TaylorMade Tour Response Golf Ball Review: The best affordable ball around?
The new TaylorMade golf ball that does everything you need at a more affordable price...
- Excellent spins a load with the wedges
- Very durable
- Stripe version is a great alignment aid
- Strong value for money
For some time now, a variety of golf ball manufacturers have been attempting to push the boundaries of performance for mid-level golf balls, creating three-piece balls that generate good amounts of spin, lots of distance for a variety of swing speeds, and a premium soft feel off the face without carrying the top-end price tag of the very best golf balls on the market.
Most major manufacturers now have balls that fit this bill, whether it be Titleist's AVX, Srixon's Q-Star Tour, Wilson's Staff Triad. Even Callaway's Chrome Soft, formerly a tour ball in its own right, has now moved further towards this category with the more recent release of the Chrome Tour.
Sitting just below the flagship TP5 and TP5x and in terms of both price and performance, TaylorMade's Tour Response is one of the long-time leaders in this category, originally released back in 2020 and in theory providing just about everything the discerning golfer could want in a package anywhere between five and 10 pounds cheaper than its high-end model.
Five years on, the Tour Response – now in its third iteration – has proven a bit of a sleeper hit for the brand. And while it doesn't necessarily top the charts in terms of sales, plenty of high-end golfers we've talked to have been impressed upon testing it out.
As such, we took to the course with the goal of finding out exactly how well the Tour Response – alongside its more visually striking sibling in the Tour Response Stripe – performs compared to the flagship TP5, and whether or not this is a ball more amateurs should be playing.
Looks and features
TaylorMade's Tour Response goal is very simple: to bridge the gap between the best beginner golf balls and high-end tour models with a suite of premium features and a three-piece construction. The result? More effortless compression for the everyday player and Tour-quality performance at a more affordable price of £40 per dozen.
Two headline features top the spec sheet, the first being a high-end 100% cast urethane cover. "Urethane is simply the best performing cover material you can use on a golf ball," TaylorMade's director of R&D golf balls Eric Loper told us at the release of the first tour response back in 2020.
"That’s why it’s found on 100% of the balls used on the PGA Tour. It’s that good. We’re bringing that same innovation to our Tour Response line – essentially making a softer version of our TP5/TP5x that utilises multiple Tour technologies."
TaylorMade's category director of golf balls and accessories, Michael Fox, said: "In this class where performance meets value, why would anyone play an ionomer ball when cast urethane is available? Every manufacturer agrees that it makes a better ball."
Ball out the sleeve and in hand, the Tour Response looks and feels every bit like a TP5 or TP5x ball.
Beneath the cover, the Tour Response uses similar technology to that which powers the TP5 and TP5x, tweaked slightly to deliver more approachable performance for the everyday player. The new Speed Wrapped Core core introduced for the 2025 model is both faster and softer than its predecessor, and is connected to the outer layer via a firmer HFM mantle for improved face interaction and better transfer of energy.
Key to the Tour Response offering in the 2025 model is the return of the Tour Response Stripe variant, which uses a high contrast, brightly coloured 360 line around the ball to provide both a more comprehensive alignment aid for golfers – with the added bonus of extra contrast and visibility in poor conditions.
Performance
Out on course, what instantly jumps out at you is that the 3-layer Tour Response, delivers impressive speed and distance with a notably softer feel than either the TP5 or the TP5x thanks to its lower compression core.
This golf ball will not only help you max out your distance on every tee shot out there, but you will also improve your level of backspin with the wedges.
Control with the irons, certainly when the wind picked up, felt fantastic for a ball of its price. The only problem is that when you've used a TP5x in the breeze before, everything else feels like it is playing for second place.
We are very confident, however, that you could put the Tour Response up against many in the mid-level category right now and few (if any) will travel further off the tee or spin more with a wedge.
The use of cast urethane puts Tour Response a step above other balls in this category and at this price point, as it’s the only non-Tour ball to offer this premium cover from a major manufacturer. It’s a blend of Tour-quality materials with performance specifically engineered to benefit all golfers.
On the greens, we loved the added feedback provided by the Tour Response Stripe model. While the bright colours might be off-putting for traditionalists or golfers who prefer a cleaner look at address, there's no doubt that the Stripe system is one of the most well-thought-out alignment systems on the market, helping giving instant feedback on the way the ball is spinning to help you look and feel if you've pushed or pulled a putt.
Should you buy the TaylorMade Tour Response golf ball?
Five years on from its release, TaylorMade's Tour Response is a great golf ball for just about every amateur looking to get the most out of their game.
If you are a fan of TaylorMade golf balls then we highly recommend you give the Tour Response an outing this summer. We believe that even the most ardent TP5 or TP5x fan might even consider a switch, especially given it carries an RRP of less than £40 and is readily available for less than £35 from many shops.
The Tour Response, with its lower compression and faster core, excels most from the tee with bundles of distance for moderate speed swingers and it spins a load with every wedge in the bag.
The option of the Stripe model with its alignment aid also adds to the appeal, especially on the greens, and we have found it to be incredibly durable over a couple of rounds now.
As such, with more and more golfers looking to get the most out of their game without breaking the bank, we have no hesitation in naming the TaylorMade Tour Response among the most complete golf balls you can buy.
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.
