Ever wondered what little white sphere Tiger Woods relies on to master the golf course? You’re not alone. The choice of golf ball is one of the most personal and critical equipment decisions a player makes, and for a feel player like Tiger, it’s everything. This article provides the direct answer to what golf ball Tiger Woods uses, delves into the history of his partnerships, explains exactly why this specific ball suits his legendary game, and helps you decide if it might be the right fit for yours.
The Direct Answer: Tiger Woods Plays the Bridgestone TOUR B X
As of today, Tiger Woods plays the Bridgestone TOUR B X golf ball. This isn't just a simple sponsorship deal where a company pays him to use their product. After Nike exited the golf hard goods business in 2016, Tiger became an equipment free agent. He undertook a meticulous, data-driven process to find the ball that performed best for his game. He tested extensively, without a contract, and the ball he chose was the Bridgestone. He later signed an official endorsement deal, cementing his belief in the product.
The Bridgestone TOUR B X is a premium, three-piece tour-level golf ball with a proprietary REACTIV iQ urethane cover. It's specifically engineered for golfers with fast swing speeds - typically over 105 mph with the driver. Its calling card is a unique combination of performance characteristics: high ball speed and lower spin off the driver for maximum distance, but high spin and soft feel on approach shots and an even softer feel around the green for precision and control. This "spin separation" is the holy grail for a player like Tiger, who demands both explosive distance off the tee and surgical control on his scoring shots.
A Journey Through Tiger’s Golf Balls: From Titleist to Nike to Bridgestone
To truly understand why his current choice is so significant, it helps to look at the evolution of his golf ball throughout his career. Each change marked a significant moment not only in his game but in the golf industry itself.
The Early Days: The Titleist Professional 90
When Tiger burst onto the professional scene, he, like many top players, used a wound golf ball. Specifically, he played the Titleist Professional 90, a balata-covered ball known for its incredible spin and soft feel. He won his historic 1997 Masters with this ball. However, wound balls were less durable and could fly inconsistently, especially in the wind. The industry was on the verge of a technological revolution, and Tiger would be at the forefront of it.
The Nike Revolution: Solid-Core Dominance
In 2000, Tiger made a startling change that sent ripples through the golf world. He switched to the then-new Nike Tour Accuracy, a solid-core golf ball. This move was monumental. He was the first superstar to ditch the traditional wound ball for the new technology, and he did it right before the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach - which he went on to win by a record 15 strokes. This single event effectively ended the reign of the wound golf ball and established solid-core construction as the future.
For the next 16 years, Tiger was not just a user but a co-creator of Nike's golf balls. He was deeply involved in the R&,D process, providing a level of feedback only a player of his caliber could. This partnership produced a series of golf balls that he used to win numerous majors, including:
- Nike ONE Platinum: A softer version designed to give him more spin on his iron shots. He used this model to win his last major, the 2008 U.S. Open.
- Nike ONE Tour D: A slightly firmer, lower-spinning ball he used in later years to gain an edge with his driver as swing speeds across the tour continued to climb.
The Free Agency and the Bridgestone Decision
When Nike announced they were ceasing production of clubs and balls in 2016, Tiger was untethered for the first time in his professional life. He could play anything. He didn't rush into a decision. Instead, he conducted blind tests. Without knowing the brand or model, he hit countless shots with balls from every major manufacturer, relying on launch monitor data and, most importantly, his legendary 'feel'.
In the end, one ball stood out: The Bridgestone. He found it offered the best all-around performance, perfectly complementing his desire for low-spin distance with the driver and high-spin control with his irons and wedges. The fact that he chose it before signing a contract speaks volumes about his confidence in its performance.
From a Coach's Perspective: Why the TOUR B X is Perfect for Tiger
When you break down Tiger's game, you see a collection of needs that the TOUR B X is almost custom-built to meet. It's more than just a firm, high-speed ball, it's a sophisticated piece of equipment that allows him to execute the wide variety of shots in his arsenal.
Spin Separation Powered by REACTIV iQ
The core technology in the TOUR B X is its REACTIV iQ cover. Think of it as a "smart cover" that reacts differently based on the speed of impact.
- On high-speed impacts (driver, woods): The cover acts firmer. It deforms less, leading to a faster rebound, higher ball speed, and critically, less spin. This is what allows Tiger to hit his powerful drives that don't balloon and get tossed around by the wind.
- On lower-speed impacts (wedges, short irons): The cover acts softer. The ball stays on the face a fraction of a second longer, and the cover "grabs" the grooves of the club. This interaction produces the high spin rates he needs to stop a 9-iron on a dime or hit a delicate, flighted-down wedge that takes one hop and stops.
This ability to be "two balls in one" is exactly what a tour player dreams of. It eliminates the old trade-off where you had to choose between a 'distance ball' or a 'spin ball'.
Feel and Short Game Control
Tiger's genius has always been most apparent from 120 yards and in. The urethane cover on the TOUR B X is essential for this. Urethane is a premium, soft material that provides the muted 'thud' and buttery feel that elite players prefer, especially on chips and putts. It gives him the auditory and sensory feedback he needs to gauge distance and spin with surgical precision. He knows exactly how the ball is going to react on the first bounce, which is a non-negotiable for his style of play.
Piercing Wind Performance
Remember Tiger's iconic "stinger" shot? That low, boring iron shot that seems to defy aerodynamics? That shot is largely made possible by a golf ball with a stable, predictable flight. The TOUR B X features what Bridgestone calls Dual Dimple Technology. The design uses a larger dimple to create more surface area for initial lift off the tee, and a smaller inner dimple that reduces drag at the apex of the flight. This results in a flatter trajectory that cuts through the wind effectively, giving Tiger ultimate control over his ball, no matter the conditions.
Should *You* Play the Same Ball as Tiger?
This is the ultimate question for many golfers. It’s inspiring to play the same gear as your hero, but is it the right choice for your game? Maybe, but you need to be honest about your abilities and swing characteristics.
Who the TOUR B X is for:
The Bridgestone TOUR B X is designed for high-swing-speed golfers. If you swing your driver 105 mph or faster and your top priority is a penetrating ball flight with the driver combined with excellent greenside spin, this ball is for you.. Its firmer feel provides a lot of feedback and is favored by players who compress the ball and don't want an overly "mushy" feeling at impact.
What if your swing speed is slower?
If you love the technology but don't have Tiger's supersonic swing speed, Bridgestone has you covered with other models in the same family:
- TOUR B XS: The 'S' stands for soft. This is the model Tiger formerly used. It's also for players with 105+ mph swing speeds but offers a much softer feel and higher spin on all shots compared to the X. If you want maximum workability and greenside spin, this is the choice. Someone like Fred Couples famously plays this ball.
- TOUR B RX: This model is built for golfers with swing speeds under 105 mph. It uses the same REACTIV iQ technology but is engineered to compress easier, helping moderate-speed players get maximum distance without sacrificing feel.
- TOUR B RXS: The softer counterpart to the RX, this is for golfers under 105 mph who want the softest possible feel and maximum greenside spin.
The most important coaching advice I can give is this: Don't choose a ball based on who plays it, choose a ball based on how it plays for *you*. Tiger chose the TOUR B X after a rigorous, data-driven fitting. The best thing you can do for your game is to test different balls from various brands to see which one provides the best combination of distance, feel, and control for your unique swing.
Final Thoughts
Tiger Woods plays the Bridgestone TOUR B X, a ball he personally selected in blind testing because its blend of low-spin distance off the tee and high-spin control around the greens is the perfect match for his legendary game. While it’s tempting to simply copy the GOAT, the real lesson is to follow his process and find the golf ball that is empirically the best for your swing.
Figuring out your own specific needs, from tricky course situations to detailed questions about different equipment, can be a challenge. We designed Caddie AI to serve as your personal on-demand golf expert. If you're standing over a tough shot and need a strategy, or simply want to know the difference between two types of golf balls, you can get an expert answer in seconds. My aim is to deliver tour-level knowledge to every golfer, helping you make smarter decisions and play with more confidence, every time you tee it up.