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Dethroning The King: How Golf Ball Manufactures Are Gunning For Titleist

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We’ve all heard it before; Titleist is the #1 ball in golf and for good reason. Both the Pro V1 and Pro V1x are excellent products and have a history of success on Tour. This does not mean however, that there are no viable alternatives for golfers who want to expand their horizons and perhaps save a little money in the process.

Today we look at some substitutes to both of Titleist’s most popular offerings and explore which manufacturers are making a ball that is similar or perhaps even better than these perennial favorites.

The defining features of the Pro V1 are a three-piece, multi-component technology with a very soft compression ZG process core and ionomeric casing layer, as well as a soft urethane cover. The goal of this ball is to promote greenside spin and control while simultaneously reducing the spin off the driver. There are several balls on the market that have both similar construction and produce similar results including the Callaway Chrome Soft and Srixon Z-Star. However, one of the most notable competitors to the Pro V1 is Bridgestone’s B330-S. With a core that that gets softer the closer it is to the center and Bridgestone’s pliable SlipRes Cover, the B330-S is very comparable in construction to the Pro V1. This similarity is reflected in the results, with both balls offering tremendous control around the greens and great distance off the tee.

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Bridgestone B330-S   Titleist Pro V1

 

Titleist’s Pro V1x is the firmer of the Pro V's, with a similar urethane cover. However, this ball uses a dual-core design resulting in a four-piece construction. This means the ball is capable of generating even less spin off the driver and more on approach shots than its sibling. Similar models include the Nike RZN Platinum and Bridgestone B330, but the one ball that stands above the rest is the TaylorMade Tour Preferred X (TPX). The TPX relies on a groundbreaking five-piece design to provide a more penetrating ball flight and virtually eliminating spin on driver and long iron shots. Near the greens however, the five layers interact with each other to generate a tremendous amount of control. A favorite of Tour players such as Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia and Jason Day, the TPX has earned a loyal following of some of the world’s best golfers.

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TaylorMade Tour Preferred X   Titleist Pro V1x

Since the Pro V1 made its first appearance in 2000, it has been considered the best ball on the market. It radically changed the golf ball landscape and put other manufacturers on their heels. However, in the last 16 years, Titleist’s competitors have learned some new tricks of their own and are now producing products that can go toe-to-toe with both the ProV1 and Pro V1x for the title of ‘Best Ball in Golf’.

If you’re interested in trying the B330-S or Tour Preferred X, prices on LostGolfBalls.com are more than 30% off the price of brand new. Compare it to your favorite Titleist offering and let us know the results in the comment section below.

Want to find the best ball for you? Visit our Best Ball For You tool and find out now!

Kristen
Kristen
Kristen is a budding golf enthusiast on the E-Commerce team at Lost Golf Balls. She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 2013 with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing. Kristen's favorite golfer is fellow longhorn Jordan Spieth \m/

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