AskMyGolfSpy Vol. 42 – Answering your Titleist AVX Questions

AskMyGolfSpy is a chance to submit inquiries to our specialists right here at MGS.

You possibly can move alongside your inquiries to the workforce on Twitter, Fb, Instagram or proper right here within the feedback part under! 

Usually we cowl a variety of subjects on AskMyGolfSpy however right now we’re specializing in the brand new Titleist AVX golf ball. 

Q: What does “AVX” stand for?  

The unique story is that the AVX was designed to be an Alternative to the Professional V1 and Professional V1x.  

Q: Why did Titleist change the quilt on AVX?  

In a phrase, I believe it comes all the way down to capability. A part of what we haven’t mentioned a lot this 12 months is that Titleist plans to lean into Left Sprint greater than ever. Meaning persevering with to extend consciousness and ramping up manufacturing in order that it’s practically as straightforward to search out as Professional V1 and Professional V1x (each of which want to remain on cabinets). 

With that, one thing needed to give and with the discontinuation of Tour Pace, Ball Plant 2 had some obtainable capability (that features the machines to use TPU covers) so there’s some logic within the change. 

Q: So Titleist simply took the heart out of AVX and put a Tour Pace cowl on it? 

No. I suppose the primary half is roughly true. The heart (the core and the mantle) are inarguably nonetheless AVX, albeit with the upgrades mentioned in our preliminary story.

The duvet is most undoubtedly not Tour Pace. 

A few factors right here. First, the Tour Pace cowl is extra of a high-flight design—the type of factor you’d discover on most non-Tour urethane choices. Inside its area, AVX has at all times been considerably of an outlier because it’s designed to provide a decrease, extra penetrating trajectory. In case you have been to stay the Tour Pace cowl on AVX, you’d find yourself with a ball that’s nothing like what golfers count on from AVX. 

The second level is that whereas each Tour Pace and the brand new AVX function TPU (injection-molded, thermoplastic urethane) covers, the urethane formulation is totally new and distinctive to AVX. 

Paraphrasing a bit from what I’ve been informed, aside from a unique core, a unique mantle, a unique dimple sample and urethane cowl formulation, the brand new AVX is precisely like Tour Pace. 

Additionally price a point out, AVX is roughly 5 compression factors softer than Tour Pace was. It’s not big however it’s not nothing, both. 

Q: I want Titleist would simply launch the Professional V1 Left Dot and sundown the AVX. 

Not a query however we’re not choosy. 

For purely egocentric causes, I’m with you however the actuality is that AVX has carved out its personal area of interest throughout the Titleist ball household. If Titleist have been to ditch AVX in favor of Left Dot, the chances are high that a subset of Professional V1, Professional V1x and Left Sprint customers would transfer into Left Dot whereas a not-insignificant variety of AVX gamers would transfer into anyone else’s golf ball. 

Whereas there are some similarities between AVX and Left Dot, AVX is meaningfully softer, which is a part of the enchantment. 

Q: How does AVX evaluate to Professional V1?  

Protecting in thoughts that these comparisons are true solely throughout the Titleist lineup and that, over time, efficiency specs change, the present Titleist urethane lineup breaks out like this: 

• AVX: low flight, low spin, gentle really feel 
• Professional V1: mid flight, mid spin, mid agency really feel 
• Professional V1x: excessive flight, excessive spin, agency really feel 
• Professional V1x Left Sprint: excessive flight, low spin, agency really feel 

Q: Can I take a look at these without cost? 

You had your probability. You missed it. So, no.

Q: Why is there no RCT (Radar Seize Know-how) possibility within the new AVX? 

In line with Titleist, there’s a handful of the explanation why RCT hasn’t made it into the brand new AVX. A kind of causes is that Ball Plant 2, the place the brand new AVX is made, doesn’t have the instruments crucial to provide RCT. 

Q: How do I do know if AVX is correct for me? 

One of the simplest ways to search out out is to get fitted for a golf ball. I do know that’s simpler mentioned than completed. I believe you’ll see one thing quickly to simplify the method (that’s a teaser) however, for now, I’d advocate taking AVX and one thing else with you out on the course. It shouldn’t take lengthy earlier than you get a way of what you want the texture of off the putter, what stops if you want it to across the inexperienced and what’s going to maximise your distance off the tee and with lengthy irons. 

Whereas it might be good if ball becoming have been easy, I’ve discovered it’s extra a means of elimination. Eliminate what doesn’t work till you’re left with what does. 

Q: Why is AVX cheaper than Titleist’s different urethane choices? 

My hunch is that it’s a mix of issues. 

With Tour Pace, Titleist kinda established the concept that it might cost much less for TPU than forged urethane merchandise. There’s no cause why that couldn’t change however it’s not less than doubtless true that, regardless of being made alongside Professional V1 with a lot of the identical know-how as Professional V1, many shoppers view AVX as not fairly a Professional V1. 

Whereas Titleist will let you know there’s no drop in high quality related to the quilt and manufacturing unit change, for individuals who take note of such issues, not being made subsequent to Professional V1 adjustments the equation a bit—not less than it does for me.  

Lastly, from a strategic perspective, should you’re going to say that forged urethane gives the perfect efficiency for Tour-level balls, charging much less for a similar know-how in your non-Tour ball that lots of your rivals use of their Tour balls is a refined manner of suggesting their tech isn’t fairly nearly as good as yours. 

Name it the Fairhaven Finger. 

Q: Why do producers make so many varieties of balls? 

Not particular to AVX however a superb query, nonetheless. 

A full-service golf ball firm wants to supply one thing to fulfill the wants of each efficiency and preference-driven golfers. 

The efficiency half mandates balls with totally different flight and spin profiles. Neither Professional V1, Professional V1x, Left Sprint nor AVX will meet the efficiency wants of each golfer however between the 4 of them, most golfers are coated. 

After all, with costs beginning at $50, not everyone goes to be onboard with the plan. That’s why Titleist (and mainly everybody else) sells balls within the $20-$30 and $30-$40 ranges. 

Nice, however what if none of these balls (and let’s add Tour Tender to the dialog) is as gentle as you need a golf ball to be? 

As a result of there are quite a lot of feel-driven golfers, Titleist gives TruFeel for lower than $25. In case you don’t need to spend so much, however need distance as a substitute of really feel, that’s the place Velocity is available in. 

Mainly, everyone seems to be attempting to cowl as many permutations as it may sensibly match on retail cabinets. As issues like coloration and patterns grow to be more and more widespread, these permutations will solely improve. 

The objective is to supply one thing for practically everybody at practically each conceivable (or not less than tenable) value level. 

Extra Questions?  

As at all times, when you have any questions for the MGS crew (they usually don’t should be concerning the golf ball), drop them under for an opportunity to be featured in subsequent week’s AskMyGolfSpy!