TItleist Red and Black Proto 2019

[MrKallander]

I received the opportunity to test the new 2019 Proto Reds against the current ProV1x and was wondering if you guys at MGS and the Forum's Crew were able to try them and what you thought of them.  My review is below.

 

Kallander
Spanaway, WA

 

October 18, 2018 at 04:26 PM

Washington state golfer here. I normally game the ProV1x so was sent a sleeve of the Proto Red Numbers, but not having bought balls in a few years and recently purchasing a new box - quickly found out and then researched that the X's are the spinnier and more flighted of the ProV's and will be testing the ProV1 and the AVX soon. That being said I still took them out and tested them against each other. (if Team Titleist would like to send me Proto Black Numbers to compare...)

Putter - The only difference I could feel was the Proto's cover was a tad bit softer. Both roll, hold speed and line really well.

Wedges, 60* and 56* - Here is where I saw some differences. On 5,10 and 15 foot chips - not any difference, same flight and roll out. Now on 15,25 and 50 yard shots - the Proto's held on the face a bit longer and checked up and even rolled backed. Flight was same just seemed to spin a bit more.

On the course for a couple of rounds of 9 - On the first nine I hit both balls on every shot, almost best ball format, on the next two nines I put one of each in my pocket, randomly selected and played the ball to completion of hole and tried to not look at which ball I was using.

Off the tee they both carried and rolled out about the same distance and had similar flights. (This is where I noticed the difference in ball flight, spin and lack of roll out.) I hit driver, 3 wood and 3 hybrid off the tee and flights were nearly identical - high flight with a steep decent with very little roll out.

On shots from the fairway onto the green the shots were nice high flights that held the greens perfectly. They both feel good off the irons and wedges but the Proto's check up way more and have a tendency for my shots to roll back a bit too much especially off the wedges. Also of note, due to the higher ball flight and fall breezes my shots were knocked around a bit on a few holes with both balls.

Overall the 2019 Proto Red Numbers feel like a slightly softer, spinnier version of the current X. I think I will have to try the current ProV1 and AVX and compare as I don't need quite so much spin, that being said the nice high flight and steep decent on the current X and Proto would be good to use on courses with older smaller or firm summer greens that I will need the ball the check up on. I will need to however find a fall/winter/spring ball as the PNW breezes would drastically affect my ball in the air.

[MrKallander]

Heres my latest review on the ball after playing in a tourney with them.

Kallander
Spanaway, WA

 

October 30, 2018 at 05:43 PM

Washington golfer here, an update on testing the Red Number Proto. Was in my mens club golf tourney and alternated each hole with the current ProV1x and Red Proto 2019 (until I cracked the ProV1x on the 6th hole) and have to say I wasn't sure at first but I think I will bag the new Red's when they come out next year. It was a fairly breezy day but had no issues with ball flight, pierced the wind when I needed it too and held greens all day. Still feels fairly the same off the tee, but with irons and wedges I was able to spin the ball back even when I had to flight my long irons. I drove the ball pretty solid and was able to either long iron or short wedge on in regulation for most of the day. On a par 3 about 186 yards I flighted my 4u nice an high to stop pin high but pushed it about 15' to the right, divot mark was 2 inches in front of my ball... Also of note shot my lowest round for the year and took 3rd in my flight using the combo ball set. So pretty pleased with the ball so far.