ProV1 Question

[RC]

The new ProV1s are extolled as having more spin around the green and maybe a yard or two longer distance (depends on the player and ball flight of course.) My question is about full iron shots into the green.

Is it me (or hard wintertime greens) or is anyone else noticing the ball does not appear to stop as quickly? I know this is a subjective question and I know anything said will be anecdotal, but in my case, it sure seems that full iron shots are running out a bit. So, just wondering if anyone else is experiencing this or if it is a illusion on my part? I surely noticed some surprising roll-outs today -- not like the old version of the ball.

The question only applies to the newer version, with the special icon on the box.

[JonnyGolf]

Here's my thought - the only reason the Pro V1 is new this season is because they lost the patent lawsuit to Callaway.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22265029/

I'm not sure why the new ball would be "better" if they had to change their mfg process to comply with the judgement. As a note, I just bought "old" Pro V1x for $34.99.

[RC]

I am aware of the legal case. The old ProV1s seemed to be like throwing lawn darts at the green, with four irons landing with the brakes on. I read somewhere that the new ones maybe spin less off the driver, but supposedly more around the green. Now that puzzles me but I did not think I would notice much difference. The question is on full iron shots -- I did not get the spin backs nor the dead bird landings with long irons over the last couple of days (after putting the new ones into play.) It has got to be (1) I'm hitting it differently, (2) the greens are harder, or (3) the flight or spin is slightly different. Since (1) and (2) don't seem that different to me, I'm wondering if (3) is real or imagined. I hit a full CG14 sand wedge (square grooves) into a green and it rolled out maybe 15 feet forward... that is something entirely new. A couple of other shots took the customary bounce and then rolled on forward rather than sticking. I'm not talking about a "hard ball" like behavior but something more along the lines of how the old ProV1x used to land. Is this real?

[GolferAllan]

i havent noticed a run out of the ball with full iron shots.. i like the new ProV1 even tho im not totally sure I can tell the difference. But its a good ball, the check around the greens is great!

[phil.smith]

I steered clear of the ProV1's and stuck with the V1x as the V1's spun way too much. The V1x's dont spin enough so I switched to the TP Red LDP as I get the best of both worlds. If the new V1's arent as zippy then i cant wait til they get to Australia - and carry the $85+ price tag per dozen ......

[Jenks465]

You're dead right, they just don't want to stop! Even with a sharp half-wedge they release two or three yards rather than stopping on the second bounce.

[Phil McGleno]

  JonnyGolf said:

Here's my thought - the only reason the Pro V1 is new this season is because they lost the patent lawsuit to Callaway.

What an incredibly stupid thing to say. You're dumber than that bag of rocks named Phil Mickelson.

[iacas]

  Phil McGlenno said:

What an incredibly stupid thing to say. You're dumber than that bag of rocks named Phil Mickelson.

Without going quite that far, yeah, I'll agree. Really dumb. I guess releases in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, and now 2009 don't indicate some sort of regular pattern. Nor the fact that they've been working on these two balls for two years.

I don't care for someone calling other people liars, Jonny: http://thesandtrap.com/podcasts/golf_talk_episode_106 . And that lawsuit - as well as the NEW two that each company has filed - is far from over. I think it's still important to note that the US Patent Office has ruled all four of the patents Callaway used in that first ongoing lawsuit invalid, with no further review to be done.

  RC said:

The new ProV1s are extolled as having more spin around the green and maybe a yard or two longer distance (depends on the player and ball flight of course.)

Where does it say - on Titleist's site or our Bag Drop entry - that they have more spin around the green? I also don't recall the Titleist reps saying this in the interview linked to above.

The big changes here are durability and a little added distance to the Pro V1. I'm not saying you're wrong, just wondering if you're adding a feature in your mind. Give that podcast/interview a listen. Might help you.

[RC]

Don't get me wrong, I'm still a ProV1 player by choice. The comment on spin around the green came from reading an ad in a golf magazine (unless my brain just did not remember it correctly, and made a mistake) not the website. But the ad had nothing to do with my initial post observations. I asked the question because I really did notice a difference on the course.

I'm not ruling out my swing as the culprit, not entirely. As we all know, catching a shot with a little early bounce at impact can greatly reduce spin. But it sure seems there is an extra few feet of roll out. Maybe I've played three days now with a little less crispness, but I'm clearly getting a little more roll out and very few spin backs -- and this is unusual.

I did some flop shot testing today, and the new ball still stops on a dime with an agressive high flop, but on normal pitches, I am going a bit longer after the second bounce. It is a very reliable reaction and I got up and down twice today by playing for a little more run out -- that does not bother me. It is the longer full shots where I notice the major difference. Can't really say the driver flight is any different since that part seems the same.

Since only one other poster specifically agreed, I don't think a valid conclusion about this is warranted. It's a subtle thing, and greens could be a factor this time of year (firm and fast pre-spring, pre-plugging and cross thaching-- but in three rounds on two different courses, I am getting a few feet more roll-out. Maybe some of those shots that stop a foot short of the hole will now roll in... might be a good thing.

[flanagan]

Golf magazine has a small article in the new issue. The new ProV1x is supposed to spin less than the previous model, so perhaps you are witnessing the effects of the design change.

[RC]

I just got to check the magazine... question answered. Thanks for the reference. I do think the ad in Golf Digest is open to intrepretation because it says the ProV1 has "more spin" but I think they mean only in comparison to the ProV1x, not the older ProV1. Then the statement makes sense.

No doubt last year's ProV1s had lots of spin, perhaps more than one wanted when the ball came spinning back off the green. I'm fine with the new one and getting used to it. It plays for me like a ProV1(1/2 x), in-between the old 1 and 1x. I noticed it today even with the driver, in some higher winds, the new ball plays a little differently.