The Pro V1 brand is almost certainly the strongest in golf so it is no big surprise that Titleist is not resting on its laurels by launching an updated version for 2023.

For two decades the Pro V1 and Pro V1x have steadily built up an unrivalled reputation on the back of Titleist’s undoubted excellence in this field of golf equipment.

The 2023 incarnation has actually been used by tour players since September but, for the rest of us, they will hit shelves on February 3rd. The yellow alternative will follow a fortnight later.

They have been in development for the best part of 18 months and the overriding aim was to create golf balls that spin less off the tee while not affecting those all important revs with approach shots and pitches.

Sounds tricky right?

Well it most certainly is but the Acushnet boffins know what they are doing and the focus has been on developing a high-gradient core.

“We’re looking for consistency in every element of golf ball construction, from the aerodynamics down to the core,” said Mike Madson, Senior Director Golf Ball Research and Engineering. “We always want the ball flying in the same window regardless of how it’s oriented, and we want the ball to produce consistent launch, spin, and speed on every shot.

“Consistency means when a golfer tees up a Pro V1 or Pro V1x, every properly executed shot they make is going to deliver the performance they expect and the performance they trust.”

Pro V1 devotees will know the Pro V1 is the solid all-rounder while the Pro V1x is engineered to fly higher and spin more with irons and in the short game. That distinction remains, as does the proppensity of leading players using the two market leaders.

Since their introduction on the PGA Tour five months ago, more than 45 players have teed up new Pro V1 and Pro V1x models. This includes Will Zalatoris, who started using the new Pro V1x on his return from a long-term injury break at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. That was his first start on the PGA Tour since his win at last year’s FedEx St Jude Championship.

“The golf ball is the engine of everything I do equipment wise,” said Zalatoris. “So, the big thing that I look for whenever I’m testing balls, is ‘Does it do exactly what I think it’s going to do?’

“When I switched to the 2023 Pro V1x, it had the exact same reactions around the greens, I actually gained a little bit of distance with the driver and it was actually better through the wind. My dispersion also went from maybe a five, six yard loss to a one, two or three. The change was a no brainer.”

In pro terms that represents a huge difference but when you consider the technologies in both it is hardly surprising:

• New High Gradient Core Design: An all-new, reimagined core in the new Pro V1 and the dual core Pro V1x are built to be firmer on the outside and progressively softer on the inside, which promotes fast speeds and low long game spin. The new cores take inspiration from popular CPOs (Custom Performance Options) - Pro V1 Left Dot and Pro V1x Left Dash - both of which feature high gradient cores and are the choice of several players on professional tours.

• New Dual-Core Dimension: There has been a change in the 2023 Pro V1x dual core design, with the inner core increasing centre volume by 44%, from 1” to 1.13” in size. This works in concert with the high gradient, as the larger and softer centre helps to drive down long game spin and increase stability through the air.

• Speed Amplifying High-Flex Casing Layer: Casing layers on both the Pro V1 and Pro V1x interact with the high gradient cores to further neutralise excess spin while combining with the soft cast urethane cover to provide stunning greenside spin and control.

• Cast Thermoset Urethane Cover:  The urethane covers on the Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls utilise a proprietary thermoset process. Two separate components are mixed, and the liquid urethane is cast into Titleist-manufactured cavities which form the appropriate dimple pattern into the cover. The precise timing of the curing process and temperature are integral to the consistency of the urethane and the performance the golfer experiences on the course.

• Spherically-tiled Tetrahedral Dimple Designs: With a 388-dimple design on the Pro V1 and a 348-dimple design on Pro V1x, both golf balls have optimized aerodynamics to fly consistent and far. The Pro V1x’s dimple pattern allows the ball to launch and fly in a slightly higher window than the Pro V1.

UK Price: £50 per dozen

Available in Europe: White (Feb 3), Yellow (Feb 17)