#1 Ball For Your Game

All players want a golf ball that performs well for their game. Playing the best performing golf ball will help you shoot your best scores. The only way to make sure you are playing the best ball for your game is to be fit for your golf ball.

The Titleist Approach

  • Titleist Performance Golf Ball Fitting focuses on lowering your score.
  • The best place to determine the best golf ball for your game is on a golf course.
  • Golf Ball Fitting is best conducted from green-to-tee, starting with scoring shots.

Tour players know that changing the golf ball changes every shot. When testing golf balls to find the best ball for their game, their performance evaluation focuses mainly on the scoring shots to the green. Additionally, their golf ball performance evaluation is done on a golf course. This same golf ball fitting process benefits all golfers.

Step One - Initial Selection

Talk to your local golf professional or use a Titleist golf ball selection tool*

*Answer a few questions to lead you to a recommended and alternative Titleist golf ball option.

Step Two - On Course Evaluation

  • Take the recommended and alternative golf balls to the golf course
  • Use the Evaluation Scorecard to compare both golf balls
  • Fit green-to-tee. For the best results, put more emphasis on shots to the green.
  • Be sure to execute all shots using both models.
  • Hit several different types of short shots to the green (chips, pitches, bunker) - comparing each shot for trajectory and spin.
  • Hit full long iron, hybrid and fairway shots and check for consistency and control to the green.
  • Finally, evaluate which ball performs
    best with the driver
section 4 image Driver
Shots
Full
Swing Shots
(Long Game)
Partial
Swing Shots
(Short Game)
  • Review the evaluation scorecard to determine which golf ball is best for your game.
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How important is the golf ball to my score?

There's only one piece of equipment you use on every shot: your golf ball. Every shot counts and so does your golf ball, yet we often hear golfers say they play "whatever is in my bag." Performance and quality differences between golf ball brands are game-changing, especially around the green. Playing with the same golf ball model every round eliminates this performance variation and will help you hit more greens in regulation and hit the ball closer to the pin to convert more putts. This is one of the first steps to developing a more consistent game.

Why are the scoring shots so important?

Titleist golf ball fitting prioritizes the short game shots as this is where you have the greatest opportunity to lower your score. Regardless of skill level, golfers hit their driver only 14 times per round. The vast majority of shots include approach shots, pitches and chips. For example, if you shoot an average score of 85, you will likely hit 37 shots to the green but only 14 drives. Pros and amateurs alike shoot their best rounds when they minimize the number of short game shots. So, select a golf ball that performs best for your scoring shots.

Shots per round based on average score

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Swing speed comparison

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What golf ball is best suited for my swing speed?

Ball fitting for swing speed is a myth. The golf ball simply reacts to the force applied at impact. At Titleist, we design golf balls to perform on every shot, not just the 14 drives you will likely hit in one round. For that reason, a golf ball must perform for all golfers of all swing speeds on all shots. If it doesn’t, it won’t perform for any golfer. Titleist golf balls perform for all swing speeds on all shots.

Should I play a golf ball with a lower compression if I don't compress it like a high swing speed player?

Every golfer compresses the golf ball on every shot. The differences in the amount of compression across driver swing speeds are virtually indistinguishable. There is a common misconception that a player must match the compression of the golf ball to his or her swing speed. No single element of golf ball design determines the golf ball’s performance or distance. Titleist Golf Ball R&D designs with multiple construction elements (such as core size, chemistry, hardness, number and type of intermediate layers, cover material and thickness, dimple design, etc.) to achieve specific golf ball performance characteristics. All of these elements work together to determine a golf ball’s performance. Compression is simply a result of this process and is a test of the relative softness of a golf ball which relates to how firm or soft a golf ball feels to a golfer. While there is no performance benefit to choosing a specific compression, many golfers (regardless of swing speed) do have feel preferences. Golfers who prefer softer feel may prefer lower compression golf balls.

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High Swing Speed Driver

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High/Mid Swing Speed Driver

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Moderate Swing Speed Driver

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Lower Swing Speed Driver

Driver distance between Titleist Models

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Should I play a golf ball that provides the longest distance?

All Titleist golf balls are long. Driver distances between Titleist golf balls are within 4-5 yards of each other, regardless of swing speed. Since you will only hit 14 drives per round, prioritizing a ball with the longest distance off the tee will not necessarily help you lower your score. Playing a golf ball with the best scoring performance will help you shoot lower scores.

How does spin affect my game?

Spin affects each shot you play. On long shots, low spin contributes to longer, straighter distance. On short shots and chips, more spin provides stopping power to hold greens. There are significant performance differences between golf ball models, particularly on the short game scoring shots. To shoot lower scores, golfers will benefit from a golf ball that provides excellent scoring spin, the spin and control needed to hit more greens and hit it closer to the pin with irons and wedges.

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From the Tee <500 RPM

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Around the green>1500 RPM

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Why does Titleist make different golf balls?

Golf ball performance is the result of a golf ball’s design and manufacturing quality, and includes distance, spin control and consistency. Pro V1 and Pro V1x offer the best performance in the game for all golfers. That’s why in Titleist Ball Fitting, Pro V1 or Pro V1x are recommended most often. Some golfers ask us, “So why are there other Titleist golf balls in your product line?” While all golfers want performance, some golfers’ preferences also influence their purchase decision. Feel, color, appearance (play numbers or markings), durability and price are all preferences. If the best performance drives your selection, we recommend Pro V1 and Pro V1x. If performance plus preference is part of your selection process, Titleist offers NXT Tour, NXT Tour S, Velocity and DT SoLo to meet different preference needs.

Best Scoring Performance

prov1
Best scoring performance for all golfers, very soft feel.
Pro V1 performance with low long game spin and higher flight
Softer arrow Longer
prov1x

Excellent Scoring Performance

nxttours
NXT Tour performance with softer feel
Excellent scoring performance exceeded only by Pro V1 and Pro V1x, and lower spin.
Softer arrow Longer
nxttour

Good Scoring Performance

dtsolo
Distinctly soft compression feel with long distance.
Fast ball speed and low spin for explosive distance.
Softer arrowLonger
velocity

Additional Resources

Scorecard PDF

Take the two Titleist golf ball models best suited for your game to the golf course for the on course evaluation process.

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Advanced Scorecard PDF

For an even more detailed on course evaluation, use this Advanced Scorecard along with your two recommended Titleist golf ball models.

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Golf Ball Selection Tool

Now that you understand Titleist's golf ball fitting methodology, it's time to go through the online interactive module to find your recommended and alternative Titleist golf ball models.

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