Equipment
All-new Titleist AVX for 2020
With the introduction of the all-new 2020 Titleist AVX ball, the company is delivering on its promise to continually improve and provide golfers with performance-driven products created with direct input from golfers at all levels.
The AVX ball’s reformulated low compression core works in combination with a redesigned high-flex casing layer which together aims to provide players with greater ball speed and low long game spin for more distance.
By their own admission golfers are a finicky bunch, especially when it comes to golf balls, and sometimes the variables they are looking for in a ball have less to do with performance and are instead focused on things like feel.
In the development of the 2020 AVX, Titleist asked golfers what they loved about the previous version and what attributes they would like improved, the results were unanimous: more feel and more short game control (spin) without sacrificing distance (Something I think most golfers would want from any ball).
But before we get to what new, let’s offer a quick refresher for those unfamiliar with the Titleist AVX. It was initially introduced in the spring of 2018 following a four-month test market from October 2017-January 2018 in key markets. It was the first new premium urethane ball brand from Titleist since the introduction of the Pro V1x and was developed as a lower flight, lower spin alternative to Titleist’s Pro V1 balls.
Titleist AVX golf ball: Time to Re-engineer
Every golf ball is built from the core out, and the 2020 AVX got a whole new engine thanks to a larger, reformulated low-compression core. The core works alongside a redesigned high flex casing layer to deliver greater ball speed and low long game spin for more distance. The easiest way to understand golf ball construction and how it relates to performance is that with more direct and faster hits the more the core gets “activated.” As hits to the ball start to happen at lower speeds and with greater friction as a result of loft the outer layer construction becomes more important to short game spin and feel.
The new addition from Titleist contains a catenary aerodynamic dimple design engineered with the aim of producing a piercing, low trajectory while also providing a consistent ball flight on all shots.
To improve the feel and spin the way golfers requested a new thinner cast urethane cover was used to deliver the performance. It was easier to make the cover thinner too, thanks to the increased core size. Like I said golf balls are built from the core out.
“The improvements to AVX are a direct result of their insights and the inventiveness of our R&D team to take this design to the next level – and we expect golfers to see better numbers across the board. The new AVX is faster and longer, it performs better around green, and delivers even more of the incredibly soft feel that golfers love about this product.”
– Frederick Waddell, Senior Product Manager, Titleist Golf Balls
The last part of the in-to-out story is the aerodynamics, the engineers at Titleist use a unique aerodynamic dimple design to deliver a piercing, low trajectory that provides a consistent ball flight on all shots.
Price and availability
Titleist’s new AVX ball arrives in both white and high optic yellow and is available in golf shops worldwide beginning Jan. 22. with a MAP of $47.99.
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Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @8.25) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 9 X
Irons: TaylorMade Proto (4), TaylorMade Rors Proto (5-9) Buy here.
Shaft: Project X 7.0 (4-9)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (46-09SB, 50-09SB, 54-11SB) Buy here, Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (58-K @59) Buy here.
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (46-54), Project X 6.5 Wedge (60)
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X3 Buy here.
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol Tour
Ball: 2024 TaylorMade TP5x Buy here.
(Photo courtesy of TaylorMade)
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Rory McIlroy’s WITB in the forums.
View this post on Instagram
The winning WITB is presented by 2nd Swing Golf. 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out 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: 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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dixiedoc
Jan 22, 2020 at 4:48 pm
For me I found the Chrome Soft to be a better ball all around
jz
Jan 22, 2020 at 4:34 pm
I play the AVX because it doens’t spin. Does this mean the ball is going to spin more off the driver and irons? If one wants more spin, why not play a ProV?
I hope TXG does a comparison of the two models.
I’m a flipper and come in steep (And am too old to try and change it) and generate way too much spin. Does anyone have a recommendation of another premium ball that doesn’t spin? Would appreciate the help.
Swirley
Jan 23, 2020 at 8:14 am
TP5x
Magnus Skold
Jan 22, 2020 at 1:52 pm
@Ryan
Do we know what the compression is for the new ball?
I’m surprised Titleist says that people just said more green side spin. The main feedback from interviews I’ve read and my own experience is that the original AVX was excellent except too soft for driving. Most third party tests also confirm it’s extremely short in carry. Therefore I’m interested in what the actual compression is.
Rich Douglas
Jan 22, 2020 at 10:35 am
The original AVX seemed like an NXT Tour with the price jacked up. Not sure how this is much different.
It really doesn’t matter which tour-level ball you play. Each now offers two or three variations between their own models, but from brand to brand it’s pretty much the same. This is also true with below-tour-level balls. The biggest difference there is some are incredibly soft (but they’re lacking some greenside spin).
Pick your tour ball. Enjoy. If it’s too pricey, go with a Supersoft or TopFlite Gamer. You’ll be fine.
Daniel
Jan 22, 2020 at 10:03 am
Lack of short game spin was my chief complaint with the AVX. Price the other.
I got stupid distance gains over the ProV1 I was playing. 10 plus yards off the driver.
But a Chrome Soft goes almost as far with significantly better short game spin. Much better price as well.