We have another newly released golf ball model. This year, instead of continuing with the e12 Contact, Bridgestone released three new variations. Those are the e12 HiLaunch, e12 Straight, and e12 Speed. Each one of them caters to a different type of golfer. The first of three reviews is the e12 HiLaunch, then I will review the e12 Straight, and finally the e12 Speed.

The ball itself is a two-piece ionomer model, with a low compression soft core. I could not find the exact compression rating, but it is the lowest compressed of the three. This is an interesting approach to designing three models for different needs. It could work very well for Bridgestone and golfers who will play them. Let’s move on to the review.

My Verdict

Despite not being a type of ball I prefer playing, I enjoyed hitting it more than anything. It launches high by design, but if you already hit balls high in the air, you will launch this one into orbit. It gave me that muted sound of hitting a soft ball each time. I know ionomer covers are more durable, but I was still impressed with this one.

It is a quality new release that will certainly find its audience. If you think you could benefit from playing it, I highly recommend you try the new e12 HiLaunch.

Here’s a little transparency: This post contains affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. Don’t worry, there’s no extra cost to you. It’s a simple way you can support my mission to bring you quality content.

On the Green

So, I made some decent length putts, which is irrelevant to the ball’s performance. However, it did tell me I have adjusted to the ball’s pace quickly. Overall, my putting worked well and made the round more pleasant. The greens were not fast, but they were not slow either, kinda mid-speed.

Now, the feel and sound. No matter the putt distance, the ball felt soft and produced a mellow sound. Therefore, in addition to the decent putting round, these two areas made the experience even better.

Around the Green

Here, I will start with the feel and sound. The feel was a bit harder than on putting and approach shots. Don’t get me wrong, it was still soft, but not as soft. It was still mellow, again a touch louder than putting and approach shots.

With chips around the green, it worked decently. I had to adjust a bit to it since it lacks greenside spin. That is expected, since it is a fairly low-compressed two-piece inonomer ball. I would either leave it too short or too long from the hole. There was one instance when I chipped it within the 3-4 foot range.

Another thing I noticed was the lack of spin on pitches with a lower flight trajectory. Nothing was stopping the ball, and it seemed to roll forever until coming to a full stop. Again, this comes as no surprise.

Approach Shots

As you might know, I test golf balls on a par 3 course, so every shot is an approach shot. There is a bit to unpack here. Let’s start with the distance. It was very good, not the longest ever, but it went a fair distance. I had no trouble whatsoever reaching my usual numbers, and a couple of times I even overshoot the green.

Moving on to flight trajectory and control. It goes easily high in the air, as advertised. Especially if you hit it faster, you will see it catapult into the sky. The targeted golfers are the ones who have trouble hitting balls higher, so it will work well for that. The high-trajectory flight helps with control, even though there is not much spin upon landing on the green. This time, the greens were receptive, so there was no issue for the ball to stop quickly.

I like to manipulate shots, so I pay attention to that part too. When I would lower the flight trajectory, I would notice even more the lack of spin as the ball rolled longer until stopping.

One consistent thing was the muted sound on strikes. It didn’t even matter how I hit it, it almost always sounded the same. That is something I did not experience with similar types of balls. The flight was straight, which can help players prone to slices and hooks. I tried to hit a fade a couple of times, and it worked well. It was a small fade both times, which is a good sign for everyone trying to hit a ball straighter.

Durability

This is one of the golf balls with great durability. After a full round of golfing, I had to look hard to find scuffs and marks. There were only a couple of spots on it that had barely visible damage. To that point, I hit a thick tree branch, you could hear the impact. Despite that, there was no typical tree damage on it. This ball will go a long way for the money you spend on it.

Appearance and Price

For some reason, I am not the biggest fan of Bridgestone’s MindSet technology. This is purely based on appearance, not its function. Also, as a person who uses the putting alignment on balls, I am not impressed with this one. Granted, it gets the job done, but it seems something is missing. I prefer the old putting alignment on the original e12 Contact.

Besides those two things, which are not the end of the world, I have always liked the Bridgestone logo on balls. It makes them look nice and clean.

The e12 HiLaunch is a two-piece ionomer golf ball, and for that reason, I think $34.99 for a dozen is slightly expensive. Don’t get me wrong, it is still a lot cheaper than buying a premium tour ball. I understand they kept the price of the old e12 Contact and added the MindSet technology. But for a cheaper price, there are balls in the same category available for less money.