25 Years of Titleist Pro V1 - The Hackers Paradise

It’s that time once again, starting today the newest iteration of the Pro V1 and Pro V1x will be hitting the PGA Tour making their debut at the Las Vegas event. However, this year has a little more “special” to it, not in terms of what the new versions of the most used ball on Tour but rather the fact that this marks 25 years of the Pro V1 for Titleist.

Titleist Pro V1 – 25 Years of Innovation

Present day, we know the dominant force that is the Pro V1 lineup of golf balls but the fact that 25 years ago Titleist truly changed the game is something worth looking back on for such an anniversary. It is apropos that the newest version is going to hit the PGA Tour in Las Vegas, as that is where it all started back in 2000 at the Invensys Classic.

On that October day, one of the most exciting sights for any golf nerd took place as those secretive all white boxes were passed out amongst the Tour players. Titleist arrived at the event with 60 dozen golf balls expecting 20-25 players to put them into play, instead 47 players teed up the revolutionary golf ball.

Not only was this the biggest single equipment change/shift in PGA Tour history but it kicked off the beginning of a dominance that has continued to this day. That weekend however, not only was the Pro V1 put into 47 players bags but it ended in a 1-2 finish with Billy Andrade taking the win:

“I remember I was not having a very good year entering that event,” said Andrade. “I was around 160th on the money list and there were only a few events left. I had already sent my check in for Qualifying School. I was desperate. I vividly remember the first time I put it into play during a practice round. The ball was 20 yards longer than the Tour Prestige that I was playing at the time. I chalked some of it up to altitude but the distance, in addition to the overall performance of the ball, was like nothing I had ever played.”

The success, as well as buzz, was so intense and immediate that Titleist moved up the release date a full four months to get the golf ball in stores as soon as possible. This was the first time that Titleist had combined their knowledge into one golf ball with large-core technology meeting multi-layers and an elastomer urethane cover. This immediately made the wound, liquid-core golf balls that had been the trend, obsolete. Allowing massive distance gains while maintaining short game spin, the Pro V1 changed everything for Titleist.

One thing that tends to get lost with time is just how the Pro V1 became dominant so quickly, offering a level of distance that the previous professional golf balls couldn’t even dream of. By June of 2001 the Pro V1 had multiple tournament scoring records under its belt, not to mention multiple major championships.

However, as we all know, Titleist has not rested on their laurels when it comes to the Pro V1. Titleist has continued to build upon on the foundation that the original set forth with each new iteration, using new breakthrough technology to take things further than ever imagined. Over the years, every aspect of the Pro V1 has changed and evolved, as well as Titleist introducing the Pro V1x into the fold offering an even lower spin tee and iron option.

The Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x have been the most played, successful and best selling golf balls at every level of competitive golf. In fact, present day over 70% of the PGA Tour and 76% of the LPGA Tour play a version of the Pro V1. So, as we enter the 25th year of the line, rest assured that the 14th (Pro V1) and 12th (Pro V1x) versions seek to continue to evolve that dominance for many years to come. Naturally, THP will have all the info on the new versions when the time comes but not quite yet, so be sure to stay tuned for more.

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