Titleist Pro V1X Vs. Bridgestone E12 Soft Golf Balls Comparison Overview
It can be pretty difficult to compare a tour-grade category golf ball with a premium-grade ball – we know this firsthand. Still, it’s a worthwhile comparison because you never know what kind of ball will actually benefit your game.
You may think you’re not ready to step up to a tour grade ball but you don’t know unless you try. If you can’t try for yourself, we’ve got the next best thing for you.
Titleist Pro V1X Golf Balls Overview
The Titleist Pro V1X balls are tour-grade balls that require good swing speed off the tee but become more congenial to all types of players after the drive.
From the tee, you can expect distances of 200+ yards…if you have a swing speed of over 100 MPH. That’s because the Titleist Pro V1X’s have compression ratings in the high 90’s. These are incredibly firm balls so they are not to be used off the tee unless you can really whack the ball.
On the deck is a different story. While you will still need a fast swing speed if you’re playing these balls off of a 2-4 iron, they get more responsive on the deck thanks to the 4-piece construction and the soft urethane cover.
The urethane cover gives them a grippy, soft feel which is great when you need to chip the ball in softly or on shorter approaches. Even mid to high handicappers should be able to work the ball on short shots with the Titleist Pro V1X’s.
Bridgestone E12 Soft Golf Balls Overview
The Bridgestone E12 Soft balls are premium-grade and cater more to mid-high handicappers.
With a significantly lower compression than the Titleist Pro V1X balls, the E12’s have a congenial feel for higher handicappers off the tee. The delta wing dimple pattern also carries these balls a long way.
Our slower swing speed testers were getting comparable distances with these balls when compared to the Titleist Pro V1X’s.
We liked how these balls played from the rough. The Surlyn cover material made it easy to scoop them up and out. However, you lose a decent amount of feel around the green. They also lack short-game spin.
We liked the overall performance of the Titleist Pro V1X balls even if some players will struggle initially with them from the tee. If you are looking for more robust spin rate near the green, the Titleist Pro V1X’s are for you.
Titleist Pro V1X Quick Facts
Compression: 108.4
Cover Material: Urethane
How Many Pieces: 4-Piece
Core Material: Dual-Core
Dimple Type: Spherically-tiled tetrahedral (348)
Spin Level: Low
Best Suited for: Low handicappers
Bridgestone E12 Soft Quick Facts
Compression: 50
Cover Material: Surlyn
How Many Pieces: Three-Piece
Spin : Mid-Level
Core Material: Polymer
Dimple Type: Delta Wing
Performance Off the Tee
The better testers in our party were getting average drive distances of about 195 but they were topping out at 209!
The Titleist Pro V1X balls don’t produce much side spin off the tee which allowed for piercing trajectories that didn’t fly too high either.
Performance from the Rough
We were seeing low trajectory shots from the rough which is a good and bad thing.
It’s bad when you need to get over hazards but good for staying under trees and trying to avoid the wind.
Performance from the Fairway
We really liked the low, piercing trajectory of the Titleist Pro V1X balls with our long irons and hybrids.
Better players will be able to backspin these balls sublimely while being able to avoid low rises.
Performance Off the Tee
These Bridgestone balls were actually better for players with swing speeds under 90MPH than they were for faster swing speed players from the tee.
While they did reduce side spin, some energy was lost on fast swings.
Performance from the Rough
We really liked how seemingly easy it was to scoop the ball up and out of the rough thanks to the dimple pattern and Surlyn cover material.
Performance from the Fairway
From the fairway, the Bridgestone E12 Soft balls provided the springiness you would expect from a ball with a plunging compression rating of just 50.
Titleist Pro V1X Selling Points
- Great for fast swing speed players
- Good greenside spin
- Low long-game spin
- Urethane cover
- Feels great
- Low trajectory
Titleist Pro V1X Cons
- Bad for beginners
- You need a fast swing speed
- Very firm
- Not very durable
Bridgestone E12 Soft Selling Points
- Very durable
- Good bounce
- 3-piece cover
- Good in the rough
- Good for slow swing speeds
- Good short game control
Bridgestone E12 Soft Cons
- Not great for fast swing speeds
- Loses some energy off the tee
- Seemingly thick cover material
- Smaller core
Who are the Titleist Pro V1X Balls for?
The Titleist Pro V1X are certainly for low handicap players who want a combination of distance and short-game control.
Keep in mind that these balls have a ridiculously high compression which will surely affect the feel from tee to pin. If you have a good swing speed though, this should be no problem.
How are They With Short Irons?
We are extremely biased towards urethane as a ball cover material. Urethane gives you an unmatched feel and softness that really comes into play when you’re dealing with a ball as firm as the Titleist Pro V1X – especially with short irons.
You get to work the ball deftly with these balls thanks to the high compression core and urethane cover.
On the Green
The roll control is there with these balls although we would say that they feel a bit dead off the putter face.
Overall Rating: 98/100
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Who Are The Bridgestone E12 Soft Balls For?
The Bridgestone E12 Soft balls would definitely suit slower swing speed players more.
We’re talking about players who are hovering in the 9-15 handicap range. Players in this range will love the distance and added help they get from the tee with these balls.
How Are They With Short Irons?
The Bridgestone E12 Soft balls work surprisingly well with short irons.
You get great response chipping the ball in with a wedge and the feedback you get with 8 and 9 irons is excellent.
On The Green
Once you’re actually on the green you might have a little trouble controlling roll with these balls.
They are a bit unwieldy on long eagles and have a robust spin rate even when you think you’re feathering it.
Overall Rating: 92/100
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