Golf Ball Quandary

[Hoganman1]

I simply cannot decide which Titleist is best for me. I keep going back and forth between the ProV1 and the AVX. I love the ProV1 on and around the green, but the AVX is definitely longer off the tee and with fairway clubs and longer irons. I guess I could change balls mid-hole and mid-round, but I feel like that's cheating. I'm 72 and pretty short off the tee. I am still able to carry a 9.3 index from 6250 yards mainly due to my chipping and putting. I know I could move up to inside 6000 yards. However, my group likes playing from longer tees. While I've been playing Titleist for decades I guess I should look at other brands like Callaway, Taylormade and Bridgestone. I play Hogan irons, Callaway Mavrik fairways and a Ping G400 driver so brand loyalty isn't an issue. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Pants]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that there is only a max of 7yds difference between the whole range of Titleist balls (machine testing and driving at ?230+ yds) so I'm surprised that you can notice that one ball is longer than another particularly as you admit (like me) to not quite reaching Forum distances .

I've posted this link a few times now in various threads - it may help. (Actually there is $od all difference between them all for the avarage golfer imo of course).
https://mygolfspy.com/best-golf-balls-2021/

 

[RRidges]

I simply cannot decide which Titleist is best for me. I keep going back and forth between the ProV1 and the AVX. I love the ProV1 on and around the green, but the AVX is definitely longer off the tee and with fairway clubs and longer irons. I guess I could change balls mid-hole and mid-round, but I feel like that's cheating. I'm 72 and pretty short off the tee. I am still able to carry a 9.3 index from 6250 yards mainly due to my chipping and putting. I know I could move up to inside 6000 yards. However, my group likes playing from longer tees. While I've been playing Titleist for decades I guess I should look at other brands like Callaway, Taylormade and Bridgestone. I play Hogan irons, Callaway Mavrik fairways and a Ping G400 driver so brand loyalty isn't an issue. Any advice would be appreciated.

And you'd be right - it IS cheating.
Best way to decide is to check how well the AVX works around the green - by practicing/testing. If it works satisfactorily, even if not quite as well as the ProV1, then my advice would be to go with the AVX. There are other balls/brands, but they'll have similar compromises, so the quest for the 'best' ball could become a never ending task!

 

[Maninblack4612]

I'm willing to bet that if the names were blanked out you wouldn't be able to tell which ball you were using. For an average golfer like you & me it makes little, if any, difference.

 

[Orikoru]

I simply cannot decide which Titleist is best for me. I keep going back and forth between the ProV1 and the AVX. I love the ProV1 on and around the green, but the AVX is definitely longer off the tee and with fairway clubs and longer irons. I guess I could change balls mid-hole and mid-round, but I feel like that's cheating. I'm 72 and pretty short off the tee. I am still able to carry a 9.3 index from 6250 yards mainly due to my chipping and putting. I know I could move up to inside 6000 yards. However, my group likes playing from longer tees. While I've been playing Titleist for decades I guess I should look at other brands like Callaway, Taylormade and Bridgestone. I play Hogan irons, Callaway Mavrik fairways and a Ping G400 driver so brand loyalty isn't an issue. Any advice would be appreciated.

Just based on this part I'd go for the ball that's longest. If your short game is already good then potentially you don't need a ball with more spin or stopping power, you just want the one that's longer and going to get you in range.

Looking at the numbers I'd be tempted to play the AVX, if it didn't cost a silly amount of money. I can't justify £45 a box when good balls like TM Tour Response or the Bridgestone ones are £10 cheaper.

 

[Deleted member 30522]

And you'd be right - it IS cheating.
Best way to decide is to check how well the AVX works around the green - by practicing/testing. If it works satisfactorily, even if not quite as well as the ProV1, then my advice would be to go with the AVX. There are other balls/brands, but they'll have similar compromises, so the quest for the 'best' ball could become a never ending task!

Only the mid-hole part, mid round is fine.

 

[Deleted member 30522]

Just based on this part I'd go for the ball that's longest. If your short game is already good then potentially you don't need a ball with more spin or stopping power, you just want the one that's longer and going to get you in range.

Looking at the numbers I'd be tempted to play the AVX, if it didn't cost a silly amount of money. I can't justify £45 a box when good balls like TM Tour Response or the Bridgestone ones are £10 cheaper.

Switched to them this year, and hard pressed to tell the difference. Lot cheaper than TP5 so they're staying in the bag. Switched from Chrome as they now seem to think they can try for the top tier pricing.

 

[Orikoru]

Switched to them this year, and hard pressed to tell the difference. Lot cheaper than TP5 so they're staying in the bag. Switched from Chrome as they now seem to think they can try for the top tier pricing.

Yeah I'm currently playing the TMTR, it seems pretty good to me. Goes as long as anything I've hit, stops pretty will if I hit my chip/pitch properly, and nice to putt with.

 

[clubchamp98]

I have just started using Bridgestone BRXS.
Designed for under 105 mph
Very good ball as good as a prov1 imo.
Great around the green but spins less off driver.
I seem to be able to compress it better than a prov1

 

[Deleted member 3432]

I have just started using Bridgestone BRXS.
Designed for under 105 mph
Very good ball as good as a prov1 imo.
Great around the green but spins less off driver.
I seem to be able to compress it better than a prov1

Probably because the proV1 is designed for high swing speeds.

Titleist and Bridgestone just market their balls differently.

Suspect 90% of proV1 users would be better off using a different ball.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Have you tried the Tour Speed?

I now prefer it to the AVX. I appear to have better control with it when chipping and pitching.

 

[clubchamp98]

Probably because the proV1 is designed for high swing speeds.

Titleist and Bridgestone just market their balls differently.

Suspect 90% of proV1 users would be better off using a different ball.

Yes I have just changed to Reg shafts as my speed has dropped.
The pro v1 is a great ball but I am no longer fast enough to use it properly.
Ok with irons and short game but loss of distance off the tee is noticeable .
The joys of age !

 

[jim8flog]

I was at a Titleist ball demo a couple of weeks ago and the Pro said there was barely any difference in through the air distance with any of the balls it was only what they did when they landed that produced the distance difference.

Golf balls are always a choice between distance and control and I know which I prefer.

I think whichever brand you go to you are going to faced with the same choice.

P.S In case you are not aware they are now several instances in which you change the ball mid hole, basically any time you are moving the ball to a new location e.g. when taking relief from an obstruction and it is not cheating.

 

[Hoganman1]

When I rented clubs at Carnoustie they gave me a sleeve of Taylormade Tour Response. I haven't tried them as yet. I thought the ProV1 would be easier to control on the firm fast fairways in Scotland. Now that I'm back in Charlotte I plan to see how they perform on our softer fairways. As a geezer I really miss the 30 to 40 yards of roll I got playing in Scotland. However, I don't miss the pot bunkers.

 

[jim8flog]

When I rented clubs at Carnoustie they gave me a sleeve of Taylormade Tour Response. I haven't tried them as yet. I thought the ProV1 would be easier to control on the firm fast fairways in Scotland. Now that I'm back in Charlotte I plan to see how they perform on our softer fairways. As a geezer I really miss the 30 to 40 yards of roll I got playing in Scotland. However, I don't miss the pot bunkers.

I have a mate who plays Tour Response as an alternative to Prov1 and he gets on well with them.

Down in the South of England I think we are all going to miss the extra run from the bone dry fairways.

 

[Hoganman1]

I think I've settled on the AVX. The extra yards off the tee are worth it. I played it today and chipped and putted pretty well. I did have one approach that rolled off the back of the green leading to a double bogey, but that was the only one. I've found that the 2022 AVX is better than the previous model. I've kept a few ProV1s in the bag for when our greens get firm and fast. Hopefully, I'll get better at controlling the AVX roll-out and won't have to switch back. Thanks for all the advice and comments.