Titleist is preparing to roll out the next generation of one of the most popular golf balls in the sport, but some PGA Tour players aren’t waiting around to make the switch.
The company announced that its new 2027 Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls are entering a global validation phase at this week’s Baycurrent Classic in Japan. Players will have the opportunity to test the new models under tournament conditions as Titleist continues the rollout across professional tours over the next several months.
Some players have already gotten an early look, and the initial results have been promising.
Neal Shipley was among the players who tested out the new golf balls. He played them at the Biltmore Championship Asheville and shot a career-low 62 in the second round. He finished the tournament tied for third, the best finish in his young career.
PGA Tour Players Put New Titleist Golf Balls in Play
Shipley isn’t the only professional who has already made the move.
Doug Ghim added the 2027 Pro V1x to his bag at the Bank of Utah Championship after previously testing the ball at the Titleist Performance Institute in California. Ghim played his first 54 holes with the new ball at 22-under par, leaving him just one shot off the lead entering the final round.
Scottish star Robert MacIntyre also made a change at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. He put the new Pro V1 into competition and went on to finish tied for sixth in the tournament. He had previously tested a prototype at Harbour Town before working with Titleist again ahead of putting the 2027 model into competition.
This has been a long process before the new golf balls were ready to be put into competition. Adam Scott, Jordan Spieth, Ryan Gerard and Harris English tested final candidates during practice rounds at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March. Justin Thomas, Viktor Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick, Lottie Woad and Yana Wilson were among the other professionals to participate in testing over the following months.
The Baycurrent Classic represents the next stage for the rollout. Titleist representatives will work with players at Yokohama Country Club as more professionals decide whether to put the 2027 models into competition. The Oct. 8-11 PGA Tour event includes names such as Spieth, Scott, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Hideki Matsuyama and defending champion Xander Schauffele.
Titleist Staying Quiet on What’s Changed
Titleist has kept the secrets of the new golf balls under wraps thus far.
The golf giant has not mentioned any technical specifications or performance changes just yet. Jack Hirsch of Golf.com reports that those details are expected around the retail launch. That launch could be around January or February if Titleist sticks to its normal release schedule. As of now, the timing of the release has not been officially announced.
What is known is that these balls will be the next generation of a staple product in the game of golf. The Pro V1 line has become a favorite of professional golfers. Since the original Pro V1 debuted in 2000, the company claims Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls have been put in play more than 100,000 times on the PGA Tour and have been used to win more than 110 men’s and women’s major championships.
The next several weeks should provide a better indication of how quickly players embrace the 2027 versions. Shipley, Ghim and MacIntyre have already made the move, while the official global validation process is only now getting underway.
For golfers waiting to see what’s next from the Pro V1 and Pro V1x, the Tour is providing the first preview.
PGA Tour Players Already Switching to Titleist’s New 2027 Golf Balls