The Titleist AVX ball, frankly, is kind of meant for me. I hit the ball really high, and the AVX is designed to flight the ball lower. I spin the ball a good amount, but I like to dead-hand a lot of wedges.
However, I’ve never consistently gamed an AVX. I’m not sure why. Maybe it just doesn’t jump into my mind the same way the ProV1 does. But just because I don’t have AVX on the tip of my tongue doesn’t mean Titleist doesn’t have a hungry following for this ball, which is now in its third generation.
The AVX is designed to fly lower, yes, but also to spin less and feel softer compared to the Pro V1. In the third-gen ball, Titleist is looking to further accentuate that, creating a spectrum of four premium, tour-caliber balls — AVX, Pro V1, Pro V1X and Pro V1 Left Dash — that basically cover the whole bell curve of fitting.
The big ask from AVX players, however, was more greenside spin.
“With new AVX, we focused on what AVX golfers are asking for: improving upon the already incredible distance and feel that golfers love, while enhancing greenside spin,” said Frederick Waddell, Director of Golf Ball Product Management, Titleist. “We achieved this by softening the urethane cover to achieve greater short game performance, while adding a new core formulation for speed, and new aerodynamics for flight stability and more distance.”
A softer cover allows for more groove grab by getting into the firmer mantle layer underneath, while the core has become higher contrasting between the softer center and the firmer outer reaches. The result is a faster, but softer, ball, that still improves the spin profile with scoring clubs. Add in the the 348 catenary dimple pattern, which promotes a lower ball flight, and that’s the new package.
The AVX golf balls aren’t for everyone. They’re for a subset of players. With this generation, it might be time to put a few in the bag and see what they can do for my game.
The Titleist AVX golf balls are available Feb. 4 for $50 per dozen in white and optic yellow.
