Golf Ball Hot List......... Ya, Right $%#+*

[whit53]

Just read in Golf Digest that the Pro V1 was the only contemporary ball to receive their Gold rating. Looking at the data, I must admit that I don't quite get it..... it doesn't feel any better than several of the other OEMs' offerings; it doesn't spin anymore; and it doesn't fly any further. In fact, the only thing it does seem to do better [or at least quicker], is shrinking your wallet.

The justification for its ....top of the heap.... designation seems to rest almost singularly, with what GD terms the "demand" factor. Call me curious, but what exactly is the "demand factor" in Golfing terms. Maybe it means that when you ask (or demand) the in-flight ball to either fade... draw... get up... or get down, it complies like a well trained pet. Maybe it imply the amount of priority Titleist demands of Golf Digest, for its advertising dollars. I'm not sure. I am sure, however, that it has nothing to do with the tangible performance of the ball itself........ and therefore has not place in the comparative evaluation of equipment.

Fun's over..... and yes, I feel much better.

[bogeyhitter25]

I don't really believe the hype over the Pro V1's. I really like the DT Carry. Good value.

[dagolfer]

i hate pro v's. I believe that that nxt tour is a much better ball and that is why i play it. I don't know what it is exactly but for the last 2 years of high school golf i have played with Callaway Big Bertha (buy these when i am short on cash) or pro v 1s and yes the pro v's yielded a lower score than the big berthas but when the season starts and coach hands out a sleeve of nxt tours to us my scores drop even more.

[flanagan]

I really like ProVs, but played today, beautiful/50 degrees/sunny, with new Callaway HT Hot Plus and really liked it. No way to compare around "real" greens in July at this point, but off the tee and with the irons, thought the ball was great.

[flopdarock]

i think when they mean demand... they mean more ppl buy the ball than any other ball on the market... regardless if it works for them or not... heck you can go out to any course and ball hawk... i bet you that the majority of the balls out there are prov's

[Big_M]

Titleist balls are ALL overpriced... just lik everything else with that particular name on it. However, the products are good, they just seem to be about 10-25% more than other products of similar quality and performance... usually.

[Dub]

I feel these ProV1 balls are super in the hands of the right profile player.

I can see the difference in my buddies game. He's about a 6hcp right now and switched to these back in November. There is a difference. He holds the low sizzling wedge shots like nothing I've ever seen.

He's getting great driver distance as well.

I've only gamed one of these balls.....for a few holes. I found it on a course and put it into play on the next par 3 and hit a career 8 iron....was it the ball?.....don't know.....unfortunately we parted ways on a couple of holes later when I made a stupid move through impact and beaned it low into the waste area from the tee.

I'd try them again....but I can get 1.5 dozen of my current faves for a single dozen ProVs.

[Cody]

Well prov1 shouldn't be the only ball to earn gold...Tour-IX from callaway is just as good if not better. People just associate titleist with golf and it gets out of hand.

I also agree with everybody else, NXT Tours play way better than the prov's. I also love the DT Carry, way more than most titleist balls. And from personally experience, callaway balls always seem to be the superior ball. I love the hx hot, hx hot bite, even the occasional warbird.

[loopy]

Played the pro-v's once in a while, don't like risking 3-4$ a ball with my game. I actually prefer the NXT myself, but have played just about everything. I think when I need some more I might try the Srixon brand, played them a few times and had pretty good success.

[bIGwIRE]

I'm not even really a "titleist" guy..... but heres my 2 cents...
There have been quite a few balls that are just as good.... but they come and go. ProV1 is a dynasty . Year after year it is the ball all others are compared to, from pros and golf writers to forum posters.
They may have some worthy, and less expensive, competition... but the ProV1 and ProV1x are the benchmark of all "contemporary" golf balls.

And besides, when you choose golf as a hobby, you go in knowing its going to be expensive. If you don't wanna spend the $$ just play the ones I hit into the woods, they're practically new.

[Petden]

Think about it though. Tour players demand the best, because they are the best. Therefore, if the Pro v1 isn't the best ball, why is it the undisputable winner when it comes down to people playing the ball? I like them, and even at my handi you will notice a difference. The bridgestone E5+ are great as well, but just do have the performance that the Pro v1's have.

[Cody]

I just got golf digest and all the tests were blind, so i guess its the real deal. EXCEPT they get 5 in demand for ever ball, which is a little ridiculous.

Also, I've been using the chart in golf digest for driver spin and wedge spin to decide what ball to use.

[Gioguy21]

Here's my two cents. Titleist, although a good ball, isn't worth the money. i play TM TP blacks and love them, got a good deal on them last year got 4 dozen at around 25 bucks a dozen. i feel i get better spin on them than the prov's, also if you're goin for best ball for the money why not look at bridgestones B330's or even callaway. i don't know, but what i think is that the test, although "blind", is a shade on the bogus side. I know as well as you that you can pick up a ball, put your fingernail to it and almost see what kind of ball it is in terms of softness. i've played since i was 5, i know what a prov is, i know what a callaway is, i know what a taylormade is in terms of feel and hardness. you can't tell me that it's completely unbiased.

[Damien45]

Here's my two cents. Titleist, although a good ball, isn't worth the money. i play TM TP blacks and love them, got a good deal on them last year got 4 dozen at around 25 bucks a dozen. i feel i get better spin on them than the prov's, also if you're goin for best ball for the money why not look at bridgestones B330's or even callaway. i don't know, but what i think is that the test, although "blind", is a shade on the bogus side. I know as well as you that you can pick up a ball, put your fingernail to it and almost see what kind of ball it is in terms of softness. i've played since i was 5, i know what a prov is, i know what a callaway is, i know what a taylormade is in terms of feel and hardness. you can't tell me that it's completely unbiased.

Not only that but some balls have a very identifiable dimple pattern.

Callaway = Hex Bridgestone = clust of dimples on opposite sides of the ball, exactly the same Top Flite D2's = Dimple in Dimple Just to name a few.

[YogiTKE]

Well prov1 shouldn't be the only ball to earn gold...Tour-IX from callaway is just as good if not better. People just associate titleist with golf and it gets out of hand.

Why does your signature say you hit a Titleist ball then?

[misty_mountainhop]

Think about it though.

Because they're paid to? It's a wonderful ball but I seriously doubt it's better than it's peers in a real world test.

I just got golf digest and

As if! Anyone who knows what they're about could pick what ball they're hitting from the dimples, cover etc.

Here's my two cents. Titleist, although a good ball, isn't worth the money. i play TM TP blacks and love them, got a good deal on them last year got 4 dozen at around 25 bucks a dozen. i feel i get better spin on them than the prov's, also if you're goin for best ball for the money why not look at bridgestones B330's or even callaway. i don't know, but what i think is that the test,

Exactly.

[HytrewQasdfg]

The Pro-V1 is the standard other balls are compared against. The first question about any competitor's premier ball is "how does it compare to the Pro-V1?"

Everybody's top line ball is about the same price point: ~$40 a dozen. If you're going to spend that much on balls, there has to be a pretty compelling reason not to buy the industry leader (Pro-V1.) "Just as good" as a Pro-V1 isn't a reason to spend "just as much " on a dozen on Bridgestone balls (Nike, Callaway, etc...)

IMHO, if someone like Bridgestone created a ball with a $30 price point and ran a "plays the same as a Pro-V1, but costs less" marketing campaign, they would have a big seller. Making up what they lose in margin with volume. I don't see anyone unseating Pro-V1. But why should they? Until they build a better ball or the same ball cheaper they shouldn't.

[piper_clap]

Also, the ProV was the only one to get gold in that price point. They awarded gold in two other price points.

They also point out that the Top Flight Gamer has the most performance for price of any ball.