Patrick:

Just to start with a little background to help explain our Ball Fitting Approach:  At Titleist, we test our golf balls with different club head types (driver, irons, wedges) at a range of lofts and club head speeds.  Our robots produce the same swing every time.  With our launch monitors we collect the outbound ball speed, launch angle and spin rate for the robot's every shot.  The robot swing consistency and data collection enables us to detect even the smallest differences between golf balls.  Our consistent robots enable us to say that regardless of player's ball speed, all Titleist balls are long.  In fact, the distance difference between Pro V1 and Pro V1x is less than 4 yards when tested across a variety of swing speeds at optimal launch conditions.  Both are long, and the difference between these two balls is not game changing.  

Switching from robots to human golfers, on the tee box, with a driver, the goal is the same for everyone:  hit it as long as possible towards your target, keeping it as straight as possible.  But golfers don't produce the exact same swing every time, and rarely have the exact same environmental conditions (wind, turf conditions, etc.).  With the real world filter, it is possible for a golfer to see differences between two Titleist golf balls because the swing produced, the launch conditions delivered to the ball, and the various environmental factors are likely different from shot to shot.

What we at Titleist like to ask when thinking about what ball is best for a player is:  which Titleist ball will help you shoot lower scores?  Because all Titleist balls are long off the tee and the differences between the Titleist golf balls is small with respect to distance, you should focus your comparison of Titleist golf balls on shots to the green.  Everyone has more shots to the green than shots from the tee.  It is in these shots, made with either a full swing or partial swing, that differences between Titleist golf balls become visible.  Pro V1 and Pro V1x both deliver long distance, and the best short game control.  Pro V1x has relatively lower driver and full swing iron spin, due to its multilayer, dual core construction.  This lower spin helps straighten ball flight for some players.  As you compare the two Titleist golf balls, ask yourself:  "Did I execute the shot?  Did one ball perform better than the other?".  Additionally, measure your ability to shoot lower scores by evaluating your Greens In Regulation, and the proximity of your first putt from the hole.  These types of comparisons will help you select the best Titleist ball for you, enabling you to shoot lower scores, and have more fun.

Thank you for your question for choosing Titleist.

Best regards,

Team Titleist

What has happened to the covers on the PRO v? they are feathering, scuffing, and the paint seems thin after a good wedge or short iron shot. Believe me, I have hit enough balls to notice the difference and these are showing marks very easily.

Brad:

Thanks for writing to us.  The cover of the Pro V1 golf ball is made of a Urethane material and will be subject to abrasion from wedge (and short iron) shots, cart paths, trees, bunker shots, and so forth. Balls with softer covers (Pro V1, Pro V1x, and NXT Tour) are typically going to be more susceptible to this than those with harder covers (NXT, DT SoLo). New irons and wedges will all have a tendency to shear the golf ball (for some people) because the grooves are new and sharper.  The shear affect does vary from player to player.The characteristics of a player's swing in combination with the design of his/her higher lofted clubs can also have a major impact on abrasions due to iron shots (called "shear damage").  If you tend to be steeper on your attack, you may see more shearing then if you were more shallow

If you live in the United States and think you are experiencing excessive amounts of cutting on the Pro V1 through normal play, you may return the golf ball(s), along with a note describing the problem (including where you purchased), and your return address to:

Acushnet Company

Attn: Consumer Ball Returns

333 Bridge Street

Fairhaven, MA 02719

Thanks again, Brad.

TEAM TITLEIST

I have been playing your golf balls for many many years,, back to wound and  balata,, I thought the new pro v'S were to have a better cover. But from certain pga pros that i have talked to about them they are changing balls because of the shear (abrasion) as you call it. The new ones that I purchased just a month ago are far easier to scuff. I was in the golf business for years and I was fortunate to have the ability to test several balls for my own benefit and stayed with Titleist. Not trying to be picky, but noticing the scuffing on the first hole on the green with a wedge, and a new out of the box ball,,,, scuffed,, i personally dont like to putt or tee off with it the next hole. It almost gives you the old time balata , missed shot,, screwed up ball thought.

Patrick - since our last post to you, we have just launched the new Golf Ball Fitting section on Titleist.com that may better help you with your Titleist golf ball selection.

http://www.titleist.com/ballfitting/

I DON'T MEAN TO BE NEGATIVE BUT I WENT THROUGH YOUR BALL FITTING SECTION AND I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE RESUTLS ONLY HAVING PRO VS AND NXTS AS RECOMMENDED BALLS.

YOUR CRITERIA DOES NOT LEAVE THE NEW SO-LOS AS A VIABLE CHOICE. I RECOGNIZE THE DIFFERENCES IN THE BALLS BUT I AM ALMOST 72 YEARS OLD AND A 6 IRON CLUB SPEED OF ABOUT 70 AND WAS LED TO BELIEVE THAT THE NEW SO-LO WAS THE BEST BALL FOR ME.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN PLEASE? THANKS.

Can you explain what answers you gave in your fitting? If you picked an answer where you said you missed the green it might have picked those balls to give you more spin on your shorter shots to stop it closer to the hole.  Where if you miss a green now you might have a problem getting the So-Lo to hold the green and it will roll off.

Hi Dogloski:

There are many different paths to go down within the Ball Fitting matrix and some of them, depending on how you answer the questions do indeed lead you to NXT Tour, NXT or DT SoLo results.  

In fact, it could very well be possible that the Pro V1 is the best ball for you - no matter what age or club head speed.  The question is, what Titleist golf ball will help you score better.  

Were you able to really watch and listen to the videos on the ball fitting page?  They really do a good job educating about how you can better choose a golf ball that will help you score better.

Hope this helps.

Team Titleist

THE PROGRAM MAY INDEED SAY THAT THE SO-LO WILL NOT BE THE BEST TO CORRECT ANY OF THE CHOSEN VARIABLES AND THAT'S OK WITH ME BUT THE ONLY VARIABLES I SEE ARE AT THE GREEN. HOW ABOUT GETTING TO THE POINT OF SHOOTING AT THE GREEN?

I GUESS I'M DOING SOMETHING WRONG-IT'S NO BIG DEAL.