Inside Tour Validation for the New Pro V1 and Pro V1x

By Rick V., Team Titleist Staff On 22 October 2020 Balls Tour Video

For tour players, switching golf balls is a decision that’s not taken lightly. It requires hours of detailed examination, testing, comparison and validation.  On tour, the man chiefly responsible for guiding the world’s best through this process is Fordie Pitts, Tour Consultant for Golf Ball R&D.

Pitts is on the road more than 30 weeks out of the year, traveling to stops on numerous tours and working closely with players, acting as a liaison between them and Titleist product development teams back in Fairhaven, Mass. Fordie's mission is a microcosm of the Titleist mission - to ensure players on the PGA TOUR are outfitted with the best performing golf ball products in the game.

The current stage in the Pro V1 development process (publication on the USGA’s List of Conforming Golf Balls and player validation of the final models)  has the feel of a crossing the finish line, but in fact, it’s just one phase in a perpetual cycle of examination, testing, data collection, feedback gathering, communication, prototype development, re-testing, validation, and constant performance monitoring. 

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We were interested in knowing a bit more about this important step for new Pro V1 and Pro V1x, so we reached out to Fordie and he provided the following insights:

TEAM TITLEIST: What is the reaction on tour to the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x?

FORDIE PITTS: Validating our golf balls on tour is one of my favorite steps in the process. Players are always excited to test new Pro V1 and Pro V1x and they typically want to know how we could possibly make the best ball in the game even better.

I love seeing a players reaction when they hit the ball for the first time and nothing makes me happier than when a players asks, “Can I put this in play today?”.

Scroll through the gallery below for an up-close look at the tour validation process for the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls.

Earlier this year, Fordie Pitts visited Titleist...
Earlier this year, Fordie Pitts visited Titleist brand ambassador Jordan Spieth at Riviera Country Club... 1/29
...where they put the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x...
...where they put the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x models through their paces.2/29
On the practice tee...
On the practice tee...3/29
...on the course...
...on the course...4/29
...around the greens...
...around the greens...5/29
...and on the putting surfaces.
...and on the putting surfaces.6/29
You might think that all golf balls are the same...
You might think that all golf balls are the same when it comes to putting...7/29
...but for players like Jordan Spieth, putting...
...but for players like Jordan Spieth, putting provides critical feedback on sound and feel. When a golf ball sounds right and feels responsive coming off the putter face, it breeds confidence. 8/29
Because their golf senses are so finely tuned,...
Because their golf senses are so finely tuned, tour players are great sounding boards for evaluating feel throughout prototype testing. During final validation stages for Pro V1 and Pro V1x, it's imperative that players endorse the sound and feel of each model.9/29
After Riviera, it was off to the Titleist...
After Riviera, it was off to the Titleist Performance Institute in Oceanside, CA. Fordie came armed with white box prototypes of the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x, ready to work with several visiting players, including...10/29
...Titleist brand ambassadors Jimmy Walker, who...
...Titleist brand ambassadors Jimmy Walker, who took a keen interest in the new dimple designs on the test models...11/29
...Russell Henley, who wanted to see how the new...
...Russell Henley, who wanted to see how the new models would complement his preferred go-to shot - a low cut...12/29
...and Lanto Griffin, who was very happy with his...
...and Lanto Griffin, who was very happy with his 2019 Pro V1, but always eager to find a new competitive edge.13/29
Jimmy hit a number of drivers at Oceanside...
Jimmy hit a number of drivers at Oceanside...14/29
...validating the launch, spin and carry distance...
...validating the launch, spin and carry distance of the new Pro V1x...15/29
...as well as a collection of iron shots.
...as well as a collection of iron shots.16/29
Then he hit a variety of finesse wedge shots with...
Then he hit a variety of finesse wedge shots with the ball to test short game feel and performance.17/29
Lanto Griffin also launched some drivers,...
Lanto Griffin also launched some drivers, comparing the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x models.18/29
As Fordie discussed the design features with...
As Fordie discussed the design features with Lanto... 19/29
...Dino Antenucci, Manager of Golf Club promotion...
...Dino Antenucci, Manager of Golf Club promotion on the Korn Ferry Tour, captured Trackman launch data.20/29
Even small changes in launch angle, spin, ball...
Even small changes in launch angle, spin, ball speed and descent angle can result in big performance gains for players at this level.21/29
Control around the greens is a critical litmus...
Control around the greens is a critical litmus test for any new golf ball...22/29
...and the team made sure to examine every nuance...
...and the team made sure to examine every nuance in Lanto's short game.23/29
Russell Henley hit a number of tee shots for the...
Russell Henley hit a number of tee shots for the team, making sure the new Pro V1x could deliver the low cut he needs to rely on to find fairways under pressure.24/29
As Fordie told us, seeing how a golf ball performs...
As Fordie told us, seeing how a golf ball performs on mid- and long-iron shots can be an important yardstick in the validation process. The team took a long look at this phase of Russell's game, discussing the downrange peak height of the new Pro V1x, compared to his current Pro V1x model.25/29
Downrange peak has a correlation to the steepness...
Downrange peak has a correlation to the steepness of the ball's angle of descent. On tour, where long shots into small greens are common, this can spell the difference between an eagle or birdie putt... 26/29
...or a difficult pitch from short of the green or...
...or a difficult pitch from short of the green or long, over it. 27/29
The feedback that players like Russell, Jordan,...
The feedback that players like Russell, Jordan, Jimmy and Lanto provided during these sessions with Fordie was every bit as important as the shot data we collected with launch monitor technology. 28/29
This input from the world's best players...
This input from the world's best players validates that we're making meaningful improvements to Pro V1 or Pro V1x. And only with this final stamp of approval will we ever bring a new Pro V1 or Pro V1x to you. 29/29

TEAM TITLEIST: How do you determine what new performance enhancements you’ll bring to market?

FORDIE PITTS: You know, some of the things that we considered for the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x go back as far as a year, two years, three years ago. Some new materials and aerodynamic features go back even further, five years ago. It’s a never-ending process and we’re always looking at implementing new things.  When we find something we like, it may go into that very next product in development. Or we may hold it back a generation or two depending on how ready we are to incorporate it effectively.

TEAM TITLEIST: What does this final validation stage look like?

FORDIE PITTS: In final validation, we want to put players in a couple different scenarios where they have some targets to shoot at. We want to get on the golf course and make it a little more game-like. We don’t necessarily have to go through the whole bag, but we want to look at a few key clubs.

We want to look at a full wedge or short iron, where balls can get spinnier, and we’ll take a close look around the greens – how does it feel, how is coming off the face of the wedges on chips and pitches. We’ll also want to look at something longer, a mid- or long-iron, where guys may want to see a slightly different performance – are they getting proper flight? Is it high enough? If it’s too high, can they flight it down?

We’ll certainly look at driver to see what kind of gains they make in distance and control. For players at this level, little, subtle differences can make a big difference.

TEAM TITLEIST: How big of a consideration is distance for tour players in choosing a golf ball.

FORDIE PITTS: We’re always trying to build distance into our golf balls and for these guys distance is important, too. But it’s not the be-all, end-all. You have to balance distance with proper performance. You know, we could keep pulling spin out of the golf ball and guys would be hitting these mini-fliers, but that’s not going to help them play better. Striking that balance of low spin but enough spin is really what will help them score their best.

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Thanks very much, Fordie. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more news on the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x and what players are saying about the new models. 

#TeamTitleist