Titleist Pro V1 2027: New Golf Balls Put to the Test on the Tour
Professionals are testing the new Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x under tournament conditions. Technical details and the release date have not yet been announced.
Titleist is launching a broader testing phase for the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x on the professional tours in 2027. At the Yokohama Country Club in Japan, players competing in the PGA Tour’s Baycurrent Classic will evaluate the models under tournament conditions and provide feedback. Some professionals have already used the balls in competition. Technical details and a confirmed launch date have not yet been announced.
For Titleist, the testing in Japan represents another step toward the next generation of golf balls. The so-called “Tour validation” is expected to span several months across various professional tours. The goal is to test the new models not only on the driving range or during practice rounds, but also under the pressure of a tournament.
Titleist representatives accompany the players on the range and on the course. Their feedback is intended to help evaluate the balls’ performance from different player perspectives. However, this phase does not yet constitute a traditional retail launch. The first tests with professionals also took place several months ago.
Titleist Pro V1 or Pro V1x—which golf ball is right for you? Find out in our test.
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Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x: Testing has been underway since March
The field tests described here, using final prototype candidates, began at the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational in March 2026. At Bay Hill, Adam Scott, Ryan Gerard, Jordan Spieth, and Harris English tested the balls during their Tuesday practice rounds. After each shot, they provided feedback to Titleist staff.
In the weeks and months that followed, additional testers joined the group, including Justin Thomas, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Viktor Hovland, as well as female golfers Lottie Woad and Yana Wilson. Such comparisons focus on factors such as ball speed, launch angle, spin, and trajectory. Added to this are the feel at impact and performance around the green. This still doesn’t answer the question of which characteristics the new models actually differ from their predecessors.
Fordie Pitts, who is responsible for Tour research and validation at Titleist, describes the development goal as follows: “Everything we do is driven by the desire to better understand players’ needs and translate those insights into tangible performance improvements.”
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Well, the current generation Pro V1 was released in January 2025. So, judging by the typical retail release cycle, we should be seeing a new version in January 2027. Lo and behold, in the first week of the PGA Tour’s 2026 fall schedule, we have a new entry on the USGA conforming list for what is listed as the Pro V1 and Pro V1x “split arrow.” I don’t think this is the official Tour launch, as Titleist has typically announced the start of Tour distribution for new Pro V1 golf balls. It’ll be interesting to see what happens in Asheville this week if anyone decides to switch to the new ball. Does anyone have any hopes or dreams for the next batch of Pro V1s?
— Jack Hirsh (@JR_HIRSHey) September 14, 2026
Neal Shipley is already using the new Pro V1 in tournament play
The transition from practice rounds to competition has already taken place for some players. Four pros used the new 2027 models at the Biltmore Championship in Asheville, the season opener of the FedExCup Fall Series on the PGA Tour.
Among them was Neal Shipley, who switched to the new Pro V1. He shot a 62 in the second round and finished the tournament tied for third place. Consistent reports describe both the round and the finish as his best results on the PGA Tour to date. However, no causal link between the change in balls and these performances can be inferred from this.
Robert MacIntyre and Doug Ghim are also among the early adopters: MacIntyre used the new Pro V1 at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, while Ghim used the new Pro V1x at the Bank of Utah Championship.
Pitts reports interest in the new models: “When a player asks me in the middle of a test how soon he can play the new ball, I know we’re on the right track.” That is the manufacturer’s assessment; specific player evaluations of the technical differences are not yet available in the analyzed reports.
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Technology, price, and launch date remain unknown
For golfers outside the professional tours, the most important question therefore remains unanswered for now: How do the new balls differ from previous models? Titleist has not yet published the specific changes to design and technology. Likewise, there is a lack of reliable information on measurable performance differences, prices, and a confirmed launch date.
Some industry publications expect the launch in stores in early 2027, based on previous release cycles. This timeframe has not yet been confirmed. Tour validation should therefore not be confused with a new product line that is already available.
The 2027 models represent the 15th generation of the Pro V1 and the 13th generation of the Pro V1x. How these generations differ from their predecessors will only become clear once technical information and reliable comparative data are available.
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Release date
07 Oct 2026
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The new Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls are currently being tested on the PGA Tour. (Photo: Titleist)
