- Updated: January 2, 2023
Titleist AVX vs. Pro V1 & Pro V1x
In short, the Titleist AVX got its name after being designed and launched as an “Alternative premium ball to the Pro V1 and Pro V1x.”
Players seeking a lower, more penetrating ball flight than the “mid-flight” Pro V1 and “high-flight” Pro V1x with less spin on long game shots for more distance and the softest feeling Titleist has ever created now have a premium option in the Titleist AVX ball.
The Titleist Pro V1 already has a wildly famous reputation in the golfing world, with most players recognizing it as the leader in the “premium golf balls” space. Still, you might be tired of accepting Titleist’s claim that the Pro V1 or Pro V1x is “optimal for most golfers” and want to be sure if you’re spending the money on premium golf balls that they are benefiting the aspects you need most on the golf course.
To remain consistent with Titleist and other golf ball manufacturers’ long-standing “ball fitting criteria,” our breakdown below will primarily discuss the differences between the Pro V1, Pro V1x, and AVX’s ball flights, spin profiles, and feel provided off the face after contact.
Be sure to stick around to the end of our article, where we discuss our opinion on what type of player will benefit from each of the three premium Titleist golf ball models.
Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x Explained:
It would be difficult to explain how the Titleist AVX is an alternative to the Pro V1 and Pro V1x without explaining those first, so in its simplest form, the Pro V1x is Titleist’s highest launching, highest spinning, and firmest feeling premium golf ball. At the same time, the Pro V1 is Titleists more penetrating trajectory, slightly less spinning, softer feeling premium golf ball by comparison.
The Titleist Pro V1 and X are by all accounts the “No. 1 Balls in Golf,” as the company claims. Over 70% of PGA and LPGA Tour players use a Pro V1 or the Pro V1x in weekly professional competitions, and the Pro V1 has long been the best-selling ball in retail markets.
Titleist Pro V1x
To begin, we’ll discuss the premium Titleist ball on the opposite end of the spin, ball flight, and feeling range of the AVX, the Pro V1x.
Titleist designed the Pro V1x to have the highest ball flight, highest spin, and firmest feel in a premium ball that they offer.
The Pro V1x is a four-piece golf ball, unlike the three-piece Pro V1, but shares the same reformulated “fast casing layer” that wraps around the core to add ball speed while lowering long game spin and the same updated softer cast urethane elastomer cover for increased greenside spin for more control over players short game.
The Pro V1x differs from the Pro V1 in its core designs and dimple pattern. The Pro V1x features a “2.0 ZG Process Dual Core” designed to be a bit softer to increase compression for more distance. Additionally, the Pro V1x features a “348 tetrahedral dimple design” that was specifically designed to provide better performance with the Pro V1x’s higher ball flight.
Compared to the Pro V1, the Pro V1x will fly higher and achieve peak height farther down range from players. This results in greater carry distances across the board, a steeper angle of descent, and less roll than a Pro V1.
Having the most long game spin of the three models we’re comparing today, the Pro V1x is more susceptible to wind manipulation off the tee and with longer approach shots than the Pro V1 and especially the AVX.
That being said, the Pro V1x has the highest spin rates in every category of the three different balls, so players with lackluster stopping power on shots into greens will see the best results with the Pro V1x.
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Titleist Pro V1
As a middle ground between the performance profiles of the Pro V1x and AVX golf balls lies the iconic Titleist Pro V1.
Titleist describes the Pro V1 as their “flagship product that sits as the centerpiece of our premium performance line.”
The Pro V1 was designed to fit into the majority of players’ bags with a mid-level ball flight, lower long game spin than the Pro V1x, equally high short game spin, and a softer feeling to users.
As we described previously, most of the golf ball architecture between the Pro V1x and Pro V1 is the same, but the cores and dimple designs vary significantly, leading to their differing performance.
The Pro V1 features a “2.0 ZG Process Solid Core” designed to be a bit softer for slightly easier compression leading to more distance and a softer feeling ball for users.
A softer core alone would cause players to lose speed, so to combat this, Titleist uses their “high-flex casing layer” taken from the higher compression Pro V1x Left Dash to retain speed while simultaneously lowering long game spin.
To increase short game spin and provide a softer feel compared to older Pro V1 generations, Titleist uses the same revamped soft cast urethane cover material used on the newest generation of Pro V1x. This cover design is the softest cover formulation ever used on Pro V1 or Pro V1x balls.
The Pro V1 features 388 spherically tiled “tetrahedral dimples” in a pattern designed for longer and more consistent ball flights with the mid level trajectory of the Pro V1.
Having less long game spin than the Pro V1x, the Pro V1 is less susceptible to wind disturbance off the tee and with long irons.
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Titleist AVX Explained:
Now that you have a complete understanding of the two leading premium golf balls Titleist makes in the Pro V1x and Pro V1, where does the AVX fit into the equation?
Titleist AVX golf balls were designed to achieve a performance profile at the other end of the spectrum from Pro V1x while still maintaining a moderate amount of short game control.
Where the Pro V1x is the firmest feeling, highest-flying, and highest spinning ball in all regards, the AVX is the softest feeling, the lowest flying, and has a lower spin rate in every department. Additionally, the Pro V1x is the highest compression premium golf ball Titleist makes, and the AVX has the lowest compression rating by comparison.
Titleist designed the AVX for golfers seeking more distance and a lower ball flight in every part of their game with the softest feel they’ve ever created.
Titleist AVX golf balls achieve their incredibly soft feel through an upgraded soft cast urethane elastomer cover system and an updated larger core.
While the AVX shares a lot of looks similar to the Pro V1 and Pro V1x (in the premium shade of colors and alignment line), the core of the AVX is much different from the other models.
The AVX has a “graduated core” that gets progressively firmer towards its shell. The core is wrapped in a high-flex casing layer for more ball speed and less spin on long irons and approaches. This design creates a softer feeling ball while maintaining low long game spin for the least amount of wind interference with the lowest trajectory and increased distance.
Lastly, a new 348 tetrahedral catenary dimple pattern was designed explicitly for the low-flight window of AVX. Titleist says the updated pattern with seven unique dimple sizes is longer and more consistent than the previous AVX golf ball model.
In closing, the AVX has the lowest ball flight, softest feel, and lowest long game spin compared to the Pro V1x and Pro V1, but it still performs around the greens at a level of a premium ball.
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Which Ball Should You Play?
Using what we’ve discussed in our breakdown today, we know each of the three golf balls is built for players seeking different types of performance.
Titleist Pro V1x
The Pro V1x launches the highest, has the most carry distance, spins the most in both the long game and short game, and feels the firmest.
Players confident in their ball-striking ability and ability to control spin should have no problem playing the Pro V1x. Golfers struggling with a low ball flight and not enough spin to hold greens should experiment with the Pro V1x, which should help fix those issues naturally.
Additionally, the Pro V1x has the highest compression rating between itself, the Pro V1, and the AVX, making it suitable for faster swing speed players.
Titleist Pro V1
The Pro V1 has a more mid level launch, spins less in the long game and incrementally less in the short game than the Pro V1x, and feels softer in direct comparison.
Players seeking a lower, more controllable ball flight, more moderate long game spin, and a softer feel than the Pro V1x with the roughly same exceptional greenside spin have consistently chosen the Pro V1 for over two decades.
After our research, we’d have to agree with Titleists claim that the Pro V1 will provide optimal flight and spin profiles for the majority of golfers. Its compression rating of 87 is directly between the higher Pro V1x and lower AVX making it suitable for most all swing speeds.
Titleist AVX
The AVX launches the lowest, maintains the lowest ball flight, spins the least off the tee and with long irons, maintains a moderate amount of spin greenside (the least of the three models), and feels the softest out of every model in the “Premium Titleist Golf Ball” market.
The AVX provides players with a lower and flatter trajectory that naturally removes spin. This produces a better “launch window” for players, resulting in more optimal stopping power in terms of angle of descent and iron spin with extra added distance. This means the AVX can be a fantastic fit for players who tend to launch the ball too high or generate too much spin on their iron and with their wedges.
This also means players who struggle to play in windy conditions or need help controlling spin with shots into the wind will benefit from the lower trajectory, controllable ball flight, and lower spin the AVX provides off the tee and with longer irons.
Suppose you still aren’t sure which ball is right for you. In that case, Titleist has a tremendous Virtual Golf Ball Fitting Tool on their site, and even more, you can schedule a free Live 1-on-1 Video Chat with a Fitting Expert through Titleist to get further personalized golf ball recommendations.
About The Author
Writers of Independent Golf Reviews
Independent Golf Reviews has tested and reviewed 1000+ golf products over the past 10 years. We use our experience and expertise to give golfers an unbiased insight on the market.
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