Every Pro V1 and Pro V1x is manufactured by Titleist associates in the company’s state-of-the-art golf ball manufacturing facilities, to the highest performance and quality specifications in the industry. This investment in quality control ensures the most consistent performance from ball to ball, and dozen to dozen. This is critical to allowing golfers to consistently execute the same types of shots, round after round.
“Every time we set out to develop new Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls, our challenge is to set an even higher benchmark for golf ball performance,” said Michael Mahoney, Vice President, Titleist Golf Ball Marketing. “We are constantly in the field talking to golfers of all skill levels about what we can do to help them shoot lower scores. At the same time, the Titleist Golf Ball R&D and Operations teams are working together to develop new golf ball technologies that deliver performance golfers may not yet realise they need. It’s because of this ownership and commitment at every step of the process that we’re able to deliver meaningful performance improvements and make the best golf balls in the game even better.”
Adds Bill Morgan, Senior Vice President, Titleist Golf Ball R&D: “No matter their playing ability, golfers have a simple choice when it comes to choosing the best golf ball for their game.
“Either Pro V1 or Pro V1x will give you the best opportunity to shoot your lowest score. The decision purely comes down to flight, feel and spin. As we’ve told the pros, while you may consider yourself a ‘V’ or an ‘X’ player, we think this is a great time for you to reevaluate both Pro V1 and Pro V1x to see which 2017 model is the best fit for your game.”
DID YOU KNOW?
The 2017 Pro V1 is a three-piece, multi-component technology with a Next Generation 2.0 ZG Process Core, ionomeric casing layer, soft Urethane Elastomer cover system and new spherically-tiled 352 tetrahedral dimple design.
Player Validation
New Pro V1 and Pro V1x have achieved immediate validation and success across the worldwide professional tours. Jordan Spieth, playing new Pro V1x for the first time in competition, won the Australian Open in mid-November. Two weeks later, Brandon Stone played new Pro V1 in his victory at the European Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Championship. Graeme Storm also put the new Pro V1x into play for the first time at the BMW South African Open where he won an all Pro V1x playoff and his second career title.
In total, more than 100 players worldwide have put the new models in play – including Adam Scott (Pro V1), Jimmy Walker (Pro V1x), Kevin Kisner (Pro V1), Webb Simpson (Pro V1), Charley Hoffman (Pro V1), Ian Poulter (Pro V1x) and Thongchai Jaidee (Pro V1x) – since the tour seeding and validation process began on the US PGA Tour in late October. “I put new Pro V1x in play in Australia and in the first week we won,” says Spieth. “What I noticed immediately was the improved flight. It held its line in the crosswinds better.”
In total, the testing and validation process for 2017 Pro V1 and Pro V1x included more than 80,000 golfers of all skill levels who received numerous iterations of prototypes throughout the rigorous two-year development process. This included six different double-blind prototype tests during 2015 that were instrumental in determining the final 2017 designs.
Understanding Advanced Aerodynamics
The aerodynamic improvements of Pro V1 and Pro V1x result in a more consistent trajectory. New dimple designs on both 2017 Pro V1 and Pro V1x feature improved dimple placement and produce even more consistent surfaces.
During the manufacturing process, mold cavities are used to the form the Urethane Elastomer cover and dimple pattern on each ball. Tens of thousands of mold cavities are needed to supply the Pro V1 and Pro V1x urethane casting lines. In order to achieve ball-to-ball consistency, it is crucial that every mold cavity produces the same result. To guarantee this level of precision, the company’s operations team has always manufactured the cavities and the tooling used to make the cavities (called “hobs”) in-house. An investment in new equipment to make the master hobs provides even tighter tolerances.
These advancements in both dimple design and hob production combine to produce new Pro V1 and Pro V1x models that deliver a more aerodynamically consistent flight.
“If a golfer hits a number of golf balls, they will fly through a ‘window’ in the air. What we’ve done with 2017 Pro V1 and Pro V1x is make that window smaller, which is the result of a more consistent flight,” Morgan said. “We go to great lengths to ensure that Pro V1 and Pro V1x are precision equipment. We know golfers depend on that consistency on every shot in their round.”
Price and Availability
The new 2017 Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls are now available in Australian and New Zealand golf shops with a suggested retail price (SRP) of $79.95 in Australia and $99.95 in New Zealand.
For more information on the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x, go to titleist.com.au
