Balls

Wilson Duo Balls Blend Performance, Value

The new Wilson DUO golf balls for 2020 cover all the performance bases for players across the ability board, and do it in vibrant color … or traditional white, if that’s the way you roll.

DUO Optix

Built with a smaller core and designed with a semi-translucent highly visible and colorful matte cover, the new DUO Optix packs more distance and is even brighter to ensure a can’t miss ball that always stands out.

Featuring a soft, highly resilient polybutadiene core, the DUO Optix gives players exceptional feel and straighter shots from tee to green.

DUO Soft+

The DUO Soft+ is a premium two-piece golf ball featuring an all-new core technology, Velociticor. This technology uses advanced materials to extract and amplify every ounce of power from a player’s swing, which gives golfers greater distance with every shot.

“DUO Soft+ was engineered to give players the ideal blend of longer distances and exceptional feel,” said Frank Simonutti, Global Director of Golf Ball Innovaton.

“In our testing of DUO Soft+, the Wilson LABS team found that when using a driver, the initial velocity of the ball increased by two miles per hour.

The ball comes with 35 compression, giving golfers a ball that not only flies farther but one that provides the desired feel and touch around the course. It’s available in standard gloss white.

DUO Optix and DUO Soft+ are available Jan. 27.

$19.99 per dozen for both | www.wilson.com

Srixon Rolls Out New Q-Star Golf Ball

Srixon has announced the launch of the fifth generation Q-Star golf ball, available in Pure White and Tour Yellow on June 28.

“The new Q-Star maintains the high-quality performance that consumers have come to expect with this golf ball,” said Jeff Brunski, Vice President of Research and Development. “We’ve enhanced this generation with the new FastLayer Core to drive more ball speed and distance from Q-Star.”

The all-new FastLayer Core starts soft in the center and gradually becomes firmer around its outer edge. By incorporating this technology in the all-new Q-Star, FastLayer helps generate maximum distance, without sacrificing that exceptional feel at impact.

FastLayer works in tandem with Q-StarR’s 338 Speed Dimple Pattern, which reduces drag for a more penetrating ball flight, to help deliver more distance off the tee regardless of the playing conditions.

Furthermore, the new Q-Star golf balls feature Srixon’s proprietary Spin Skin technology with Slide-Ring Material (SeRM), a urethane compound that coats the cover of every Q-Star golf ball.

Spin Skin with SeRM digs deep into wedge and iron grooves, dramatically increasing friction at impact and maximizing spin for more stopping power on every shot.

“With the addition of the new FastLayer Core and Spin Skin with SeRM, the latest generation of Q-Star golf balls deliver superior, all-around performance compared against similar offerings in the market,” said Brunski.

Based in Huntington Beach, CA, Srixon is part of the Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. family and enjoys a strong presence on competitive tours worldwide. The professional staff includes players such as Hideki Matsuyama, Graeme McDowell, Keegan Bradley, Inbee Park, as well as many others.

$26.99 per dozen | www.srixon.com

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Golf Equipment: 2019 Balls

The story for 2019 balls? The big boys make incremental, but impressive, changes, and those with a bit less name recognition, but their own eye-popping (and distance-grabbing) technology continue to impress as well. Our sleeve-worthy selection:

ON CORE AVANT, ELIXR & GENIUS

Since this company bolted onto the golf scene about a decade ago, they’ve pushed the golf ball envelope — first with their hollow metal core original ball, more recently with their Avant 55 (compression) mega-soft ball and newest ball, the Elixr, which is designed for lower-handicap players.

“Avant is is the low compression ball, super soft, two-piece, priced right — anywhere from low 20s to $24 a dozen,” said Steve Coulton, OnCore co-founder and director of sales. “ The new version of Elixr we’re launching includes lime green matte finishes — a lot of good stuff.”

Even better, potentially, and even more earth-shaking, is OnCore’s planned Genius ball which, said Coulton, they’re hoping to launch this summer. It certainly promoses to be the smartest golf ball in history, incorporating GPS technology in its core to give the most complete speed, height and spin data available.

“We’re doing something different with the hollowness — it’ll be strong enough to protect the electronics,” Coulton said. “It’ll have GPS, Bluetooth, accelerometer, magnetometer, all within the circuit board. And a proprietary algorithm that will make sense of all that data feeding from the ball.”

How far will data travel? “Within Bluetooth range. You’ll get your GPS from your phone after you hit it, but when you get up to the ball it will port over the data via Bluetooth. There’s a passive mode if you don’t want to look at your data every hole. You can check it after the round. It’s designed to be unobtrusive — play your round of golf but get insights you’d normally have to get on a driving range with a launch monitor. We’re putting the launch monitor into the golf ball, drastically reduce the price and allow you to play out on the course.”

On-board ball speed, swing speed, elevation weren’t originally in the design. “Initially we were thinking GPS for location, but the way electronics have shrunk, we can put a lot more in the ball. You’ll get just about everything you get in a launch monitor.”

Coulton said that yes, the four-layer ball will obviously be more expensive, especially if you figure in the planned online subscription that will open up all of its capabilities. “We are thinking a two-ball pack, and if you want certain premium packages you could do a monthly subscription on the app. Basic features are provided, but if you want a coach to analyze the data, you can pay extra. We want to keep the price of the ball down so everyone can use it, but you can get more through the app.”

But wait there’s more: Something called “Smart Blades,” which will display data from the Genius Ball right before your very eyes. Hey, you can talk to your watch a la Dick Tracy and put the world’s information in your pocket, so why not?

www.oncoregolf.com

Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x Debut In Yellow

For the first time ever, Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls are rockin’ a new color: high optic yellow.

Following a successful seeding and validation period on the PGA Tour, the new 2019 Pro V1 and Pro V1x Yellow golf balls will be available in golf shops beginning Friday, March 15. They can also be personalized at My Titleist on Titleist.com.

The introduction of a high-visibility yellow color option to the Pro V1 family answers the growing demand from members of Team Titleist and golfers around the world.

Pro V1 and Pro V1x Yellow first appeared on the PGA Tour in late January at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, where Bubba Watson put a 2019 Pro V1x Yellow immediately in play.

“I’m loving the new Pro V1x Yellow. When the R&D guys sent me the first batch of them for testing, I couldn’t wait to get them in play,” said Watson, who currently leads the PGA Tour’s average driving distance category at 316.6 yards. “I played some really good golf with the [prior generation] Pro V1x, but it’s clear the 2019 ball is even better. It’s faster, I can work the ball exactly how I want, and the short game performance is as good as ever. The ball feels great, plus there’s just something about that bright yellow finish where I feel like I can see it better. For me it was a no brainer.”

On Sunday, Kirk Triplett, playing Pro V1x Yellow, eagled the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the PGA Tour Champions’ Hoag Classic, marking the first victory for a Pro V1 or Pro V1x Yellow golf ball on the worldwide professional tours.

Pro V1 and Pro V1x Yellow models have also been played on the PGA Tour by Kyle Jones (Pro V1x) and Rory Sabbatini (Pro V1x), on the Web.Com Tour by Scott Gutschewski (Pro V1) and Zac Blair (Pro V1x), and on PGA Tour Champions by Mark Calcavecchia (Pro V1x) and Ken Tanigawa (Pro V1).

Faster from core to cover, new Pro V1 and Pro V1x Yellow have been precisely engineered to deliver the same performance improvements as their 2019 counterparts – delivering more ball speed and lower long game spin for more distance, while retaining the consistent flight, drop-and-stop short game control, soft feel and long-lasting durability that golfers depend on.

Pro V1 provides optimal flight and spin for most golfers, flying lower than Pro V1x with a penetrating trajectory, with very soft feel. Pro V1x flies higher, spins more on iron shots and has a slightly firmer feel.

Playing a properly fit golf ball will help golfers shoot lower scores. The Titleist golf ball selection tool starts the fitting process by suggesting a recommended and alternative ball for golfers to test on the golf course. Link: .

www.titleist.com | Pro V1 Yellow | Pro V1x Yellow

TaylorMade TP5 Pix Ball Sports New Look

TaylorMade Golf Company has rolled out new TP5 Pix golf balls, optically designed using advanced visual technology to offer more visibility.

THE GENESIS OF TP5 PIX

The fastest growing segment for TaylorMade in the golf ball category is non-white (traditional) product. Golfers’ growing trend toward playing a golf ball that allows for a different look has also opened the door to improving visual performance and visual technology through the use of machinery that has never before been used in the space.

Pix, derived from “pixelated,” was designed following extensive research with partners at Indiana University, the same team the company has used for a multitude of projects including TaylorMade’s most recent putter line, Spider X, which features the all-new True Path alignment system that was optically engineered to help golfers visualize the intended target line for improved putting accuracy.

Pix is easier to see than a normal white golf ball. The human eye processes lighter colors more efficiently when it’s darker and darker colors when it’s lighter. It’s this phenomenon that led designers to the two-color design of TP5 Pix. Whereas most competitive products have only one color within a single image or shape, TP5 Pix’s unique design features 2 colors within one shape, further enhancing visibility and delivering a product that’s easy to see, regardless of the time of play during the day. Producing this shape requires a unique, one-of-a-kind printing machine which has taken more than 18 months to design and develop.

In almost every sport involving a ball, the ball itself delivers immediate feedback – such as a baseball’s spin out of the pitcher’s hand. The larger contrast graphics of TP5 Pix allow golfers to see how much overall and side spin is generated around the green. Pix’s unique pattern with 12 evenly-spaced images allows the product to show spin when putting and chipping. The feedback the ball provides allows the golfer to immediately see the amount of spin being generated and the direction of that spin on shots on and around the green.

“White, round and sits on the ground is no longer the norm for golf balls. Visual technology has given us the opportunity to not only change the appearance of the golf ball but also allows for players to see immediate feedback where spin matters most – on and around the greens,” said Mike Fox, Category Director, Golf Balls & Accessories

To contest wear and smearing of the graphics on TP5 (and TP5x), engineers used under coating printing — the same process the TaylorMade logo and TP5 side stamp goes through to ensure the performance features of the shapes will last as long as possible.

THE PERFORMANCE OF TP5 PIX

The ball’s new Speed-Layer System is comprised of four increasingly stiff layers, featuring a new material called HFM, the fastest material TaylorMade has ever used — a tightly wound spring that, when compressed, generates more rebound energy for more ball speed. The tightly wound spring characteristic of HFM also increases the force on the driver face, further increasing the speed of the golf ball when it leaves the driver face.

TRI-FAST CORE

The Tri-Fast Core consists of an extra-large, low-compression inner core (16 compression in TP5 Pix, the exact same as TP5) and a progressively stiffer outer core and mantle. The combination of these three layers work in conjunction to create lower drag and increased carry. The Tri-Fast Core delivers breakthrough iron performance by achieving maximum carry, giving golfers of nearly every swing speed (over 60 MPH) choosing less clubs into the green.

DUAL-SPIN COVER

The Dual-Spin Cover boasts an ultra-soft cast urethane cover and a 30 percent more rigid inner cover. This system creates a condition that is ideal for greenside control, as the rigid inner cover forces the soft urethane cover into wedge grooves for maximum spin generation.

Additional enhancements in the 2019 TP5 and TP5x models includes a new Soft-Tough cast urethane cover. In order to achieve improved scuff resistance, shear resistance, and overall durability, the new cover features a cast urethane compound and new paint formulation to help each ball feel better and last longer.

TP5 Pix is available March 22.

TaylorMadeGolf.com | Check the price on Amazon!

Golfballs.com Makes AlignXL A True Game Improver

Golfballs.com is an online force to be reckoned with, offering virtually every brand of ball on the market with a wealth of customization capabilities.

Now of them is AlignXL — a durable, Tour-proven golf ball alignment aid printed halfway around the golf ball.

According to golfballs.com, AlignXL will take your game to the next level by giving you the ultimate visibility to your golf ball alignment both on the green and the tee.

And gone are the days of the messy markers that rub off after one stroke. It’s available free on select golf balls from golf’s top brands.

Golfballs.com has combined 20 years of golf customization experience with the demands of golf’s very best players to create a golf ball alignment aid that truly helps improve every golfer’s game.

www.golfballs.com.

Srixon Updates Z-Star Series Golf Ball

Srixon has launched the sixth generation Z-Star Series golf ball featuring the all-new FastLayer Core, which starts soft in the center and gradually becomes firmer around its edge — enhancing ball speed for maximum distance performance while maintaining exceptional feel at impact.

The new Z-Star balls feature new Spin Skin technology with Slide-Ring Material (SeRM), a urethane compound that digs deep into club grooves, dramatically increasing friction and maximizing spin for more control and more stopping power on every shot.

“Engineered for more spin and control, the Z-Star Series features a Spin Skin coating enhanced with SeRM, an extremely flexible material,” said Jeff Brunski, Vice President of Research and Development. “Never before has Srixon combined so many technologies in one golf ball, to produce more friction for more spin around the green.”

The 338 Speed Dimple Pattern on each Z-Star Series golf ball improves overall aerodynamics for better flight performance, even in the toughest wind conditions, with drivers, woods and irons.

The softer urethane cover and Spin Skin with SeRM significantly increases greenside spin for more short game control. It features a four-piece construction with a smaller inner core and larger outer core for more distance off the tee.

“The new Z-Star XV is hotter off the driver,” said four-time Tour winner Keegan Bradley. “It’s definitely longer with my irons as well. So, it’s a ball that’s going to help you throughout the entire bag.”

The Z-Star XV employs a three-piece construction and slightly increased compression with a harder mantle layer for more ball speed, reduced spin and more distance.

All balls are available in North America on Feb. 1.

$39.99 | www.srixon.com

TaylorMade Rolls Out New TP5 and TP5x Golf Balls

TaylorMade has announced the release of its “significantly enhanced” 2019 TP5 and TP5x golf ball models highlighted by its new High-Flex Material.

Research into driver and ball interaction at the moment of impact along with the development of a new material (HFM) has, says Eric Loper, Director of Golf Ball R&D, “given us the ability to more efficiently convert compression into speed, at any swing speed.” The new Speed-Layer System (SLS) controls spin rates critical for driver, iron and wedge performance.

The key to achieving enhanced speed without impacting other areas of performance comes down to the ability to weave the new (HFM) within TaylorMade’s proprietary five-layer ball construction. In balls with three or four layers, manufacturers are unable to utilize a soft core AND maintain high ball velocities.

With the 2019 TP5 and TP5x, speed and spin are effectively decoupled—which enables an incredibly soft core to be “wrapped” by increasingly stiff materials, creating a Speed-Layer System with each outer layer getting progressively faster.

Based on initial player testing with the 2019 TP5 and TP5x, top Tour players are experiencing speeds they’ve never seen before. During a recent testing session, Jon Rahm (who averages 177-179 mph ball speed with driver) was seeing numbers upward of 186 mph with an average of around 182.5 mpg. Additional TaylorMade staff professionals also experienced noticeable gains in ballspeed at a recent testing session across high, mid and lower swing speeds.

Additional enhancements in the 2019 TP5 and TP5x models includes a new Soft-Tough cast urethane cover. In order to achieve improved scuff resistance, shear resistance, and overall durability, the new cover features a cast urethane compound and new paint formulation to help each ball feel better and last longer.

With the improved cover durability, new HFM material, and TaylorMade’s proprietary 5-layer design, TP5 and TP5x are able to produce optimal flight, velocity, and control regardless of which model golfers prefer to play.

While both new ball models deliver significant distance off the tee, the TP5 has a softer feel (85 compression), launches lower on iron shots and has more spin around the greens (+300 compared to TP5x at 100 yards & +200 at 30 yards) while the TP5x has a firmer feel (97 compression) and will generate higher launching iron shots. TaylorMade staffers anticipated to play the TP5 are Rory McIlroy and Beau Hossler, while Rahm, Dustin Johnson and Jason Day will expectedly gravitate toward the TP5x model.

The balls go on retail sale on February 15.

$44.99 per dozen | TaylorMadeGolf.com.

New Srixon Soft Feel Golf Ball Now Available

A new version of the affordable, popular Srixon Soft Feel golf ball is now available in white and yellow.

Now in its 11th generation, Srixon engineered the latest iteration of the Soft Feel specifically for golfers wanting to maximize distance and control with exceptional feel. Featuring a soft cover, innovative core, and upgraded dimple pattern, the Soft Feel delivers all-around performance from tee to green.

“The all-new Soft Feel was designed to help players maximize their distance off the tee, while providing even better feel and control,” said Jeff Brunski, Vice President of Research and Development, in a company press release. “The latest generation of Soft Feel accomplishes this goal offering a lower compression ball for incredible distance, but a softer cover to provide that greenside performance all players crave. The Soft Feel provides all-around performance at an incredible value which really separates this golf ball from the rest.”

The key technologies inside the new Soft Feel include:

Energetic Gradient Growth Core. Soft Feel’s core technology provides a high-launch, low spin trajectory off the tee for added distance with an ultra-soft feel.
Soft, Thin Cover. The softer, thinner cover promotes more greenside spin and a softer feel on all pitches, chips and putts.
338 Speed Dimple Pattern. The upgraded dimple pattern reduces drag and cuts through the wind for more accuracy and consistency on every shot.

srixon.com | Check the price on Amazon!

Volvik Vivid Golf Balls Add New Colors

The Volvik Vivid golf balls line is now even brighter with four new colors: jade, blue, purple and black. The popularity of the new colors already is in full swing as evidenced by the immediate strong response.

“This latest expansion of our Vivid line has had a robust result very quickly,” said Don Shin, president of Volvik USA. “Golfers of every ability level are aware of the high performance qualities of Volvik golf balls, and the addition of these four new colors represents an even wider choice for players.”

The new Volvik colors lead the way for new market trends while maintaining the same top quality that provides golfers with superior performance, power and distance.

The new jade Volvik Vivid golf balls were introduced at the Volvik LPGA Championship, played May 24-27 at Travis Pointe Country Club, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to an enthusiastic reception. The Vivid black balls were introduced in Volvik’s limited-edition Skull packs in the spring; they are being sold by the dozen for a limited time beginning July 1. The jade, blue and purple Vivid balls are available for purchase now.

The Volvik Vivid line is the world’s first and best-selling matte-finish three-piece golf ball, with a 75 compression and a larger core for more distance. The unique SF matte coating provides aerodynamic consistency and higher trajectory. Golfers experience the ultimate in distance – with softer feel and greater energy transfer from the highly resilient power core – as well as higher greenside spin for accurate pin control.

With over 38 years of golf ball production, Volvik has led the way with unparalleled innovation, rapidly becoming one of the most significant and trusted golf ball manufacturers in the world. Volvik is dedicated to the production of specialized 3- and 4-piece multi-layer high performance golf balls for players of every skill set, featuring 58 worldwide patents. Volvik’s patented SF matte coating has led to the development of Vivid, the world’s first matte finish golf ball.

Volvik’s product line portfolio has been in use on the world’s professional tours since 2012. Players using Volvik golf balls have earned millions of dollars in prize money on the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour, Champions Tour, Web.com Tour, Ladies European Tour, LAGT and Symetra Tour, with multiple victories. The Volvik Vivid XT is the official golf ball of the World Long Drive Association tour, and Volvik is the title sponsor of the Volvik World Long Drive Championship. The Vivid XT provides high visibility from Volvik’s patented SF matte coating, and explosive distance and power from its patented dual core technology.

volvik.com | Check the price on Amazon!