FIRST LOOK: New Titleist Pro V1 ball is launched

TITLEIST’S LATEST VERSION OF THE GAME’S NO 1 BALL

THE tour validation for the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x began at Doral in March last year when received three different options. The result of that validation and years of research and testing is the softest Pro V1 ever and a Pro V1x which is as long as any ball you will find.

Let’s start with the Pro V1. This is now even softer and longer than before. It is softer through lowering the compression from around 92 to about 87. This is meaningful in terms of feel but also spin. It is also longer – you might think softer can’t mean longer but in this case it does because the long-game spin has come down from the 2011 product. It also flies a bit lower so will have a more penetrating trajectory and therefore more run.

For golfers at the highest speeds the product is already right up against the legal limit line but it is now longer for people who buy golf balls – ie me and you.

With the Pro V1x the trajectory has come down just a bit and the iron spin brought up just a bit on the longer irons. Titleist have introduced a very soft centre to help bring the spin down and also improve consistency. The process has created a different sound, the general feeling of the tour pros is that it is now less ‘clicky’ than before.

Another real benefit of both balls is that they now stay whiter for longer and are more durable so will last, and look better, for more rounds.
"The new Pro V1 is now even softer and longer than ever before" IS THE PRO V1X JUST FOR TOUR?

Given that the Pro V1x is more popular on tour than the Pro V1, is it not fair to conclude that it is more of a ball for the better player?

Titleist say: The perception is that the Pro V1x is more for the better player but we are working hard to change that way of thinking. We see a lot of high handicap players who have too much spin. If you reduce that, then you can hit more fairways and have less dispersion.

You might think that ball and swing speed equals product. This is not right. It is not done on just a driver swing speed and this is the least frequent of any speed. It would be much easier but it also wouldn’t be right.

TECHNOLOGICAL JARGON EXPLAINED: THE ZG PROCESS

This has now been introduced to the Pro V1x and relates to how the new cores are made. Before they would see variation in the cores depending on where they were in the press so would see compression variations. Now each core is exactly the same.

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