Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x Through The Years

October 11th, 2000 -- Las Vegas, Nevada

The world of golf did not know it, but the sport was about to undergo a seismic change. Traditionally, the template used for golf ball design featured wound cores and liquid-filled centers. These wound cores made the balls incredibly soft and “spinny,” causing them to cut quickly and harshly punish mis-hit shots. 

But at the 2000 Invensys Classic, held at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas, 47 PGA Tour players put the brand new Pro V1 into play. With its solid core, cast-urethane cover, and multi-component construction, the Pro V1 had unlocked a new dimension for golf ball technology. And it showed immediately.

Billy Andrade quickly demonstrated the capabilities of the Pro V1, shooting rounds of 67, 67, 67, 63, and 68 over the five tournament days to post a sizzling 28-under-par winning score that topped a leaderboard flooded with players that had switched to the new Pro V1. Among them was runner-up Phil Mickelson. 

By autumn of 2000, Mickelson had already established himself as one of the world’s premier golfers, but his major championship trophy case remained empty. However, soon after this golf ball technology switch in 2000, Mickelson began to repeatedly scratch the surface with close call after close call at major tournaments. Thanks to the Pro V1, his time would soon come.

April 11th, 2004 -- Augusta, Georgia

Augusta National Golf Club has always received attention for rewarding a right-to-left ball flight. Historically for right-handed golfers, bending the ball right-to-left meant a power draw. On the other hand, for left-handed golfers, that ball flight produced a spinny, weak fade. This type of shot was more punishing with a liquid-filled golf ball than today’s multi-component constructions.

But, armed with a solid core Pro V1, left-handers could now shape the ball around Augusta’s doglegs without sacrificing power. Mike Weir, nobody’s idea of a bomber, became the first left-hander to win a Green Jacket in 2003 thanks to his ability to control a fade without losing significant distance. 

Mickelson, stymied mainly by the dominant Tiger Woods until that point in his quest for a major title, now had the technology necessary to keep up with Woods at the 2004 Masters Tournament. After an even-par opening round 72, Mickelson fired three consecutive 69s, the last of which included a final-nine 31 to earn his first major championship.

Mickelson confirmed his inaugural win was no fluke by winning two more Green Jackets in 2006 and 2010. Left-handed golfers failed to win any of the first 66 Masters Tournaments, but Bubba Watson’s second Masters win in 2014 marked the sixth win in 12 years by a southpaw. The Pro V1 and its solid core had changed The Masters forever.

October 3rd, 2010 -- Madison, Mississippi

The 2010 Viking Classic marked a significant milestone for Titleist and the Pro V1 family. On a beautiful autumn day in Annandale Golf Club in Madison, Mississippi, Bill Haas cruised to a three-shot victory playing a Pro V1x, a firmer, higher-launching version sister of Pro V1. While the win was Haas’ second, it was the 1,500th for the Pro V1 family.

In less than ten years, Titleist’s golf balls established themselves as the most-played ball in golf. The Pro V1 and the Pro V1x repeatedly proved their merit on the most challenging courses, the biggest tournaments, and with the best players in the world. However, despite their success, Titleist was not done innovating. 

Every two years, Titleist has released a new version of the Pro V1 and Pro V1x to the public with key advancements within each new iteration. In 2003, it was a new core formulation and dimple pattern. In 2011, it was the first edition of the ZG Process Core.

Titleist continues to improve every piece of the Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf ball, from the side stamp alignment aid to the ZG Process Core 2.0 and everything in between. It’s no coincidence that Titleist has remained the most popular ball in golf for both amateurs and professionals. And in 2021, Titleist has pushed the envelope even further.

January 27th, 2021

The 2021 Pro V1 and Pro V1x hit the shelves in late January of this year, and the products feature one of the most significant technological leaps since the model’s original release. After testing 60 different Pro V1 dimple layouts, 30 different Pro V1x dimple layouts, and over 1,900 total aerodynamic patterns, Titleist’s engineers debuted the Pro V1 family’s first dimple redesign in 10 years.

The new dimple design, which consists of 388 dimples on the Pro V1 and 348 on the Pro V1x, maximizes distance and flight consistency without forcing golfers to sacrifice any feel around the greens.

Titleist’s 2021 Pro V1 models also sport new reformulated 2.0 ZG Process Cores that deliver increased distance for golfers. A faster high-flex casing layer adds even more speed while keeping long game spin low. The result is explosive ball speeds combined with the touch and control needed around the greens.

The Pro V1 is a three-piece design offering a lower ball flight and lower long-game spin with exceptional control around the greens. Meanwhile, the Pro V1x provides a higher launch and more long-game spin than the Pro V1.

This fall, the Pro V1 golf ball will reach its 20th birthday, a date that will mark two decades of tournament dominance for Titleist in the bags of professionals and amateurs. And based on this year’s editions, those golfers can expect to see the Pro V1 and Pro V1x continue to improve through the years to come.