It’s an odd-numbered year and you know what that means: a new Pro V1 lineup courtesy of the folks at Titleist. If you missed all the ads and Jim Nantz voice-overs, you know the flagship ball of Titleist has been number one on every tour and at every tournament since golf was invented (or at least it seems that way).
This year, Titleist has chosen to emphasize speed. Ball speed, that is. Everybody wants more distance and the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x are seemingly up to the task with reformulated cores and other engineering marvels. In addition, durability is given more attention. As we know, when playing with a urethane-covered ball, durability is very important as the modern wedges eat them for a breakfast.
With the ball market, as Titleist goes, so goes the rest. The Pro V1 line has been the best-selling ball since its inception. Is is good marketing? Sure, however it comes down to performance and at any level, golfers demand a ball that meets their needs and to date, the Pro V1 line has delivered. So let’s take a look at the latest incarnation of the Pro V1 line.Pro V1
The three-piece, multilayer Pro V1 is longer than its predecessor thanks to “reformulating and an increase in the size of the core,” which in turns allows you to help generate more ball speed. A new “high performance” Urethane Elastomer cover improves cover durability, which hopefully will allow you to use the ball for the entire round, providing you don’t nail a tree or send it skidding down a cart path. The thinner, Iomomeric casing layer has also been redesigned for the new version in order to give you better “Drop and Stop” performance on the greens.
Staying the same is the “high-coverage” 392 dimple design with the staggered wave parting line that helps with giving you a more consistent ball flight as well as the A.I.M (Alignment Integrated Marking) line is there to help you line up your putts. According to Titleist, the “new Pro V1 will remain the most suited and game optimizing technology within the Pro V1 family for the majority of amateur golfers looking to lower their scores with the proper golf ball selection.” I’ve played prior versions of the Pro V1 and really liked their performance around the greens although not so much in other parts of my game. In my opinion, the Pro V1 is one of the sweetest feeling balls to putt with. Here’s hoping to more of the same.
Pro V1x
The four-piece Pro V1x, with its “soft center, high energy” 1.550″ dual core has a redesigned Ionomeric casing layer which helps to control the spin rate on full iron shots as well as with the short irons around the green as well as helping to provide more distance off the tee box with the driver (which is what we are all looking for).
According to Titleist, they have made improvements to the Urethane Elastomer cover to help improve durability, which I am eagerly waiting to test out. I like the total package that the 2007 model offered but was a bit disappointed concerning its durability. It’s one thing to have a scuff mark if you bounce it off something you shouldn’t be hitting, its quite another after a few holes and several wedge shots to see your ball getting shredded up.
The “Tour-proven high coverage” 332 dimple design and the staggered wave parting line helps to give it a more penetrating and consistent ball flight. The A.I.M line remains the same in order to help you line up your putts. All told, the new Pro V1x is designed to give you an “optimal ball flight” and increase driver distance. Between the spin control and flight characteristics offered the Pro V1x, countless PGA Tour pros have made the Pro V1x the “ball of choice.” Sign me up.
Availability and Pricing
You’ll be able to get your hands on the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls around mid-February (I highly doubt you’ll miss the distinctive packaging). A dozen will set you back about $46 (or you can just buy a sleeve if you don’t want to spring for an entire dozen). For you number aficionados, you can play the more time-honored 1-4 or go with the numbers 5-8. For me, it’s whatever number won’t get lost in the woods.
Final Thoughts
I have to admit that for me, there is something reassuring about staring down and seeing that Titliest logo on the ball I am using. I’ve tried plenty of different golf balls over the years and I keep coming back. Is part of that psychological? Perhaps but even for my average golf game, I have come to expect certain characteristics of a golf ball and the Pro V1 lineup has delivered time and time again. I’m looking forward to trying out the latest incarnation but I’ll have to wait a few more months as I’m not sure how well they stand up to my snow shovel.
I still remember the first time I played a PRO-V and I hit this low horrible shot and it hit the green and “stopped” a lot quicker than any other ball would have. My friend I and I just staired at each other and were blown away…
I too have tried other balls, but I really fell there are Pro-V’s and then every other ball…
I play the prov’s when I can afford them, they do out perform others, But I do play the little less expensive DT-carry,
but I have to let you guy’s know srix– has been handing out demo’s of thier latest and I’m a little torn. ,They perform fairly good but I just have to keep my titeleist’s. I’m suppose to write a review for this socalled better ball but I just dont see it happening unless i lie,. maybe I cant afford the best but I do love my titleist
How do you all decide which of the two to play? I currently play the V1x, but the article above says most of us should be playing with the V1.
Is it swing speed, desired flight, tendency to slice or hook?
I like a ball that has a bit of grab around the green, but does not spin like crazy off the tee, as I can sometimes slice it with the best of them.
I’m glad to see Titleist focus on ball speed/distance for the ProV.
No doubt the Pro VI is a great golf ball, but I doubt it’d be #1 ball in golf by such a wide margin if pros we’re not being paid to play them; Titleist will do anything to protect that mantle (of being the most popular ball on tour…) because that directly translates into retail sales.
Additionally, how much of a “tour tax” is being added to the retail price ($45+) for a doz Pro VI’s?
Something to think about…
Well I for one feel the price of so called Tour balls is exactly that! It’s shear greed. So I play the srixon trispeed and that works just fine. I am not a tour player, or even a single digit player so why pay for something they get free because your dumb enough to pay mucho $$$ for??
I still have about 4 dozen of the old version (that I got for free) in the garage so I will be in no rush to hit the new one. It works just fine for me.
I don’t know how much better it could be for a player like myself. I hit the ball pretty far and can control the spin. I almost hate having to figure it all out again, if in fact, this ball is different. I think I read somewhere (can’t remember where, but they had a chart showing the difference) that this ball is four or five yards longer off the driver. How can anyone tell? There are so many factors that go into distance with a driver. Wind, carry, roll, swing, spin, etc. You would have to hit identical drives multiple times to figure any distance difference. A robot can probably do that, a person can’t. I will play a round and hit what are ‘perfect’ drives. One might go 305, the other 290. Obviously, they weren’t the same or the conditions were different. Either way, would I be able to tell the difference if I was using the new ball. No chance.
I am not knocking the new ball. If I find one or someone gives me one I will give it a try. I am in no rush to buy it just because in some ways it might be better. I just don’t think I will be able to tell much of a difference.
I can relate to the comment on a low shot that stopped on the green. I did the same thing and the ball stopped on the green. I got my par on that hole. Any other ball its unlikely that it would have stopped. But the Pro Vs are too expensive either new or used and I only buy used. I simply don’t have the swing speed to get good distance from the Pro V on my drives.
Lately I’ve been using the Bridgestone B330-RX and the Srixon ZURS. I love the RX, seems to go a bit further for me on the drive and good spin on the approach shot. Good compromise. Once again unfortunately its too expensive. So perhaps its will have to be the Srixon. I also like the NXT Tour and Extreme.
$46 for 12 balls, I think I will stick to finding used ones around the bushes at country clubs
I’m sorry, but perhaps I am not understanding some comments related to the new releases of the ProV’s. Some have stated that the ProV’s are too expensive and yet they list their alternative choices, which are quite frankly, not that much less in price. If you equate the price of a single ProV to that of another ball, you will find that the price is not really that much higher (we are talking a dollar or less). What are we really talking about here, the difference between a large cup of coffee versus a medium or small?
Bottom line for me is if the ball is a winner and benefits my game, then I owe it to myself to play that ball to give myself every opportunity to do well. Cost should not really be a significant factor when you consider the potential benefits.
Again, maybe it’s just me, but the differences in prices between a Titleist ProV1 and a Bridgestone B330-RX is not that significant? Is your game not worth foregoing a cup of coffee per say? Some have no problems paying the high cost of greens fees so why not spend a little extra on a very good golf ball? For me, the ProV1’s are all that and so much more. Well worth the investment.
Would love to know minimum club head speed required to get good use out of the PRO V1X.
Does anyone know?
Great question Norm. So would I and many many others
I’d have to agree with Adam. I’m happy enough forking out a little more for something which feels the best for my game – although I will admit I’ve been a little one-eyed and haven’t tried any other balls for a while.
$46 for a dozen – you guys are lucky!!!!
At my pro-shop in Sydney they sell them at $27 for a sleeve – and if you want a dozen they simply times it by 4. $108 a dozen!
All because Acushnet want to keep the Club Pro’s on side. There are a few places that sell them for $80+ and I assume they get them from overseas. Lucky for us there is TGW.com and we can get them shipped to Australia for about $60 odd a dozen if we get enough and the exchange rate isnt killing us.
At $46 I wouldn’t be complaining guys!
Isn’t that Australian dollars? I only ask because you posted from an Australian email address.
I have been playing the ProV1 ball for about 5 years now. I love them…
For the last few months I have had to cut back on some expenses. So spending $50 on a box of balls seemed a little foolish to me.
Over the last 6 weeks I have been playing an assortment of balls…some better than others but where I do see a huge differance in performance is on the greens. I typically do not 3 putt very often…maybe once or twice in round but I have noticed without the PV1 I have not been comftorable on the greens and have lost a lot of confidense with my short game.
On Saturday I bought a sleeve of the ProV1’s to check out the new ball. They feel pretty much the same as the old PV1 but I have to tell you that it was a joy to just be playing with a quality ball. I did not have a single three put in that round and hit my short irons better than I have in about 2 months…
It might be phsycological and have nothing to do with the quality of the ball but to me the ProV1 product is great…The new PV1 product feels just like the old ball and I plan on thinking of the expense as an investment in my game going forward.
What club head speed is the minimum fro the ProV1?
There isn’t one. I suggest you listen to this podcast. You’ll discover that there’s no minimum at all and why.
I have been playing the Pro V1(old version) now for over a yr. on a course that I live on. Every Sat. we play a tournament on this 75 yd. max short course. I use to be no. 3 ranked in the club previous to using this ball, but now have a handicap that is 5 strokes better than a yr. ago and 3 strokes better than the 2nd best player. I usually win most birdies, closest to the hole and low gross $ pots.
My answer to those who don’t want to spend the money for this ball is: thanks, I will get it from you instead.