Game Changers

Titleist Pro V1 Golf Ball

First introduced in 2000, Titleist’s Pro V1 transformed the game by offering a durable golf ball that produced both distance gains and spin control.

Until that time, better golfers played balata-covered balls that had a small, liquid-filled center that was tightly wrapped by elastic strands. They spun like crazy, but the covers were easily damaged, especially on miss-hits. Meanwhile casual golfers used surlyn-covered balls that were more durable and featured a solid rubber core. These, while harder to compress and spin, went farther and could last an entire round even if you made poor contact. Golfers couldn’t have both of the benefits in one ball. Titleist changed that.

They constructed a ball with a solid core and a thin urethane cover which spun less off the tee while delivering great feel and spin on shorter shots.

Better players, who had already seen big distance gains with metal woods, now hit the ball even farther while still managing to retain feel. Amateurs saw distance gains too and now and then spun approach shots like the pros. Courses, tournaments and golf associations took notice. Suddenly holes were being lengthened and talk turned to standardizing the golf ball.

Dozens of pros switched to the ball, and with Tour validation came consumer demand, despite the fact that Pro V1s were priced considerably higher (two to three times the price in some cases) than competitors’ balls. They were so popular that Titleist had to start a rationing programme to golf shops.

Since its debut 13 years ago, Titleist has released seven versions of the three-piece Pro V1. There have been six versions of the four-piece Pro V1x, which debuted in 2003. Competitors have released similar models, but so far none has dethroned the "#1 ball in golf."