50 Words or Less
The Bridgestone e12 Contact golf ball bridges the gap between distance balls and Tour balls in the short game while providing more forgiveness in the long game.
Check out the new Bridgestone e9 Long Drive golf ball HERE
Introduction
Last year, Bridgestone stole all of the excitement around golf balls with their new Tour B [review HERE]. The hype was well-deserved because the REACTIV Urethane Cover performed exactly as advertised.
This year, Bridgestone has again claimed the biggest story in golf balls with their e12 Contact. This new mid-priced model has a dimple that’s unlike anything we’ve seen before, and it promises to raise the bar on performance.
Feel
The Bridgestone e12 Contact hits a sweet spot for me in terms of putter feel. Longer putts get a little of that “low compression marshallow” feel, but not so much that the ball feels like it won’t get to the hole. Similarly, the sound wants to be a dull “thud,” and it is very quiet, but it’s just a touch staccato.
With a wedge, the e12 Contact creates a very satisfying feel. This ball feels soft off the face in a way that’s a combination of soft cover and low compression. It’s not fully the Tour-ball urethane cover feel nor the marshmallow-y low compression feel, but something uniquely its own.
Short Game
One of the supposed benefits of the Contact Force dimple is that it creates more friction with the club face and thus more spin around the green. In testing the e12 Contact head-to-head with the Bridgestone e6 and Tour-level balls, I found this claim to be true. The Bridgestone e12 Contact spun noticeably more than the e6 [full review HERE] which does not have the new dimple. It still trails a Tour-level ball in spin by about 10%, but that’s significantly closer than many mid-tier golf balls.
Long Game
The real selling point of the e12 Contact is, to quote Bridgestone, “straight distance you can see.” The Contact Force Dimple claims to create more ball speed, thanks to greater contact with the club face, and lower spin for straighter shots. In my driver testing, I found the e12 Contact is as low spin as the lowest-spinning Tour balls. If you hit ballooning, curvy shots off the tee, you will love the e12. It will not only give you more distance, it will keep you out of the trees. I also saw a slight uptick in ball speed compared to e6.
This low spin performance carried over to the irons. I was seeing significantly less spin with the e12 than I did with a low spin Tour ball. Again, for the player that needs to rein in the wild hooks and slices, the e12 will be fantastic. That low spin also translated to greater distance with my short and mid irons, but decreased carry with my long irons. As always, the key is getting the right equipment for your needs. I’m a lower spin player. Higher spin players may see distance gains throughout the set.
Conclusion
The Bridgestone e12 Contact sits squarely in the middle of the price spectrum at $30/dozen. This price tier typically gets hand-me-down technology, but the Contact Force Dimple is a genuine upgrade that improves its performance in both the short game and the long game.
Whether you play it in white, matte green, matte red, or matte yellow, the e12 Contact is an outstanding golf ball and a great value.
Visit Bridgestone Golf HERE
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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35 Comments
I will check these out, off the tee I struggle at time’s with too much spin and have played around with the avx in the past . Thanks for the review!
I agree with you review. I played the ball for the first time and hit 12 of 14 fairways! Wedge, iron and putting was also better. Bridgestone has a winner here! I’m 74 years old and shot 83 from the blue tees. Best round ever.
Dimples look like the old Wilson TC2 met the Royal ball from the mid 70’s, lol
I used to play that Royal ball in my younger days. I miss them.
Absolutely love these balls. I think I have 8 rounds in with them now and there are no plans to change things up. Thinking of branching off and trying some color ones also, cuz why not? :-)
I was given a sleeve of 2 of these balls by Bridgestone about a month before their release date for testing and review. I tested these balls over two very windy days (15-25mph) and what struck me the most was how unaffected this ball was by the wind. Left or right wind could not touch this ball and it did very well into the wind as well. It had a nice soft, but not too soft, feel and it did well around the greens as well a with putter feel. I normally play the Tour B X ball so I am hoping this dimple design will find its way into that ball!
Would the e12 be the best for a slower swing speed (85 mph) or would the e6 be better?
Christopher,
Both are good off the tee. The e12 is going to give you more short game spin.
Best,
Matt
Matt,
E12 contact is lower spin off the tee than “new” 2021 E6? If so, E12 contact should be straighter off the tee than “new 2021” E6?
Great review – thank you for making this a bit easier to understand if you are not a “golf insider” – appreciate your time!
Jack,
Off the tee, the e12 and e6 are very similar in terms of spin. Both are very low spin and thus very straight.
Best,
Matt
Can you compare this to ERC Soft?
Nick,
I haven’t tested the ERC Soft, so unfortunately I can’t provide a comparison.
Best,
Matt
I have used Titleist NXT for years. I have finally used up all of the sleeves I had. I used the e-6 about 5 years ago, but there was something missing in the feel around the green that made me go back to the NXT. I am looking at the e-12 and wondering about the comparability to the Tour NXT and that missing link I didn’t have in the e-6. I am taller so I probably have a higher swing speed as I get thru the ball.
Brad,
Without head to head testing, I’d be hesitant to say much about an NXT vs. e12 Contact comparison. As I said in the review, I think the e12 is excellent, especially relative to its price.
-Matt
These balls fly straight off all clubs but I wouldn’t say their distance is exceptional. My distance with these balls is about one club less. I will continue to use them for now since accuracy assistance
……..since accuracy beats distance.
Like the e6, liked the e12 soft even more. Don’t understand why one would discontinue a good product. e6 is a fine golf ball for a rec golfer, so was the e12. Any thoughts? Mike O
Mike,
The Contact Dimple is a pretty major upgrade for the e12. Bridgestone still has the e6 in their line, and we’ll have a review up soon.
-Matt
I play the e-12 because of more distance for my lower swing speed. Is the e-12 contact taking it’s place or is it meant for a different swing and should I go back to a e-6?
Dana,
Both the e6 and e12 Contact will work well. The Contact has the added benefit of more short game spin.
-Matt
Irrespective of price would you recommend the new e12 contact ball or the Tour B RX ball for a straighter ball off using driver? My swing speed is less than 90.
Joe,
For straighter drives you want lower spin which means e12 over Tour B.
-Matt
Wilson had a similar dimple pattern ball way back in the early 2000’s. I can’t remember the name, but I’m telling you they were one in the same. That being said Bridgestone makes a great ball.
My experience is that the e6 is straighter but the e12 contact is better around the greens. For example, I can hit a draw with the e12 contact, but not with the e6. However, I can stop the e12 contact on a dime around the greens, but not so much with the e6.
I used the E6 ball for a while and it appeared to be self correcting which was unsettling to my playing partners. When it looks OB and then straightens up its kinda nice. They don’t seem as far as the TP5 or ProV1 but the trade off is nice. I’m ready to try the E12.
I am 76 young and hit my Driver around 220 off the tee! I am currently using the Bridgestone BX golf ball.
My swing speed is around 85-90! Will the E12 Contact golf ball give me more distance off the Tee?
I have a good short game and I need enough spin to control my chipping and pitch shot around the greens! Will the E12 Contact give these benefits?
Longer off the tee and control around the greens?
Please advise.
Fernando Campos
Fernando,
Without actually fitting you, I can’t answer your questions definitively. For most players, Bridgestone expects that the e12 Contact will be longer off the tee but spin slightly less around the green.
-Matt
Is this ball good for people with a swing speed of 75mph would you suggest something else. Thanks
Michael,
Yes, this would be fine.
-Matt
I’m in love with the e12 contact I have been playing the bxrs I improved my distance on green I’m good with e 12 for the price is the best ball..
I bought two more boxes today..
You know what Matt I have down to a science, if you are playing for fun like I do with a friend of mine I will play the E6 CONTACT, , but if I am playing serious with other people then I will use the bridge stone TOUR B RXS, especially when I get my pings G 425 in Iron set in February, along with my new cleveland RTX ZIPCORE sand wedge. You see Matt their are to adversaries in the game of golf you and the golf course,that why I use to golf balls, one for FUN and one to keep and see how my score is. Thank you for reviewing this ball, Matt
Matt:
Appreciate your analysis. Also, it helped me to hear others comments about the e-12 Contact. I have used the e-12 soft and Calloway Super Soft. It sounds like the e-12 Contact combines the best features of both. At 74 with a swing speed of 75 this ball could get me back into the 80’s again.
These ball are spectacular! At first I thought it was just a lucky coincidence that it muted my power fade but time after time it decreased the flight that accentuated my fade making the ball straighter without any distance impact. Perhaps a little longer than my Srixon mainstay. Love the feel and look of the ball. Took some time to get used to the putting roll but it was true to its marketing in terms of clean and crisp off the putter. We’ll done Bridgestone.
I’m a big fan of Bridgestone golf balls. I’ve used them for years and have never had a problem. I’m looking forward to trying the e12 contact golf ball.
I like the ball off the tee and fairway, but on the green it seems to break more than a less aggressive dimpled ball. It could be between my ears, but that is my experience!