by Bang Average Golf’s Director of “Just Inside the Left Lip” Misreads.
TaylorMade claim the Tour Response Stripe is here to “redefine alignment.” Which is bold, considering we’ve been redefining alignment for years – mostly by standing over six-footers, changing our mind twice mid-stroke, and missing low side anyway.
But fair play to them. The Stripe is a golf ball with a multicoloured racing line round the middle like it’s been nicked from a Formula 1 pit crew. And weirdly? It kind of works.
THE LOOKS: Like a Pool Ball Got Lost at a Pro-Am
This thing is loud. The stripe is a thick 360° band of colour across the equator of the ball – available in traffic cone yellow, blood orange, and “someone left the printer on magenta.” It’s not subtle. It will divide your group. But you will see how your putts roll.
And that’s the whole point. The ball’s built for feedback. You’ll instantly know if your putt was pure or if your stroke had more wobble than a pub pudding.
Bonus: it’s easy to find in the rough, unless you’re the kind of person who sprays it so wide it ends up in someone else’s postcode.
THE FEEL: Soft Serve with a Side of Snap
Off the face, it’s a buttery soft feel. Off the putter it’s plush, but not mushy. Off the wedges, it’s got enough spin to keep things saucy. And on full shots, it’s surprisingly zippy for a ball that costs less than your last round of beers.
Let’s be honest, most “tour-level for less” balls feel like a compromise. This doesn’t. It’s a decent ball wrapped in a gimmick that accidentally improves your putting.
THE PERFORMANCE: Straighter, Spinnier, Stripe-ier
The Tour Response Stripe is a three-piece urethane ball. Translation: it’s not a marshmallow. You can rip it, flight it, and get it to sit down without needing to carry 120mph ball speed and the soul of a psychopath.
Drive it? Goes miles. Not quite TP5 long, but very much in the same postcode. Iron shots? Consistent. Wedges? Bit of grab. Putts? Well now… this is where it gets fun.
Line the stripe up with your target and stroke it. The feedback is instant. Roll it pure and the line stays perfectly straight. Push or pull it, and it starts looking like a drunk zebra. No hiding from your stroke here. This ball is brutally honest, but also helpful.
Many golfers don’t like using the alignment line on the ball and we can relate to that. Putting is stressful enough without standing over the ball and suddenly thinking ‘what if I didn’t line that up correctly?’.
That’s a big problem with thinner lines, but this bad boy is sooo wide it completely removes that doubt, especially on shorter putts. There is a thinner line if you want to use that, but if you don’t want to get bogged down in that precision bollocks then here is a fool proof method we discovered when testing this golf ball. Are you ready to hear it? Then we’ll begin.
Kneel down behind the ball and set up the ball along the target line. Then close one eye, and use the shaft of your putter to double check the path the ball is lined up on. Because the stripe is wider than the Mersey Tunnel you’ll immediately see if you’ve lined it up correctly or not. Job’s a good ‘un, you’re welcome.
IN A NUTSHELL
Is it a gimmick?
Yes. But a damn good one.
Does it help your putting?
Hell yes it does. Or at the very least it’ll show you exactly why you’re missing.
Should you play it?
If you’ve ever stood over a putt thinking “is that aimed right?” then this ball is calling your name in neon.
BANG AVERAGE VERDICT
Ticks every box. A fun, feel-good, feedback-heavy golf ball that might just save you three putts a round if you’re brave enough to believe the stripe. Sorry, that was a terrible play on words.
Disclaimer: Stripe won’t fix your stroke. It will just show you how bad it really is. Proceed with caution and a short memory.
