Titleist has introduced new Professional V1 and Professional V1x golf balls.
The 2023 fashions characteristic high-gradient cores for extra distance, decrease long-game spin and tighter dispersion.
Retail worth is $54.99.
Availability begins Jan 25.
The story of the brand new Titleist Professional V1 and Professional V1x golf balls is comparatively easy.
Earlier than we dig into what’s modified, nonetheless, what it is advisable to know is that what’s true for one ball is mainly true for the opposite.
For instance, spin properties have modified a bit for each however the relationship between the 2 stays the identical.
The Professional V1 continues to be a mid-flight, mid spin ball whereas the Professional V1x stays Titleist’s highest-launching and -spinning choice. Compression scores haven’t modified, both. The Professional V1 continues to be a high-80s compression ball whereas the firmer Professional V1x runs within the excessive 90s.
The extra issues change …
Each fashions nonetheless provide the identical high-flex casing layer that was born of classes realized by means of Professional V1x Left Sprint. Functionally, it’s a velocity enhancer however, once more, it’s the identical expertise used within the present (2021) ball.
Each the Professional V1 and Professional V1x characteristic the identical softer urethane cowl because the 2021 ball. For the sake of being unnecessarily technical, the spherically tiled tetrahedra dimple patterns are additionally unchanged.
Titleist Professional V1 / Professional V1x – Excessive Gradient Core
Updates to the brand new balls are remoted to what Titleist calls a Excessive Gradient core.
We’ve talked about gradient or graduated cores earlier than. It’s an exaggerated instance insomuch as the middle of the 2023 Professional V1 isn’t liquid however the core of the brand new balls is a bit like a chocolate lava cake.
The thought is that the core is softest within the middle and will get progressively firmer as you progress outward.
Just like the high-flex casing layer, the high-gradient core has its roots in Titleist’s Customized Efficiency Choices: Left Sprint (Professional V1x) and Left Dot (Professional V1).
In three-piece golf ball constructions like Titleist Professional V1, the high-gradient core makes the ball carry out a bit extra like a dual-core mannequin. In true dual-core designs just like the Professional V1x, a high-gradient inside core creates even larger spin separation.
Earlier than we soar into efficiency, enable me to handle the pervasive fable that high-compression balls are completely for top swing speeds (105 mph and above) and low-compression balls are for slower ones. I’ve coated this earlier than so this time I’ll simply level out that Titleist matches extra newbie golfers into Professional V1x than another ball in its efficiency lineup (and that features the lower-compression AVX).
Fairly often, slower swing velocity golfers battle to get the ball within the air and most battle to generate enough spin all through the bag. The difficulty is compounded by irons with more and more stronger lofts so, frankly, it borders on widespread sense that, placing away really feel preferences for a second, a higher-launching, higher-spinning ball makes a hell of much more sense than a no-spin marshmallow. “Delicate” may really feel good—nevertheless it doesn’t spin.
Transferring on …
Titleist Professional V1 Efficiency
Actually what we’re speaking about is decrease long-game spin with out compromising spin within the strategy sport. That decrease spin is the driving think about each the space improve (which must be most considerable together with your irons) and tighter dispersion which might be the important thing efficiency advantages of the brand new balls.
Titleist says the Professional V1 provides 12-percent tighter dispersion in comparison with the 2021 ball. That’s a results of the aerodynamic advantages that come from the marginally decrease flight and spin. With the decrease trajectory, the ball isn’t impacted fairly as a lot by wind and, usually talking, lower-spinning balls fly straighter.
Should you take all of that and surmise that the brand new Professional V1 is a tick extra Left Dot-ish, that’s most likely cheap.
Titleist Professional V1x
The Professional V1x is turning into considerably of an anomaly within the market as most golf ball makers have shifted away from dual-core to the easier-to-make dual-mantle designs.
That’s not the case with Titleist.
“We’re leaning into it,” says Michael Madson. “We see it as a crucial design to realize optimum efficiency with a high-compression golf ball.”
That lean-in comes by means of a $100-million funding within the ball enterprise. As you’d count on given present calls for, quite a lot of that’s going in the direction of increasing Titleist’s manufacturing capability however a great bit is being pumped into R&D with the particular intent of accelerating the operational experience within the dual-core house.
Titleist already does dual-core higher than anybody and, as a substitute of shifting to dual-mantle building like its opponents, it’s doubling right down to do dual-core even higher.
That’s the long run.
Professional V1x Modifications
The “proper now” is that the amount of the inside core of the 2023 Titleist Professional V1x has been elevated by 40 %. The bigger inside core provides Titleist larger capacity to regulate the high-gradient core.
If I haven’t been clear: Like the usual Professional V1, the inside core of the Professional V1x can also be a high-gradient design.
As with the Professional V1, the result’s decrease long-game spin with out sacrificing short-game spin. As with the Professional V1, it is best to see extra distance within the lengthy sport and tighter dispersion.
Like I stated originally: What’s true for one is true for the opposite.
An fascinating facet word: Professional V1x’s dispersion enhancements aren’t fairly pretty much as good because the Professional V1’s (9% versus 12%). That’s the results of the upper flight and spin properties of the Professional V1x which make it barely extra susceptible to environmental elements.
If none of this sounds exceptionally revolutionary, you’re proper. With each the Professional V1 and Professional V1x, Titleist isn’t making any loopy guarantees. Neither ball represents an enormous enchancment over the 2021 mannequin. Each are a bit bit higher.
Professional V1 and Professional V1x – Miscellaneous Different Notes
Colour, Designs and Patterns – We’re speaking Titleist right here so it’s no shock there aren’t any radical (and even non-radical) modifications with respect to the Professional V1s beauty choices.
You possibly can put no matter sample you need on the brand new balls as long as what you need is an all-white or all-yellow ball.
It’s not that the corporate lacks the flexibility to print traces and patterns and whatnot on a golf ball however, for now, it’s allocating these sources to printing the radar reflective marks on its Trackman-friendly RCT balls.
Ultimately, there can be some extra choices however the first spherical of no matter that appears like will doubtless be pushed by PGA TOUR gamers.
The corporate could discover its method into one thing akin to the preference-driven designs (Truvis, Pix, and many others.) provided by a few of its opponents nevertheless it’s nothing I count on within the close to future, which is type of a bummer. Patterns are enjoyable.
And talking of bummers … (Increase! Segue).
Left Dot and Left Sprint – There aren’t any quick updates within the queue for Titleist’s different Professional V1 balls. It’s early however a great little bit of the Titleist Tour employees has already moved into the brand new ball and the brand new Professional V1x claimed its spot because the No. 1 ball in play on the RSM Traditional. That can most likely be the story till the 2025 ball comes alongside.
As soon as the Tour will get cranking in earnest, Titleist’s plan is to see how a lot of its Professional V1 Left Dot crowd strikes into the brand new Professional V1. The considering is that with the advantages of the Professional V1’s aerodynamic package deal and the softer cowl, there’s an opportunity Left Dot utilization will swap, although, Left Dot will nonetheless fly decrease and spin lower than the brand new Professional V1.
If Tour demand stays excessive, Left Dot may see wider launch (present eBay costs aren’t a great look). If utilization dips and Left Dot turns into extra of a distinct segment product just like the Professional V1 Star, that may very well be the tip of the story.
Likewise, there’s no new Left Sprint launching alongside the usual Professional V1 and Professional V1x. Whereas I don’t have something concrete, the between-the-lines learn is that one thing is likely to be within the works. I’d financial institution on a softer cowl, although I ought to point out that the present Professional V1x dimple sample on Left Sprint would doubtless push distance past what the USGA permits.
As a Professional V1x Left Sprint loyalist, I’m a bit disenchanted by the shortage of an replace (once more). Finger crossed that this isn’t the tip of the story.
Availability and Pricing
The 2023 Titleist Professional V1 and Professional V1x golf balls can be obtainable at retail starting Jan. 25. The radar-friendly RCT model will launch on the identical time. Yellow variations will comply with on Feb. 17.
Retail worth for the Titleist Professional V1 and Professional V1x is $54.99 (that’s nonetheless $3 lower than Clear).
For extra data, go to Titleist.com.
*We could earn a fee while you purchase by means of hyperlinks on our website.
