One of the many joys of golf is that recreational players can play the same courses and equipment as the best in the world. Sure, we may not pound the driver like Rory McIlroy, but we can still customize a TaylorMade Qi4D driver to our personal specs.
Pros occasionally use prototype equipment that isn’t available to the general public. But for the most part, we can play what they do, all the way down to golf balls.
Now, is a pro’s choice of ball the best choice for you? Not necessarily — but maybe! Choosing the right ball involves a number of different factors, but a lot of it comes down to your preferences on spin, flight and feel.
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With that in mind, it’s perhaps no surprise that the top 5 players in the world all play a different ball. Scottie Scheffler prefers the Titleist Pro V1 (lower flight, mid-range spin, softer feel), Cameron Young plays a Pro V1x Double Dot (lower spin and flight with a firmer feel) — a prototype that isn’t even available to purchase — and Matt Fitzpatrick opts for the Titleist Pro V1x (higher flight and spin with mid-range feel). Three Titleist golf balls, and three completely different performance profiles.
On the TaylorMade front, Rory McIlroy plays TaylorMade’s TP5 while Collin Morikawa plays the TP5x. What’s the difference between the two? The TP5 is specially designed for higher spin and softer feel than the TP5x, which boasts faster ball speed, longer distance and higher launch.
The best way to decide on the right ball for your game is to try it out for yourself. And if you want to mimic the choice of the best in the world, their ball models are listed below, along with links to purchase.
(Young’s current ball is a prototype and not available to purchase — a similar option is listed below.)
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