2015 Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x Review

Jordan Spieth says: "It's still long off the tee with more control around the greens. & like it's sticking to the club face more." Bubba Watson adds: "This ball has all the great qualities of the previous generation with improved feel around the greens, which is exceptional. It even goes a little further for me off the tee."

What these guys are talking about are the 2015 Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x. For nearly 15 years (The Pro V1x launched in 2003), the Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls have been making a difference in the games of golfers around the world, from tour professionals to amateurs of all skill levels and swing speeds by offering exceptional distance, superior scoring performance and unmatched consistency.

From the moment 47 PGA Tour professionals put the Pro V1 in play at the PGA Tour at the Invensys Classic in Las Vegas in October of 2000, the Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x have been changing the standards by which golf balls are judged. It's no wonder that by March 2001, they became the bestselling golf balls on the market. The big reason: the Pro V1 was the first golf ball that offered both distance and short-game control. It also combined durability and soft feel. No more trading one for the other.

And Spieth and Watson should know. A few weeks after the testing and validation process began, Watson put the new 2015 Pro V1x in play for the first time at the WGC-HSBC Championship in China. On the 18th hole of the final round, Watson holed a 60-yard bunker shot for eagle to force a playoff, where he proceeded to roll his new Pro V1x in from 20 feet for birdie and the win.

At the Australian Open last November, Spieth played the new Pro V1x in what he called "the best round I have ever played"  a final round, 8-under 63 to win by six shots. Seven days later and half a world away, Spieth won Tiger Wood's Hero World Challenge after rounds of 66-67-63-66.

What separates Titleist from the competition  if there is any  is over 20,000 years of golf ball-making experience in their R&D and Operations teams. That's right, 20,000 years - over 1,100 associates with an average tenure of 20 years. This includes chemists, physicists, mathematicians, computer scientists, engineers and technicians, as well as PGA Professionals and turf management specialists. In fact, there over 100 patents that cover the technologies and manufacturing processes for 2015 Pro V1 and Pro V1x combined.

Since being put into play in 2000, the Pro V1 has been regarded as "the pro's ball;" best suited for low handicappers. Part of this statement id true  it's designed for all gofers who want to shoot lower scores. Pro V1 has a softer feel, slightly more long game spin and a penetrating trajectory for a shallower angle of descent which produces more roll. The Pro V1x offers a slightly firmer feel, lower long game spin and launches higher with a steeper angle of descent. This combination of distance, flight, short-game scoring control and feel makes them the best fit for any golfer.

The new 2015 Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls come in both standard play numbers 1-8 as well as custom play numbers. Double-digit play numbers (00 and 11-99), or the same single-digit number (1-9), are available through custom order with a minimum order of one dozen. The new Pro V1 and Pro V1x balls are available at all major golf retailers and can be had for about $48 a dozen. If you're interested in custom numbers, contact your local Titleist golf shop for pricing and availability. For more information, visit their website, www.titleist.com.