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TaylorMade New Tour Preferred, and Tour Preferred X Golf Ball

Ball tested: TaylorMade New Tour Preferred Golf Ball, and Tour Preferred X Golf Ball

Compression: Mid

Dimples: 322

REACT Core – Promotes fast speed off the driver and soft feel throughout the bag

Spin Mantle Technology – Inner layers designed to promote consistent approach shot spin

New Soft Tech Cover – New softer cover material promotes improved greenside spin and control

Seamless LDP 322 Dimple Pattern – Promotes penetrating ball flight for more distance into the wind

For players who are at a more advanced level of the game, the 2016 version of the well-known TaylorMade Tour Preferred ball is a strong option. There are actually two models within this line to pick from – the regular Tour Preferred, and the Tour Preferred X. While these two models are extremely similar, the regular Tour Preferred will feel a little bit softer coming off of the club, and it will tend to fly a little bit higher. The regular model is a four-piece ball while the X has five layers, but you should find that both offer impressive distance off the tee combined with incredible touch around the greens.

Picking between the regular and the X is going to be a matter of personal preference and playing style. Those with high swing speeds may want to look closer at the X model, since it offers a lower ball flight. Keeping the ball down and under control can be a challenge for players who swing hard, which is why the X is used by many Tour professionals. If you find that you have to constantly fight with your ball flight to keep the ball down – specifically on approach shots – the Tour Preferred X may be the right option for you.

Of course, in the end, the only way to know which ball is your best option is to head out onto the course to test them out. If you are interested in using a TaylorMade ball , try to pick up a sleeve of each model that you wish to try and give them a test drive for yourself. The performance of the ball on the course will be the ultimate decision maker, so don’t make a pick based on anything other than how the ball helps you score.

– Compression Video – Spin Video – Dimples Video – Golf Ball Brands Video – Titleist Video – Understanding Spin Video

Categories Explained:

Value/Recreational/Distance – Designed for mid- to high-handicap golfers with swing speeds below 90 mph; typically feature two-piece construction and firm covers; promote greater distance over high spin rates. Examples: Pinnacle Gold, Slazenger RAW Distance

Premium – Designed for low- to mid-handicap golfers with swing speeds of 90-99 mph; typically feature multi-layer construction and medium-soft covers; happy medium between Value/Recreational and Tour categories for distance and spin qualities. Examples: Titleist NXT Tour, Callaway HEX Diablo

Tour/Advanced/Performance – Designed for low-handicap and professional golfers with swing speeds in excess of 100 mph; typically feature multi-layer construction and soft covers; promote greater spin rates and enhanced feel over distance. Examples: Titleist ProV1, Bridgestone Tour B330

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Taylor Made Tour Preferred X Golf Balls

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Product Description

• TaylorMade's most controlled Tour ball
• Total tee-to-green performance; the new TPX promotes even more greenside control.
• Multi-layer performance for controlled flight throughout the bag, cast urethane cover for more control into the green
• 5 piece; 322 seamless dimple; Soft Tech urethane cover
• 87 ball compression

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TaylorMade Tour Preferred ball review

TaylorMade claims its Tour Preferred franchise is its best ever performing ball. Do we agree?

The new Tour Preferred feels really good. It feels nice off the putter, which usually isn't something I notice, but I did notice this. I'm not going to critique anything about putting further, because the greens I was putting on were so bad that it wouldn't be fair...but say this, as someone who really struggles with putting, I dropped a few long birdies with these because the distance control was so easy, thanks to the feel. In my opinion, it's an underrated topic...but I notice the feel of balls really impacts my distance control with the putter. I just put Ctapers in my irons, and then I kicked if off with a new ball. Maybe not a good combo to start with, but man, the TP feels nice. I didn't even bother with the TPx, because it was around 45 degrees, super windy, and I was playing on an exposed links-style course. The ball actually holds really well into the wind. A few times actually, I was flighting it lower than I expected. Lots of the time, a ProV1 tends to balloon a ton on even easy shots into the wind. The TP didn't tend to do that. If anything, it tended to get knocked down a little easier. I prefer this, because then you can swing harder and flight it up. For me at least, easier to flight it up into wind than to keep it down. The ball was checking great with longer chips as well. I was able to hit a few low spinners that bit hard and just basically stopped around the green. Usually I'll get a little trickle with a ProV1, after it checks, but the TP just checked, then stopped. Easy to pull the string on it when it responds like that. I really enjoy chipping with this ball. Honestly, the only area I still haven't been able to really test with the TP has been the driver. It flighted well in the wind, but to give it a fair test, I need to wait and play in better weather.

THERE are few aspects in this game where you're proud to be #2 on the PGA Tour but when it comes to the golf ball market, TaylorMade is more than happy to come straight out the gate and say it.

Everyone knows Titleist is way out in front with the Pro V1 franchise and it will likely remain that way for years to come - it's the #1 ball for a reason with ball counts flying through the roof seemingly at every major event. So for TaylorMade, who claims it's the #2 golf ball brand on the PGA Tour right now, the new Tour Preferred and Tour Preferred X balls are under serious pressure to perform.

Before even opening my new pack of shiny TaylorMade balls, relief was instantaneous to see there was no wacky name emblazoned on the packaging. In the last few years when it's come to TaylorMade golf balls we've had the likes of RBZ Urethane and LETHAL, which in all honesty and while decent performing balls, sounded a little too loud even for TaylorMade.

I wanted to throw my new 4-piece Tour Preferred straight in at the deep end and so I took them for an outing at the greatest course I've ever played - Royal County Down in Northern Ireland.

Despite sending my first drive of the day onto the beach - I think my swing got caught in my skirt - I found 13 of 18 greens in regulation, missed just three fairways, recorded 34 putts and shot a round of 80, which for me, is a pretty good feat. What impressed me most about this ball was its control and consistency in the wind - something Ernie Els spoke to me about at Wentworth last week.

Now maybe that was a fluke for a first outing but I can safely say the TP has continued to shine. Taking the ball out for a second round last week on my home track, a much shorter and easier proposition than RCD, I went round in 70 shots and made a personal record of four birdies in one round.

TaylorMade, as you might expect, claims its new TP franchise is the best performing ball the company has released to date, but I'd honestly have to agree.

As you might imagine, there are a few key features of the new balls that TaylorMade would like you to know about, so I’ll just copy and paste them right here: REACT™ Core for greater ball speed on all shots for increased distance, Spin Mantle™ designed to deliver precise and consistent spin rates on given shots throughout the bag, and Low-Drag Performance Aerodynamics (LDP™) which is a 322-dimple pattern designed to minimise distance loss on low spin shots and also maintain a penetrating ball flight into the wind.

The latter is what gets me most excited about this ball. The Low-Drag Performance Aerodynamics, particularly when I played in Northern Ireland, helped me keep the ball on my intended line. I felt like I could play some nice knock down shots out on the links, but knew if I wanted to flight a short iron all over the pin, I could take dead aim down my target line and allow the wind to work accordingly without any freak results.

The other featured technology found in the Tour Preferred balls is what TaylorMade is calling Soft Tech™. Soft Tech™, is marketing speak, or maybe marketing double-speak for a cover material that TaylorMade claims is softer and more durable than anything they’ve ever produced.

Checking the durability out for myself at the end of my round with the second ball I put into play, you may recall I lost my first one on the beach , the end result was very pleasing: Soft and durable. Despite playing several shots out of the sand and even catching several on the thin side, my TP ball looked fresh and ready to go for another 18. While I'd not recommend you play the exact same ball two consecutive rounds in order to get the most out of your game, if a golf ball has good durability then it's going to save those pennies in the long run.

Not only does the ball look great and come with neat packaging but most importantly it ticks all the boxes in the buttery feel stakes, particularly in the short game, just as Sergio Garcia explains in the video above. One bounce, check and release.

When it comes to feel, TP is the perfect ball for the mid-to-low capper seeking softness around the greens. I received plenty of check on the longer chip shots and was also able to hit a few low spinners that bit hard. At times, I felt like I had it on a piece of string. On the dancefloor, the TP is also very easy to control distance on putts outside of 30-feet.

I tend to struggle getting the ball airborne with my irons but since switching to the new PING i25s I've had little problems. Since testing out the TP ball, however, I feel like that this part of my game has been strengthened even more and the additional spin, thanks to the new Spin Mantle, promotes an even higher trajectory on approach shots.

Off the tee, the ball appeared to spin a little less off the driver than the LETHAL ball but about similar to that of a Pro V1. Using a Flightscope monitor to assess my results, the TP ball generated 2800 RPM driver spin in comparison to the 3100 RPM with LETHAL. Driver carry was reaching just short of 230 yards and total distance was averaging around 260 yards. With a 52-degree wedge, spin rate was stronger than the LETHAL as the TP provided me with 9200 RPM instead of the 8700 RPM with LETHAL - an improvement of 500 RPM spin!

TaylorMade Tour Preferred has all the bells and whistles a low handicapper craves with a long, straight ball flight and ideal spin with the wedges. An ability to hold its line very well in the wind is what excites me most, however, as too the amount of check you receive on chip shots. TP is a very consistent, very soft and thankfully very durable golf ball. Not cheap at £45 per dozen but after all, this is TaylorMade's best performing ball to date. Well worth looking at both TP or TP X balls this season.

Click here for TaylorMade Tour Preferred ball owner reviews .

There are few aspects in this game where you are proud to be number two, but when it comes to the golf ball market where there is a clear leader, TaylorMade is more than happy to come straight out and say it.

So for TaylorMade, who claims it is the number two played golf ball brand on the PGA Tour, the Tour Preferred ball  is under serious pressure to perform. 

And thankfully it does.  

This soft, four-piece Tour Preferred provided us with tremendous backspin with the wedges from inside of 120 yards and lots of grip from out the greenside rough and bunkers. 

It was arguably the best ball for pitching in our test. Many balls bounced once, checked and then released nicely to the pin. 

We really struggled to get the spin down with the driver, however. The spin rate was one of the highest in the test, veering close to 3000 RPM at times. 

While there is lots of technology packed inside this Tour Preferred ball, the best feature is without question the "low-grag performance aerodynamics" that ensures the ball stays on its intended line out in the wind. 

Despite catching several shots on the thin side during our day of testing, the ball appeared one of the most durable in the test.

A great ball for that "one bounce, check, release" type of shot around the green. It felt soft enough with the wedges but proved difficult to get the spin down off the tee. Launch angle was typically higher on the mid-iron shots. It has great durability and holds its line nicely in the wind, too. Good value for money at £33 per dozen. 

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Taylor Made Tour Preferred X Mint Quality Refinished Golf Balls

About this item.

• The quality is Mint Refinished
• The balls will look and play like new
• Play a premium golf ball today for less than half the cost of brand new
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X-rated models uncovered: Why Titleist’s Pro V1x is no longer the hottest ball in the business

Published: 11 September 2024 Last updated: 11 September 2024

What is the best premium tour-level golf ball on the market in 2024?

What we learned from pitching the Titleist Pro V1x against its rivals on a robot, and what it means for your game.

Ok, so it might not be as raunchy as it sounded in your head, but the results from our 2024 Golf Ball Robot Test still make for a stimulating read in our opinion, offering several objective findings that continue to help shape our buying advice when it comes to choosing the best golf ball for your game.

Once again, this year’s findings reaffirmed why we believe club golfers seeking a premium tour-level ball should head straight to the firmer ‘X’ style models instead of their softer counterparts.

As TG Equipment Editor Simon Daddow says: “Time and again our robot tests highlight the difference between regular tour and firmer X style golf balls, and every time I’m left scratching my head as to why golfers choose anything other than an X style ball.

“If you play a softer tour-level ball I’d urge you to try a firmer model and ask yourself if you can sense the difference. If you can and feel there’s a benefit to going softer then fair play to you. If not our data spells out firmer X style balls are highly likely to give your game an extra degree of score-ability.”

Our head-to-head comparison of Titleist’s flagship balls was a case in point here, demonstrating the potential performance advantages to your game. Our data showed that the V1x produced higher spin rates on approach shots into greens with both 7-iron and pitching wedges by 4-5% without sacrificing distance or notable differences in peak height and descent angle. And with the majority of club golfers requiring more stopping power, the V1x should be an easy sell, provided you’re happy to pay $4.50/£4.00 a ball!

The market-leading Pro V1 franchise, used by upwards of 70% of professional fields every week , are not the only models pitching themselves at this premium price point, however. Also retailing in the same ballpark are the Callaway Chrome Tour X, TaylorMade TP5x, and Wilson Staff Model X, doing their utmost to chip away at Titleist’s market share and prove they have the game to match.

But do they? To answer this question, we took a closer look at how each model performed on the robot…

How do the specs compare?

Jump To: The Data

Carry distance

• Final verdict

Player Profiles: What the manufacturers say:

All four models in our lineup are tour-caliber urethane-covered balls designed as firmer, faster, and higher-flying options to their lower compression siblings – Pro V1, Chrome Tour, TP5, and Staff Model. Traditionally, X-style balls would have been considered lower spinning, although our testing has shown this not always to be the case.

We should therefore expect a lot of similarities from each of these balls given their target market, but surely each has its own X-factor? Here’s what the brands themselves had to say about their model X…

Titleist Pro V1x

The No.1 ball on tour is billed at players who prioritize total performance. The Pro V1x is engineered to fly higher and spin more with irons and in the short game, while still offering low spin on longer shots to maximize distance. Titleist recommend the V1x for players who naturally hit the ball with a low trajectory and would benefit from a higher flight and more stopping power.

• Read our full Titleist Pro V1x golf balls review.

Callaway Chrome Tour X

Outstanding distance, workability, and spin are what Callaway’s direct alternative to the Pro V1x promises. Callaway says their offering will outperform Titleist on ball speed and distance. The X is also the highest-spinning Chrome Tour model from driver all the way down to wedge. With over 100 million proof points, Callaway also emphasizes their trust in the ball’s consistency of performance.

• Read our full Callaway Chrome Tour X golf balls review.

TaylorMade TP5x

Rory McIlroy’s choice of ball is TaylorMade’s fastest, longest, and highest-launching five-layer tour ball. TaylorMade says this ball is now half a club longer, delivering low spin with driver while maintaining exceptional greenside control. It will best fit golfers seeking less driver spin and wanting to hit shots a fraction higher through the bag.

• Read our full TaylorMade TP5x golf balls review.

Wilson Staff Model X

With a compression of 104, the Staff Model X is one of the highest compression balls on the market, offering a firmer faster feel than the 95 compression standard Staff Model ball. Wilson says players should expect a higher launch and ball flight than the standard Staff Model ball you’ll also get maximum shot shape potential from this offering.

• Read our full Wilson Staff Model X review.

The Data: Pro V1x vs Chrome Tour X vs TP5x vs Staff Model X

When averaged over the three driver speeds (85, 100, and 115 mph), the Staff Model X came out as the fastest ball by 0.4 mph over the TP5x and Chrome Tour X, with the Pro V1x another 0.5 mph slower. The Wilson also edged out its rivals for ball speed with 7-iron and wedge, meaning we can confidently say that it was our fastest ball on test, and produced the fastest ball speed at 100 and 115 mph across the wider 22 model test.

For golfers with average swing speeds, the Chrome Tour X and TP5x remain competitive, with the Callaway better matched to driver swing speeds of 100 mph and below. Despite being the faster of Titleist’s flagship balls, the Pro V1x produced the slowest ball speeds across our three-club test.

A consistent trend from the backspin data was the TP5x spinning less than its competitors across each club, most notably with 7-iron, spinning 725 rpm less than the Chrome Tour X. Conversely the Callaway consistently offered the most spin with the Staff Model X competitive for backspin across all three shots.

The Pro V1x delivered results in agreement with Titleist’s claims that the ball spins more with short irons, while still offering low spin on longer shots to maximize distance. It was the only other ball to exceed 8,000 rpm of spin with a wedge. The Callaway and Titleist products produced the first and second-highest spin rates with pitching wedge across our whole test, demonstrating their stopping power proficiency.

With several variables contributing to carry distance such as launch angle, ball speed, and backspin, it’s not surprising that all four-premium tour-level balls were closely grouped across each club with 4.0 yds separating the longest and shortest balls with driver, 3.7 yds with 7-iron, and just 1.1 yds with pitching wedge.

Despite the highest spin rate with driver, the Chrome Tour X was the longest ball off the tee with the Staff Model X and low-spinning TP5x both within 0.6 yds. The Pro V1x gave up 4.0 yds on the Callaway when averaged across the three driver speeds and 3.2 yds on the TaylorMade with a 7-iron. The TP5x was the longest model with iron and pitching wedge, reflecting its nature as a firm, fast, and low-spinning ball.

As mentioned in our golf ball construction comparison, the dispersion data was the metric that posed the most questions in terms of repeatability for both us and Loughborough University. Our results didn’t report any consistent trends when looking at the average shot area of each ball across the three clubs with no overwhelming support for any model being the most accurate.

The Pro V1x reported the largest shot area when averaged across the three driver speeds, although this data was skewed by the 115 mph swing speed that observed significantly higher carry drop-offs and off-center dispersion compared to slower testing speeds. The Staff Model X was the most accurate ball when averaged over 7-iron and pitching wedge, and while the Chrome Tour X reported the smallest shot area of the test (2.0 yds 2 with wedge), it also reported the largest with 7-iron.

Other metrics

The Chrome Tour X was the only ball to average above 50 yards in height with driver, helping contribute to its performance as the longest ball in this test. The Pro V1x recorded the shallowest launch and decent angles off the tee, providing the most penetrating ball flight.

With 7-iron, the TP5x achieved the highest flight, although the Staff Model X fell at the steepest descent angle, adding to its stopping power potential. All four models achieved comparable peak heights with a wedge, with the TP5x launching and falling at a steeper gradient, helping counteract its low-spin nature and boosting its ability to hold greens.

Which ball was the most consistent?

We ranked all 22 models in our 2024 testing for consistency of performance for ball speed, backspin, and carry distance. Of the four X-style balls in this analysis, the Wilson Staff Model X ranked the highest (4th overall), with the second most consistent set of ball speed results across the whole 22-model cohort.

The Titleist Pro V1x (8 th overall) was the second highest ranked for consistency in this comparison, followed by the Callaway Chrome Tour X (13th overall) and TaylorMade TP5x (18 th overall).

Final Verdict

As we saw in our Pro V1 vs Pro V1x head-to-head , Titleist’s X model is without doubt in our minds a more favorable choice for those adamant on playing the No.1 ball on tour.

However, against the strong competition in this premium tour-level ball comparison, the Pro V1x left a lot to be desired going solely off the numbers. It was the slowest ball off the face, delivered the shortest carry off the tee, and didn’t match the accuracy of some of its rivals. The area it did compete hard was spin rate with a pitching wedge, one of only two balls in this category to exceed 8,000 rpm.

Not only did the Callaway Chrome Tour X outgun the competition with driver for carry distance, but it produced the highest backspin levels across the board which should be music to the ears of those looking for distance off-the-tee combined with serious stopping power from the fairways.

Jon Rahm’s chosen ball also produced the third smallest shot area across our 22-model test with the 2.0 yds 2 achieved with a wedge being the smallest across our entire 2024 testing. In all, the Chrome Tour X can only be considered an exceptional tour-level golf ball, but be warned, it comes with a tour-level price tag to match.

If cutting driver spin is your goal then TaylorMade’s TP5x should be firmly on your radar. If you have sufficient swing speed then this five-piece model will reward you with more distance in the long irons than its rivals, although is not the longest off-the-tee.

Its low-spin performance may be a concern if you struggle to hold balls on the green so you really need to put a premium on ball speed and distance through the middle of your bag to vindicate opting for the TP5x over the competition. Worth noting that TaylorMade has dropped the RRP on the TP5 family by $5/£5 per box, giving the ball a healthy boost in value for money.

Undoubtedly Wilson’s offering has the X factor when it comes to ball speed, topping the charts at 100 and 115 mph, finishing second only to its softer sibling at 85 mph. It was also the longest when averaged out across each speed with driver meaning if you are in the market for a long and fast ball in 2024, the Staff Model X should be on your shortlist.

Add to that a very competitive backspin performance with 7-iron and wedge, and this lesser-used tour-level ball is starting to look more and more like a diamond in the rough. The only catch is that if you were hoping for a bargain, you won’t find it here as Wilson is asking near enough top dollar, and who can blame them with this type of performance?

Which premium tour-level ball has the X factor?

The 64-million-dollar question…or 50 dollar at least. The two premium tour-level balls that have shined the brightest in our comparison are the Callaway Chrome Tour X and Wilson Staff Model X.

Callaway’s X-style offering may not be the fastest off the face, but thanks to its greater peak height than the competition with driver, still produced the furthest carry off the tee when averaged across the three speeds. And perhaps more importantly for club-level golfers, this ball produced the highest spin rates of our four-ball head-to-head. If holding balls on the green is something your game needs, this ball should be right at the top of your list. It’s also worth remembering that the ball comes in a choice of multiple visual aids which could swing your decision.

But as an alternative, yet not much cheaper option, the Wilson Staff Model X has impressed once again. Not just holding its own against the tour-popular trio but outpacing all of them off the clubface and offering extremely competitive spin rates in parts of the bag that you need them. A further nod must go to the brand’s ability to produce repeatable results. The Staff Model X and regular Staff Model ranked fourth and second respectively for consistency across our whole 22 model sample. If you hit a bad shot with them…it’s really not the ball’s fault.

So why is the Pro V1x used by so many tour pros?

With over 180 PGA and LPGA tour pros gaming the V1x and a further 150-odd opting for its three-piece namesake, Titleist’s flagship balls undeniably remain the No.1 ball in the eyes of the game’s elite, irrespective of what cold-hard numbers produced on a robot may say.

Of course, we can’t quantify ‘feel’, which we can only imagine adds significant weight to equipment decision-making at this level. But also, tour pros aren’t necessarily looking for the highest or lowest-scoring ball in a particular metric. It’s more a question of finding the right balance of characteristics to match each player’s requirements, and seemingly the Pro V1 franchise continues to walk that tightrope better than the competition.

Finally, golfers of this caliber place a huge emphasis on repeatability and consistency of performance, something the V1 and V1x have become synonymous with over the years. Even our sample showed evidence that the V1x produced less variability in ball speed, backspin, and carry distance than the TP5x and Chrome Tour X.

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Ross Tugwood – Senior Digital Writer

Ross Tugwood is a Senior Digital Writer for todays-golfer.com, specializing in data, analytics, science, and innovation.

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Xtreme Tour Golf Ball - Dozen

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Description

Available in white and yellow, this enhanced design delivers the soft feel, lower spin and a more penetrating trajectory than the Xtreme Tour X, which makes it ideal for players seeking maximum distance with incredible feel.

Select your preferred color, add 3 boxes of golf balls to your cart above and get them for the price of 2! Ships free!

Product details

• All Golf Balls Ship Free
• Explosive high-speed polybutadiene core
• Soft yet durable bright white urethane cover provides maximum spin and control around the greens
• lonomer layer designed to increase speed and distance
• 338 dimple pattern engineered to deliver aerodynamic characteristics designed to maximize distance with a high penetrating trajectory
• Available in bright white and yellow

FIND YOUR FIT

Which ball should you play.

PXG Xtreme Tour & Tour X Golf Balls bring performance to the limit with incredible distance, feel, and stopping power on every shot from every condition. Featuring a thinner more durable urethane cover and an expanded core for the ultimate in tour-level quality and performance for every player. 

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PXG: What to expect from the new Xtreme Tour and Xtreme Tour X golf balls

• James Richardson
• September 11, 2024

Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) have followed up the 2023 release of the Xtreme golf ball with evolved Tour and Tour X versions.

They say that the new golf balls deliver enhanced durability and playability to meet the needs and preferences of golfers of all abilities.

PXG founder Bob Parsons hopes that the new balls fill out the custom fitting options that the company have become renowned for in recent years.

“The launch of our first golf ball was a huge success,” said PXG Founder and CEO Bob Parsons. “Now, we’re taking it to the next level with the introduction of the new PXG Tour and Tour X golf balls. With these options, golfers can confidently be fitted for and choose the ball that best fits their playing style and performance goals.”

Xtreme Tour golf balls boast a thin, durable urethane cover and an expanded core, delivering ultimate tour-level quality and performance. This enhanced design promises a soft feel, lower spin, and a more penetrating trajectory compared to the Xtreme Tour X, making it the ideal choice for players seeking maximum distance with an incredible feel.

The Xtreme Tour X golf balls feature a similar construction. However, the innovative design delivers a firmer feel, more spin, and a higher trajectory than the Xtreme Tour, making it an exceptional choice for players seeking maximum distance and increased stopping power from their irons and wedges.

Three-piece construction

Both golf balls feature a three-piece construction. The high coefficient of restitution (C.O.R.) polybutadiene core is designed for high-speed performance, while a firm ionomer mantle layer further increases speed for maximum distance off the tee. The soft yet incredibly durable urethane outer cover on these balls maximizes spin for green-grabbing control.

In addition, the Xtreme Tour and Xtreme Tour X golf balls present a seamless 338 dimple pattern engineered to deliver aerodynamic characteristics, maximizing distance with the driver while producing a high trajectory with optimal spin from irons and wedges.

These balls are available in an ultra-bright white, and based on consumer feedback, the Xtreme Tour golf balls are also available in yellow.

Founded by entrepreneur and self-proclaimed golf nut Bob Parsons, PXG embodies his belief that every new product – from golf clubs to sport fashion apparel – should be markedly better. Every innovation should noticeably improve your performance. And every moment of impact should elevate your enjoyment.

Time will tell if they meet the expectations but PXG are willing to stake their reputation on any piece of new equipment.

READ MORE: The five best golf balls to use for the ‘average’ player

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Gear: PXG Xtreme Tour, Xtreme Tour X golf balls Price: $49.99 per dozen Specs: Three-piece, urethane-covered golf balls. Both balls are available in white, Xtreme Tour also in yellow.

Who it’s for: Golfers who want a soft feel, low spin off the tee and high spin around the green (Xtreme Tour); Faster-swinging players who want a firmer feel, maximum ball speed and higher spin with irons.

What you should know: Both the Xtreme Tour and the Xtreme Tour X are designed to deliver maximum spin around the green, but PXG’s newest golf balls were also made to be more durable and provide a better feel.

The deep dive: Parsons Xtreme Golf released its first golf ball, the Xtreme , in February 2023. At a price of $39.99 per dozen, they were made for golfers who wanted loads of greenside spin with solid distance off the tee. Two years and thousands of test shots later, the Scottsdale, Arizona-based equipment maker has two new balls that it is touting as more durable, softer-feeling and still long off the tee.

The new Xtreme Tour and Xtreme Tour X balls are both three-piece balls that have a large rubber, firm mantle layer and a soft urethane cover. However, the cover of the Xtreme Tour and Xtreme Tour X balls is thinner than the cover on the original Xtreme because, counterintuitively, it boosts durability. Balls that have a soft, thick cover can have the cover material compress against the grooves of wedges very easily, which can be great for spin but lead to ripping and sheering.

PXG Extreme Tour X golf ball. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

According to PXG, the original Xtreme ball had a compression of 110, making it a very hard ball. By PXG’s measurement, the new Xtreme Tour is at 97, and the Xtreme Tour X is at 107, so both balls can still be thought of as firm, which is good for speed, but they are softer than PXG’s first ball.

Interestingly, the yellow version of the Xtreme Tour has a compression of 101, which puts it between the firmness levels of the white Xtreme Tour and Xtreme Tour X. The difference in compression is due to the additive that gives the yellow version its color.

To test the Xtreme Tour and Xtreme Tour X balls, PXG tested them using a robot at three different speeds using a driver and a 7-iron, then full-swing wedges shots and partial-swing wedge shots. In those tests, the Xtreme Tour and Xtreme Tour X both created slightly more ball speed off the tee with lower spin rates. They also produced a slightly higher launch angle but a lower peak height.

PXG Extreme Tour golf ball. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The same relationship held with 7-iron shots as well, while on 60-yard pitch shots with a 56-degree wedge, the Xtreme Tour and Xtreme Tour X both produced nearly the same spin as the original Xtreme ball.

Compared to each other, the Xtreme Tour should feel softer than the Xtreme Tour X, fly slightly lower and spin marginally less. In PXG’s tests, the Xtreme Tour X created 0.5 mph more ball speed off the tee and about 2.5 yards more total distance, with nearly identical launch angles. The Xtreme Tour X also generated about 200 rpm more spin on wedge shots than the standard Xtreme Tour.

See more equipment: Best drivers for 2024 | Best irons for 2024 | Best putters for 2024 | Best golf balls for 2024

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PXG Deploys Two New Premium, High-Performance Golf Balls - PXG Xtreme Tour & PXG Xtreme Tour X

News provided by

Sep 09, 2024, 08:10 ET

Share this article

Xtreme Durability, Distance, and Spin Deliver Game-changing Results on the Golf Course

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. , Sept. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- PXG , the global research and development company dedicated to creating top-of-the-line golf equipment and apparel, has unveiled its latest additions to the premium golf ball market – the PXG Xtreme TourTM and PXG Xtreme Tour XTM golf balls. The new golf balls deliver enhanced durability and playability to meet the needs and preferences of golfers of all abilities.

"The launch of our first golf ball was a huge success," said PXG Founder and CEO Bob Parsons . "Now, we're taking it to the next level with the introduction of the new PXG Tour and Tour X golf balls. With these options, golfers can confidently be fitted for and choose the ball that best fits their playing style and performance goals."

The Xtreme Tour golf balls boast a thin, durable urethane cover and an expanded core, delivering ultimate tour-level quality and performance. This enhanced design results in a soft feel, lower spin, and a more penetrating trajectory compared to the Xtreme Tour X, making it the ideal choice for players seeking maximum distance with an incredible feel.

The Xtreme Tour X golf balls feature a similar construction. However, the innovative design delivers a firmer feel, more spin, and a higher trajectory than the Xtreme Tour, making it an exceptional choice for players seeking maximum distance and increased stopping power from their irons and wedges.

Both golf balls feature a three-piece construction. The high coefficient of restitution (C.O.R.) polybutadiene core is designed for high-speed performance, while a firm ionomer mantle layer further increases speed for maximum distance off the tee. The soft yet incredibly durable urethane outer cover on these balls maximizes spin for green-grabbing control.

In addition, the Xtreme Tour and Xtreme Tour X golf balls present a seamless 338 dimple pattern engineered to deliver aerodynamic characteristics, maximizing distance with the driver while producing a high trajectory with optimal spin with irons and wedges.

These balls are available in an ultra-bright white, and based on consumer feedback, the Xtreme Tour golf balls are also available in yellow.

Whether aiming for maximum distance, enhanced feel, or increased stopping power, the Xtreme Tour and Xtreme Tour X golf balls offer premium performance on the golf course. To buy now or to book a PXG club fitting , visit http://www.PXG.com or call 844.PLAY.PXG.

ABOUT PARSONS XTREME GOLF Founded by entrepreneur and self-proclaimed golf nut Bob Parsons , PXG embodies his belief that every new product – from golf clubs to sport fashion apparel – should be markedly better. Every innovation should noticeably improve your performance. And every moment of impact should elevate your enjoyment.

Today, PXG offers a complete lineup of right- and left-handed golf clubs, including drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges, and putters, engineered to be custom fit and built to every golfer's unique specification. The company also designs and delivers high-performance golf and lifestyle apparel and accessories.

PXG's professional staff includes Mason Andersen , Christian Banke , Paul Barjon , Eric Cole , Patrick Cover , Joel Dahmen , Cristobal Del Solar , Kevin Dougherty , Nicolas Echavarria , Clay Feagler , Patrick Fishburn , Scott Gutschewski , Grant Hirschman , Bo Hoag , Michael Johnson , Zach Johnson , Jake Knapp , KK Limbhasut, David Lipsky , Luke List , Justin Lower , Ryan McCormick , Henrik Norlander , Augusto Nunez , Garrett Reband , Seth Reeves , Sam Saunders , Shad Tuten , Dylan Wu , Celine Boutier , Mina Harigae , Minji Kang , Megan Khang , Auston Kim , Christina Kim , Gina Kim , Katherine Kirk , Brittany Lang , Gerina Mendoza , Linnea Strom , and Ellinor Sudow .

Media Contact

Leela Brennan , PXG - Parsons Xtreme Golf, 4803875591, [email protected] , www.pxg.com  

SOURCE PXG - Parsons Xtreme Golf

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Horlivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine

I caught a travel bug here

This blog is published chronologically. Go straight to the most recent post .

• I Caught a Travel Bug Here

Horlivka, Donetsk region

My favorite postcard from Horlivka

Traveling became my passion during my student's years in Horlivka. I was a student of the English Faculty of Horlivka State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages in Soviet times. At that time nobody called the city Horlivka, everybody said in Russian: Gorlovka.

Revisiting Victory Square in 2010

They say that he who had studied in Horlivka for five years became a city resident. I wondered if I could call myself a local and my answer was negative. I did not visit too many places in the city to be able to have it at my fingertips. Perhaps I spent too much time doing my homework...So I had to rediscover Horlivka during my visits after my graduation: in 2002, 2009 and 2010.

1779 is the foundation year of Horlivka. The city is called after an outstanding Russian mining engineer Peter Gorlov (1839-1915). He was commissioned for the construction of Kursk-Kharkiv-Azov railway and designed many coalmines.The grateful residents of Horlivka erected a monument to Peter Gorlov in Victory Avenue in 1999.

The city area is 422 square kilometers, which is half of the size of the Ukrainian capital Kiev. Horlivka is divided into three administrative districts: Central City District, Kalinin District and Nikitov District. The settlements of Golmovsky, Zaytsevo, Panteleymonovka and the villages of Ozerianovka and Gladossovo are incorporated into the city area. About 300,000 residents live in Horlivka now. The city has three railway stations, more than 1,500 streets, avenues, boulevards and lanes. There is a small river in the city – the River Korsun, a tributary of the River Krynka that flows into the Seversky Donets, our big river.

The entrance plaque of my college

Studying the city map, I noticed that Horlivka streets sometimes sounded very unique. What do you think of such street names:

• Merry Street (in Ozeryanovka)
• Galileo Street (in Gagarin Settlement)
• Democratic Street (in Block 88)
• Long Lane (in Alexeyevka)
• Pearl Street (in Coalmine 6-7 settlement)
• Picturesque Street (in Nikotov District)
• Cultural Street (in Alexeyevka)
• Moon Street (in Kondratyev Settlement)
• Olympic Street (in Kirov Settlement)
• Christmas Street (in Kalinin Settlement)
• Amber Street (in Komarov Settlement)
• Clean Lane (in Komarov Settlement)
• Cold Street (in Komarov Settlement)
• Narrow Lane (in Alexeyevka Settlement).

As you see, streets in Alexeyevka and Komarov Settlement are champions in beautiful street names. These are the street names I have never come across in any city I have visited. However, I do not think the streets look as poetic, attractive and beautiful as their names sound. I am sure that just a picture at the background of a street name plaque would be a fun to have at home. It would be great for any local like me, to say nothing of foreigners. In fact, it is one of my further plans about traveling to Horlivka: to visit some of those streets and to take pictures there.

Our hostel at 49 Kirov Street

Horlivka means a lot of nice memories of my youth to me. We used to study the culture of the English-speaking countries. We all realized that we could not even dream of visiting them. We had to travel without seeing most of the time. However, we wanted to learn more about the habits and ways of the English-speaking countries. We could only learn from our college textbooks or from propaganda TV, radio, newspapers and magazines. Our Communist textbooks, where every word had been approved "from above", did not satisfy our thirst for knowledge and experience, and we sought other ways of developing our skills and ideas. My friends and I enjoyed listening to the VOA ("Voice of America") "Special English" programs after we had installed an extended SW antenna into an old radio set in our room in the dormitory, where we used to stay. It was very interesting and exciting to get the first-hand knowledge from native speakers over the radio, especially in the times of the information vacuum in our country. It was not very safe, though. But good luck was on our side and our passion for foreign broadcasts did not lead us into any trouble with the authorities. The videos were very rare in those days and we got the feeling of the foreign culture through music. We listened to music and learnt by heart the songs of "Queen", "ABBA", "Beatles," "Pink Floyd", "Boney-M" and others.

Horlivka city coat-of-arms

I have a lot of good memories of my five-year study in Horlivka. My fondest memories of Horlivka are:

1. *** visiting the ponds on the western outskirts;

2. *** walking in the city parks;

3. *** seeing new movies at "Shakhtar" movie theater;

4. *** attending a swimming section at the local Palace of Sports;

5. *** listening to the VOA Special English Programs over the radio;

6. *** visiting the nearby Korolenko ponds;

7. *** meeting with my friends there;

8. *** working at the college library and linguistic laboratory;

9. *** discovering the city streets;

10. *** exploring the city ourskirts such as the Seversky Donets-Donbass canal

11. *** shopping at the city stores;

12. *** celebrating each other's birthdays.

13. *** visiting Donetsk at weekends (one hour bus ride).

The monument to Nikita Izotov

I am very thankful to my alma mater for education, practice and experience. In 1981, my fellow student Oleg and I were selected for a study trip to "friendly Germany", the GDR, or East Germany, what is now "the new provinces". We had a month-long intensive German course at Erich Weinert Pedagogical College Magdeburg (PHM) in Magdeburg (now it is a part of Otto von Guericke University). It was a great experience for me, of course. I was privileged to visit Berlin, Magdeburg and many other big and small towns and cities during the weekends.

During my last year of studies, my college recommended me for a business trip abroad as an interpreter. Such testimonials were issued every year to several gifted students, but only some of them were selected for a business trip in the long run. Thanks a lot, my college, for that testimonial! A business trip abroad was a huge award in those times, especially if you take into account that a person like myself did not belong to the ruling Communist party. Thank Goodness nobody realized then that I had no intention of joining it whatsoever! In those Communist times you only had to study well, to attend all the general meetings of the Young Communist League (YCL) of your school or college, and to raise your hand to vote for this or that resolution. You did not even have to follow the agenda of the meeting, you only had to sit and behave, and nobody really cared if you had any genuine respect for the Communist ideals and leaders.

Luckily, while I was a fifth-year student, I was selected as a candidate for a possible business trip abroad as an interpreter. The college recommendation worked, and in August of the same year I found myself invited to the "friendly Iraq" as an interpreter at a Soviet-built cement plant in the city of Samawa located in the south of Iraq. I spent there one year translating for a technical assistance group from the Soviet Union. Thanks, my good college, for recommending me for that honorable – and cool – job abroad! You see, there was a custom in the Soviet Union to build factories and plants for developing countries that were regarded by the USSR as friendly nations and potential socialist countries. Our technical assistance group in Samawa, Iraq, worked at the Portland cement plant built by the Soviet Union in the seventies. The city of Samawa itself is located 270 km to the south of Baghdad. Working at the Soviet-built cement plant was a very serious job and a good way of practicing my knowledge. Besides, it was a good financial start in my career. I think I did my best and managed my everyday duties as an interpreter in that faraway mysterious country. In May 2009, I attended a jubilee reunion of the graduates of our college dedicated to the 60th anniversary of Horlivka State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages. It was a must for me, and an opportunity to meet with my former fellow students, to visit the old and new places there and to take tons of pictures.

At Shakhtar Movie Theater

During our Reunion on May 31, 2009, the Association of the College Graduates of Horlivka State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages was founded. Now I am its member among hundreds of other former students. In July 2010, I revisited Horlivka to meet my old friend and former roommate Vladimir who lived in Russia by that time. It was a great reunion! To see the main sites and to feel the busy city atmosphere, I would suggest that you drive along the main city streets according to the following route (you can make as many stops as you wish just to take pictures of some sights or merely to relax. Starting point:

• the monument to Nikita Izotov, Lenin Avenue >>>
• turn left to Besposhchadny Street (Jubilee Park, ponds and Volcano nightclub) >>>
• Minin and Pozharsky Street (Gostiny Dvor – Inn – hotel + restaurant) >>>
• turn left to Komsomol Street (past Power Specialists Park and Victory Square) >>>
• turn left to Rudakov Street (past Heroes Park) >>>
• turn left to Herzen Street >>>
• turn right to Victory Avenue (Bavaria Restaurant) >>>
• turn right to Gagarin Street >>>
• turn left to Pushkin Street (arts museum and city history museum) >>>
• proceed to Soviet Army Park and the bus terminal.

Peter Gorlov bust at the city history museum

Horlivka Uprising monument

There are fifty-two bus routes about the city and its environs. These routes are operated by about four hundred buses all in all every day. These are the city bus routes for you, fellow travelers, just in case.

1 – Nikitovka Station – Knitted-goods factory 2 – Grechnev Street – Construction Workers Block 3 – Ring route 4 – Volkov Street – Komarov Settlement 5 – Herzen Street – Settlement of Kondratievka 6 - Knitted-goods factory – October Settlement 7 – 40 Years of Ukraine Street - Nikitovka Station 10 – Herzen Street – Lenin Coalmine Settlement 11 – Bus terminal – Kochegarka Coalmine Settlement 12 – Kalinin Coalmine – Settlement of Bayrak 13 – Chemical factory - Komarov Settlement 14 - Nikitovka Station - Bessarabka 15 – Bus terminal– Red Partisan Settlement 16 – Volkov Street – 40 Years of Ukraine Street 17– Railway Station – Peace Street 18- Bus terminal – Wide Ravine 19– 88 Block – Sunny Block 20 – Volkov Street - Construction Workers Block 21 – Bus terminal – 88th Block 22 – Volkov Street – Chemical factory 23 – Grechnev Street – Service station 24 – Chemical factory – 245th Block 25 – Bus terminal - Komarov Settlement 27 – 40 Years of Ukraine Street – Bus terminal 2 - Komarov Settlement – Settlement of Kuznetsovka 28A - Komarov Settlement – Koksan Company 29A - Ring route 29B – Ring route 30 – Herzen Street - Village of Vorobyovka 31 – 88th Block – Nikitovka Station 32 – Herzen Street – Mirnoye Settlement 33 – Herzen Strteet - Autostore 35 – Ring route 36 – 88th Block – Chemical factory 38– Village of Vorobyovka – Nikitovka Station 77 – Bus terminal - Panteleymonovka 81 – Nikitovka Station – Settlement of Golmovsky 82 - Nikitovka Station – Settlement of Zaytsevo 83 - Nikitovka Station – Settlement of Bakhmutka 83A – Volkov Street – Settlement of Nokolayevka 100 –Komarov Settlement - Nikitovka Station 101 – Zhukov Street – Kalinin Coalmine 102 – 88 Block – 40 Years of Ukraine Street 104 – Kondratyevka – 245th Block 106 – 88 Block – 245th Block 107 – Gagarin Coalmine Settlement – Ksenevka Settlement

Horlivka Railway Station

The city has three railway stations, which is not bad for the city of more than 300,000 residents. The central railway station is located not far from Palace of Sports and is called Horlivka. I frequented this station when I left for my home city on weekends. Nikitovka is another large railway station located in the eastern part of the city. Usually all the trains pass these both large stations, so it is convenient for locals to get off closer to where they live.

Bus terminal

The bus terminal is in Pushkin Street. When I was there, there were many buses to Horlivka from Donetsk and from many other regional centers, towns and cities of Donetsk and Luhansk region. Besides, buses to/from Odessa, Kherson, Zaporizhia, and Dnipro passed Horlivka. Also, there are a lot of local buses that will take you to any town of Donetsk region.

Posted by Vic_IV 05:31 Archived in Ukraine Comments (0)

• Good Memories

Horlivka Donetsk region

Kochegarka Coalmine Leisure Centre

The city is called after an outstanding Russian mining engineer Peter Gorlov (1839-1915). He was commissioned to the construction of Kursk-Kharkiv-Azov railway and designed many coalmines.

Peter Gorlov monument in Victory Avenue

The thankful residents of Horlivka erected a monument to Peter Gorlov in 1999 at the beginning of Victory Avenue in Horlivka. The engineer's name is written in Russian, “Peter Gorlov”.

Rodina Hotel

Peter Gorlov was born on May 23, 1839 in Irkutsk in the family of a well-known functionary, chairman of the regional authorities. Peter studied in Moscow and later in St.Petersburg where he had training as a mining engineer. He began to work at coalmines in Don Cossacks’ area and created the first coalmining and geological atlas of the area. He was invited to work at the construction of the first railway in the Donets Basin – Kharkiv-Taganrog.

Victory Avenue

Peter Gorlov studied the reserves and quality of coal and was the leader of the construction of the first coalmines in the Donets Basin. He also founded the first coalmining school for training specialists in that sphere. The school was located in Horlivka. He was also one of the founders of the Coalminers’ Congress of the South of Russia. He did a lot for attracting foreign investments to the Donets Basin. Owing to his initiative the Belgian investors built a machine-building factory in Horlivka in 1895. Peter Gorlov died in St.Petersburg on November 20, 1915.

Shakhtar Movie Theatre

I used to frequent this movie theater in Lenin Street: Shakhtar ("Coalminer") Movie Theater. The movie theater has a spacious hall with rich Stalin era decor, a big nice foyer with a bar, comfortable seats. And, of course, there is a beer tent at the entrance. I wonder if they drink beer before or after the show... The movie theater was refurbished in 2000 and looks very nice now, much better than it used to when I was a student. There are also concerts and gala meetings in the main hall of this movie theater. I attended our Graduates’ Reunion in this hall.

Postcards from Horlivka: Korolenko Ponds

Korolenko Ponds_bathing is prohibited

We also enjoy going for a walk to Korolenko Ponds located on the city outskirts about forty minutes walk from our dormitory in Kirov Street. Bathing is Prohibited! - This is what you can read at the former beach of Korolenko Ponds. The ponds look quite neglected and the water has never been purified within the decades when these ponds were leisure spots of Horlivka. The ponds' bottom has never been cleaned. You can only rent a water cycle at the last pond and explore the pond on it, which is a bit too risky too since you will get splashed with the polluted water...My friend and I simply stood and watched.

The Seversky Donets-Donbass Canal

Besides, we went for a walk to the city outskirts to the Seversky Donets-Donbass canal located about five miles from where we lived in Horlivka. The freshwater canal connected the River Seversky Donets in the north and the River Calmius in the south. We visited the place on the city outskirts where the canal runs in pipes.

Coat-of-arms of Horlivka, Donetsk region

When I was a student, nobody paid any attention to whether a city had a flag or a coat-of-arms. I don't even think they were adopted and used then. Nowadays every Ukrainian town and city has such symbols, and Horlivka is not an exception. St.George and a coalminer with an air hammer are shield-holders on its coat-of-arms. The city symbols - the coat-of-arms and the flag - are at the entrance to the city council.

The monument to Nikita Izotov, Horlivka

Nikita Izotov monument in Lenin Avenue is one of the oldest and biggest city symbols. It was unveiled on May 18, 1968 in front of Lenin Palace of Culture (Kochegarka Coalmine Leisure Center) at the place where Lenin monument stood. Therefore, Lenin had to "give place" to the monument to a simple coalminer - Nikita Izotov. Lenin monument was moved farther down Lenin Avenue and installed in front of the coalmining administration building. Who could have thought! I had never heard of any other case when the Communist authorities, no matter how much they revered "the Great Leader" (or were told to), had to remove a Lenin monument to give place to another monument. What was more holy in Soviet times than the "Grandpa Lenin"? As you see, the image of a simple coalminer turned out to be more important and symbolic than the poor Lenin. Nobody even tried to argue with strong and resolute coalminers in those unpredictable Soviet times... As we were told, the monument to Nikita Izotov became the world's first monument to a simple worker. This gigantic bronze monument is really a masterpiece. It looks very impressive, and the face resemblance is superb. The monument soon became one of the city symbols. The Communist authorities were satisfied as well: they had unveiled the world's first monument to a simple worker!

Trams of Horlivka

I liked the Anchor of Horlivka, a nice city monument, as it were. It is located inside the fountain opposite Rodina Hotel in Dimitrov Boulevard. I have never seen it operate, but saw the photographs where it looked very nice when the water was on. I think it only happens on big holidays such as Coalminer's Day, City Day and others.

The Anchor of Horlivka

Like many other cities of Ukraine, Horlivka has an anthem. I decided to translate it for you here. Here it is.

The Motherland, like a mother, is not chosen: The Motherland is, like a mother, the only one. People live and die for the sake of it, Wishing she would always live.

Under the blue Ukrainian sky, In the golden wreath of fields My city stands as a worthy son Of my free Motherland.

Both Gorlov and Izotov used to live here, Their labor and feat were righteous, Making an alloy – intellect and work, Song and elevated soul.

Gorlovka is a land of labor and songs, Of generous smiles and of fire, Therefore I am happy and merry For you and I are blood relatives.

FYI: It's always tempting to take a bus, a trolley-bus or a tram and to travel around the city. I must say they are all very slow and often crowded and stuffy. You have to have a lot of patience and time to use them. We, locals, don't mind it. Unique Suggestions: Take a bus or a tram once, inhale a lot of dust inside and get off as soon as you can and then take a cab instead. Fun Alternative: Take a cab or a walk instead.

By trolleybus around Horlivka

By trolleybus in Horlivka

Be careful when walking along the sidewalks or crossing the streets. There are a lot of pot-holes where you can easily stumble and fall, especially in rainy weather or at night. Many sidewalks and roads look as though they have not been repaired for decades... Watch your step please or merely grab a cab and arrive home safely.

The media are worried about the state of chemical pollution in Horlivka. They say the chemical factory has a lot of explosives (30 tons) and poisonous substances (2.5 tons) in its storehouses. A lot of chemical waste has accumulated in the factory area. Stirol Corporation is the neighbor of the chemical factory. It has a lot of containers with liquid ammonium hydrate. It is hard to imagine what can happen is there is a fire or an explosion at one of these monster factories. You have been warned…

Posted by Vic_IV 05:34 Archived in Ukraine Comments (0)

• Popular Places

Visiting Victory Square is a must for everybody who comes to Horlivka. Our college, Horlivka State Teacher Training Institute of Foreign Languages, is situated in Rodakov Street not far from this square, so it was our favourite hangout. In fact, due to a university reform of 2013, the college merged with another one in Donetsk Region and is now called Donets Basin State Teacher Training University.

Visiting Victory Square in Horlivka

Visiting Victory Square

Victory Square used to be one of the favourite hangouts of young people. Even today it can be seen by a lot of litter left by them on the ground in the evenings. The janitors, if any, do not manage to take all the litter away: the empty plastic beer bottles, packing, etc. The square is so popular among locals that they never use its full name, but say simply "the Square". You can just walk around the square shopping, taking pictures and having coffee at one of its numerous cafes or have a beer or two at one of the pubs here. Please keep the country tidy, too! Do not follow the example of some cool and careless local guys leaving tons of litter around...

The fountain in Victory Square is a good meeting point for city visitors. Thank goodness the fountain operates in hot weather. However, I did not see anybody bathe there. It must be forbidden. The fountain bottom is far from being clean; therefore locals do not risk bathing there. The locals call this fountain ash-tray. So you can say to new your local friends, "Meet you at the ash-tray!" and they will be more than pleased to know you are well informed about their customs.

Visiting the Promenade

The Promenade is another must in Horlivka. The Promenade is one of the favorite places of lots of local children, teenagers and grownups. It begins in Victory Avenue and runs along Dimitrov Boulevard to Revolution Square. There is a park with stone figures, a beer tent and a lot of benches. The Promenade ends at Horlivka Uprising Monument near Rodina Hotel that, in its turn, stands in front of Stirol Leisure Center. There are a lot of young and not-so-young people here at any time of day and night. The Promenade is well lit; it was a lot of fun to take a stroll along it. The Promenade is one of the favorite places of many local people. There are several attractions along the Promenade, among them:

• - a park with stone figures;
• - a children's playground with two lion sculptures;
• - Promenade Cafe;
• - lots of benches to relax on.

It was a lot of fun for me to take a stroll along it one quiet evening when I revisited Horlivka.

The Castle of Soviet Times - this is how you would call this leisure center located at 22 Lenin Avenue opposite Barselona Restaurant. Its official name has always been Lenin Palace of Culture. This leisure center became one of the ten "Labor Palaces" built in the Soviet Union in the twenties of the 20th century. Unlike all other state construction sites, this one was declared to be a "people's construction site". The city residents had to work at the construction sitre on weekends during "subbotniks" and "voskresniks" ("voluntary Saturday work"/Sunday work). The leisure center was dedicated in 1927 and became a real Soviet Castle, the Castle of Labor, just as it had been designed. The leisure center belongs to Kochegarka ("Stokehold") Coalmine, the biggest one in the city. It was erected to glorify the coalminers' hard labor and, according to the authorities, was a gift to the city workers. Now this building also houses a court.

The monument to Nikita Izotov, the famous local coalminer, is located in front of the main entrance to this leisure center.

There are a lot of children's dance studios and hobby groups here. On holidays such as International Children Protection Day (June 1) concerts are held right at the main entrance to the leisure center. We attended several concerts and meetings at this leisure center and enjoyed its interior and the spectators’ hall.

This building is a true sample of Stalin era Empire Style in achitecture, the style that was banned by Khrushchov government in 1955. In 1955, Khrushchov government adopted a decree on the struggle against "architectural excesses". Stalin era's designing and architecture were declared as wasteful and extravagant. The Resolution No.1871 of the Communist Party Central Committee and the USSR Cabinet of Ministers “On elimination of excesses in designing and construction” dated November 4, 1955 declared all the architectural masterpieces of Stalin era as extravagant and wasteful, and blamed the architects for their approach. The after war "Empire Style" was banned and the architects started building what we call boxes instead of the original and inimitable houses. "Democratic" Nikita Khrushchov regarded Stalin era construction extravagance as out of place and lacking economic discipline. A new academy was founded: the City Construction and Architecture Academy, whose task was to accelerate the fulfillment of the Communist Party plans in the city construction.

War memorial opposite the bus terminal

There is a hill with a tank memorial on its top. The tank is the famous Soviet T-34. The inscription below the tank reads, “Unknown soldiers of the Soviet Army who fell in the battles for liberation of Horlivka from Nazi invaders in September 1943. Eternal glory to the heroes who fell in the struggle for freedom and independence of our Motherland !” There is a memorial park around this memorial. The park is very special and strange at the same time. There are no benches here. I think they were removed since many people used them for their "lunch break with beer" leaving a ton of litter around, which was inappropriate. As far as I can see, it is a common grave of Soviet soldiers. Now I understand why there are no benches here. We all have to honour the memory of the fallen soldiers and remain standing rather than sit on a bench and drink beer.

Horlivka was occupied by the Nazis on October 29, 1941. It was liberated by the Soviet Army on September 5, 1943. About 25,000 city residents were tortured to death, executed or deported to forced labour in Germany during the dark days of the Nazi occupation. Twenty-two residents of the city became Heroes of the Soviet Union. Now there are fifty-nine war memorials in Horlivka, among them - 25 common graves of Soviet soldiers.

You can see dozens of memorial plaques in different parts of the city. I saw some of them during my strolls downtown.

War memorial in Rudakov Street

If you walk along Rudakov Street (turn left from Gagarin Street), you will see Heroes Park with Glory Obelisk. Glory Obelisk was dedicated on November 5, 1969 to commemorate the city residents who fell in the battles with Nazis. The obelisk was designed by the architect A.K.Antonovich and was sponsored by the city enterprises. On May 9, 1970 the Eternal Flame was lit at the foot of the obelisk. It became a tradition to hold rallies on Victory in Europe Day here when hundreds of city residents gather here to attend the festivities. The newly-weds always lay flowers to the foot of Glory Obelisk on their wedding day. I saw the Heroes Park memorial plaque. This memorial plaque contains with the names of twenty-three war heroes - three Soviet soldiers, four NCOs and sixteen officers (among them one Soviet cosmonaut, A.Volkov, from Horlivka) - who were awarded with the highest military decoration - the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union. Here is the list of the Heroes of the Soviet Union who were born and lived in Horlivka:

• Lieutenant G.Boyko
• Major P.Vantsin
• Cosmonaut A.Volkov
• Colonel V.Gavrilov
• Sergeant G.Gilmoutdinov
• Captain I.Grossoul
• Lieutenant D.Dotsenko
• Major V.Yermakov
• Captain Lieutenant I.Ivanov
• Lieutenant Colonel V.Igtatyev
• Sergeant B.Cotov
• Engineer Colonel V.Molozev
• Private A.Olenin
• Major I.Ostroverkhov
• Senior Sergeant V.Petrenko
• Senior Lieutenant A.Rulev
• Master Sergeant D.Tarassov
• Colonel L.Filin
• Private M.Kholod
• Private 1st Class F.Chernikov
• Colonel F.Chichkan
• Lieutenant A.Shumsky
• Major V.Shcherbina

In addition, I saw several other memorial plaques. 14 Victory Avenue memorial plaque: this building housed the HQ of the 11th Air Force Squadron of the 22nd long-range aircraft division in September - December 1943 after the city had been liberated from the Nazi invaders. Pilots Alley memorial plaque: the trees were planted by the veterans of the 11th Air Force Squadron of the 22nd long-range aircraft division on April 19, 1985.

My book about Horlivka Arts Museum

“A Small Pearl of the Donets Basin” - this is how the Arts Museum in Horlivka is often called by the local media. The museum was dedicated on April 29, 1959. It contains seven halls. It is proud of its largest collection of works of Nickolay Roerich in Ukraine. Here you can marvel at the masterpieces of classical Russian art of the 19th century as well as the works of some outstanding Soviet artists. In addition, the museum has a large collection of works of local artists. Traveling exhibitions are often held here. Since no photography is allowed at this museum, I decided to scan some pictures from a book by Gallina Rubanova, Horlivka Arts Museum (Art Publishers, Kiev, 1987). I hope Art Publishers will not mind.

Horlivka Arts Museum

At Horlivka Arts Museum

I admired several great paintings when I was there: 1. Nickolay Roerich (1874-1947), The Grave of a Viking, 1908 2. Ivan Ayvazovsky (1917-1900), Harbor, 1851 3. Nickolay Ghe (1831-1894), Portrait of a boy, 1878 4. Vassily Tropinin (1780-1857), A femaly portrait, 1841 5. Vassily Vereshchagin (1842-1904), Ruins of an Egyptian temple, 1884 6. Dmitry Gorlov, A female wolf with her cubs, 1946 7. Victor Zaretsky, A female portrait, 1959 8. Ilia Glazunov, Land explorer Semion Diezhnev, 1964 9. Stepan Korobchak, Lviv landscape, 1975 10. Anatoly Shyrokov, Vassily Chapayav, 1977

Razumov Miniature Book Museum

Razumov Miniature Book Museum is another must-see museum in Horlivka. It is located at 57 Victory Avenue. It is a good idea to make an appointment before paying a visit and having a guided tour. Phone: +38 0624 55 27 57, +38 06424 55 27 75. The museum is open from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Wednesday is a day off. Website: http://mmk.ucoz.org

Razumov Miniature Book Museum, Horlivka

The museum has several halls with exhibitions of miniature books and micro books. The museum collection comprises more than 10,000 books in 103 languages from 57 countries, among them 7,008 books were presented by the museum founder Benjamin Razumov (1915-2001) who had collected such books for decades. He left his entire collection by will to the city in 1991.

Razumov memorial at the Museum_

It is a unique museum, the only one of such kind in Ukraine. It has books published in 57 countries in 103 languages. These are ancient and modern, handwritten and printed books. You can even see a unique book called speck of dust whose dimensions are sixty times smaller than a poppy seed. You can see the book through the microscope and read two poems by Alexander Pushkin there.

Posted by Vic_IV 05:39 Archived in Ukraine Comments (0)

• Some Local Humor

Horlivka was selected as one of the tourist cities for Euro-2012 soccer championship. When I was in this city in 2010 for the last time, I heard the reaction that decision had caused among the locals. The motto of that reaction was, “WELCOME TO GORLIWOOD!” (remember? – Horlivka sounds as “Gorlovka” in Russian). Here is some local humor for you, fellow travellers:

• I am afraid after several groups of foreigners, nobody will ever come to Horlivka from abroad except, perhaps, for those who really like extreme tourism.
• Horlivka is famous for such people as Pushkin, Lermontov, Tolstoy, who liked NOT to come to this city a lot!
• Of course, the monument “Menneken Pis” was invented in Brussels, but to do so in the streets was definitely invented in Horlivka.
• Horlivka is a real modern city where there is even one metal detector (at Volcano Nightclub)!
• The infantry armored vehicle is a symbol of Horlivka for it is the best means of transportation about the city.
• Disoriented, aren’t you? Knowing the local principle of the attitude to life – orientation on where it is worse – I am at a loss upon seeing any small improvement such as a repaired road that makes me think, “How come? What other dirty trick should I await?”
• Horlivka is a city where parents scare their naughty children with the view from the window.
• Doctors believe that if you want to look at Horlivka without damaging your health, you should do it from space.
• People in the US always smile because they have never seen Horlivka.
• The residents of Horlivka switch off the lights at night so that they do not see their city at least at night.
• I would not mind moving somewhere from Horlivka, say, to Vancouver, and to love my beloved city from there. It is much easier to love Horlivka from a distance.

Here are some funny posters from Horlivka:

Funny posters from Horlivka, Ukraine

Posted by Vic_IV 05:44 Archived in Ukraine Comments (0)

• Places to Relax

Old and new spots

Three Little Birch Trees (our local)

• Three Little Birch-Trees : This pub used to be our local during my student’s years. My fellow students and I used to frequent this place on our way from our college. It is conveniently located close to our dormitory. We had beer and dried salted fish ("taranka" in Russian - the best beer snack then and now). We even had beer drinking championships. My record was only six pints within three hours. I did not aim at any prize. A friend of mine became a beer-drinking champion after drinking 18 pints of beer!

Of course, the place has completely changed since that time. Now it is a restaurant, a poker club, a billiards place and a sauna. Address: 15 Sudeyko Street. Directions: Opposite the former kids' park. Phone: +38 06242 55 05 61.

Beerloga Pub

At Beerloga Pub

• The Best Pub: Berloga is a nice downtown pub. Its name is translated as Den. It is located in Komsomol Street near Victory Square, near the Stalin era apartment house with roof pavilions.

We celebrated our reunion there. The pub has a terrace and two halls inside. The halls are richly decorated in a hunting style. We tried some home style fried potatoes with beef liver, julienne, Greek salad, etc. Phone: +38 0624 52 25 35; +38 095 558 61 96.

Barnsley Restaurant, Horlivka

Barnsley Restaurant in Horlivka

Barnsley Restaurant_partnership memorial plaque

• Barnsley : this high end restaurant is located in the main street - Victory Avenue. It is called after the city of Barnsley - the twin-city of Horlivka.

The restaurant was dedicated on September 27, 1997 by Valery Pakhomov, the city mayor, and Councillor Charles Wraith, Mayor of Barnsley. The restaurant has several halls: two on the first floor and two on the second floor, among them the Lord Mayor's hall (on the first floor), the big wedding hall and a medium hall on the second floor. They also have a terrace with tent-like tables outside. Address: 67a Victory Avenue. Phone: +38 06242 2 70 61.

• Pautina (“Web”): this place is a young people’s refuge. It is called an entertainment centre. It is located at 28 Rudakov Street, across the street from my college. I imagine what would happen if it was there in our times when I was a student. I am sure we would frequent it both after classes and in the evening. What would happen to our studies then, I wonder?

There is a dance club, a sports cafe and a strip bar here. The entrance fee on weekends is about $5. We sat outside in the sports bar and had a beer doing some people watching. They have nice and draft beer Staropramen.

At Shinnok Ukrainian Resrtaurant

• Shinnok : this restaurant is located in the premises of the former Ukrainian restaurant. They did not even change the decor into the Georgian one.

They offer many dishes of the Ukrainian cuisine and nice (but expensive) Georgian wine. We ordered Saperavi dry red wine and it was superb! The restaurant occupies a cellar and it was fresh and pleasant to sit there in a hot weather. Chanakhi was a great dish there, as well as Greek salad. Address: 22 Victory Avenue. Phone: +38 099 901 50 22, +38 06242 7 41 64.

At Macao Cafe

• Macao : this restaurant is on the first floor of an apartment house in Victory Avenue, opposite the city council building and Lenin monument. It has several air-conditioned large halls and three banquet halls. Many foreign customers leave their banknotes with their autographs and coins that are places under the glass on the tables afterwards.

I do not quite welcome the idea of signing banknotes, but they look nice under the glass on the table or on the wall at the bar. My favorite dish there: Greek salad. Address: 72 Victory Avenue. Phone: +38 06242 2 10 99. In addition, there is Macao Coffeehouse, where you can have tea/coffee and chat with your friends.

Macao Coffeehouse

• Old Shilling : this pub has a convenient downtown location (opposite the fountain, in the building of the old hotel).

There are a couple of halls inside and a terrace outside. We appreciated the name and the rich decor. The draft beer was great there! It is a nice place for a bar crawl. There are five or six other bars and pubs around Victory Square. Address: 31 Victory Avenue.

There are numerous bistros and several billiards clubs where you can have a good time depending on your mood and budget. Take care, fellow travelers!

Barselona Restaurant

Victory Avenue apartment houses

Karaoke : this is a popular place for many young people. It is full of them in the evenings. The customers order mainly drinks and snacks. There is a tent outside and an air-conditioned hall inside. This pub is a nice place for people watching, too. Address: 24a Victory Avenue. Phone: +38 06242 7 44 05.

Driving along Lenin Street

Coalmining Administration building

Driving or walking along Lenin Avenue, you will see an old Lenin monument in Lenin Avenue next to Artiom Ugol Coalmining Administration. This old monument is unique for it is black and looks as though it was carved of a piece of high quality coal. Where else can you see a black Lenin monument? I think only the well-respected Soviet coalminers could get away with such things in the good old USSR. A lot of things depended on them in the economy and they were treated very well in the USSR...

At the entrance to Gorky Park in Horlivka

Gorky Park in Horlivka

The old city park is called Gorky Park exactly like in Moscow. It is located far from all the main modern attractions of the city and is not frequented as much as the Promenade. I can understand that. The park is really far from all apartment houses. It is very large and looks like a forest.

It was dedicated in 1932 and is the oldest park in the city. Its territory is really huge: about 60 hectares. There are a lot of trees: oaks, chestnut-trees, ash-trees, birch-trees. They say some oaks are over 100 years old. When we were students, we did not frequent this park and not only because we were very busy with our homework. This park had a very bad fame...

Now children visit this park only with grownups or with their educators as a field trip. Children enjoy riding the roller coaster and merry-go-rounds, drop in at the shooting gallery and take a walk along its numerous lanes. However, very few people decide to walk about this park and along its neglected lanes. According to our cab driver, the park is quite safe now.

If you proceed farther along Lenin Avenue and turn left to Dimitrov Boulevard, you will see this Afghan War memorial at the beginning of Dimitrov Boulevard. First you will see a bronze eagle with a black memorial plaque with the names of all soldiers and officers who fell in the battles in Afghanistan during the war of 1979-1989. There are 28 names of Horlivka residents who fell in the battles in Afghanistan. Further you will see a bronze figure of a dying soldier that looks very impressive indeed...

History Museum_the bust of Nikita Izotov

If you wish to find out more about the city, why not visit the city history museum in Pushkin Street? The museum is on the first floor of an apartment house in the premises of a former store. It has nine exhibitions halls and about 18,000 exhibits. The exhibits start with the prehistory of this area. The museum was founded in 1957.

History Museum_city diorama

History Museum_city map

Stalin era apartment houses in Empire style in Lenin Avenue

Posted by Vic_IV 04:35 Archived in Ukraine Comments (0)

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