How does the new Titleist Pro V1 perform? Find out in our 2023 Pro V1 golf ball review.

RELATED: Titleist Pro V1 2023: Everything you need to know!
RELATED: Best Golf Balls 2023
RELATED: Best Titleist Golf Balls 2023

Titleist Pro V1 golf ball review: NCG Summary

NCG SUMMARY

The 2023 Titleist Pro V1 builds on the incredible technology Titleist already had in place.

I found the 2023 model to be more consistent than its predecessor, especially in terms of dispersion.

If you loved the 21 Pro V1, do not panic, you still have the great soft feel, and short-game spin control we have come to expect.

PROS

Extremely consistent
Tighter dispersion
Soft feel
Great short-game spin control

CONS

Expensive
Spins less than Pro V1x

First Impressions

Can you have a first impression of a golf ball? It’s still small, white and round but has that brand-new glossy finish you wish would last forever. As a long-time Pro V1 user, I was eager to hit this and see how it would perform.

NCG Review

and the Pro V1x, the Pro V1 is designed to fly the lowest, which is why it is my model of preference. The Pro V1x does, however, spin slightly more than the Pro V1.

The big tech story with these golf balls was to provide longer distances, lower long-game spin and greater consistency. So the first thing to do was get the driver out and see if we could see any notable differences.

Given the changes at the top of the bag, I wanted to put the 2023 and 2021 Pro V1’s head-to-head and see the differences.

Now I should state testing golf balls is one of the hardest things to do. The impact variables undoubtedly change every time you hit a ball, so you are not always comparing apples to apples. But aside from investing in a robot, I can do nothing about this.

The 2021 and 2023 golf balls were very similar in terms of data. I was spinning the ball pretty low for me throughout the testing; on average, the spin was identical. My strikes were more toe bias with the 2021 model, which would have dropped the spin down slightly.

I think the big difference for me between the two was that the ball flight went more stable. You can see many of my data variables were similar across the two models, but the 2023 Pro V1 was much improved in terms of dispersion. This wasn’t what I expected when I set out to do the testing. I think some of this came down to the ball being more stable in wind as it was a windy day during my initial testing.

I also felt the 2023 ball stayed in the air longer while watching the ball flight during testing. This is reflected in the carry distances, with the new ball being about 2 yards longer. It also flew slightly higher, which will have affected the visual of the flight too.

I hit the 2023 Pro V1 again on a calmer day at Woodhall Spa golf club, and the numbers were exactly where I would want them with driver. You can see a sample of my results below. The spin was really consistent, and I really liked how stable the ball flight was.

When it came to the mid-irons, unsurprisingly, the ball was again very consistent. The spin was right where I would want it relative to the lofts of my players’ distance irons. The spin was also impressively consistent, varying by only 170 rpm across the set.

I really liked the fact the ball flight was so consistent, which would clearly help with approach shots into greens.

I started this review writing about driver data, but the reality is the sound, feel and control in the short game is what makes me really like this golf ball. This golf ball is designed with control and a softer feel in mind, which is clear when you are using it around the greens.

On my 50-yard pitch shots, I was getting the highest spin readings of my testing which is clearly essential for control and stopping power.

It also had great grip and control on short chips around the green. When chipping putting I really liked the soft feel.

Overall, this is clearly a great performing all-round golf ball. It performs exceptionally well across all categories. You get a great balance of feel, distance and control. If you are after a tour-level golf ball, it is impossible to go wrong with this.

Titleist Pro V1 golf ball review: The Details

Available: March 3rd

RRP: £50

Titleist Golf Ball Line-Up

The Pro V1 offers a low trajectory, low long game spin, and soft feel.

The Pro V1x golf ball offers a high trajectory, high short game, spin and long distance.

Of the three performance golf balls the AVX offers the lowest flight, lowest spin, and a soft feel.

The Tour Speed offers soft feel, penetrating flight, and exceptional distance.

The Tour Soft gives you distance, feel, and short game control.

The Velocity gives you a high flight with extremely low long game spin.

The TruFeel offers ultra soft feel with superior distance.

How do we test golf balls?

At National Club Golfer, we are passionate about producing accurate and thorough reviews and make sure our testing process is rigorous so we get a good understanding of how each club performs.

We headed to Woodhall Spa Golf Club to allow us to collect launch monitor data with our in-house TrackMan and Flightscope. We tested each golf ball on the putting surface and around the greens before collecting data on 50-yard pitch shots, with a 7-iron and with a driver.

What to consider when buying a new golf ball?

Feel

Golf ball feel is a personal preference. Different balls on the market will feel softer or firmer depending on their compression and structure. It is crucial to test balls when putting, chipping and hitting long game shots to check you like the performance across all areas.

Distance

How far you want to hit the golf ball is a crucial consideration when picking a brand and model. Getting the right compression relative to your swing speed and strike will help you get the maximum distance out of a golf ball. You also need to consider if getting maximum distance is important to you or if you would rather give up some yardage to gain in other areas.

Spin

Generally, lower handicappers are looking for a ball that spins more so they can get more control around the greens. In this case, getting a ball with a urethane cover is really important as it will give you the most spin and control.

Price

Not everyone wants to spend £50 a dozen on golf balls. When picking the right golf ball for you, you should consider how much you want to spend relative to what performance you want.