Maxfli Tour X Golf Ball Review

Maxfli Tour X Golf Ball Review

There was a time when Maxfli golf balls rivaled Titleist golf balls as the best and most popular in the game. The HT Tour and Revolution were among the iconic models developed by Maxfli that were beloved by recreational golfers and played by professionals around the world.

Things changed, however, around the turn of the century after the release of the Titleist Pro V1, as solid core golf balls became the future and wound golf balls died a slow death. The Maxfli brand was ultimately sold to TaylorMade in 2002 and again six years later to Dick’s Sporting Goods, and its lengthy stay at the top of the golf ball mountain was over.

But Maxfli, which is still under the ownership of Dick’s, has continued to develop golf balls, and included in the Maxfli stable are a couple of premium balls, including the Maxfli Tour X, which I recently had the chance to test. While the Tour X, which ranks as one of the best Maxfli golf balls, if not the best, will never enjoy the same visibility or commercial success of today’s most popular Tour balls, there has been a quiet yet consistent buzz about just how good this ball is, which left me anxious to give it a try. And to say I was impressed would be a massive understatement.

The Maxfli Tour X is a four-piece golf ball that features a soft urethane cover, and in my testing I compared it to similar golf balls, including the TP5x and Pro V1x, which are the two balls I play most frequently, as well as Maxfli's other premium ball, the Tour. In addition to using the Maxfli Tour X on the golf course, I also spent significant time testing it from 50 yards and in at my club’s short game area, as I believe golf ball decisions should be made first and foremost based on performance on and around the greens.

Where the Tour X shined brightest was in the long game. It was exceptional off the tee and every bit as long as the balls I was testing it against. The ball flight the Tour X provided on driver shots was on the higher side but also stable in the wind, and shots hit both downwind and into the wind yielded significant rollout. The Tour X also was explosive on full approach shots. If anything, it might have been a half club longer than the balls I play most often but at the same time I found no issues with stopping power.

From 50 yards and in, the Tour X still performed well and probably exceeded my expectations in all honesty. But I did experience slightly more rollout on chip shots, pitch shots, and partial wedge shots than I did with the TP5x or Pro V1x. That said, I came away believing that I could make the adjustments necessary to offset what appeared to be less greenside spin and still play the Tour X on a full-time basis.

I’d also add that the feel on those shots was slightly firmer off the clubface than the balls I was testing against, something that was not at all discernable on full shots. The Tour X, however, did feel very good off the putter, and I especially enjoyed the double-lined alignment aid on the ball. Additionally, the Tour X was a standout in terms of the durability of its cover, which held up very well during the course of play and after significant short game testing, including a number of bunker shots.

As you’ve probably ascertained to this point, I liked the Tour X a lot and could easily game this golf ball on a regular basis. So, let’s get to the real story here, and that’s price. At a retail price of $34.99, and it should be noted that Dick’s often offers even better deals, the Tour X checks in significantly below the best premium golf balls on the market. In my opinion, the performance it provides at that price point makes it not only one of the best golf ball values but one of the best values in golf regardless of category.

Certainly golfers will have to decide for themselves if what I found to be a slight drop off in greenside spin is enough to eliminate this ball from consideration, even at its significantly lower price. But long-game performance, feel, and durability are standout features that combine to make the Maxfli Tour X worth a try.