Review: TaylorMade Penta TP Golf Balls

Golf's first 5-piece ball proves it can do it all: Distance off the driver, controlled launch on long and mid-irons, and spin and feel around the greens. The five layers each do their job optimizing performance for each phase of the game. The ball can be played by all level of handicaps.

In a car, if a four-speed transmission is better than a three, how much better is five-speed? Much better – and the same can be said of the new Penta TP ball from TaylorMade. Solid, responsive, dependable - these are adjectives you might expect for a car, but that can also be said of the Penta TP, the first 5-piece golf ball on the market.

At a time when the premium golf ball market seems more crowded than the 19th hole on a 2-for-1 drinks night, the Penta TP comes along and not only makes a name for itself, but also raises the bar.

Let's peel back the layers: First – off the driver – distance. Across a section of golfers during testing, distance gains ranged from 3 to 13 yards with the driver depending on the player. That's significant.

Next, with mid- and long irons the ball is workable – both for mid- and low-handicappers. Should novices leave this ball alone? No way – it's too much fun for the whole golfin' family!

Lest we forget about spin – the Penta has plenty of it. Off mid- and short irons is where this ball shines. Shots for low handicappers hit inside 50 yards showed a willingness to sit right where they landed. For the higher handicap (15+), that group saw a shorter roll-out on balls that hit the green compared with other premium balls.

As for putting, I found the Penta seemed to hold the line better than some other brands. Interesting that the ball immediately felt a certain heft, even though it conforms to the mandated weight of a golf ball. As for feel off the putter, it's soft but not a marshmallow feel.

Does a 5-piece ball work for your game? By all accounts, it looks like that "5" is a winning number. Give it a try.

Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.