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In this review, I’ll be evaluating the 2021 edition of Titleist’s Pro V1 golf ball.
Even if you know the bare minimum about golf balls, you’ve probably heard of Titleist’s famous Pro V1, which, along with the Pro V1x, has been regarded as “the #1 ball in golf” for decades.
The Pro V1 has delivered proven performance for amateurs and professionals alike, with big distance, low long-game spin, a penetrating trajectory, and unmatched greenside spin control. Now, with the latest 2021 model, Titleist has reformulated the core and introduced a new dimple design.
What exactly are the new additions to the 2021 Pro V1? How does the performance compare to previous iterations? Is it worth putting these balls in the bag?
Here’s what I’m going to be covering in this review:
- Ratings
- Features & Technologies
- Tee-To-Green Performance
- Feel
- Where To Buy These Balls Online
- Conclusion
Read on to find out what you need to know to make an informed purchase.
Note: The review that follows is based on the personal experience and research of the author. Because everyone’s swing, body and clubs are different, results with a particular golf ball may differ from person to person.
How are the reviews?
The Titleist 2021 Pro V1 is one of the highest-rated golf balls on the market and is a hot seller too.
It’s a smashing success, with average customer ratings that include 5/5 on Global Golf, 4.5/5 on Rock Bottom Golf, 5/5 on Golf Galaxy, and 4.8/5 on eBay. The 2021 Pro V1 also maintains very high ratings from professional critics.
As you probably know, the Pro V1 has also been used by many of the world’s best players including Webb Simpson, So Yeon Ryu, Paul Casey, Jessica Korda, Louis Oosthuizen, and Tony Finau.
What People Like
- unparalleled performance if you can make solid ball contact
- a bit longer than the previous version
- control and feel around the greens is better than ever
- effective in every aspect of your game (long, mid, short)
- very durable
What People Don’t Like
- generally not ideal for beginners or high handicappers
- more pricey than most other balls
What are the features?
Despite the fact that Titleist doesn’t like to talk about compression in the marketing of their balls, the Pro V1 can be considered to have a mid-high compression. What this suggests is that it’s not so suitable for golfers with slow swing speeds.
The Pro V1 ball has a three-piece construction consisting of a:
- 2.0 ZG Process solid core: reformulated for 2021 to squeeze out more distance.
- Resilient, high-flex ionomer casing layer: increases ball speeds and lowers long game spin.
- Cast urethane elastomer cover: the softest cover ever for 2021, this affords maximum short game control and spin around the greens.
Titleist has also introduced a special new aerodynamic dimple design with the 2021 Pro V1, which is the first since 2011. The spherically tiled 388 tetrahedral dimple design is meant to produce maximum distance and a consistent, penetrating ball flight.
Check it out in action below:
The 2021 Pro V1 ball is also available in yellow, and you can even personalize your ball with custom numbers, text and logos through Titleist.
How does the ball perform from tee to green?
From The Tee
In turns out that the 2021 Pro V1 does pretty much exactly what Titleist says it does off the tee: fly with low spin and a penetrating ball flight. The flight holds up very nicely in windy conditions, and the low spin takes the edge off hooks and slices.
Compared to previous iterations of the Pro V1, long game performance is very similar but I do find that the 2021 model generates a little more carry, which is great.
With that said, your results will depend on your swing. You really need a Tour-level club head speed (at least 90 mph) to derive the most benefit from the Pro V1; otherwise, you’ll find that your shots spin more and don’t go as far.
On The Approach
With irons, the 2021 Pro V1 strikes an excellent balance between softness, spin, trajectory and distance. Everything just seems really well-rounded and optimized.
There is plenty of stopping power into greens, although not quite as much as the Pro V1x. Still, it’s quite easy to zip the ball back with shorter irons if you have the ability.
Around The Green
The advanced urethane cover of the 2021 Pro V1 really shines around the green: soft, extremely controllable, and more than enough spin to accommodate any shot you want to play, whether it’s a bump-and-run, standard pitch, or lob shot that you need to stop quickly.
The 2021 Pro V1 also has one of the truest rolls you’ll find independent of the grass type and condition). Good strokes with the putter are rewarded.
What about feel?
I came into my testing session with the 2021 Pro V1 expecting a soft feel, and that’s exactly what I got. It’s certainly one of the softest iterations of the Pro V1 I’ve ever played.
With regard to the long game, the soft feel is definitely there, but you also feel like there’s an inner firmness that can handle even the fastest swings.
The softness of the Pro V1 becomes more evident as you move to the shorter clubs, wedges and putter. Moreover, the softness is comparable to something like the Callaway Chrome Soft, which I think is interesting since there’s a larger deviation there with previous iterations.
Where should you buy these balls online?
New
If you’re looking to buy new 2021 Pro V1 balls online, there are plenty of places to look including Amazon, Global Golf, Rock Bottom Golf, and the Titleist store.
At the time of writing, Rock Bottom Golf has the best price, but the disadvantage is that you can only select the low numbers 1-4. Note that prices are subject to change and can be influenced by things like promotions.
Used
If you’re not buying new, I strongly recommend getting recycled 2021 Pro V1 balls with condition ratings of AAA or above.
AAA can be considered “good” quality, AAAA can be considered “near mint”, and AAAAA can be considered “like new”. A or AA rating balls can have damage that might affect the trajectory or the distance.
You can save quite a bit of money this way — especially if you’re buying in bulk — and you enjoy practically the same performance.
Arguably the best place to find such deals online would be eBay. Be sure to give the listings there a look.
Conclusion
Low spin off the tee, big distance, softness, and controllability around the greens are the best ways to describe the 2021 Pro V1. It does indeed manage to deliver the same, if not slightly better, performance than previous iterations.
The Pro V1 maintains the performance benchmark that Titleist has set for decades with their golf balls. But compared with other modern golf balls from other manufacturers, I think that the gap has largely closed, with many balls offering comparable performance from tee to green.
The appeal of the Pro V1 continues to be reliable, dependable performance, a stellar reputation, and the endorsements it enjoys from so many Tour pros. If your swing speed is high enough and you prefer the Titleist brand, they’re a must-try.
Thanks for reading this review. Have you hit the 2021 Pro V1 balls yet? What do you think? Go ahead and leave a comment below with your thoughts and experiences.
