Simple one:

Which one relates more to the ProV1 and which to the ProV1x?

I've checked the Callaway site and various other "shops" and I've lost the will to live trying to discern which is which (as all the spiel seems to be the same for both)! For the record I'm interested in trying the one that most closely relates to the ProV1 rather than the ProV1x.

I had a set of HX Tour 56's which I really liked but unlike the ProV1 they scuffed up really quickly (which didn't affect performance).

As I understand it, the Tour i is the softer and more spinny of the two so more towards the Pro V1, HX Tour 56, B330-S, One Platinum, TP Red, etc.  Callaway do a website that states the Tour i is for control, Tour iX for distance:

http://www.callawaygolf.com/Global/en-US/Products/GolfBalls/TheGoodBall.html

The use of the X might be Callaway's attempt to align with iX with the Pro V1x. Strangely though, Golf Magazine's recent golf ball test showed the ProV1x (12,299rpm) getting more wedge spin than the ProV1 (11,914rpm) in robot testing? In that test, the Nike One Platinum was top with 13,451rpm, although off the tee seems to suffer with slower swing speeds. At 90mph SS it was 10yds shorter than the ProV1, while at 105mph SS it was only 4yds shorter. Not sure if the new Tour i and Tour iX were tested.

To get the best out of a 4 piece ball (prov1x, nike platinum) - ie loads of wedge spin but low driver spin and high ball speed - you need a 110mph+ driver swing. Less than 100mph it won't work well for you.

This is one of the reasons why pro's distances are crazy; they have the swingspeed to compress a 4 piece ball , and the greater your ss with one of these, the greater the benefit; it's a law of increasing returns, apparently.

Thanks everyone for the info - really helpful cheers. 

I like ProV1's (even "Second Chance" ones) but I wasn't too keen on the ProV1x's (the original one anyway) as it seemed a bit hard too me - probably because I haven't got a cat1/pro's swing speed to compress it properly - as JDH correctly points out.

However I do like to have a dabble with new ball varieties as and when they become available. As I said I had a box of HX Tour 56's which were great but they weren't very durable & discoloured quickly into a grey colour. It didn't effect performance but they became tough to spot - especially on claggy days.

The other concern I have about other balls is that with your non-titleist brands the ball model seems to come around and then go very quickly. So let's just say I bought and liked the "Tour i" ball, next year I might not be able to get them anymore because the next model is out - which could be inferior (think that doesn't happen? Just remember the MaxFli A10 Red dot balls which were *superceeded* by the lesser Revolution balls).

I'll give a dozen a whirl and I'll post a review if they're any good.

Chris

Why don't you just buy on line or go to a decent pro shop? 

Er because I wanted them *******now******* and it was *********handy********!

As stated before as I rule I DON'T use them but...

The point I was making mate was that while the publicly visible Nevada Sods WebSh!te may show consumer friendly prices in the actual shop itself it could be rip-off central.

A bit like Greg Nicholson advertising the new MacGregor MT series of irons two months ago - even though there weren't any sets in the country (confirmed by MacGregor Europe, and AB Golf in Thame pretty much said the same too). But that's a whole other thread..........

Chris

Funny what you say about the wear HX Tour 56. I have just bought 4 dozen beacuse they are on clearance generally around the £25 mark.

I bought them after trying out a couple of balls I found. The found balls have lasted a further two rounds each and the ball wear is easily comparable to that of a Prov1. I am pleasantly surprised with the wear on these balls compared to my Strata Tour Ultimates which barely lasted around with my square groove clubs.

My feeling is that you just cannot get the greenside spin, at its highest level, without some marked ball wear on the the surface from the full wedge shots.

You didn't get them from a Nevada Sods shop though did you?

They (HX Tour 56) were shown as £37.99doz in the shop!?!

Chris

Hence my question as to why don't you go to a decent indie pro shop??

I also can't abide the Nevada Bob/Amercian Golf lot so avoid like the plague. 

Thing about callaways and wear.  When they come out of the box they have like a varnish on them that makes them rally shiny and tacky, seems this lasts about 2 holes, then it dulls off.  Really pi55es me off as I always loose some belief that the ball is really gripping the club face as much as it could.  I'd be very cautions before buying if the i/ix's have this really tacky glow when they come out of the box....

Anybody tried them or the TP reds, i'm trying to take some spin of the driver...

Chris

No, I bought them in the local proshop.

I thought that most Nevada Bob's were run on a franchise basis hence the variation between shops.

Big ears

Its probably because I tried 'pick ups' before settling on this ball that I did not notice this problem. May be I should try a couple of new balls and make any further comment needed. Personally I think that the more balls get worn  the more they tend to spin. I certainly notice that they pick the mud up a lot more when they have been used for more than a round. 

Chris, I was given a sleeve of Tour i X balls to try and must say that I am very impressed with them, I usually use either Srixon Trispeeds or Pro v's, I found that the i X was longer and lower of the tee (FOR ME!) and seemed to have less side spin (as roll-out was longer and seemed to be straighter!) Now this could have been the drier fairways but Im not sure? 

I will be using up the remaining Srixons and titleist balls and may possibly settle on new Callies, I will have to try the Tour i's as well so hopefully my friendly shop keeper will furnish me with these to try as well!