Maxfli's got a new ball, and they say it's got the distance of the Pro V1x and the feel of the Pro V1. Scheduled for a March 15, 2005 release, the Maxfli BlackMAX should MSRP for about the same as the Pro V1, and players can expect a street price of $39.95.

The BlackMAX is currently being played on every major tour, though it may be some time before big-name players switch to the new ball. This includes TaylorMade/Adidas staff player Sergio Garcia, who continues to play Titleist's Pro V1x (second source) last year despite Sergio's 2002 deal with TaylorMade/Adidas (second source). Most professional golfers prefer to switch balls only at the beginning of the off-season, and the Black MAX missed that window by a month or two.

The BlackMAX features a thin, urethane cover with a 372-dimple pattern designed to offer long carry and performance in windy conditions. The mantle has been specifically designed to work with the core on high-velocity shots to promote distance from your driver and to work with the cover to promote spin and a soft feel on shorter irons. Maxfli says that the core is a new material that has the same velocity and speed as their competitors' balls but which has a lower compression for a better feeling ball.

One thing we noticed immediately about the BlackMAX was the unusual dimple pattern. The dimples are both shallower and have far more lands (flat spots) between them than either the Bridgestone B330, Titleist Pro V1x, or Nike ONE Black. The BlackMAX has a hemisphere seam, but finding it is more difficult than on the Pro V1x because, unlike Titleist's ball, the BlackMAX is not stamped in the same position each time. In the picture above, the seam runs through the "X" in "MAXFLI" and through the "<" in "<BLACKMAX>."

We'll be playtesting the Maxfli BlackMAX this week and will post a follow-up story with our thoughts. As of today, maxfli.com includes no mention of the BlackMAX.

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