Is Bridgestone's new 'water-repellent' golf ball a game-changer or a gimmick?
If you play in rainy climates, dewy conditions or simply spend a lot of time hitting out from the drink, the e12 SPLASH could be the ball for you.
Bridgestone has long been a brand to make bold claims about its great leaps forward in golf ball technology.
The Japanese company has, through its e6 and e12 models in particular, created balls tailored to treat just about every ailment that afflicts the modern golfer. The e12 Straight is – you guessed it – straighter than most. The e12 speed is a long drive menace, beloved by those who prioritise distance above all else.
Now, the company has set its sights on an even more niche target, helping players playing in the wet unlock new levels of performance hitherto unseen in this friction-dependent sport of ours.
The e12 SPLASH is broadly the same ball as the standard e12, engineered with the same side spin reducing mantle and soft, low-compression core that has made the e12 a popular choice among a wide range of players looking for a high-performing, affordable golf ball. It also features the MindSet visual aid, developed in collaboration with Jason Day and his performance coach Jason Goldsmith, helping provide a focus point on the ball to strengthen pre-shot routine, mental focus, and overall consistency.
The USP of the SPLASH model, however, is what Bridgestone calls the RPL-X Coating: a hydrophobic polymer that, as the name suggests, repels water from the surface of the golf ball to present a cleaner, dryer surface for the club to contact.
“The RPL-X Coating on the new e12 SPLASH is the result of years of dedicated development and represents another breakthrough manufacturing innovation from Bridgestone’s world-class engineering team,' says Bridgestone Golf's Adam Rehberg. "For golfers who play in wet or muddy conditions, the e12 SPLASH is a performance game-changer."
We're yet to test out the e12 SPLASH ourselves, but Bridgestone's own testers have crunched the numbers and claim that the ball has a large impact on launch and spin numbers when playing out of wet or muddy lies, preventing mud balls and helping both wedge and iron shots grab onto the grooves to create the optimal conditions for a good shot.
We'll be sure to bring you the results of our own testing as we have them, but in the meantime, the Bridgestone e12 SPLASH will be available at retail on October 10. You can find out more at Bridgestone's website.
Brad Nash is Reviews Editor at GolfMagic, having joined the team in June 2025 to look after all things reviews, soft goods testing and equipment alongside Equipment Editor Tom. Primarily a writer, you may see him pop up in videos or on the GolfMagic socials from time to time.
