Titleist Pro V1 vs. Pro V1x: which do you choose?

The Pro V1 and Pro V1x have been the most played balls on tour for years and are a premium choice to have printed. They look alike, but they play differently. Here is the difference in plain terms.

Pro V1: soft and penetrating

The Pro V1 is known for a soft feel and a slightly lower, penetrating ball flight. Many players choose it for the control and the feel around the green. A versatile choice that suits a broad range of golfers.

Pro V1x: higher and firmer

The Pro V1x flies a little higher, feels somewhat firmer and generally offers more spin. Ideal for players who attack with height and seek maximum control with the longer irons.

Which suits you?

If you are after an all-rounder with a soft feel, the Pro V1 is a safe choice. If you want height and extra spin instead, look at the Pro V1x. For a premium corporate gift the difference in play matters less — both radiate quality with your logo on them.

Still unsure?

Take the golf ball selector for tailored advice, or compare all models on the print Titleist page. We print both models from 144 units, always with a digital proof up front.

Where you actually notice the difference on the course

The difference between the two models is often discussed as though it shows on every shot. It does not. With short wedges and the putter they sit close together; there, your technique determines what the ball does. The distinction emerges with the longer clubs, where flight characteristics have time to show themselves.

According to the manufacturer's positioning, the Pro V1x flies higher and generates more spin with the long irons, while the Pro V1 has a flatter, more penetrating flight. That is manufacturer positioning and practical experience, not a measured result from us. What it means for your game depends on how high you naturally hit the ball.

Wind, greens and the weather you play in

In the Netherlands and Belgium we often play in wind, and that counts. A lower, penetrating flight is less affected by a headwind or a crosswind, which on an open or coastal course is a noticeable advantage. On a sheltered, wooded course that argument barely applies.

The second point is how firm the greens are. On soft, wet winter greens almost any ball will stop; extra height adds little then. On firm summer greens the angle of descent counts for a great deal, and there the player who attacks from a higher flight gets more out of it. If you play all year round, look at the conditions you play most of your rounds in, not at the exception.

Comparing them yourself without measuring equipment

You do not need a launch monitor to make a choice. Take both out on a quiet round and alternate: nine holes with one, nine with the other, on the same day and in the same wind. Do that two or three times before drawing a conclusion.

Watch one thing at a time. The most useful observation is how the ball reacts on the green from an approach of fifty to a hundred metres: does it run on, check, or settle somewhere in between. The second observation is the sound and feel with the putter; subjective, but it shapes your confidence.

If you like both models but find the feel a little firm, there is a third option in the same family. The AVX is positioned as very soft with a lower flight and less spin, sitting at another point on the spectrum. An overview of the full range is on Titleist golf ball printing.

What a ball will not fix

A change of ball moves the margins, not the fundamentals. A player who consistently sends the ball left or right will not change that with a different model; that is work for the range or a lesson. The honest answer is that the ball only starts to count once the rest is reasonably consistent, and for most players that is less often than they think.

If you want to work on those fundamentals seriously, a golf lesson is a more useful investment than a dearer box of balls. Mark is a PGA Golf Professional and looks at your swing with the same level-headedness as at your ball choice; there is more on that background under about Mark.

If you have not been playing long, the question of which model suits your standard makes more sense than which tour ball to pick. That comparison by group of players is set out in which golf ball suits which standard.

Both models with your own logo

For a gift or a prize the difference barely matters: either way the recipient sees a premium ball with their name or your logo on it. What does matter is that the model designation is visible on the ball. Choose one model over the other deliberately and that carries through.

A popular choice is to add the recipient's own name alongside the company logo. That makes the gift personal and stops balls being mixed up on the course; the options are under personalised golf balls. Printing is possible from 144 balls per model, and you see the result in advance on a free digital proof. Prices are on request and depend on model, quantity and print specification.