I’m excited to have had the privilege to be chosen for ProV1/ProV1x white box testing. I was unable to post on the official review page, so Titleist, thank you for your patience with this.
Full disclaimer:
I did not have access to a launch monitor, so testing occurred on both course carpet based on sight/sound/feel. Now, on to the review.
Bag setup:
Driver - cally Paradym Triple Diamond, Mitsubishi Kai’li White 7x
Fairway - Titleist TSR2 5W, Mitsubishi Tensei AV White 8X
Irons - Titleist 620CB (4-P), DG AMT White X100
Wedges - Vokey SM10 50°; TM MG3 56°, 8°
Putter - Scotty Cameron Newport 2.5, 34”, 1° flat
25 Prototype ProV1:
Until this year, I’ve struggled with creating the spin I wanted, so let’s keep that in mind. Let’s start off with the classic. In short, the 25 ProV1 delivers, as we’d expect. You’re not going to get any surprises. Compared to the 23 year model, the 25 feels a hair softer to the touch, which translates through the bag. On the strike, the ball comes off with a solid, dead feel and a nice, deep pitch; the ball is not overly soft, striking a nice balance. Personally, I’ve had past issues with ProV1’s coming out a bit knuckly and weak (for my taste). Considering this, the 25 model surprised me in the air, coming off with a strong, penetrating flight. Moving into the green, the ball’s deeper pitch becomes more apparent. Well balanced, true rolling, and dead-sounding, the ball really begins to shine on the putting surface. One more thing on the feel itself, sound apart: with many balls on the market, we tend to feel more of the cover or more of the core. With the 25 ProV1, I immediately noticed feel the whole ball. It sounds strange, but it’s a nuance that points to ball construction and, therefore, performance. The ball performs as one unit, not as a core driving speed or a soft cover covering up for lack of feel or spin. It’s a great ball with incremental improvements that actually matter.
25 Prototype ProV1x:
My bread and butter for the last 12yrs - let’s get into it. Much of what was said about the 25 ProV1 can be said about this ball, so I’ll keep this shorter with what really stuck out. Off of every club (minus putter, obviously) this ball gave me the high, strong, spinny flight that I want, and the launch fits right into my window. Titleist didn’t seem to skimp on this ball. It sounds fast, and it is fast. The ball is long. The ball also seems to spin (for me) noticeably more than previous generations (again, all visual experience, no monitor). Combine those two, and you get a very strong, stable ball in flight. Stability means more fairways, better scores, and more fun. Feel/sound wise: the 25 ProV1x is noticeably softer and more muted than any ProV1x gen I can remember. Here’s the interesting kicker, and I’m not blowing smoke: with all its speed, it doesn’t feel or sound clicky. The ball has an interesting sound and feel balance…slightly high pitch sound, but very soft and fast feel. Feel-wise, I could knock a point…it isn’t the most solid-feeling ball, to me. Off the putter, the ball felt like it lacked weight or density. That could be due to the faster ball speed, but for me, I’d like the ball to feel a little more dense on the strike. That is a small gripe, though. After all this, the ball performs. It feels great, sounds great, and performs great. I can look down at the Titleist script and be reminded of all the years and why I’ve trusted this ball. The 25 is just another nuanced step forward, and that brings comfort and excitement to me and my game on course.
Testing the new prototype been a joy, and I didn’t take it lightly. I do want the ProV1x to perform better, but I also have to be fair. I can love the ball, but I can’t be married to it. The ball is the only piece of equipment we use on every shot, so we have to be honest with ourselves and with you, Titleist. I’m still evaluating and will revisit in late Winter, but I can honestly see Titleist ProV1x remaining my home for the coming season. No gimmicks, no cover-ups, no short cuts, just a great ball produced out of respect for the game and the player. Well done, Titleist, and thank you for allowing me to be part of this.