Think you’re using the same Titleist Pro V1 as the tour pros? Think again
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Several models of Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls are currently only available to tour pros – but what are they, what do they offer, and will they ever make it to retail?
Buying a Titleist Pro V1 used to be simple. The original Pro V1 launched in 2000 and immediately set a new standard as the best golf ball in the game.
Three years later, Titleist released the Pro V1x, designed to meet the needs of golfers who required slightly different launch and spin from the standard Pro V1.
If you wanted softer feel and maximum spin, you went for the black-numbered Pro V1. If you wanted higher flight and maximum distance off the tee, the red-numbered Pro V1x was your ball.
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Things have changed over the years, with the current Pro V1x now delivering more spin than the Pro V1 (check our Titleist Pro V vs. Pro V1x head-to-head test here for more info), while the AVX sits alongside them as another tour-level golf ball from Titleist.
But what you may not know is that there are several other models of Titleist Pro V1 that tour pros are using but we amateur golfers can’t get – at least not yet…
Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash (-Pro V1x)
The Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash doesn’t actually fit this criteria of tour-only Pro V models – at least not anymore. The Pro V1x Left Dash (-Pro V1x) emerged a few years ago as a tour-only model but is now available to all at retail.
The Pro V1x Left Dash is designed to deliver maximum ball speed and lower long-game spin than the Pro V1x – a combination that maximizes distance.
The Pro V1x Left Dash is good for players who generate too much spin, or if you’re playing in the wind, as less spin means balls should fly straighter. Generally, only golfers with high swing speeds will be a good match for the Pro V1x Left Dash, as normal swing speeds will struggle to generate enough spin to get the most from it.
The Pro V1x Left Dash has a firmer feel than the Pro V1 and the standard Pro V1x, and you may even find it ‘clicky’ in comparison to the other models.
Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot (•Pro V1)
The Left Dot (•Pro V1) is the lowest-launching and lowest-spinning Pro V1. Titleist say it was designed for tour players who preferred the Pro V1 but wanted a lower trajectory and less spin, while keeping the soft feel and greenside performance you get from the Pro V1 over Pro V1x.
Golfers including Cameron Young and Tony Finau have been known to use it.
The Pro V1 Left Dot was available at retail for a time and garnered some fans, with one single-figure golfer stating on Reddit that it was “probably the best ball for my game that I’ve ever hit”.
The Pro V1 Left Dot is no longer available on Titleist’s website but you may find some of the old batch on eBay or similar resellers. It’s not yet known whether Titleist will reintroduce it to the mass market or whether they feel the AVX does the same job, meaning there’s no need for it.
Titleist Pro V1 Star (Pro V1*)
Titleist say the the Pro V1 Star is designed for players seeking the penetrating flight of a Pro V1 but with much higher iron and greenside spin. It doesn’t feel as soft as a Pro V1, though.
If you want the extra spin of a Pro V1x but with a softer feel, the Pro V1 Star seems to be the perfect combination. As such, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it make its way to retail at some stage. The fact that a dozen Pro V1 Star balls goes for £85 on eBay suggests there is a market for it!
Corey Conners has been known to use it on tour.
Titleist Pro V1x Plus (Pro V1x+)
Titleist describe the Pro V1x Plus as “a soft Pro V1x with spin”. It’s for players who want the soft feel of a Pro V1 with the extra spin of a Pro V1x.
Justin Rose, Billy Horschel, and Zach Johnson have used Pro V1x Plus on tour.
A Pro V1x Plus is currently as rare as hens’ teeth, which is why a single ball will set you back £40 on eBay.
Why are some golf balls tour-only?
Many of us like to use the equipment used by the world’s best players. Manufacturers are well aware of that and it’s one of the main reasons they sign players on lucrative equipment deals.
It can therefore be frustrating to see tour pros using golf balls that we normal golfers can’t get our hands on, but there are two valid reasons for it.
First, the needs of most amateur golfers are already well covered by the Titleist Pro V1, Pro V1x, and AVX (not to mention Titleist’s less premium balls, the Tour Soft, Velocity, and TruFeel).
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The Pro V1 is extremely long off the tee and performs incredibly well approaching greens and in the short game. This ball is Titleist's softer premium golf ball compared to the Pro V1x which is slightly firmer. Pro V1s are much loved by many of the world's greatest golfers for their overall high-quality performance and feel, which warrants a premium price. To some, this is understandable because they are arguably the best golf balls.
For those golfers who require a golf ball that flies lower and spins less, the Titleist AVX is definitely worth trying as an alternative to the No.1 ball in golf.
Read our full Titleist Pro V1 golf balls review.
Pros
- Tighter dispersion than the previous model
- Brilliant distance
- Exceptional spin on approach shots
- Fantastic feel off the club face
- Played by a host of the world's best golfers
Cons
- Urethane cover marks quite easily considering the price
| Construction | 3-piece |
| Cover | Cast urethane elastomer |
| Dimples | 388 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | Mid |
| Long game spin | Very low |
| Short game spin | High |
| Colour options | White; Yellow |
- High gradient core design
- Speed amplifying high-flex casing layer
- Cast thermoset urethane cover
- Spherically tiled tetrahedral dimple design
Tour pros have higher swing speeds than most amateurs and are operating at a level where optimizing every 0.1 degrees of launch and every RPM of spin makes a difference. By widening their ball portfolio on tour, Titleist can ensure all their pros use a ball that precisely matches their needs. The majority of Titleist tour pros still use a ‘standard’ Pro V1 or Pro V1x, but these alternative models Titleist call ‘CPOs’ (custom performance options) are designed to fit specific launch conditions.
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If you're unsure which model to go for, the Pro V1x flies slightly higher than the Pro V1x, around the greens the performance is very similar (in our robot test the Pro V1x just edged the Pro V1), and is just as long off the tee as the Pro V1. The main difference between these balls is feel - Pro V1x is noticeably firmer which might be a red flag for some golfers.
Read our full Titleist Pro V1x golf balls review
Pros
- Good long game distance
- Impressive short game spin and control
- High and consistent ball flight
- Dispersion is tighter than the previous model
Cons
- Firmer feeling than the Pro V1 might not be to some golfers' liking
- Urethane cover isn't the most durable
| Construction | 4-piece |
| Cover | Cast urethane elastomer |
| Compression | 97-100 |
| Dimples | 348 |
| Feel | Firm |
| Flight | High |
| Long game spin | Low |
| Short game spin | High |
| Color options | White; Yellow |
| Alternative models | Pro V1x Left Dash |
- High gradient core design
- Speed amplifying high-flex casing layer
- Cast thermoset urethane cover
- Spherically tiled tetrahedral dimple design
- New dual-core dimension
Secondly, tour players use these prototype balls and provide expert feedback, which helps Titleist hone the design before potentially putting it into mass production.
Titleist want to ensure each ball delivers a unique benefit and that there’s a target market for it before spending a fortune on mass-producing and marketing it. It was the same process with the Pro V1x Left Dash, which started life as a tour-only model but is now a part of Titleist’s retail line-up, so it’s very possible that the Pro V1 Left Dot, Pro V1 Star, and Pro V1x Plus will be available to buy at some point in the future.
About the author
Rob McGarr – Contributing Editor
Rob has been a writer and editor for over 15 years, covering all manner of subjects for leading magazines and websites.
He has previously been Features Editor of Today’s Golfer magazine and Digital Editor of todays-golfer.com, and held roles at FHM, Men’s Running, Golf World, and MAN Magazine.
You can follow him on YouTube where – depending on what day of the week it is – he’ll either be trying his best to get his handicap down to scratch or shoving his clubs in a cupboard, never to be seen again.
Rob is a member at Royal North Devon, England’s oldest golf course, where he plays off a three-handicap.
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Titleist have a range of tour-only golf balls
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Titleist Pro V1
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Titleist Pro V1 Star golf balls
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Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash golf ball
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Titleist Pro V1 Plus golf ball
