It’s rare that a new ball generates a significant amount of buzz — after all, while decades of technological advances have contributed to significant changes in the appearance and construction of drivers, putters and irons, a golf ball is still a golf ball. Therefore, when we heard rumors flying across the internet this fall about a new ball from Bridgestone that promised to change the game, we perked our ears up. Indeed, industry insiders were so geared up for the release of the B330-RX that bloggers were scrambling just to be the first to dig up a picture … of the box. Needless to say, once the balls hit the market in September, the excitement level went through the roof. One of the first golfers to put the ball into play was LPGA star Paula Creamer, whose loyalty to the Precept Pink Lady iQ 180 we chronicled in these very pages just four months ago. At October’s Samsung World Championships, however, Creamer left “Pinky” in the bag in favor of the B330-RX, rolling in a putt on the 72nd hole for a one-shot win. So, what makes a ball more than just a ball? In creating the B330-RX, Bridgestone conceived a ball that would increase distance for golfers with moderate swing speeds (85-105 mph). They’ve accomplished this by softening the core and developing an ionomer inner cover — we’re not sure how it all works, exactly, but we can testify to increased ball speed and reduced spin, both factors that help the ball fly longer off the club (about 10-12 yards in independent tests), and increase roll. Poor Pinky.