Mizuno has made two key changes to its urethane-cover tour balls. First, the design team sought more distance by designing both new balls with less spin on tee shots. Second, aerodynamics engineers figured out how to improve ball flight by designing a dimple that looks, well, off-kilter. It took some 99 prototypes to settle on the final design, but the radically reconfigured dimples shift the bottom of each at a slight angle and in a different orientation for each individual dimple. The intent is to change airflow around the ball so that faster swings (like driver shots) produce a more efficient and higher flight, and slower swings (wedge shots) produce a more penetrating, controlled flight.
Is it for you?
RB Tour: The softer of the two yields a slightly lower flight and slightly less spin off the driver. It’s better for steeper swings.
RB Tour X: This model is one of the higher-compression balls on the market, so expect a firmer feel. The ball should spin a little more, though.