Bridgestone made 1 huge change for its 2026 golf ball lineup

Bridgestone Golf released a new Tour B lineup for 2026, replacing all four of its previous models with new options. There’s two lower-speed offerings in the R series — Tour B RX (red box) and Tour B RXS (green box) — as well as two higher-speed models in the Tour B X (black box) and Tour B XS (blue box).

All four models retain the option to purchase with their popular Mindset graphic. Although the big change this year? VeloSurge technology. I got a chance to test with the Tour B X and the Tour B XS at The Crosby Club and came away with some cool findings.

But first, let’s compare the specs of the lineup.

Bridgestone always has two congruent lines in its Tour B series of golf balls that are separated by speed. For driver speeds over 105 mph you’ll want to use the Tour B X or Tour B XS, with the X being the lower launching and spinning option of the two. For driver speeds under 105 mph you’ll want to try the R series with the Tour B RX being the lower launching and spinning option over the Tour B RXS golf ball. They are even color-coded to make it easy on you — the Tour B X is the black box, Tour B XS is the blue box, the Tour B RX is the red box, and the Tour B RXS is the green box.

The reason for having two different congruent lineups dictated by speed is compression measurement. The lower speed offerings are going to have a lower compression rating. If you’re a higher speed player you likely won’t see much a difference between the two speed offerings, but for slower speed players, playing a ball with too high of a compression can force you to lose out on speed and other performance.

The lower speed player wants to be able to consistently compress the ball properly, as that’s how the golf ball is designed to perform. Because a higher speed player is going to compress the ball no matter what, the differences aren’t going to show as much, but the higher compression ball will usually be more consistent.

And it’s even more important in the 2026 lineup because of VeloSurge.

The easiest way I can explain VeloSurge technology in the new 2026 Tour B series is that they took the concept of a 10k MOI driver and implemented it into a golf ball. They’ve created a core, mantle and cover that actually moves mass to the perimeter of the golf ball, which helps increase the MOI of the golf ball and then helps it fly more consistently.

With VeloSurge, they have a new core-mantle integration that supports the now lighter and softer core, with a new mantle layer that’s actually made out of kevlar. This kevlar mantle protects the core and works together to create a strong, consistent deformation at impact. This unlocks a more consistent “rebound” as the ball begins its flight. And a more consistent rebound means more consistent performance, and with the 2026 lineup, it also means more speed. (I noticed the speed gains more specifically in the middle of the bag than anywhere else.)

Bridgestone 2026 TOUR B X Golf Balls

THE NEW TOUR B X IS PUSHING THE LIMITS OF DISTANCE UNBOUND DISTANCE: New VeloSurge core-mantle integration technology delivers breakthrough velocity for unmatched distance off the tee TOUR CONTROL: The Reactiv iQ cover adheres to the clubface longer, generating tour-level spin and precision control on shots around the green The TOUR B X delivers increased ball speed for MAXIMUM DISTANCE off the tee and HIT & SIT performance on approach shots Bridgestone Golf is the #1 BALL FITTER IN GOLF: The TOUR B X is higher compression for swing speeds OVER 105 mph Designed for players who want additional distance TIGER WOODS, JASON DAY, CHRIS GOTTERUP and KURT KITAYAMA assisted in the development of the NEW TOUR B X and they along with HARRY HALL and MATT KUCHAR play it in professional competition

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What stood out to me

First, the Tour B X. I actually played the older version of the Tour B XS (blue box) golf ball and quite liked it, but the issue was that it didn’t perform super well in the wind, which is an absolute requirement for somebody who lives anywhere near Chicago. When I tried to use the Tour B X (black box) I wasn’t able to generate enough spin, although it performed much better in the wind. So I was stuck.

However, with the new 2026 lineup, the Tour B X has really impressed me. It’s still lower spin on the driver — and I’d have to rework my driver to fit the golf ball — but through the rest of the bag it held pretty tightly with the B XS. Even on the shorter shots from about 130 yards and in, the B X performed really well.

Wind performance made a dramatic change for the 2026 lineup, specifically for me in the Tour B XS. In the video, you can hear me say several times the ball just doesn’t care that the wind exists. I was genuinely shocked. There was a moment in the video where I was hitting a driver on a downhill par 5 with winds crossing at about 20 mph — and the ball didn’t leave its start line. I kept asking the man filming if he was seeing the same thing. When we moved up to hit a long iron into the green, we saw the same performance again. The two Tour B balls were probably the best balls I’ve ever seen perform in the wind. (As someone who plays in the Chicago area often, that’s a significant declaration.)

As with every other piece of equipment in the bag, I always recommend getting fit and testing your options. Bridgestone, as the self-proclaimed leader in ball-fitting, actually has a terrific fitting tool on its website and the brand hosts tons of local fitting days (so see if any are near you).

You can see how I did my own testing in the video, and you’ll learn things yourself once you start trying to play with different types of flights and shots.

And once you’ve decided on what ball is best for your game, make sure to find your local True Spec fitter to get your entire bag dialed.