The player:
Current gamer - Vice Pro or ProV1
Handicap - 5.2
7 iron carry distance with current ball - 159
Trajectory - mid
Putter - TM Spider X with urethane insert; typical feel is medium to medium soft. A little closer to a thud than a ping off the face with most balls
The ball:
Vice Pro (2020-current)
Distance - no noticeable distance changes when swapping between ProV1s and Vice Pros
Trajectory - typical mid trajectory ball; feels easy to control flight
Spin - from 8i down off of dry, tight conditions, the Vice Pro can certainly generate enough spin to rip back. From 7i-5i, I get about 4-8ft of roll from a midflight trajectory shot. Not overly spinny with driver/fairway woods but will shape/hook/slice like any cast urethane ball in the 85-95 compression range
Feel - feel is soft with forged irons (most balls are) but definitely not mushy. More along the lines of a satisfying compression feeling. Mistruck shots aren't overly punishing on the hands and pure shots still feel like you hit something. With my Spider X putter, most balls in the normal compression range feel the same; the Vice Pro falls into the same category as the ProV1, TP5, Chrome Soft, etc.
Durability (1 round) - cast urethane cover does seem more prone to scuffs/nicks than other balls with comparable compressions and covers. A nippy wedge shot, hard bunker shot or cart path with most likely put a mark on the ball. I have never had a ball become unplayable after a particular shot (other than when I dump one in the pond) but if you are someone who only likes to play a pristine looking ball, you may find yourself ready to swap to a fresh ball sooner than normal
Rating - As a medical student who is on the course ~3 days a week and operating on a tight budget, the Vice Pro is my go-to ball.
Notes:
If you are looking for a budget ProV1, this has been the best one I have found in regard to equivalent performance. I have played around 6 dozen Vice Pros over the last 2 years, and they are high enough quality to not miss a ProV1 during casual weekday rounds. However, the dimple pattern is not the most appealing to my eye (there is a visible seam along the equator of the ball), and the cover is not quite as bright white when compared side by side to a ProV1. If you are someone who uses the line on the ball to line up your puts, the Vice Pro "KIL" line is fantastic.
Overall, Vice Pro is a fantastic "budget ball" (still $35/box). The only time I don't play a Vice is from January-February/March when I am gaming the box of ProV1s I got for Christmas.
