Mizuno RB Tour X 2022 Golf Ball Review
In this Mizuno RB Tour X 2022 golf ball review, Neil Tappin sees what this multi-piece, urethane covered option has to offer
An impressive performer in all areas, the Mizuno RB Tour X offers a strong ball flight in the long game and plenty of greenside stopping power. Significant improvements made to the durability of the ball make this a top quality premium offering.
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Strong, high ball flight
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Good distance and control
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Improved durability
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Fairly firm sound & feel
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Back in summer 2022, I tested the original Mizuno RB Tour X golf ball for the first time and was hugely impressed. A urethane covered ball that, at the time, was available for around $35 per dozen, it offered me plenty of distance off the tee (and a strong flight) whilst still delivering superb greenside spin. In the best mid price golf balls category it was one of my favourites.
Over the last three years, Mizuno’s R&D team has been working on its predecessor and here it is. The latest version now features an ultra soft urethane cover, a 3-piece construction and a new dimple design that should deliver a higher flight off the tee and a flatter trajectory with the wedges. In comparison to the RB Tour 2022 version, the X should feel firmer, launch a little higher and spin slightly more off the tee.
We wanted to see whether Mizuno’s latest RB Tour X ball improved on what came before so I tested both old and new versions together, on a launch monitor and on the golf course at the London Club.
The first thing to say is the new ball offered me a little more distance off the tee from a higher flight. On average, the 2022 version provided a 1˚ higher launch angle off the tee, almost 10 feet of extra flight and six yards more carry. When comparing one generation of product against another, this sort of gain is certainly not insignificant. On the course, the ball flight off the tee was strong - exactly the sort of thing I’d expect from my own gamer, the Titleist Pro V1x.
With the 7-iron, the older version spun a fraction less but the new RB Tour X launched and flew slightly higher. In truth, there wasn’t much to choose between them in this area of the bag - both offered a good mix of distance and stopping power.
The final part of my launch monitor testing involved hitting a series of 50-yard pitch shots. I was pleased to see the old version of the ball performing as it had in my previous test, offering plenty of control from this range. However, the new ball delivered 670 extra rpm of backspin. Given the relatively low spin it offered off the tee, this separation in performance is often what marks out the best golf balls and Mizuno’s latest RB Tour X model is a worthy contender in this regard.
The last thing to mention is the on course performance. The main criticism of the previous model was around durability and how easily the cover scuffed up. This was something I noted during my testing although in the mid price category I was comparing it too, the Mizuno wasn’t too bad. To test the new cover, I hit 20 wedge shots, 20 7-irons and 20 driver shots with both golf balls into the practice net at my club. The before and after images below illustrate how they performed.
Before and after images of the old (left) and new (right) versions of the Mizuno RB Tour X golf ball
This was a fairly extreme test and even the most durable golf balls wouldn’t come away unscathed. As you can see from the gallery of images above, the golf ball on the left (the old version) was quite badly cut up and whilst the paint work on the new golf ball did scuff a bit, something I noticed particularly around the logo and writing on the ball, the cover itself remained fairly well intact. The work Mizuno’s R&D has done on the durability seems to have made a big difference.
At around $43 per dozen, the Mizuno RB Tour X sits more towards the premium end of the price spectrum but there’s enough tee-to-green performance to make it a worthy contender.
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In July 2023, Neil became just the 9th editor in Golf Monthly's 112-year history. Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he has also presented many Golf Monthly videos looking at all areas of the game from Tour player interviews to the rules of golf.
Throughout his time with the brand he has also covered equipment launches that date back well over a decade. He clearly remembers the launch of the Callaway and Nike square drivers as well as the white TaylorMade driver families, such as the RocketBallz! If you take a look at the Golf Monthly YouTube channel, you'll see his equipment videos dating back over a decade! He has also conducted 'What's In The Bag' interviews with many of the game's best players like Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm. Over the years, Neil has tested a vast array of products in each category and at drastically different price-points.
Neil is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus Fairway Wood: Titleist TSR2 Hybrid: Titleist TS3 Irons: PING Blueprint S (4&5), PING Blueprint T (6-PW) Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 50˚, 54˚, 60˚ Putter: Odyssey Triple Track Ten Ball: Titleist Pro V1X
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