Tiger Woods' Golf Ball Just Got A Major Upgrade

The Bridgestone Tour B XS has arguably the most famous seal of approval in golf - it is the ball of choice of Tiger Woods. Traditionally, the XS has been the softer sibling in the lineup, designed for players with swing speeds over 105mph who prioritize feel and workability over raw distance, and that is very much still the case in the 2026 iteration.

However, in this latest design, Bridgestone claims to have slightly bridged the gap between the Tour B XS and the Tour B X - the ball played by Jason Day and Chris Gotterup. Born from the ‘VS Blue’ prototype, the new Tour B XS utilizes the same VeloSurge core-mantle technology found in the distance-focused Tour B X, but without sacrificing the bite they demand around the fast greens played on tour. To see if it has been a success, I put the new Tour B XS up against the pinnacle of premium golf balls, the Titleist Pro V1.

Like the rest of the 2026 family, the Tour B XS features the VeloSurge technology. This denser mantle allows for a higher MOI, designed to maximize energy transfer at impact, while in theory remaining more stable through the air.

I took the Tour B XS inside on the Foresight GC3 launch monitor and on the course to capture some data, as well as out on the golf course to see how this ball flies down range and ultimately determine whether it should be considered one of the best golf balls on the market.

Straight away with the driver, I noticed my ball speed with the Tour B XS was 165 mph on average, slightly slower than the Pro V1’s 166.8 mph. However, the efficiency of the Bridgestone was really impressive and mimicked what I saw on the Tour B X golf ball during testing. It actually spun less than the Pro V1 (2146 rpm vs 2312 rpm), which I wasn’t expecting, and launched slightly higher (14.7° vs 14.1°).

This high-launch, low-spin combination meant that despite the slower ball speed, the Tour B XS actually carried 299 yards - one yard past the Pro V1. This, of course, will be player dependent, and launch conditions, speed, and spin will change golfer to golfer, but for a ball marketed on feel and spin with a compression rating I measured at 86 using the Rimac machine, matching the Pro V1 for distance off the tee is a massive win for Bridgestone.

With the 7-iron, the true character of the XS emerged, where the ball speed gap remained, with the XS trailing the Pro V1 by roughly 2 mph (122.8 mph vs 124.7 mph). However, the spin jumped significantly with the Tour B XS producing 6096 rpm of spin compared to the Pro V1's 5798 rpm. It also launched higher (21.3° vs 18.9°) and reached a higher peak height (122ft vs 118ft).

While this resulted in a slightly shorter carry (173 yards vs 175 yards), the descent angle and spin rate meant the XS offered superior stopping power, something that will be more noticeable as the firmer golf courses get throughout the season. If you are a player who sometimes struggles to hold firm greens with mid-irons, this trade-off for a couple of yards and steeper landing angles feels as though it would be worth it.

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The short game data offered a surprise, considering the design behind the Tour B XS and the fact that the Pro V1x would typically offer a touch more short-game spin compared to the Pro V1. On the 50-yard pitch, the Tour B XS spun 7149 rpm, which was actually lower than the Pro V1 at 7645 rpm, albeit still very high spin, given the shot was executed with my 54° wedge.

The Tour B XS launched significantly lower (26°) than the Pro V1 (31.3°). This lower launch window is something many better players, including myself, prefer, as it allows you to drive the wedge in with a more penetrating flight rather than floating it up, providing a touch more control. Despite the lower spin number, the grab on the greens was excellent, and the feel off the face was noticeably softer than the Tour B X model I tested previously.

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The 2026 Bridgestone Tour B XS is a interesting evolution of the ‘Tiger’ ball, with Bridgestone having successfully injected distance into its higher-spinning model, making it a real all-rounder. While it lagged slightly in raw ball speed, the aerodynamic efficiency makes up for it. If you want the stopping power of a tour ball but don't want to feel punished off the tee, the Tour B XS is a complete package.