Equipment
Titleist AVX golf balls passed the test, are now available across the United States
Titleist’s AVX golf balls first came to retail as an experiment in three markets — Arizona, California and Florida — from October 2017 to January 2018. AVX (which stands for “Alternative to the V and X”) are three-piece golf balls made with urethane covers, and they’re made with a softer feel for more distance than the Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls.
After proving their worth to consumers, Titleist’s AVX golf balls are now available across the U.S. as of April 23, and they will sell for 47.99 per dozen (the same as Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls) in both white and optic yellow.
According to Michael Mahoney, the Vice President of Golf Ball Marketing for Titleist, the AVX is a member of the Pro V1 family. Here’s a basic understanding of the lineup:
- AVX: Softest, lowest trajectory, lowest spinning, less greenside spin and longest
- Pro V1x: Firmer than the Pro V1, highest spinning and highest trajectory
- Pro V1: Sits between the V1x and the AVX in terms of feel, spin and trajectory, and will appeal to most golfers
Different from the Pro V1 or Pro V1x, the AVX golf balls have a new GRN41 thermoset cast urethane cover to help the golf balls achieve the softer feel. Also, they have high speed, low compression cores, a new high-flex casing layer, and a new dimple design/pattern.
For in-depth tech info on the new AVX golf balls, how they performed in the test markets, and who should play the AVX golf balls, listen to our podcast below with Michael Mahoney, or click here to listen on iTunes.
See what GolfWRX Members are saying about the AVX golf balls
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- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
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Jeff
May 30, 2018 at 4:38 pm
sorry, AVX
Jeff
May 30, 2018 at 4:37 pm
So no one is playing the NVX on PGA Tour?
Ben Jones
May 7, 2018 at 6:56 pm
Give me the original Jack Nicklaus Golden Bear.
punny
May 5, 2018 at 11:30 pm
cool golf ball. Looks like all the tour guys are using it…….NOT!
CAROLINE
May 5, 2018 at 1:59 pm
Golf Digest I read today big article on Vice Golf BALLS…..HALF THE PRICE???? Never paid more then $49 a dozen for one dozen Prov’s..Vice Pro $34.95 if you want the same one dozen..is $34.95 half of $49?? ok buy 5 dozen I get them for $24.95? Never had to buy 5 dozen ProV’s to get the $49 price….
Nigel Kent
Apr 24, 2018 at 10:23 am
News hot off the wires ! T/Made are bringing out a new “S.G.F ” ball . The ” F” stands for “Floats on water” ! Don’t know yet what (or who) the initials “S.G.” stand for at this time .
Wiger Toods
Apr 24, 2018 at 5:19 am
So it’s the e5 at a higher price?
Really wish BS had stuck with a mid-price urethane…
Jamie
Apr 23, 2018 at 11:39 pm
Until 2017, the V1X was higher launch, lower spin than V1. Since 2017, it seems that V1 and V1X may have reversed.
Rich Douglas
Apr 23, 2018 at 10:05 pm
How is this ball materially different from the NXT Tour? It spins less than a ProV1 around the greens. It’s soft. Distance is the same. It’s priced below the ProV1, but it isn’t cheap.
Back to the Snell MTB.
Brian Forrester
Apr 24, 2018 at 10:04 am
I think you’re describing the Tour Soft (2 piece, surlyn cover), which is the equivalent of the NXT. The AVX is a 3-piece urethane ball and is priced the same as the ProV1 series.
youraway
Apr 23, 2018 at 9:00 pm
Played it, liked it for a short while, less green-side spin, and seems to lose distance after a couple rounds. Went back to my favorite, Bridgestone Tour RSX, two dozen for $70 promotional.
Jeff Stanley
Apr 23, 2018 at 7:42 pm
Why is golf equipment getting so expensive? Pretty soon average consumers won’t even be able to afford new equipment. Do Callaway, Ping, TM, Titleist, realize this or just not care? When I was in high school, which granted was 20 years ago, I bought a whole set (3-PW) of brand new Pings for $500. Now days that will buy me a driver and that’s it and you could buy a dozen Titleist tour balata balls new for half what these balls are going for. Way to go OEMs keep up the good work! Lol!
Rich Douglas
Apr 23, 2018 at 10:07 pm
Tell those kids to get off your lawn, too.
Prices reflect what the market will bear. For a less expensive ball that performs better than this one, try Snell, Vice, or any number of other brands.
Jack
Apr 23, 2018 at 10:49 pm
Or mg c4
Tigergor
Apr 24, 2018 at 9:18 am
I think you might find that golf clubs are cheaper, relatively speaking, in relation to earnings than they were 20ish years ago. I remember an article about this not too long ago.
The problem is consumerism and people believing that they need new clubs every season.
Hogan Fan
May 1, 2018 at 6:19 am
Exactly.
UH
Apr 24, 2018 at 11:17 am
Have you not noticed that the iPhone X costs $1000.
Golf clubs are at normal prices.
Look at gas prices. Normal.
Groceries and food – ridiculous. But related to the costs of everything else. This is where we are in the market, currently. Oh yeah, and look at the Stocks.
Jim
Apr 23, 2018 at 4:25 pm
AVX is Titleist’s Chrome Soft at a premium price. It’s a good ball, but not at $47 a dozen. Wait six months and they will be competitively priced, or they won’t sell many.
chris
Apr 24, 2018 at 7:25 am
I work in Florida at a CC and we sell the AVX more than any other ball.
Brian Forrester
Apr 24, 2018 at 10:07 am
A fool and his money are soon parted.
ButchT
May 5, 2018 at 10:09 am
Exactly how does a fool and his money get together in the first place?
Darryl
Jun 7, 2018 at 7:26 am
Inherits it, usually
peter collins
Apr 23, 2018 at 3:15 pm
You went to market getting one thing Wrong….the PRICE.
Shady Sean
Apr 23, 2018 at 3:11 pm
I choose not to subsidize tour player marketing by paying for overpriced golf equipment or attire.
Tony
Apr 23, 2018 at 2:16 pm
Total joke to price these balls like that. I’ll stick with Bridgestone E6 soft at 2 dozen for $50 thank you
~j~
Apr 23, 2018 at 2:11 pm
Shank.
Oh wait, already clicked that.
steve
Apr 23, 2018 at 2:02 pm
A 3-piece ball for $48? Titleist has lost their minds. You can get the same ball for $13 less per dozen. They believe that putting the word “Titleist” makes it worth $13 a dozen…
Titelist has lost its luster anyway. There’s a huge golf ball bubble about to burst….and Titleist is gonna feel the most pain. Absolutely outrageous price.
doug
Apr 23, 2018 at 4:45 pm
Copy that Steve. Usually play the Chrome Soft (and the simple, cheap but delightful SuperSoft in wetter conditions), but tried the new Titleist ‘Tour Soft’ to see what that was all about.
Seriously disappointed by that unit; not as good as the NXT Soft at all.
My word to sum up Titleist balls is ‘coarse’. They may work for the guys and gals who punish them for a living, but for the average Joe…too hard, too harsh, and way too expensive
Jeff Phelps
Apr 23, 2018 at 1:56 pm
Ripped off Callaway dimple pattern!
Jack Nash
Apr 23, 2018 at 1:58 pm
Dimples are still round but outside framing is angular. I can see what you mean though.
Jack Nash
Apr 23, 2018 at 1:50 pm
Basically this whole exercise is for Titleist intro of a high priced Yella Ball. I’ll stick with Chrome Soft Yella thankya
dat
Apr 23, 2018 at 1:41 pm
I’ll keep buying used ProVs which “amateur pros” hit in the woods on their first use.
Jeff Stanley
Apr 23, 2018 at 7:32 pm
That’s what I do as well. Just go on eBay and get 100 used for the price of 12 new. Golf equipment in general is getting way too expensive for the average consumer IMO.
James T
May 6, 2018 at 7:50 pm
That’s a good deal if you can stand all the weird and different logos that ruin the look and tidiness of the ball.
Skip
Apr 23, 2018 at 1:38 pm
I play the Pro V1 and have for years but I never buy new golf balls. Am I the only one that buys barely used 5A rated used balls online?
I can get Pro V1’s for around $22/dozen that have been played for maybe 2 or 3 holes.
Lee
Apr 23, 2018 at 12:20 pm
It’s the Tour Prestige a Japanese market ball with price to match. Price performance wise the Srixon QStar/AD333 Tour has it beaten hands down but you pays your money and you takes your choice.
Jp
Apr 23, 2018 at 11:50 am
KSigs! Hope there is no lawsuit against 3piece ksigs!
Bruce
Apr 23, 2018 at 11:25 am
Just what golfers need: another overpriced ball. I’ll stick with the Ksig- 3 layer or 4 layer, and Cut Golf 3 and 4 layer . Great feel at less than half the price.
See my posting on the Ksig 3 layer in forums for more discussion on the 3 layer.
Larry
Apr 23, 2018 at 11:36 am
Cut 3 piece very much like the Kirkland 3 piece, cut 4 piece (my ball) not as good as original Kirkland 4 piece but close enough at $20 a dozen and I still have 5 dozen on hand….
Jeff Martin
Apr 23, 2018 at 11:16 am
Is the compression rating a secret?
DougE
Apr 23, 2018 at 11:09 am
Been playing the AVX since November. Love the ball off the tee and with iron shots. Even more than my Pro V1s, which I have played for many years exclusively. Wish I could play Pro Vs around the greens and AVX from tee to green. Pro V definitely checks more for me on chips and pitchips, but the AVX checks well too. Just not quite as quick to stop. But far better/faster than an NXT. I would put it in the neighborhood of a Snell or Vice tour ball, based on the occasional times I have found one of them and tried it out. I will continue to play both the AVX and Pro V1, deciding before the round based on certain variables, like the speed of the greens, distance of the tees we’re playing, and how much wind there is, among other things. FYI, I have found the AVX to be awesome in wind. I loved the high-optic yellow in the washed-out winter landscape here in Maryland. I’ll probably go back to the white version of the AVX once everything is nice and green again.
Guess now that the AVX is on the market, I will have to start marking my ball now. For the last 6 months, I never found a single one anywhere on the course. That’s gonna change.
Diana Krall
Apr 23, 2018 at 10:58 am
It’s a good ball and completely not worth the price, but what ball is?
Q Star tours, Snell, Kirkland (when you can get them), Vice … all excellent at half to t2/3 the price.
Mike
Apr 23, 2018 at 10:48 am
So, who is this ball for “seekers”? I’m seeking a reason to buy this ball with this BS messaging!
HDTVMAN
Apr 23, 2018 at 10:45 am
Titleist employs an excellent high-priced marketing company to sell you balls that are NO DIFFERENT than other company’s top-line balls at a cheaper price. Sure more pro golfers use Titleist on tour, more than Callaway, but these golfers are being paid hundreds of thousands to play them. Pay me more and I’ll play your ball and clubs, right Sergio?
Fred
Apr 23, 2018 at 10:38 am
Let’s see… same piceas Pro V’s.
In Canada right now they PV’s are “on sale” $3 off…with taxmakres it 72 bucks a doz. Six bucks a ball. No thanks.
I’ll stick with my Q Star Tours that still are 40 bucks a doz here, are a bit softer than PV’s and probably are so close to the AVX in performance for 99 percent of golfers they would be a saw-off.
Doug
Apr 23, 2018 at 10:28 am
higher spinning was the ProV1 until 2017
Stuart Keen
Apr 23, 2018 at 10:22 am
These are awesome golf balls .. I bought a couple of dozen when I went to Florida before Christmas .. I just hope they’ll come to the UK soon!!!
ik_ben_groot
Apr 23, 2018 at 9:16 am
Does it bother anyone else when Titleist says V or X? THEY’RE ALL V’S!
Brian Forrester
Apr 23, 2018 at 9:10 am
$48 per dozen? I’ll stick with Ksigs, Snells, Vice, and MG.
Roy McAvoy
Apr 23, 2018 at 9:07 am
Since when is the V1X higher spinning and higher launching?
Doug
Apr 23, 2018 at 10:20 am
since 2017
alexdub
Apr 23, 2018 at 10:24 am
Since 2003
Dave
Apr 23, 2018 at 2:43 pm
Roy McaVoy. Yes that has been everyone misconception. Ive read this multiple times on titleist launch promos…of irons and wedges the X launches a bit higher and spins a bit more….off the driver i am unsure to be honest..every time i mention this to people they always say im crazy just assuming the x is lower launching and lower spin….
Bill
Apr 23, 2018 at 8:42 pm
I thought the same thing
Way
Apr 23, 2018 at 3:34 pm
Since TM kicked them to the curb