Titleist Pro V1X Vs Taylormade TP5X Balls Comparison Review
If you’re looking for a tour-grade ball to complement your advancing game, you can’t do much better than Titleist and Taylormade. Today we are going to be taking a look at the balls from each of these manufacturers that tour pros took an immediate shine to.
While it’s always best to go out and test balls for yourself, if you want the next best thing, we tested the Titleist Pro V1X and the Taylormade TP5X golf balls side-by-side. Take a look at what we discovered about both of these balls.
Titleist Pro V1X Balls Overview
With a 4-piece cover, you get all the performance you would expect from a ball that costs more than $50 for a dozen.
Of course, if you are shopping for tour-grade balls then you can’t let the price scare you off. You really get what you pay for with the Titleist Pro V1X. The combination of the urethane cover and the dual-core construction makes for amazing performance from tee to green.
Right off the bat, anyone reading this should know that the Titleist Pro V1X will provide almost no benefit for low handicap or slow swing speed players – especially off the tee. They have a firm feel that will complement any player scoring 5 and below.
Taylormade TP5X Balls Overview
The Taylormade TP5X balls feature the same urethane cover material with an even more complex, multi-layer construction.
The Taylormade TP5X balls were really created to shine on short approaches and on the green. You can tell that they were meticulously labored over and designed for players demanding the utmost in short-game control.
They are no slouches off the tee either. However, there was only one golf ball between these two that really impressed us….
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
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.
Taylormade TP5X Quick Facts
Compression: 90
Cover Material: Urethane
How Many Pieces: 5-Piece
Core Material: Urethane
Dimple Type: 322
Spin Level: High
Best Suited for: Low to mid handicappers
Performance Off the Tee
The compression of these balls is significantly lower than the Titleist Pro V1X balls.
The core is also made of urethane which gives these balls a softer feel from the tee. This is good news for slower swing speed players but the faster swingers in our party were getting better distance with the Titleist Pro V1X balls.
Performance from the Rough
The Taylormade TP5X balls yield excellent launch even from the rough.
The soft urethane cover makes it easy to scoop the ball up and work it as needed so that you land optimally on the fairway.
Performance from the Fairway
With the longer irons and hybrids we were getting a bit more spin than expected from a tour-grade ball – great for long par 5’s but not so great on shorter approaches.
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
Taylormade TP5X Selling Points
- More affordable
- Softer feel
- Excellent launch
- Urethane cover
- Urethane core
- Tour-grade
Taylormade TP5X Cons
- Not as long
- Sometimes uncontrollable launch
- HIgher fairway spin
- Lesser short-game feel
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: 94/100
Who are the Taylormade TP5X Balls for?
If you want an overall softer feel with tour-grade performance, then the Taylormade TPX5 balls would be a better fit for you.
The Taylormade TPX5 balls have a compression that is more congenial to the rest of us mortals. If you are swinging around 92 MPH, then these balls will fit you better than the Titleist Pro V1X balls.
How are They With Short Irons?
If you can typically work the ball the way you want to with short irons, the Taylormade TPX5 balls should feel pretty good to you. They yield moderate side spin with the short irons and launch high so you can shape short approaches pretty much however you want.
On the Green
The soft urethane gives you excellent control on fast, firm greens.
Overall Rating: 93/100
