as I carry multiple wedges and want the distances hit to have stick. I cannot back the ball up even when divot is ahead of the ball but at 66 years old, I can still get off the tee in the 235 range or a bit farther. I still want the distance or more distance but want my wedges and high irons to hold.
I’m looking for a new ball. Could this be the one. Thanks
Steve,
Could be. It’s worth a shot. Let us know how you like it.
-Matt
Hi, how does these compare to the callaway chrome soft?
You can read my Chrome Soft review here: https://pluggedingolf.com/callaway-chrome-soft-golf-ball-review/
-Matt
I received these as a gift at Christmas. I was not aware of them until that time and thought Pro V were the go to ball (keep finding them all over the course). After reading your review I am eager to play them. Last year was the Calloway Chrome which felt good on the course. Thanks for your review as it is making the season ahead that much brighter.
Cheers
bb
How does the 2016 Project (a) compare to this version.
I haven’t tested the 2016 version.
-Matt
I tend to slice a lot off the tee. Would you recommend this ball to help hit less of a slice and have more control? Thanks.
Mike,
No, quite the opposite. If you are trying to limit a slice via equipment, you need the lowest spinning ball possible. I’d look into the Nike RZN Tour.
https://pluggedingolf.com/nike-rzn-tour-black-golf-ball-review/
Best,
Matt
Matt,
Would a cheaper option that would fit the above be the Bridgestone E6?
Thanks
Mike,
I haven’t tested an E6 in a long time, so I can’t say. I got a sleeve a few years ago. They felt like rocks and didn’t spin around the green – experiment over.
Best,
Matt
Hi Matt,
what’s the difference with the Rocketball Z?
Thanks!
Yannick,
I haven’t tested the Rocketballz, but I believe that it’s meant to be a low spin distance ball.
Best,
Matt
Been playing for two years now. Started playing the project a and dropped my score from a average 98 to an 88. Great feel with this ball putting and chipping. No loss on distance. I have tried many golf balls and this in the one for me.