Titleist 2023 Pro V1 balls £50 a dozen
GM verdict
Titleist’s Pro V1 is now in its 23rd year. The Pro V1 and Pro V1x remain the most played ball models on tour. Two years on from the last update, these new versions promise longer distance, lower long-game spin and a more consistent flight, which we were keen to put fully to the test.
As with previous generations, the Titleist Pro V1 is the lowerspinning of the two in the long game, while the Pro V1x provides a higher flight and firmer feel.
Hitting them on a launch monitor and out on the course against the prior models was an eye-opening experience. With the 2023 Pro V1, the area that impressed us most was the mid-iron performance.
With a 7-iron we noticed both a reduction in spin and a little more distance. Interestingly, the flight was similar – if anything the new model offered a slightly higher peak height. Compared to the
Pro V1x, the Pro V1 launched lower and spun less as Titleist says it should.
The average difference was around 200rpm and the Pro V1 flew four yards lower. This is one of the areas of the game where we noticed the biggest difference between the two models. It was pleasing to see that the lower, more penetrating flight of the Pro V1 wasn’t too extreme and it still provided very good stopping power with the mid-irons.
Off the tee, we found it harder to spot major differences between the two models. Both offered excellent ball speed and distance from a familiarly strong ball flight. But we could perhaps make a case for the spin being more consistent with the new balls than the previous models with a driver in our hands.
With the new Pro V1x, there was a modest reduction in spin versus the previous generation but a more noticeable bump in ball speed of around 1mph, equating to a couple more yards of carry. Putting it in play on the course, we noticed we were further down most holes after well-struck drives than usual. With a wedge, the Pro V1 and Pro V1x continue to offer excellent control – for us, they actually spun a little more on a 50-yard pitch shot. This might be player- and swing-dependent but despite offering lower long-game spin, it is reassuring to see there’s ample control on offer when you get closer to the green.