B330-S: 2014 vs. 2016

[cmb71]

I still prefer what i perceive as the "softer" feel of the '14 model over the '16... must be the 4 layers vs. 3, despite the data presented. '14 feels especially good/softer with the putter.

[monks66]

is the 2014 b330-s low spin off driver? cant find much info on them, wanta give them a go because they are cheap on the bay

[monks66]

Damn this site. Just ordered 12 dozen of the 14' b330s.

 

 

lol! i just got a sleeve to hit around, i may be ordering myself

[monks66]

I played a round with the 2014 (hydrocore) B330s yesterday. I did find it longer, and maybe a touch softer than the 2016 version. I also found the same amount of spin and short game control (fantastic) as I have been experiencing with the 2016 version.

 

Based on this I think I am gonna stock up on some 2014s

 

how was off the tee? low or high spin? gaming the 2016 b330-rx should i make the switch? high spin off driver will deter me

[Pi5seeker]

I changed from Z-Star XV and they are softer and launch higher but I didn't notice any difference in side spin. They are a good ball....

[monks66]

Ebay world caught wind of the love for the 2014 B330-s.....prices are up there :(

[monks66]

Ebay world caught wind of the love for the 2014 B330-s.....prices are up there :(

 

I played it yesterday....it is a nice ball

[playa]

According to Golfballtest.org the 2014 is 78 compression vs the 2016 at 73

 

also the cover hardness of the 2014 is 89 vs 86 for the 2016 (the 2014 is a higher compression ball with a firmer cover)

 

https://www.golfball..._webrelease.pdf

 

I've used both and use both currently - in hot weather (now) the 2014 seems better all around - when its cooler the 2016...being softer...(eg Chrome Soft) performs a little better

 

the 2014 can be had for great deals on the bay...btw

 

You've quoted the hardness and compression numbers backwards.

 

No he just referenced the MPI column instead of the average column which are the real measurements.

 

2014 = 97 (atti comp) / 79 (cover)

2016 = 91 (atti comp) / 76 (cover)

 

Biggest difference is the construction (2014 4-piece vs 2016 3-piece).

I agree that the 2014 piece is the main difference. I prefer 4 piece generally and have found the 2014 more to my liking also. I rate the 2014 B330S up there with the best ever, had everything you could want in a ball.

[HoganHO]

I played a round with the 2014 (hydrocore) B330s yesterday. I did find it longer, and maybe a touch softer than the 2016 version. I also found the same amount of spin and short game control (fantastic) as I have been experiencing with the 2016 version.

 

Based on this I think I am gonna stock up on some 2014s

 

how was off the tee? low or high spin? gaming the 2016 b330-rx should i make the switch? high spin off driver will deter me

 

I'd say it's as low-spin as any of the other premium urethane balls off the driver.

[GBBM]

I think the B330S spins more off driver, particularly on swipes or misses than the RX does.

[Pi5seeker]

I've played a few rounds with the 2014 B330s so far and I like it but it definitely spins more than the Z-Star XV. I'm getting a little fade and slice that I didn't have previously. I like the higher ball flight, softer feel, and spin around the greens though.

[lolo_head]

Just scored 6 dozen from ksouth on eBay for $97 + 17.99!

[lil'mike]

Not sure on the B330-S but if the layers are the same on the B330RX (4 layer vs 3 layer) for some reason I prefer the newer 2016 RX one over the 2014 model. I should give the S one a try.

[monks66]

Not sure on the B330-S but if the layers are the same on the B330RX (4 layer vs 3 layer) for some reason I prefer the newer 2016 RX one over the 2014 model. I should give the S one a try.

 

the 2016 B330-rx is an awesome ball....but the Snell won for putter feel

[lil'mike]

Not sure on the B330-S but if the layers are the same on the B330RX (4 layer vs 3 layer) for some reason I prefer the newer 2016 RX one over the 2014 model. I should give the S one a try.

 

the 2016 B330-rx is an awesome ball....but the Snell won for putter feel

 

I never tried the Snell ball and probably won't since I have like 25-30 dozen golf balls here! It would be a long time before I do anyway! lol I have no issue with the B330RX off the putter face so I am fine with it!

[monks66]

Not sure on the B330-S but if the layers are the same on the B330RX (4 layer vs 3 layer) for some reason I prefer the newer 2016 RX one over the 2014 model. I should give the S one a try.

 

the 2016 B330-rx is an awesome ball....but the Snell won for putter feel

 

I never tried the Snell ball and probably won't since I have like 25-30 dozen golf balls here! It would be a long time before I do anyway! lol I have no issue with the B330RX off the putter face so I am fine with it!

 

wow 25-30 dozen...thats one heck of an inventory...2016 B330RX is a really good ball..

[monks66]

just like a little firmer feel off putter thats all lil Mike :)

[BVIChester]

I loved the limited edition "B" version as well. Looked a classy golf ball and gutted i cant get any more over here for a reasonable price.

[WidespreadPanic]

When I was accumulating my stash of balls to use in 2017 mostly I grabbed the 2014/2015 version of B330. Bought a year's worth. But I also saw a deal too good to pass up on two dozen 2016/2017 B330S for 30 bucks ($15/dozen) so I bought them too.

 

After four months of using the 2014 B330 for no particular reason last weekend I used some of the 2016 B330S. They pretty much seemed to play the same to me (I'm not generally able to distinguish brands or models of urethane balls from each other). Except for one thing. I had several driver tee shots, ones where I really caught it flush and expected better than usual distance, go remarkably far.

 

Normally I hit a lot of 200, 205, 210 yard drives with one or two per round getting out there 220 or so. One of those B330S shots was 246 yards and two others were around 235 or so. That's three of the five or ten longest drives I've hit in the past year coming in two rounds. I also had a 4-iron shot that I mean to play to the middle of the green because the carry over a bunker was too far. I accidentally hit it over the corner of the bunker and it did, in fact, make it onto the green.

 

It's probably just luck of the draw and swing variance. But it was not otherwise a weekend where I was hitting the ball particularly well and that's three drives and one 4-iron going noticeably farther than average for me.

 

Oh well. I'm going back to the 2014 B330 this weekend. I don't want to convince myself that the balls I only have two dozen of are actually better than the ones I have 10x as many!

Not to be a downer, but if you average ~205 off the tee don't you think you would get more out of the B330RX/S?

[North Butte]

I'm quite sure that the RXS does not go farther than the regular B330 for me. I played quite a few rounds with the RXS a few years back. The only time I tried the RX it's lack of spin was so annoying I couldn't say one way or another about distance.

 

Don't think I ever followed up on the quoted message from back in May but I've since played the B330S a few more rounds here and there and it never seemed to perform any different from the B330. Must have just been a weekend with an unusual number of really strong driver swings, or something.

 

For me the only balls that seem to produce slightly longer driver distances on a consistent basis have been 2014 B330, 2016 B330S and the 2013-2017 versions of ProV1x. And by "slightly" I mean maybe five yards on average. Otherwise most other balls seem quite alike in terms of distance and differ only in spin.

[WidespreadPanic]

Made the switch to the '16 (the B logo looks so damn good). What did it for me is the ease of controlling the flight with my irons and wedges and squeaking out a few extra yards over the '14. I also prefer the slightly firmer feel. Didn't think it would happen, but it did.