Is the claim that the 2023 Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls better than the 2021 models?

Question

Is the claim that the 2023 Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls are "demonstrably better" than the 2021 models supported by evidence? What specific performance improvements were made in the 2023 models compared to the 2021 models? What is the evidence that these performance improvements are actually noticeable to golfers?

Comments

Hello as a fellow golfer im just here giving my opinion on the subject. I have used the 2023 titleist pro balls and found they get better flight and more range compared to the 2021 models.

Answer 1

According to the source listed in the claim, the 2023 Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls ARE demonstrably better than the 2021, and this is backed up by evidence from Titleist. 

Golfmonthly.com says the following in this article: "During Titleist's testing of the 2023 ball - it's worth noting Titleist uses a robot hitting into the wind to gather data on how the ball performs - the developers found an increase in overall distance and tighter dispersion that came from the new core. Otherwise, everything else that worked so well in the 2021 version of the ProV1 has stayed the same." 

This source explains that the conclusions about performance improvements is backed up by testing. 

Titleist gave numbers as to which pro golfers have already switched over to the new 2023 ProV1s and V1xs: "More than 45 players have teed up new Pro V1 and Pro V1x models on the PGA TOUR since their introduction – including Will Zalatoris who put new Pro V1x immediately in play to begin 2023 at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, his first start on the PGA TOUR since his win at last year’s FedEx St. Jude Championship. Sungjae Im and Viktor Hovland joined Zalatoris in teeing up 2023 Pro V1x at Kapalua." 

Additionally, Titleist provided a quote from Will Zalatoris about the new balls: "And so when I switched to the [2023 Pro V1x], the big thing I saw was it had the exact same reactions around the greens, I actually gained a little bit of distance with the driver, but it was actually better through the wind. For me to be able to put the exact same swing on a golf ball and gain just that much more, that adds up a lot throughout a season." 

This quote along with the evidence, strongly suggests that the new balls are demonstrably better to real golfers, and as is tested/backed up by evidence. 

Comments

Nice work providing a clear explanation and evidence with source links.

---

The structure of your answer is very well done. I like the embedded links which provides context to all of the sources.

---

Thank you for the well structured answer with multiple evidence sources and explanations!

Answer 2

According to the article above, the new Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x are "demonstrably better" than the 2021 models due to a new high gradient core design on the ball. Frederick Waddell, Director of Golf Ball Product Management said, "For a Titleist golf ball to be new, it must be better." The reimagined core update was designed to be firmer on the outside and progressively softer on the inside, which promotes fast speeds, low long-game spin and tighter dispersion while maintaining high levels of greenside spin. While several innovations from the 2021 models remain in the 2023 models, the new inner core of the Pro V1x's dual core increased in volume by 44%. This increase in volume helps the stability of the ball through the air and ensure a long and consistent flight. The new model has already been used by 45 pros on the PGA tour, including Will Zalatoris, Viktor Hovland, and more. The improvements to the ball have been noticeable to pro golfers so far. Zalatoris said, "When I switched to the 2023, I actually gained a little bit of distance with the driver and it was actually better through the wind." The evidence stands to argue that the 2023 Titleist Pro V1 and V1x are in fact "demonstrably better" than the 2021 models through improvements and better design.

Comments

I really enjoyed reading your response. I do not know much about this topic, but you gave a clear answer with lots of information and evidence to back your claim.