Bridgestone partners with US Kids Golf to create a low-compression ball designed specifically for developing players.
The junior golf market has exploded—up more than 50 percent since 2019, according to Bridgestone—and with that growth comes a simple reality: kids need equipment that fits their game, not scaled-down versions of what adults play. With that, Bridgestone and US Kids Golf (both headquartered in the Atlanta area, for what it’s worth) have teamed up to create the BOOM IT Junior—a low-compression golf ball purpose-built for developing swings, developing bodies, and the kind of clubhead speeds that come with being, you know, a kid.
What’s in the Ball
The BOOM IT Junior features an extremely low compression core—Bridgestone puts it at just over 40, and while our gauge tends to measure a touch firmer than theirs, BOOM IT should land among the softest balls on the market regardless. The dimple design is engineered to promote a high launch for maximum carry, which makes sense for players who aren’t exactly generating tour-level speed.
At $22.99 a dozen, the price point is reasonable—arguably more so than some of the alternatives. And here’s the thing: while this is positioned as a junior ball, that compression value suggests it could work as a slightly more favorably priced alternative to something like the Callaway Supersoft for adults who prioritize soft feel and easy launch. Bridgestone probably won’t market it that way, but the math is the math.
MindSet Makes the Cut
The BOOM IT Junior also includes Bridgestone’s MindSet alignment graphic—a visual system developed by Jason Day and performance coach Jason Goldsmith that’s built around a three-step pre-shot sequence: Identify, Visualize, Focus. In 2026, Bridgestone staffers Jason Day, Chris Gotterup, Kurt Kitayama, and Boo Weekley are all competing with MindSet graphics on their tour balls.
Is MindSet going to transform your eight-year-old’s short game overnight? No. But as a tool for reinforcing the habit of stepping through a pre-shot routine—visualizing the shot, committing to execution—it has genuine value, particularly for juniors who learn and internalize the process early. Building those habits now is the kind of thing that compounds over a lifetime of golf.
The Bigger Play
Let’s be honest about what BOOM IT is beyond the product itself: it’s a brand play. The name appeals to kids (because of course it does), and it serves as an introduction to the Bridgestone ecosystem. The company all but certainly hopes that a junior who starts with BOOM IT will eventually graduate into an e6, then a Tour B, and stay in the family for the long haul. I suppose it’s worth a try.
And the graduation path makes sense. As players and their games mature, it’s natural to move into more complex constructions—multi-layer tour balls with urethane covers and the spin separation that comes with them. But for the kid who’s still swinging US Kids clubs and figuring out which end of the putter to hold, a softer, easier-launching ball is the right call.
The partnership with US Kids Golf—founded in 1996, running over 2,000 junior tournaments a year—adds credibility. While competition in the junior equipment space has increased significantly in recent years, US Kids remains one of the most recognized names in the category. Having them involved from the ground up rather than slapping a co-branded logo on after the fact suggests this was a collaborative effort, not a licensing deal.
Availability
The Bridgestone BOOM IT Junior golf ball ($22.99/dozen) is available online and at retail beginning March 27 at bridgestonegolf.com.
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