Titleist Blind Ball Test Thread

[Tom D.]

4 hours ago, Clayton said:

Despite appearances, the Left Dot release has been in the works for months. The new-to-you balls have been the key ingredient in a blind test for MyGolfspy forum members for the better part of a month.

Thanks for the clarification, Clayton !

[Londo]

I suppose I am confused from different poster's comments, was it confirmed if Test Ball #3 or Ball #4 was the Left Dot? Thanks!

[GregGarner]

1 hour ago, Londo said:

I suppose I am confused from different poster's comments, was it confirmed if Test Ball #3 or Ball #4 was the Left Dot? Thanks!

No. Some of us are correct in believing that it's #3 and others are delusional and think it's #4.

@Shankster SHOTS FIRED

[Shankster]

Just now, greggarner said:

No. Some of us are correct in believing that it's #3 and others are delusional and think it's #4.

@Shankster SHOTS FIRED

Ok.

[GolfSpy TCB]

1 hour ago, greggarner said:

No. Some of us are correct in believing that it's #3 and others are delusional and think it's #4.

@Shankster SHOTS FIRED

If this is true and the test ball #3 is the left dot, I further stand by my comment on another thread...

 

No flame needed, I understand this may be a unique opinion.

 

 

[Shankster]

9 minutes ago, Tiftaaft said:

If this is true and the test ball #3 is the left dot, I further stand by my comment on another thread...

 

No flame needed, I understand this may be a unique opinion.

 

 

I was strictly going off dimple pattern.  The #3’s that I had look nothing like the Left Dot.  The 4, is identical… so either they mislabeled mine and mixed up the numbers. Or they put the #4 cover on the #3’s guts.

[GolfSpy TCB]

42 minutes ago, Shankster said:

I was strictly going off dimple pattern.  The #3’s that I had look nothing like the Left Dot.  The 4, is identical… so either they mislabeled mine and mixed up the numbers. Or they put the #4 cover on the #3’s guts.

Well, since I have no first hand knowledge of the test balls, I can't comment on this... and I totally get where your comments came from Shankster. 

My comment was... if/when these test balls hit the market for the consumer (and may have already with the left dot), it would have been nice to have them in the stats from the ball test - and not have to wait two years to see how they measure up when they are - in fact available.  

Having said all that... Test Ball 3 and 4 may very well be not yet, or not ever available... so I digress and apologize for hijacking the test ball thread.  

Lastly, and most importantly...  hats off to the testers and all the great detailed information you are providing from these test balls... it is equally as intriguing as the MGS ball test IMHO.   

 

[RickyBobby_PR]

6 minutes ago, Tiftaaft said:

Well, since I have no first hand knowledge of the test balls, I can't comment on this... and I totally get where your comments came from Shankster. 

My comment was... if/when these test balls hit the market for the consumer (and may have already with the left dot), it would have been nice to have them in the stats from the ball test - and not have to wait two years to see how they measure up when they are - in fact available.  

Having said all that... Test Ball 3 and 4 may very well be not yet, or not ever available... so I digress and apologize for hijacking the test ball thread.  

Lastly, and most importantly...  hats off to the testers and all the great detailed information you are providing from these test balls... it is equally as intriguing as the MGS ball test IMHO.   

 

What if the test ball isn’t what makes it to final production as is but gets modified somehow. The left dot and left dash were both used to create a production ball with different characteristics. Left dot became the 2017 Prov1 and that ball design has changed in current Prov1 release. The left dash became the 2019 version of the 1x and that has changed in the current release of the 1x

Using the test balls in the ball study is not a good use of time and resources when there’s no guarantee that ball makes it to retail in its current design or at all

[GolfSpy TCB]

9 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Using the test balls in the ball study is not a good use of time and resources when there’s no guarantee that ball makes it to retail in its current design or at all

I respect and expected your counterpoint RB.

Edited September 7, 2021 by Tiftaaft

[GregGarner]

2 hours ago, Shankster said:

I was strictly going off dimple pattern.  The #3’s that I had look nothing like the Left Dot.  The 4, is identical… so either they mislabeled mine and mixed up the numbers. Or they put the #4 cover on the #3’s guts.

This is a great point. You're far more attuned to details than I, as my assessment was that I simply didn't like the 4 and was hoping that it was a red herring ball and not the other way around

[pooley7]

On 9/1/2021 at 3:47 PM, Clayton said:

So the low flying one is the left dot ball?  Email today seemed to say it is. 

Email? What email?

I’ve not received anything and I’ve checked my spam folder too

[Larryw]

Well it is POSSIBLE that the #3 ball is/was a left dot ProV1 - it has 352 dimples - which is what the left dot has on the USGA approved ball list. However, so does the AVX.

It makes little sense that the blind ball test would be on a ball that is set for release to the public immediately. Makes more sense to me that it might be a POTENTIAL next release ball, maybe in a year or two after being tweaked during the meantime. Also still think it looks like the Tour Speed - maybe with a thin ProV1 cover - just for trial?

BTW, the #4 ball has 388 dimples - and the only Titleist ball I could find with that count is a ProV1 so it could be the same next version out to be trialed and tweaked - if every released into the wild - and it did look very much like a ProV1 inside.

This is all just speculation and we will probably never find out the details of the two balls in our trial.

Still looking for that Tsi1 driver that should be coming as the token gift to all us for the superior effort we have displayed.

[mackdaddy]

10 hours ago, greggarner said:

No. Some of us are correct in believing that it's #3 and others are delusional and think it's #4.

@Shankster SHOTS FIRED

based on the cut ball pictures it is the #3

The test balls were cut in one of the posts to this thread and the left dot write up has a cut ball in the picture.

[Londo]

Was there ever definitive confirmation on what the test balls were? Or were they both purely experimental balls?

[mackdaddy]

Larry W on page 6 of this thread cut the #3 and #4 balls.  You can compare those pictures to the pictures of cut balls in the article about the release of the Left Dot ball and they look identical.  Larry W also points out that both the #3 ball and the Left Dot balls have 352 dimples.  

Based on those elements and the way the #3 ball played I am very comfortable to say it was a Left Dot ball.

It is the straightest ball I have ever hit with long clubs, has a lower mid ball flight, and great spin on short wedges.

The article also confirms that some of the blind testers had Left Dot and AVX balls to test side by side. 

59 minutes ago, Londo said:

Was there ever definitive confirmation on what the test balls were? Or were they both purely experimental balls?

 

[Londo]

4 hours ago, Mackdaddy9 said:

Larry W on page 6 of this thread cut the #3 and #4 balls.  You can compare those pictures to the pictures of cut balls in the article about the release of the Left Dot ball and they look identical.  Larry W also points out that both the #3 ball and the Left Dot balls have 352 dimples.  

Based on those elements and the way the #3 ball played I am very comfortable to say it was a Left Dot ball.

It is the straightest ball I have ever hit with long clubs, has a lower mid ball flight, and great spin on short wedges.

The article also confirms that some of the blind testers had Left Dot and AVX balls to test side by side. 

 

Much appreciated, I had gathered that some of the testers had inklings of which ball was what but didn't know if it was confirmed. Thanks!!

[ChuckZ]

Just finished doing a ball test thru Titleist.  Two completely different balls.  #4 and #3.  These balls are most likely porotype balls as well.  You really could tell a difference in the balls.  Loved the #4 ball.  Am currently testing the Prov1 left dots.  What a long ball with lots of spin coming into the green with the irons.  At 75 years of age, hit a 261 yard drive today.  Driver and eight iron into one of our par fives from the senior tees.  Of course was using the new TSI2 driver with a Fujikura 661 Tour Rated stiff shaft.  Titleist equipment and balls are the pinnacle in golf.      

[labillyboy]

I've done ball testing for years for a major manufacturer.  My biggest fear was putting all 3 balls into a water hazard before I was able to assess them...  In one test I had pumped one OB on the second hole, then on the 3rd hole drilled a 3 wood into the lip of a bunker where, despite digging with a sand wedge, we never found it...  down to the last tester, I only played it on holes where It would be impossible to lose.  Advice for the testers to keep in mind.

[cwbart]

I noticed that the dimple sizes and patterns are definitely different.  The one almost reminded of a hex pattern ala Hex Chrome.  Anybody else see that?

[FmrCaddie13]

Just scored a box. Will report on these soon! Last box the local Titleist rep had in his trunk. Always pays to ask and be nice!

[HDTVMAN]

Received 2 white sleeves from Titleist...#2 and #3, and have reported back on the results. I liked #2 the best, soft feel, nice trajectory, excellent distance, stopped on a dime, and had a great putting feel with my Ping 2021 Fetch. #3 had a harder feel, possibly an "X", but with the exception of the harder cover feel with a driver and iron, the results were virtually the same as #2. Fun to do these comparisons.

[Gil B]

On 7/7/2021 at 6:27 AM, GolfSpy_THV said:

Testers have been selected, balls have been shipped, but this test will be run a little differently. There is NO final review, so we wanted to create a thread for all the testers, and those interested, to follow along on their journey and detective work that might take place.

Start posting your questions or thoughts!

This is basically a giveaway isn't it? Hell, I could test these balls and give you all the feedback you want. Oh well, maybe next decade.

 

[TitleistMike]

On 7/7/2021 at 11:52 AM, scooterhd2 said:

Ball A is obviously the early favorite. .  My theory is that there is a call to market another one of Titleist's tour balls like the left dash. Maybe left dot or star. And Titleist is unsure or even doubtful that amateurs can tell the difference between that ball and a regular prov1. 

The ball makers already know amateurs enthusiasts are incapable of distinguishing A from B or Y from Z. They all play a ball because someone else does or they cannot afford something.. Same way they buy shorts shirts and sneakers.

[Peejer]

From the start of this test, things were....off.  Very little information from Titleist and an erratic ship schedule.  Then no real documentation and it took a bit of time before we got the website info.

Then the website 'evaluation' between ball #3 and ball #4 was pretty bland.  Seems like Titleist just kind of mailed it in, especially if these are the balls that are already in production.  There was some discussion about Titleist making it up to those of us selected to 'test' these balls by making it right, but no indication what that meant.  Several months later, have to assume that nothing is coming and this was their attempt at a failed marketing plan.

This was my first opportunity to test something for MyGolfSpy, and while it wasn't MGS's issue since it was all ran by Titleist, color me disappointed.  Hoping to do a regular MGS test at some point in the future.  I did my part by doing launch monitor comparison's between the two balls - posted earlier in these threads.

None the less, was cool to test something that wasn't available to the general golfing public yet!

-- Peejer

[cbobb]

Hope fully test results will be by ball and sing speed  so all of us can results by our own swing speed. 

[Tincuptim]

I agree working your way back. Most tee shots will be within 10 yards of each other. Launch and spin characteristics and feel with irons and of the putter would interest me the most. Seems like they have Prov1 and the Prov1x already figured out. I would wager they are trying to get feedback on left dot or dash from amateur golfers to see what type of production they will need. Everyone loves something new but will it be playable for the masses. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, Tincuptim said:

I agree working your way back. Most tee shots will be within 10 yards of each other. Launch and spin characteristics and feel with irons and of the putter would interest me the most. Seems like they have Prov1 and the Prov1x already figured out. I would wager they are trying to get feedback on left dot or dash from amateur golfers to see what type of production they will need. Everyone loves something new but will it be playable for the masses. 

They have plenty of feedback for amateurs on left dash it’s what they made it a more readily available ball at shops and not one where shops had to order at least 6 doz.

[ChuckZ]

Have to have a pretty bad swing to cut a Titleist.  I have nicked one on a cart path but never cut one.  They do not make Balata balls anymore.    

[GregGarner]

1 hour ago, ChuckZ said:

Have to have a pretty bad swing to cut a Titleist.

Oh, I can cut a Titleist as well as any ball. My typical shape is a draw, but I can cut one if I need to

 

[Tsecor]

On 10/11/2021 at 4:19 PM, FmrCaddie13 said:

Just scored a box. Will report on these soon! Last box the local Titleist rep had in his trunk. Always pays to ask and be nice!

best ball ive ever used.......it jus works for my game.....and flies far!!!!