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Titleist's Spinnier Pro Balls


iacas
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Some news has been made of some Tour-only Titleist balls... I remembered the interview we did with the ball guys last year in which they didn't foresee adding spin to their golf ball, and I was all set to point out that they'd obviously been wrong, but it turns out they weren't really that far off. Bold text at the end...

http://thesandtrap.com/podcasts/golf_talk_episode_106

"This week we talk with George Sine, Vice President of Golf Ball Marketing and Strategic Planning and Bill Morgan, Senior Vice President, Golf Ball Research & Development of Titleist about the new 2009 Pro V1 and Pro V1x. Some myths are dispelled, some fitting advice is given, and a whole lot more in this episode of Golf Talk."

21:16

Alan: "The groove rule goes into effect for for professionals next year and it's been said that many pros are going to switch to a spinnier golf ball as a way to generate short-shot spin. Might we see a shift towards more spin in the Pro V1 line?"

Bill Morgan: ... "The golf ball doesn't know where it is. ... If we add spin to golf balls to make up for spin loss in shots from wet rough, well then we add spin to the golf ball for shots from the dry fairway and shots from the tee. In my entire career designing golf balls - I have been making golf balls since 1982 - in my entire career, I have been lowering the spin of golf balls. Tour players to this day are continuing to ask for ball options with less spin. ... At this time, we are not considering a wholesale change of golf ball design based on a groove regulation change because it doesn't make any sense."

Bill went on to say that they'd be open to looking at the results "after it's filtered through the Tour."

http://blogs.golf.com/equipment/2010...ade-wedge.html

Source: Cameron Morfit
Cameron Morfit, a senior writer for Golf Magazine, spoke with a few golfers at the Sony Open and heard about new Titleist Pro V1 golf balls some players were using.

Since last August, Titleist has made two tour-only versions of the Pro V1 ball available to PGA Tour players. The Pro V1 Plus Spin is marked with a on the seam while the Pro V1x Plus Trajectory has a <+---PRO V1x---> on its seam.

According to a Titleist tour rep, "These products are customized versions of 2009 Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls that have been designed to optimize performance for a small handful of PGA Tour players."

According to Titleist, of the 96 players in the field at Sony last week who played a Titleist ball, just six used the Pro V1x Plus Trajectory and only two played the Pro V1 Plus Spin.

The tour rep also wrote in bold, "These products are not in response to nor designed to address new groove rules and they are not planned to be sold commercially."

Titleist is not planning on making any changes to the current Pro V1 or Pro V1x ball in response to the USGA's new groove rule changes. The ball was most recently updated for the 2009 season.



So, eh. Whatever. Guess it's a non-story.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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What percentage of Tour players have golf balls tailored specifically to their needs/wants? I remember reading over time that Tiger and Phil play a version of their ball that you'd never see if you just opened a sleeve from the pro shop. Is this true, or have I been mistake all these years? Reading this story, it seems that the manufacturers build Tour-tweaked balls for the Tour, but not specific to certain players. On the other hand, if this is Titleist, maybe they have so many players it's not feasible to tweak the ball, as opposed to a company like Callaway or Nike catering to a Top 2 player.

Anyone know how this works? I've always been curious to know how much they can tailor a ball for a player, compared to what they can do to irons, drivers, etc.

Driver: Nike Covert Tour | 3W: Callaway X Hot Pro | Irons: Mizuno JPX-800 Pro X100 SS | Wedges: Vokey SM 54-08, Vokey Raw 60-12 | Putter (of the week): Arnold Palmer "The Original" 33"

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I saw the news about the spinnier ProV ball. On this site and another golf blog. Like the ball designer said, why would they want to go the other way as far as spin is concerned? He, like many other ball makers I'm sure, have always tried to cut DOWN the spin of balls. Yes, some might want to get a bit spinnier ball because of the groove change, but what about hitting that same ball from the fairway w/ a wood or an iron? Or off the tee w/ a driver?

I guess whatever a tour player thinks he needs, he should be able to get.

As far as some guys having customized balls from other ball manufacturers. I believe Tiger has had customized Nike One's for years. I don't know this for sure, but I heard that rumor and I have no doubt it's probably true. Especially for a player like Tiger.

TM R11/Titleist 910F 15*/ Nike SQ2 20* & 23*/ Nike CCi 5-PW/ Nike SV 52* & 56*/ SC Newport 2 Studio Style 32.5"
Nike 20XIx/Pro V1x

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Tiger does use specially made balls, that's all I know. They come in a plain, unmarked sleeve. As to what they are, I've seen a few and all they have are a little stamp on them and I believe "Tiger" is printed on them. What's different inside I don't know.
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Tiger does use specially made balls, that's all I know. They come in a plain, unmarked sleeve. As to what they are, I've seen a few and all they have are a little stamp on them and I believe "Tiger" is printed on them. What's different inside I don't know.

Have you personally witnessed this or read it somewhere?

I know they are Nike One Tour's. There has to be more than just a stamp on them that says Tiger. You can see the Nike swoosh on his ball quite often just from watching him on tv. I heard that his ball was always a bit softer than the "retail" ball. That would be have to be quite a soft ball because the Nike One Platinums/Tour balls are and have been a super soft ball. Like I said, I don't know that, it's just what I read somewhere.

TM R11/Titleist 910F 15*/ Nike SQ2 20* & 23*/ Nike CCi 5-PW/ Nike SV 52* & 56*/ SC Newport 2 Studio Style 32.5"
Nike 20XIx/Pro V1x

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I've seen a few. They have all the regular Nike markings on them, plus the little imprints, and he draws a line on them.

We may never know. The story I most believe is that he used special balls for a number of years, but in recent years his ball has been one of the stock models (with the exception that they put his name on it, duh, but every manufacturer does that for even their mid-level players).

In other words, for a few years now, Tiger's ball has been one you can buy. That's what I believe.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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Okay, I have been off the planet and not kept up as well as I should with the modern balll technology.

What ball, Titleist or other, would be the closest in feel and spin to the old Pro Trajectory 90's?

Don

In the bag:

Driver: PING 410 Plus 9 degrees, Alta CB55 S  Fairway: Callaway Rogue 3W PX Even Flow Blue 6.0; Hybrid: Titleist 818H1 21* PX Even Flow Blue 6.0;  Irons: Titleist 718 AP1 5-W2(53*) Shafts- TT AMT Red S300 ; Wedges Vokey SM8 56-10D Putter: Scotty Cameron 2016 Newport 2.5  Ball: Titleist AVX or 2021 ProV1

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I think it is quite common for the ball companies to make customized or prototype balls for certain pro's. I have read that some of the Nike pro's use a One Tour D ball but with a softer cover than the "retail" version. I don't really see what the big deal is.

Dymo2 str8-Fit 10.5 driver & Dymo2 3 wood
#3 & #4 Machspeed Hybrids
5-PW i701 irons
52 & 58 XFT Wedges
White Ice 2-Ball CS Putter One Vapor Sidekick push cartSonocaddie Auto Play GPS

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I think it is quite common for the ball companies to make customized or prototype balls for certain pro's. I have read that some of the Nike pro's use a One Tour D ball but with a softer cover than the "retail" version. I don't really see what the big deal is.

I don't think anyone was making a big deal out of it, BUT, so many golfers have used and swear by the ProV ball for a long time. Along w/ being the most popular ball on tour, it's the most popular "premium" ball for amateurs. So, any news of a different "style" of ProV being made and used, is going to stir up interest w/ some folks.

That being said, yeah, other ball manufacturers like Nike have probably been making custom balls for some players for years. But, when/if it involves the ProV, it's going to make news.

TM R11/Titleist 910F 15*/ Nike SQ2 20* & 23*/ Nike CCi 5-PW/ Nike SV 52* & 56*/ SC Newport 2 Studio Style 32.5"
Nike 20XIx/Pro V1x

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Note: This thread is 5180 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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