Volvik Golf Balls - 2024 Forum Review

[GolfSpy_APH]

About Volvik

Volvik is a Korean company founded in 1980. “Volvik” stands for "Fly to Victory," with "Vol" in "volare" meaning "to fly" in Italian, taking "Vi" from "victory" and then combining that with the "K" from Korea to create the mashup name Volvik. They own their own R&D center and two golf ball manufacturing facilities, where they make ionomer-covered golf balls and, soon, urethane balls. It wasn’t until 2012 that Volvik expanded into the U.S. market through a joint venture. 

Now they have a wholly owned U.S. division which could be considered a relaunch of the brand in the U.S. Volvik has the second-largest golf ball market share in Korea and exports to more than 50 countries. They hope to gain further traction in the U.S. market with their new balls and matte finish technology.

The Testing Opportunity

We are looking for nine golfers to test, review and keep two dozen golf balls from Volvik's lineup. We will select three golfers each to test the Condor X, Condor and XT Soft golf balls.

The Volvik Condor is a three-piece, urethane-covered ball that Volvik classifies as high speed and low spin with softer feel and longer distance.

The Volvik Condor X is a four-piece ball with a Dual White Carbon urethane cover which they say offers enhanced feel, high speed, high rebound and maximum distance.

Both Condor balls are available only in white.

The Volvik XT Soft is a three-piece urethane ball. The XT Soft claims softer feel and longer distance along with maximum short game spin, control, and durability. It features the V-Focus alignment and is available in white or yellow.

We want our selected testers to see how these stack up against their current golf balls and provide feedback on their performance on the course.

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!

Volvik Condor - @jayyarr @MichaelC_81 and @Zman56

Volvik Condor X - @TK_ @JackBurtonsPorkchopExpress and @Sharp.shell

Volvik XT Soft - @archship @MajorCavalry and @RajMahal

[jayyarr]

About Me

Hello all!  I am relatively new here and this is my first time getting selected as a tester so I am really excited. My Name is Justin and I am in my mid 30s living outside of Boston. 
I have been golfing for about 10 years now and am currently a 16 handicap.  Last year I finally broke down and started getting lessons and honestly I am a little angry at myself for taking so long. I am fortunate enough to live half a mile away from my home course and during the season try to get in at least 9 holes and a range session a week. My current bag composition is in my signature. 

Current ball

I am generally pretty agnostic about what ball I use and bounce around quite regularly. I generally try and stay around the like "tour" tier of ball but have rotated between bridgestone, vice, provs, tp5s and chromsofts. Recently I have been running provs more than most other IMO they have just been performing better. My distances just feel incredibly consistent and hitting into what are pretty quick greens at my home course I just feel comfortable that I know exactly what the ball is going to do. 

What to expect

Like I said I have really given every competing ball in this market a chance at one point or another. Being in the northeast the conditions can be all over the place. But one thing is pretty consistent  its always damp in some fashion whether it be humidity or just constant rain. I have noticed over the years that the casings on balls never last at long here compared to other places so for me paying this premium price on balls durability really matters a lot. And I have notice that even though some of the more wallet friendly brands may keep up on spin and distance IMO they rarely ever keep up on durability.   So for me step 1 and 2 of this will be seeing how my yardages and spin hold up compared to what I'm currently gaming and second is making sure that I can trust the ball casing isn't going to give out on me after a couple holes on a wet day or a dew covering morning. 

Really looking forward to getting these in and putting them through their paces. Thanks to the MGS staff for the opportunity. 

Condor Unboxing

As everyone else has said, these came pretty tightly packed. The box came out in practically perfect condition. I really liked the packaging a lot. It's very minimalistic and clean on the front while mixing in some great color to draw attention to it. The back is really informative, giving some detail on ball composition and what to expect/the difference between the models offered. 

The balls themselves keep up the minimalistic appearance that I tend to prefer in most balls. They have a clean logo and an understated pre-done alignment setup with the model branding. At first look, it shows in line with every other ball in this tier. 

With the only knowledge that I have had of Volvik balls I was concerned about the coating since I have only ever seen the vivid balls that have a slightly weird matte finish, but it all feels like what I would expect from a fresh ball coating just out of the sleeve. 

First Playing Impressions 

I have had the opportunity to play my first round with these balls. I would first open by saying that these slot in nicely to the bracket in which they are competing. I have noticed they share several traits from multiple different manufacturers in the space. From a distance standpoint, I would put them in line with Callaway's Chromesoft. IMO they are longer than Taylormade TP5s, but shorter than pro V1s. I have generally also found Vice balls to be in this slot. The spin I would relate more to the TP5 which I have always felt is higher than Pro V's, Chromesoft's, and Vice. I had a really easy time holding greens on par 3s and approach shots, even with slightly longer irons like a 6 and 7.  I liked the spin a little less when taking driver because it felt like I would get some extra spinny tee shots that I might have not normally gotten with some of the other brands in this space.

These balls are also incredibly soft. I would put them as softer than the Pro V, Vice, and Chromesoft and on par with the TP5s. It wasn't my favorite feeling off the putter face since I use a white hot insert and that is generally pretty soft to begin with.  One thing I liked is that some balls in this space feel clicky off the face and have an unappealing sound. This was always a problem for me with vice and prior generation Chromesoft's. These did not have that problem at all which is great with how soft the ball actually is. Finally, I want to end with durability. I played an entire round using one of these and may or may not have clipped a couple tree branches along the way and the coating honestly still looks almost brand new. It was pretty damn impressive considering the price point. 

Overall Rating 7/10

Packaging 4/5

This hits everything I would want to see out of the packaging. The back is incredibly informative and tells me exactly what I should be expecting out of these balls. This is always helpful when trying to differentiate a space that adds x's and dashes to quantify the difference between products.

Shelf Appeal  2/5

This seems like a good first step for them to introduce themselves to the space, but IMO they really need to up their marketing on the fact that they are now selling a tour competitive ball. The only space I have ever seen them market in before is the colorful lower tier balls with weird matte finishes and marvel branding. This is great for the people looking for their orange ball in the woods every hole, but not appealing to the person comparing this to all the balls mentioned above. 

Ball 4/5

Aesthetically, the ball looks great to me. It is a really minimalistic design. I have tried Callaway's approach with Truvis and Triple Tracks, and always go back to a minimal clean ball with a mild alignment aid that I could deepen if I wanted to. From a play standpoint, I really enjoyed this ball when chipping and on par 3s, but so far have not loved this ball with my driver. I had a few too many instances of overly spinny balls that I don't feel like I get with other competitors in the space. On the whole, Volvik's Condors feel really solid and I generally think it is a really comparable competitor. I am really looking forward to playing with it more and getting a larger pool of data to evaluate on. 

TLDR: 

So far my first impressions with the balls are really great. Volvik has done a really good job putting their best foot forward for this test and presenting what is a slightly more reasonably priced competitor in the tour ball space. 

 

Final Review

Aesthetics (14 our of 20) 

The appearance of both the ball and the packaging are incredibly clean i like the font they chose for the logo and they have a very minimal alignment aide that allows you to put whatever you want on this ball. I found myself just blacking out the model name with a solid black line like i do with most prov1s and other similar balls. The case out the box feels on par with basically every other brand. I have noticed issues from a durability standpoint and pretty consistently their cases picking up scuffs from wedges. I have  raw faced MG3s with a decent amount of rust buildup but i generally don't have this issue with any of the more elite brands. i did however notice a real similarity with the casing on the Snell prime 3.0s i ran in tandem with these over the testing period. The feel coming off the face was a little softer than i would like.  As i stated in some of my other posts while comparing these to other balls the compression is certainly not equal even in the base not "X" line of tour balls and these felt extremely similar  to Callaway chromesoft balls both coming off the face of the club and the sound.  

The Numbers  (15 out of 20)

This was a really tough section for me. I was fortunate enough to play three eighteen hole rounds two scrambles and roughly eight  nine hole rounds with these balls. Specifically with the nine hole rounds i really tried to get out with multiple balls and run a true shot by shot side by side comparison to the best of my ability at least. I feel like their compression is a decent bit lower than their direct competition in this bracket to the point where although the balls performance was in no way bad it specifically was not fitted to my play or swing speed when compared to the balls i have been gaming more recently being the pro v1 and the chrome tour that has recently been released. Those two balls specifically are on the higher end of the compression spectrum before going into a four piece ball and this was showing pretty heavily with my play using the condor.

On average with driver my carry was five to ten yards shorter with the condors compared to prov1s and chrometour's. It was on average 5 yards shorter than the snell prime 3.0s and about the same difference as the chromesoft and tp5. Irons were a lot less of a drop-off but i was still averaging about a five yard loss per iron this was greater at the long irons and got tighter when you made it to the scoring irons.

Spin Generation was significantly lower also. I was feeling it both on my clubs championship course as well as our second nine hole course. The greens on the championship course are extremely firm and at times i found it hard to hold them in direct comparison to a ball like the prov1. On our secondary nine hole the greens are significantly softer and i can tend to get a ball to check back a good six or seven feet with a lob wedge with the condors that number was cut down to inside of a foot or  a slight bit of roll forward. 

At the end of the day outside of one or two balls that i felt would have held the green better as a prov1 i don't believe the condor necessarily  lead to any increase in my scores played but it i also would not say it decreased them either. 

Finally putting felt great. Although in every other aspect of the game i prefer slightly harder balls than this putting always feels really good with a soft ball to me. 

On the Course (15 out of 20)

With the majority of my testing of these balls being in a practical course play setting this to me is the same as the above. The balls to me were good not great. I would attribute a lot of this to them potentially not being a great fit and quite possible i could get more performance to my liking with a condor x. This entire testing experience has opened my eyes a bit and i have recently been playing four piece balls over three piece balls to what has seemed to gain me a little more consistency in some aspects of my game. 

Outside of the spin and distance differences i stated above, I had minimal issues shaping my shots left or right with these balls exactly how i wanted. One thing i did notice with this ball is my trajectory was a little higher than normal and i had a bit of a more difficult time flighting balls a little lower on days with high winds. 

The ball performed incredibly consistent. I was getting consistent distances and spin with every shot and had no major outliers at all. This is the predictability you really want and need from a tour quality ball with your game. Outside of the durability of the casing being on the more lackluster side i at no point felt like i got a ball that made me question their quality assurance controls which i would not say has happened frequently but has come up in the discussion when trying more budget friendly ball options. 

 

The Good the Bad and in-between (16 out of 20)

The good is absolutely the consistency of the balls. The ball is incredibly good at traveling the same exact distance with the same spin over and over again. The bad is most assuredly the durability of these casings. They should not be getting scuffed as easily as they do. Its really kind of a double edged sword and rally dependent on what you value. The argument of paying less per ball than a prov1 because you lose them frequently is one thing. But this goes completely out the window when you are not losing this ball but having to swap it out anyway because of a scuff to the casing that makes this completely unplayable and at that point you are just throwing them out anyway. I tend to transition those to my hitting net setup so they are not a complete lost cause fortunately but it is something really to think about when arguing the value of only a ten dollar difference in price per dozen. 

 

Play it or Trade it (10 our of 20)

At the end of the day i do not personally feel like this is the ball for me and i would realistically not play it. I would say 80% of this is to no fault of the ball itself other than the amount significantly left to be desired from a durability and quality of the casing standpoint. As i have said earlier the balls performance is incredibly consistent it just does not perform in a way that i feel fits my game. I would be willing to try the condor x down the road to see if the performance of those is more in line with what i would personally like out of a ball but that wasn't the case for my review now. I also don't know if i would be willing to purchase these again at the current price point knowing how poor the durability actually is. I also feel the same way about snell golf balls right now. This is a point that i really cannot say enough. Not lasting a full eighteen holes on a ball that you did not lose or hit into a tree/ cart path is really just not okay.

 

Total 70/100

TLDR 

I am a mid 30s golfer with a moderate swing speed and a mid handicap. The Condor feels and performs incredibly similar to the Callaway Chromesoft in terms of distance and spin. This is on the softer end of the 3 piece tour balls. The place where the condor falters incredibly is the durability with me having to take at least 4 to 5 balls out of play myself due to scuffs on the casing from wedges. My final rating is a 70/100 Although I prefer my ball compression to be closer to a prov1 once I accounted for the changes in trajectory and distance it did not negatively impact my play or ability to score. 

 

 

Edited July 21 by jayyarr
added final review.

[MichaelC_81]

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Introduction

Hi all, Michael here all the way from Perth, Western Australia. I'm a 43yo golf... enthusiast you could say. Love to play, watch, and talk about golf, but seeing as I only play 1-2 times a month and don't get lessons probably explains the higher than I like handicap. Currently playing a couple different Taylormade balls (Distance+, Speedsoft, and TP5X), but depending on the day and how the swing is going, it makes it hard to determine if the ball is helping out not... however, I do feel the softer balls tend to suit me better. 

Trying to do a bit of research prior to receiving them just to get an idea of what to expect, and apparently these balls are meant to deliver a bit of extra spin around the greens which I'm really interested in. As well as offering a bit more stability in the air which is never a bad thing.

Fingers crossed I can deliver a solid review!!

First impressions/ unboxing

I actually don't mind the packaging at all. The sort of minimalist detailing appeals to me, and it's something I'd definitely have a look at if I saw them in the shop. 

The ball itself is fairly plain with just the Volvik logo and a Condor aim line, which again, I actually like. I usually make the line bolder with a marker for putting assistance, but I'll just leave these as is for testing purposes. 

Planning to get to the range on the weekend seeing as the weather is looking favourable (it's the middle of winter, so touch wood it stays clear), to see how they go with some putting and chipping, and then seriously looking forward to my next game on the 7th.

 

FIRST HIT (finally)

Managed to get to the range late yesterday after work to have a putt and chip with the Condors. 

I spent about 20 minutes aiming and putting at different holes with half a dozen of the Volviks, and I was actually pretty surprised they were fairly consistent. They had a nice feel off the putter, and they seemed to all hold their lines and go the same distance. Usually you get 1 or 2 that might roll that extra meter or so, but these guys grouped nicely. 

I also had a sleeve of Taylormade TP5x and Srixon AD333, which I used as a comparison. All balls were brand new and unmarked. Straight away the TP5x felt more "solid" off the face and I had to adjust my action a bit to get the same distance/line as the Condors. The Srixons however were very similar. They are a soft feel ball and you could definitely tell. 

Around the chipping green it was a different story. The Condors felt good off the face and had a good lift on to the green, where I managed to get them to stop or even razz back as soon as they hit the green. The TP5x seemed to get the best height out of the 3 and very similar stopping distance as the Condors. The Srixons in my opinion were the best feeling ball and had the best overall performance, which was surprising as I don't usually use them and tend to favour the Taylormades.

HOWEVER, first impressions were good. I'm playing 18 this weekend and looking forward to how they go off the driver and long irons. Plenty pictures to come for sure. 

FIRST FULL GAME

On the weekend had my first full 18 holes with the Volvik Condors and was pretty impressed. The weather was wet, windy, and overall not pleasant, and I almost managed to get through the whole round without losing a ball but thought I'd send one into the water to see how it traveled off a snap hook away from the fairway... it looked good but did not return...
Due to the wet conditions it made it really hard to gauge distances, however the feel and flight of the ball of both the driver and irons was really nice. Later in the round the weather started to dry up a little and absolutely smoked a drive 265m (290 yards), which sounded AMAZING!

Around the greens, much like the practice range, the Volvik had no problem getting in the air and trying to stop on the greens. While the rain did not stop for 15 holes, the greens were still extremely quick and hard to judge, but I really enjoyed putting with this ball. It was easy to pick up distances (even in these conditions), and how it felt off the putter face was comfortable.

Overall, could not fault the ball at all. Ideally if I could get out on a dry day to provide a comparison I think I'd be able to provide a bit more details, but due to work commitments and the weather I'm a little strapped for time. Whenever I can get out I will continue to add more feedback.

 

 

Final (not really) Thoughts

Due to weather, work, and family commitments, this testing period has been hectic to say the least.

HOWEVER, I did manage to get a game in where I played a couple balls, battled the elements to get around 18 with only losing 1 ball (not really lost as I could see it in the water ), and get some putting and chipping practice in at the range and at home.

Overall I am pretty impressed with the Volvik Condors. They felt really good off of the face and there is a noticeable difference in height and distance. When my driving was working, the Condors seem to not go as high as my Taylormades, but traveled on average about 20m's/60-65ft longer. However, when I hit some of my irons pure (my 8 iron especially), the ball had an amazing flight path - high, straight, and a bit of a fade. Again, I was having to allow for an extra 10-15m distance so was clubbing down to keep them under control. Around the greens they were very consistent getting some nice height and spin, even on the drenched greens, they managed to pull up fairly quickly which gave me a bit of confidence to "attack" the pin a bit more instead of hoping and praying to land anywhere within 3 putt territory.

In summary, would I consider buying these Volvik Condors in the future, yes. Would I be willing to try the different types of Volvik's based on this test, without question. My golf game is starting to get to the point where I notice slight positives and negatives with different balls/brands, s well as not losing 2 to 5 balls a round, so picking a ball that suits my game is now on my radar.

There is still have 11 of the 12 Condors in my bag, so my testing will continue over the next few months. I have the first round of my social clubs championship coming up in a couple weeks, so will try to take a few photos from the day and add any extra thoughts and feelings that come from the day. Thank you again MGS for selecting me for this test and look forward to reading through everybody else's thoughts.

Cheers!!

 

Edited July 23 by MichaelC_81
Introduction & First Impression

[Zman56]

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Introduction

Hi there, I’m Chuck and live in the beautiful Denver, CO area.  We moved here when I retired 2019.  I then was a starter/marshall at a public course - Broken Tee Golf Couse thus, the picture below.    

I started playing golf in my early 20s but only played 5-6 times per year back then.  Now in my late 60s, I’m playing twice a week and about a 13-14 handicap.  I’ve broken into the 70s on rare occasion and normally in mid to low 80s.

I’m really looking forward testing these Volvik Condor golf balls.  I normally play Titelist or Taylormade balls.  I was a tester for the Titelist balls however the course I played then, had a lot of water so the three balls did not last long.  

I’m in Kansas right now visiting family and have played a couple times noticing that my drives are a lot shorter.  Looking forward to getting back to Colorado and seeing what kind of distance I will get with these test balls.  Thank you for the opportunity!

Unboxing (9 out of 10)

They have arrived!  I received my Volvik Condor golf balls yesterday!  I agree with Archship as I thought I read we would receive 2 dozen?  The other dozen must be on the way.

The packaging of the balls are what I would expect, very appealing to the eye and descriptive of the balls.  I like the straight line of the words “Volvik” & “Condor” as I will use it to line up my tee shot and putting.  As a side note, I do not play with Calloway balls due to the curvature of the name, it’s a personal thing. 

I found the meaning of the name Volvik - It is actually a combination of the Italian word Volare, which means to fly, and then “vi” Victory, so Fly to Victory.  So far, everything looks great!  Can’t wait to get out and play and test out these Volvik balls and watch them fly to victory!  

Have a great weekend!

 

First Impressions / On the Course Play (9 out of 10)

I’ve been out 6 times over the last 3 weeks testing the Volvik Condor.  I first noticed the good feel off the putter on the practice green.  Off the tee, no difference than other balls I play, flight, distance and direction.  They are very comparable to the Taylormade Tour Response and the Srixon Soft.  Off the driver distance and direction very similar.  I actually on occasion hit a Pro V1 and minimal distance difference based on my swing speed 85-90.

One of the things I did find is that I use 3, 5, 7 & 11 woods and I was getting more distance off all of these clubs and no real direction issues with my Condor!  I’m very pleased with this outcome.

Last Thursday, I let each of my 3 playing partners play a Condor on a Par 5 pretty open hole except trees.  Comments they made - I like the feel off the club; comparable to my Pro V 1; I’d consider purchasing at $43 for a dozen.

I did hit cart path and did have a minor scuff mark not unlike most other balls.

My only complaint would be they don’t float.  

Played 6 times and have lost 5 balls…  I may need that 2nd dozen before to long.  

Overall, I have been very pleased with these Condors and will recommend them to others!  Thanks again for giving me the opportunity!

I played with my son in law who is a 4 handicap.  He indicated they are ok but did comparison with his Titelist Pro V1 and hit both really well and Volvik was 10-15 yards shorter with his driver.  He did not feel they were as crisp off his irons.  Off the putter he felt it compared to the Pro V1.

Good/Bad/Other (17 out of 20)

I would say for the price point of the Volvik Condor it is very well constructed ball and is very comparable to the Taylormade Tour Response ball I normally play.  The flight path and distance normal for my swing.  Alignment for drives and putting meets my needs and eye line.

Play it or Trade it (19 out of 20)

I would definitely play this ball in my normal rounds or in a tournament play.  Good distance and straight is always good and this is what I found with this ball.  I found this ball in the $40 price range which is right at my price target.

Conclusion (18 out of 20)

My final conclusion for the Volvik Condor is it is great ball for the $40 +/- target price.  I have a low swing speed at 80-85 and the ball definitely meets my needs.  The ball was consistently straight and good feel on the green.  My normal ball flight is straight or slight fade hitting 10-12 fairways per round.  I do not intentionally draw the ball (working on that now).  

I have recommended this ball to my playing partners and will recommend to My Golf Spy members.  Let me know if you have any questions, I would be happy to assist.  Cheers!  
 

Edited July 20 by Zman56
Balls received!

[TK_]

Introduction:

I am Tom, a late 20’s golfer with a very modern outlook on the game. I have naturally high swings speeds from my baseball background, and I have been playing golf for nearly 6-years. I also benefit mightily from being long off the tee and have driven/over-driven multiple greens in my short playing career. I have a long driving distance of 387yds and a short driving distance of about 2ft… can’t get em all. I have struggled from time to time to get off the tee with driver and will opt for a 3-wood which I can consistently hit 240yds (sometimes longer, but that comes down to if I am trying to give it more). With my modern approach I tend to go with the bomb and gouge option more often than anything else. Though, if I am playing poorly, tighter fairways, or if I think I need to play within myself, I will start taking irons off the tee and play with more course management.

Current Gaming:

I currently use the Srixon Z-Star XV because it gives me the length off the tee I typically have, and it has cut down on how many I tend to randomly mishit. Understand I am newer and have only taken a few lessons. I chose the Srixon’s over the Bridgestone’s I was gaming because it cut down on spin, steadied out my tee shots, and was cheaper. At the time, the Srixon Z-Star XV’s were $27.99/dozen. Last season they nearly doubled due to being the official ball sponsor of the PGA instead of Titleist. I believe it has recently changed back to the ProV1’s as the official ball of the PGA, but the price never came back down unfortunately. These Srixon’s provide less frequent mishits, more fairways hit, and have helped me hit the same amount of greens as Bridgestone’s provided.

What to Expect:

I have said multiple times over to my friends I play with, I have no issue sacrificing distance for controllability. What matters more to me, the score on the card versus the length of the drive. I am looking for the Condor X to be placed in the bag as long as it helps me stick more greens. If I can use this ball and not sacrifice how many fairways I hit, I will make the change no problem. I am hoping I can help give a clear and concise rating on the Volvik Condor X balls for the entire community to understand or relate with. 

Volvik Condor X Unboxing/First Impression:

Upon their arrival I was very excited to get my hands on these golf balls. If you have seen anyone’s photo’s of how they arrived, you’d know it was an absolute fight to get them out of their packaging. Volvik took their time ensuring these were packed safely and securely that’s for sure. I needed some range work for my league round this weekend so I took them to my nearest grass range in the area. 

The packaging was very attractive, but it did remind me of a more casual mix of Bridgestone Tour B XS and Srixon Z-Star XV’s due to their color combinations (blue, silver, unique design, and shelf appeal). Maybe that’s just me, maybe not.

The blue design on the outside of the box is shown on the individual sleeve’s as well. It looks like a rendition of a bird in the color blue. There is also a bird hidden in the R of Condor. Since this is a Republic of Korean based company, I found it necessary to mention the significance of blue in their culture. It is one of the colors in their flag, and their President’s main residence is dubbed “The Blue House” due to the blue roofing. The Blue House represents unwavering bravery that instills the persistence of facing all fears head on.

The side profile of the sleeve shows a much more in detail bird leaving a trail of smoke behind it and it is easily the most attractive portion of the packaging. Here’s to hoping these blue bird’s give me the strength to fly all hazard’s and leave my competition in the dust.

The balls themselves are very plain and have red numbering on them. They do have a putting alignment with Condor X and arrows as seen on the middle ball which is a plus for nearly every golfer. The writing of the company “Volvik”, is very thin and it almost looks like a knock-off because of its lack of boldness.

Something I really want to point out, these are not their matte golf balls that you normally find on a golf course while looking for your buddies ball (definitely not yours). These have a nice finish on them that makes them look even nicer. However, when I took them out of the box, these balls almost felt sticky. I am anticipating the opportunity to bust these out and see how they respond around the greens. I have a feeling they will provide the stopping power I have been searching for. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my assessment of their appearance and packaging. 

Visual Rating: 8/10

Packaging: 4/5

As much as I like the packaging, they hid their best rendition of the bird for the sleeves, and I don’t think it has enough appeal to the amateur golfer that it would increase sales in any way.

Shelf Appeal: 3/5

Since Volvik’s are not seen to be a premier ball, I do not think their casual packaging will do enough to differentiate themselves from the pack, nor will it appeal to the casual golfer. This will drastically effect their sales in the long run without a large marketing campaign to help.

Ball: 5/5

I am overlooking the thin writing because I think that is a personal issue, but the ball looks like a premier ball and when it is in your hand it feels like it will respond well around the greens. Something I haven’t been able to accomplish in my game yet.

First Impression On-Course:

I have only gotten to use them 1x on 9-holes and it seems the durability may be an issue. It took one drive which landed just short of the green for there to be a scuff. The drive did go about 357, but it didn’t hit a tree, cart path, or a bird to pick it up and carry it that far. I am intrigued. Distance seemed unaffected, but control around green didn’t seem any different. Though, this course was watering while we were playing cause of the heat. So, I would like to keep giving these balls a fair shake. I am also playing poorly. So, that doesn’t help either. Until next time.

Range/Practice Area Wedge Work: 

I just got out yesterday and worked primarily on wedge shots from 60 yards in and putting. I used a sleeve of the Condor X’s to test if there is any difference from my current gaming Srixon Z-Star XV’s. When I last played, I mentioned how distance off the tee was no change. When I used them I nearly drove 2 greens through just one set of 9-holes (which is common for my length off the tee). The main concern I noticed, was durability. Now, if you keep up with My Golf Spy’s articles, you will know the Srixon Z-Star XV’s were tested to be the longest ball. Longer than Titleist ProV1’s (and all their iterations), Taylormade TP5x, and Vice Pro Plus (which was surprisingly in the top-5 as well). Volvik Condor X was not mentioned. Though, from my testing, these balls can fly. Anyway, back to what I wanted to test yesterday which was stopping power. My shot has a high trajectory and I usually look to shoot the number. If it is too firm for me to stick, I will run it up. Yesterday, while testing the Volvik Condor X’s, I noticed them doing pretty much what I wanted out of them. More times than not were they stopping/slowing when needed, and running when trying to make them run. The real test will be when I take them on the course to play a whole round, and when I hit the simulator with them for comparison sake. 
 

FINAL REVIEW:

Aesthetics: 16/20

As previously stated in my unboxing, the visual review was an 8/10 for the shelf appeal, golf ball itself, and the packaging. In this aesthetics review, I will also include durability, sound, and dimple pattern. I stated on my on course impression that the durability was a cause for concern. After 1 drive, granted, it was a long drive, it already showed scuffing even without hitting any rough, tree, or cart path.

Durability, when it comes to any ball, is always something that concerns us golfers. Especially when we don’t have a sponsor to give us a million for free each year. The sound remained the same to the Srixon Z-Star XV. I play a PXG driver which is very pingy in my opinion. So, no difference. My 3-wood which is a Taylormade Sim Max is more of a knock as it usually is as well. When it comes to dimple pattern between the two balls comparatively (Srixon Z-Star XV vs Volvik Condor X), they are eerily similar. Though, I must note, the Srixon’s look like a sharper dimple with less gapping and the Volvik’s looks to be more of a rounded dimple at the top. They each have the flower pattern with larger dimples around smaller ones, but I do find it interesting how similar they look.

The Numbers: 19/20

When looking at the numbers you immediately jump to distance. My current gamer, the Srixon Z-Star XV was voted the longest ball by MyGolfSpy forum. Surprisingly, the Volvik Condor X was not on the list. Notice how I said surprisingly. The Volvik Condor X did not shrink to the competition. I was very impressed in my virtual testing (52 degree to 5 hybrid) to see just how well these balls lined up. The Srixon Z-Star XV (31/50 vs 29/50) would have only had me hit 2 extra greens in regulation at an extra $3-8 more per dozen. Something else I was looking for was dispersion rates and stopping power. Again, the Condor X impressed. It was right in line with the Srixon. Putting these balls head to head was a very great choice. Lucky enough, these Srixon’s have been my gamer ball for 2 years now. So, it was eye opening to say the least.

On the Course: 19/20

Some of which has been seen in my previous posts, but I have mentioned this ball feels tacky, does not lose distance (even when compared to the longest rated ball by MyGolfSpy), and responds well around the greens. Since that review I was able to play at Indian Valley Country Club (private) and give a great assessment. The ball flight did not change (high) and the stopping power was great. I personally wish I didn’t hit the ball so high, but it is my swing. I tend to get into trouble on windy and bad weather days. Anyway, it did help improve my score, granted, this course played to more of my strengths than weaknesses. I did have to go through 2-3 balls though due to durability again. So, this continues to be an issue.

The Good, The Bad, The InBetween: 17/20

The Good, is clearly the distance, dispersion rates, ball flight, and fell. The bad, is clearly the durability. We as consumers should not be burning through balls just due to the golf ball not handling the elements of the face of a club and fairway. If you’re hitting trees and cart path’s, I can’t defend you. But, this wasn’t the case. The inbetween, for me is still the marketability. I do not know off the top of my head a single Volvik golfer. Unless they tried to push a grassroots method of connecting with golfers at Outings, testings, free sleeves, I find their battle an uphill one no matter how it tests.

Play it or Trade it: 15/20

These balls Volvik Condor X are $43/dozen versus Srixon Z-Star XV’s being $50/dozen which is appealing. Though, as previously stated, it seems the durability factor really persuades me to continue to pay the extra $7 for longer lasting balls. Srixon’s also offer 2 for 3 quite often and I can find on Amazon 2-dozen packs for $65-85 depending on the dealer. I would 100% be willing to play this ball if the price point fell, or if they were willing to try and make them more durable. I know it sounds like I am beating this dead here, but durability is my main concern and with these balls, it could take one swing to kill it.

TOTAL: 86/100

TLDR:

I am late 20’s with high swing speeds. My distance off the tee doesn’t reflect my handicap. I live in the Greater Philadelphia area and play a few times a month. I am looking for more controllability and am willing to sacrifice distance to do so. The Condor X’s are nice, clean, and grippy. The packaging color pattern is significant to their South Korean culture (Blue House = American White House) and represents unwavering bravery in the face of all of life’s trials and tribulations. Final Rating 86/100. Condor X’s provide no significant difference in distance, have good stopping power, but have durability concerns in my assessment.

Edited July 20 by TK_

[JackBurtonsPorkchopExpress]

UPDATED W/ FINAL REVIEW

Hey everyone! Pumped to give the Condor X's a run for their money. 

I started golfing more seriously about 2 years ago when I hung up my running shoes due to some health concerns (who knew too much running could be bad for your heart?). In taking up this wonderful game there haven't been many crossovers. Your scores don't go down like your times and you yell a lot more. About the only thing that transfers over is the need for good socks. 

Thanks to this forum, I have been getting better at finding what works for my game, especially balls. With the state of my game, I just can't justify ~$5/ball. Plus I like sales. I have been using Maxfli Tour X's mainly, but have found that Srixon Z-Star XVs & Bridgestone RX's are great too. I have found these balls stay much straighter than others as I tend to aggressively fade. My hope here is that the Condor X's will also work so I can have some options.

Reveal/Unboxing Condor X

My balls arrived this weekend (great Father's Day surprise!) and have literally been taunting me for 2 days to open them up. Well, I finally did. First off it took a very sharp knife to get through all the packaging. This was a bonus because I knew the balls wouldn't be damaged and the anticipation just kept growing with every careful slice. The packaging also hinted at me being a winner. So, thanks Volvik for the extra confidence boost. 

Once, I retrieved them from the packaging, I thought the presentation(box) was super simple and effective. I feel like most boxes have the color red all over them as a way to stand out from the crowd, but there's not a drop of it on the box. The back of the box did a good job of explaining the construction of the ball and comparing it to the other Condor variation. Also, is there a hint of wings/feathers on the box? As mentioned above part of the name Volvik means "To Fly". So this was very subtle, but I picked up what they were laying down.

The ball itself seems to follow suit with the simple packaging. You just have the brand, a number, and a "Condor X" alignment aid. No additional/unnecessary words or distractions. the last thing I need is something else distracting me from my active mind on the tee. I do like a firmer feel to my golf balls with my putter., and these balls do feel a little softer than my typical gamer (Maxfli Tour X). So, I'm curious to see if this shows up around/on the greens. Now, I just have to get some rounds in and see how these perform. I've got my typical 9 hole round on Friday morning where I'll be playing these, but will get some additional rounds in to do some side by side comparisons. Now, for the pictures.

Visual Rating: 9/10

• Packaging: 5/5
• Shelf Appeal: 4/5
• Ball: 5/5

FINAL REVIEW:

Aesthetics: 19/20

Like the review above, I will go ahead and include the golf ball & the packaging, but I'll include durability, sound, and any other sensory thing I can come up with (not taste). As I mentioned above these balls are very very plain. I appreciated this as it was not distracting to me in the least bit. I thought the packaging was also wonderfully simple and appreciated the lack of the color red on the box. Less > More.

As for the ball itself. It was astonishing to me the sound difference between this ball and my typical Maxfli Tour X off the tee. I use a Ping 425, so the sound is already a little obnoxious as a baseline. However, with the Volvik, it feel it reached a more "gun shot in the vicinity" type of noise. There was a very distinct crack when it came off the driver.

To put a bow on aesthetics, I'll touch on the durability. I had ZERO issues with durability with these balls. While I think I managed to miss cart paths in my rounds, I did not miss trees and sand. In fact, the last round I played I caught a flyer out of the sand and hit a tree on the other side of the green so hard it bounced back into play and there was barely a slight change of color on the ball. No scuffs whatsoever. I'm very happy with the durability. I'm also sure I'm going to hit a cart path now that I've typed this.

The Numbers: 19/20

I did not put this on a monitor and compare my ball with my typical gamer (Maxfli Tour X). Shame on me, but as a fledging 16 hdcp, I'd be hard pressed to hit the ball the same way twice anyway. However, I did put this ball head to head against my Maxfli in a 9 hole round to get an idea of distance, behavior around the green, etc. Distance is not an issue with this ball. It is very similar to my Maxfli. I'll touch on the greenside stuff in the next section. 

Finally, on my numbers section, I'll discuss the cost. This is a fanstastic ball for the price. There is zero reason I should be using a $5 ball at my level. Compounded with the fact that there are fantastic balls out there that are a fraction of the cost, the Volvik Condor X provides me another great option at a wonderful price point. Plus after checking some (legit) online sources, these balls go on sale. Now, I doubt I can get them at Dick's for <$2/ball with coupons, but they are what I would call affordable and provide great performance dollar for dollar.

On the Course: 17/20

There are several on course observations I'd like to call out here: greenside behavior, ball flight, & off the tee. 

Off the tee, I tend to hit a fade that sometimes turns into an aggressive slice. The Volviks appear to exaggerate my fade into a slice more than my typical ball. I would guess this is due to my inconsistent mechanics and the ball being more "spinny". So, I'm knocking off a point for that as I am more nervous about my tee shots when I'm over this ball. 

The flight of the ball is interesting and it might have something to do with the feel off the club as well. Distance on this ball is consistent with my Maxfli, but more often than not, I am begging this ball to get up and telling my Maxfli to get down. They go the same distance, but just the perceived flight of the ball is different. 

Finally, around the green, this ball comes off my wedges very hot. I have to remind myself to swing less before I hit it to make sure I don't blow it past the hole. This took a few rounds to dial in. 

The Good, The Bad, The InBetween: 17/20

The Good: Functionally, this ball can/will compete with whatever ball you throw at it. I had zero issues with distance and durability. There are no reasons why this ball shouldn't be in your bag. Except....

The Bad: Unfortunately, Volvik is a ball that I associate with bright colors or super heroes on them. I was playing a round with a guy that only uses $5 balls because they are a status symbol in some way. I wouldn't say I was embarrassed to be using a Volvik, but I was aware when he'd locate a ball and ask "are you playing a...Volvik?" I hope that reviews like this will increase their popularity and break the super hero, bright color stigma that may be associated with this brand as a whole. 

Play it or Trade it: 19/20

In the spirit of brevity, PLAY THIS BALL. The price is great (they go on sale also) & the performance/durability are legit. 

TOTAL: 91/100 

Edited July 22 by JackBurtonsPorkchopExpress
Final Review

[Sharp.shell]

Final post
Ok so I have had a few rounds with Volvik Condor X out on my local course as well as giving them a run on a simulator, thanks to Drummond Penrith, and here is what I have come up with.

 

The Unboxing
Packaging

the outer box looks very crisp and clean, not too much advertising bling which I like. I do like the blue detail on the right side of the box, looking like a beak/wings of the Condor.

On the back of the box, I like the exploded view of the ball itself with the details of the individual layers of the ball.

The key with the details of the Condor and Condor X showing flight, feel etc I would like to see what swing speed is recommended for each of the Volvik balls. I did notice that the XT Soft ball was missing.

I was impressed with the individual sleeves; I loved the blue condor image on the sleeve as well as the feel and performance detail on the back of the sleeve.

BALL

Plain but nice. Looks and feels like it will be very responsive in and around the greens, which I need.

It is basic in its signage per say, which I don’t mind, I usually add a thick black line on all the balls I use as a putting aid. That is something that I would have liked to have seen, but just a single thick line, not like the Calloway red/blue lines, or something similar to what's on the XT Soft. 

I hope to get out on my local course in the next day or two to have a hit, then get into a simulator to get some numbers happening. 

I like the feel of the ball itself, it feels grippy and I can't wait to put them to the test, firstly in our weekday social 9 hole comps and then on the weekend competition.

EQUIPMENT
Driver & Fairway Rescue - Taylor Made Sim 2 Max
3 Wood – Taylor Made TS 2
Irons - Taylor Made Stealth
Wedge -Taylor Made Hi Toe 58deg

Firstly I must say that I think that I had the best round with both balls that I have had in months, so I will have another comparison round with the Condor X and Pro V1 (my other go to ball) as soon as I can. 

COMPARING BALLS ON COURSE
Volvik Condor X
Titleist AVX

In comparison off the tee with driver feel and distance was much of a muchness, however ball flight I felt that the Volvik had a higher ball flight than the AVX, which can be a problem on windy days particularly on courses that are open to the elements. 

Hitting the Volvik Condor X with fairway woods and long irons I felt they felt better off the club face than the AVX and I was able to get a bit of shape, mainly a fade but a slight draw on a few holes when I was able to. As far as short iron I could not get the to shape either way but that could have been me. 

In comparison with the 2 balls with the short irons and wedge shots from about 80m and in,  I felt better contact and feel with the Condor X than the AVX. Performance on the green I would have to favour the Condor X, It seemed to bite harder with the spin I was getting with it. 

OFF THE TEE PAR 3’s
Full shots from the Tee box loved the Condor X, green bite and back spin was great. 
After pitching spin back was anywhere between 2m to 60cm which I think was awesome. 

PUTTING

Feel of the putter face the Volvik felt softer than the AVX but I think that striking and control was similar but I think that the AVX was slightly better. 

COMPARING BALLS IN SIMULATOR

After a warmup I hit the Condor X, Srixon Z Star and then the Pro V1, with a 7 iron, PW and Driver (which I had a bit of an off day with) in that order. The Average results are as follows,

3 Wood Simulator Results
7 Iron - Pitching Wedge and Driver

OVERALL RATING 
OFF THE TEE  7/10
FAIRWAY WOODS/LONG IRONS 8/10
SHORT IRONS 80m AND IN 9/10
FULL WEDGE 9/10
PUTTING 7/10
DURABILITY 8/10

CONCLUSION

 After taking the Volvik Condor X out on the course and in the simulator and comparing it with the Srixon Z Star and Titleist pro V1, the numbers are self-explanatory even with a off day with my driver. In saying that I do like the Condor’s feel off the club over the Srixon and Pro V1 , I like the number with my 7 Iron and pitching wedge and thought that with those number my game should improve and hopefully lose some shots of my hcp. I really like the numbers with my 3 wood, they impressed me greatly.

FINAL THOUGHTS
I think that I will be using the Volvik’s from here on in, I give them the Big Thumbs up and would recommend them.

Stay tuned, Im lucky enough to still have all 12 balls and will be using them on a regular basis.
I'm booked in to have a round at Twin Creeks at Camden NSW in September, I will be using the Condor X, and I will snap some pics and hopefully upload a quick review of my and the balls performance, that's if I play well LOL.

Edited July 20 by Sharp.shell

[archship]

The Personal Questions

Hello!  My name is Archie Shipp. My wife, Tammie  and I have been married for 27 years this coming August.  We have two very beautiful and successful adult daughters.  Like most married men with a family, I didn’t get to play as much golf as I would have liked during my younger years, but have been more than making up for it as an empty nester.

I currently live in Conway, South Carolina.  We just finished having the first PGA event ever in Myrtle Beach, and I was a volunteer on the ShotScope team and was the flagger on the 4th tee box for all four days of the tournament.  Prior to moving here two years ago, I lived in Colorado near Denver for 16 years.  Dropping over 5000 feet to sea-level and the subsequent ten percent loss of distance through the bag was quite a blow to my ego, but my scores actually went down due to the more consistently soft course conditions here that allowed me to dial in the rest of my game. Before that, I also lived and played golf in Wyoming, Kansas and Nebraska.  

I have been golfing for over 25 years.  I started playing sparingly while living in Nebraska, but then began to get more rounds in when I moved to Kansas while my wife was attending college.  Initially, I mostly played sand-greens courses with buffalo grass fairways and $2 green fees paid into a locked metal “Honor” box.  Later, I got my first membership while living in Wyoming.  I started playing around 75 rounds per year and learned the more important subtleties of the game. We moved back to Kansas a few years later and then on to Colorado.  While there, I never had a permanent membership, so I played quite a variety of courses along the northern Front Range from Denver to Fort Collins and out toward the eastern plains. 

 My golf game is the epitome of a middle-of-the-road grinder. My golf buddies frequently describe it as “boring” golf and, joking or not, they are correct.  I am a cart-walker who plays over 100 rounds per year with a 6-7 handicap in the summer and a 9-10 handicap in the winter.  I track my various statistics on the GHIN app and a Garmin G80.  I hit around 90% of fairways, 50% of greens-in-regulation, and average barely over 2 putts per hole. I’m 5’9”, not very flexible, and have a very average 85-95 mph swing speed that yields a 230 yard average here at sea-level with a personal best long-drive of only 271 yards. The wife gave me permission to get new clubs for my 50th birthday last fall, so I refreshed the bag for the first time since the early 2000’s.  I now use Callaway Rogue ST through most of the bag, Cleveland Zipcore wedges, and an Odyssey White Hot OG 7S putter. My ball depends on the temperature at specific times of year:  Pro V1 in the Summer, Chrome Soft in the Spring and Fall, and Supersoft in the Winter. 

The Golf Questions

I’ve spent quite a bit of time thinking about how I want to test the product. I plan to compare the Volvik XT Soft to the Callaway Chrome Soft, which I currently play about half the year. I live only 50 feet from the middle of the 7th fairway at Wild Wing Avocet, so getting out on the course to hit them side-by-side for subjective assessments will be fairly easy.   I will also look into getting data from a premium launch monitor, but my back-up plan will be to at least use my Garmin G80 to get the Distance and Ball Speed numbers.  

In order to get this product into my bag after testing, it really only has to do one thing… help me shoot better rounds.  That doesn’t mean I have to shoot a personal best round with them, just that the average round with the XT Soft is better than the average round I am getting at this time and location with my current ball.  

I am excited to test the product because it slots into the type of ball I should be playing with my handicap and swing speed.  I’ve been debating whether to permanently switch to a softer ball, even in the summer, for a few years now, so if the XT Soft ends up being that ball at a lower price point, great! 

I did some quick research on the XT Soft through the Volvik website and a few other review sites before I was even selected by MGS to do this.  The first two things that caught my eye were the mid-level compression and that it was a three piece ball with a Urethane cover. Generally, those are the two most important features for me to choose a ball, my winter Supersoft choice notwithstanding.

My expectations for this test are very high.  Not only do I hope the ball performs as well or better than my current one for personal reasons, but I also want to do a good enough review that those of you reading this will be able to make a well informed decision on whether or not to spend your hard earned cash on a box of them.  I would say the ultimate validation would be if the MGS public tends to agree with whatever my final assessment is. 

First Impressions (10 out of 10)

When I got the delivery late last night, I couldn’t wait to open it.  It was so well wrapped, I had to cut it all the way open with scissors.  The First Impression was great!  The box itself looks very nice with features listed on the back for Swing Speed, Construction, Driver Spin, Trajectory, Finish, Shot Type, Wedge Spin, and Feel.  There was an added product catalog which includes all of their ball offerings (much more than I realized), including special orders for logos and personalization.  There are also Volvik branded golf bags, hats, junior clubs, and (oddly) Marvel branded balls, travel covers, hats, and headcovers. The sleeves again were well done, and the balls themselves look first rate.  I especially liked the V-Focus Line as it is similar to the TripleTrack on the ChromeSoft, and won’t have to draw them in with a template like I do for other balls.  

Aesthetics (10 out of 10) 

The appearance, graphics, and packaging were great.  I played my first round with them this morning (more to come on that) and the short and long term durability seems to be top of the line, especially for a urethane covered ball.  I don’t really have much to say about dimple patterns as that isn’t something that gets my attention except when it goes to an extreme like a Bridgestone E12 Contact.  I did love the V-Focus alignment aid as a triple line is what I’m used to from ChromeSoft or adding one myself to other balls.  The shade of white seems a bit brighter than most, except maybe Srixon’s offerings.  The condition of the ball seems almost out-of-the-box new after the first nine holes, which did not include any major scuff potential (trees, cartpaths) other than one sand trap.  

The Feel is also very good, and the Sound was uneventful, which in some ways might be a great compliment over many cheaper alternatives.   I was directly comparing it to a ChromeSoft today, and would say that the Volvik held its own in both categories, especially when using irons.  The Volvik actually felt and sounded more like a lower compression ball (think Supersoft at 40 or Noodle at 35) than the 70 compression ball that it is. Once I started to reflect on my round, I began to realize that the closest competitor to it would actually be the Taylormade Tour Response, which I played a few sleeves of about a year ago, and recently discussed with my league partner who was trying them over his last few rounds.  They are both 3-piece, 70 compression balls with an alignment aid and are priced within a few dollars of each other.

The Numbers (17 out of 20)

So, I played and hit the Volvik for 10 rounds over the last two weeks, including a head-to-head scramble with a Chrome Soft, several each of 9 and 18-hole rounds by itself, and using my G80 into a net.  How did the XT Soft compare? Across the spectrum of golf shots: driver, irons, wedges, and putter, it performed very well and was extremely straight, but it had one major flaw… distance off the tee.  Accuracy was never a problem with any club and distance was as good or even better with irons and wedges, especially into the wind (more on that later).  Chips and pitches were solid, if longer than expected, and putting was excellent.  However, I was definitely losing double-digit yards on the driver.  For the last two years I’ve lived at sea-level in Myrtle Beach, I’ve averaged around 225-230 off the tee. With the XT Soft, I was struggling to get 210-215 out of it and only two or three drives out of roughly 100 were in my average range. Ironically, this didn’t affect my scores much.  Most of my rounds were solidly in the range of my averages (low 40’s and 80’s), with two rounds being particular outliers: a 77 (very low) and a 46 (somewhat high).

I got some hard data with my Garmin G80 and a SkyTrak owned by a friend, Craig Zyr, to see if the numbers were matching what I was seeing on the course.  I directly compared the XT Soft to the Chrome Soft with driver and 7-iron.  While using my G80, as I mentioned before, the XT Soft does well with an iron in hand.  I ended with a 147.1 average for the Callaway and a 145.7 average for the Volvik (spot on with my Arccos numbers from last fall).   SkyTrak had me at 149 for the Volvik and 151 for the Callaway with significantly higher spin on the Chrome Soft than the XT Soft.   I did the same routine with the driver and confirmed the problem I had been seeing on the course with the XT Soft.  My G80 driver averages were 228.3 with the Callaway(agreeing again with Arccos, but dropped significantly to 218.8 with the Volvik XT Soft.  When I used the SkyTrak, the numbers were slightly closer, but showed a similar pattern.  SkyTrak had me at 209 yards of carry for 232 total yards  at 2653 rpm with the Chrome Soft.  It had me at 201 yards of carry for 225 total yards at 2486 rpm with the XT Soft.  Now, I do think launch monitors get total distance correct most of the time, but the percentage of real carry vs roll-out is so different depending on the turf and the altitude that it is difficult for me to believe those numbers over what I am seeing on a real course.  

While there was a noticeable difference between the Volvik XT Soft and the Callaway Chrome Soft in relation to the driver, I’m not sure if Volvik is positioning the XT Soft to take on that particular ball.  I would guess that matchup is more for the Condor and that the XT Soft is being positioned to duke it out with the Taylormade Tour Response and the Titleist Tour Soft.  I’ve tried both of those before, and really think they have the same overall strengths but driver-weakness that the XT Soft does.  

One final thought I had concerning the performance of the ball isn’t really a “data point”, but I did notice a huge strength of the XT Soft seemed to be its trajectory and distance while hitting into the wind.  On the day I did the head-to-head scramble, the Volvik actually outperformed the Chrome Soft by a few inches with the driver and a few yards with the irons into a strong headwind.  Obviously this can’t be quantified in the same way as a test with perfect conditions or a robot swing machine, but I did get the feeling that something about the Volvik (dimples maybe) helps it to bore into the wind well. 

On The Course (17 out of 20)

Off the Tee, the Volvik XT Soft isn’t the longest ball you could buy, but it definitely provides adequate distance.  It is also certainly a fairway finder as it is perhaps the straightest ball I’ve ever played.

Approach – It definitely excels on approach shots.  It is so straight, though, a player that wants to work the ball might not be able to do so. 

The ball flight is mid, very piercing, and great in the wind. Chipping and pitching are consistent, if a bit longer than expected.

Around the Green, I had confidence playing bump and runs and flops.  I don’t really do a lot of hop-and-stops with any ball, but I feel like the XT Soft could if required.. 

Putting was very good, very consistent.  The alignment aid is top notch.

I was especially pleased with how straight this ball is.  That is my game and this ball accentuates it.  The main piece lacking is still distance off the tee. 

Bottom line: While it did not help improve my scores, they also did not drop.  This means someone could score the same and potentially pay less.  That’s a win for the XT Soft and the player. 

The Good, the bad, the inbetween (17 out of 20)

The Good: This is the straightest ball I’ve ever seen: Full Stop! It is extremely durable. I could not put a dent in the cover.  Most players will certainly lose these (also difficult due to the straightness) before they ruin them.  This combination could definitely save money!  

The Bad: the distance off the tee could improve, but is definitely adequate, especially when the longer distances with irons are combined.  

 The In-Between: Chips and Pitches are long.  Nothing terrible about that, you just have to plan for it.
 

Play it or Trade it? (17 out of 20)

All things being equal, would I put this ball in play for a tournament or similarly important game?  Yes.  I actually did use it on a league night .  Did they help me play my best? Yes and No. I’ve shot both a very low score and a fairly high score with them, but my average scores didn’t really budge.  I definitely feel the asking price for them is more than fair.  Keep in mind that the XT Soft should be compared to something like a Tour Response, not a ProV1 or Chrome Soft in price (and performance).  The type of golfer that would fit the XT Soft best is a mid swing-speed (75-95 mph) player that wants to play a very straight ball and save a bit of money doing so.   This is definitely right up my alley as I am not someone that wants to shape the ball much.  

Conclusion

My final conclusion is that the Volvik XT Soft is a wonderful ball for its target market of mid swing-speed players looking for a ball that performs well without breaking the bank.  It absolutely excels at being straight, has adequate distance off the tee, is phenomenal on approaches, does what it needs to do around the greens, and will still look brand-new after several rounds.  I would have absolutely no reservations recommending it to my friends or to the MyGolfSpy community at large. I do sincerely believe that this ball would help a lot of golfers play between the lines a bit more and therefore lower their scores. 
 

Final Score (88 out of 100)
I’m a high school English teacher, so I am very happy to see the Volvik XT Soft get a high B+ on this test!  Well done!.  

 

Edited July 11 by archship
Added the First Impressions

[MajorCavalry]

Introduction:

Thanks again to MyGolfSpy for the opportunity to test the Volvik XT Soft golf ball. My currently ball is the Oncor Elixr.  It gives me low spin off the driver, woods and long irons. Spin on lofted clubs is good.  Feel is soft, but not mushy.  Basically, everything I could ask for and a lot less expensive than “premium” golf balls.  It compares favorably to the Titleist AVX and Bridgestone Tour B RX at 1/2 the price.

A bit about me.  I am a 71 year old semi retired dentist.  I have been playing on and off since I was 10 years old.  Never took lessons until much later in life and have spent much time trying to lose bad habits. I play to a 12.4 handicap index. My current club set is Callaway Ai Smoke Max D driver, 3, 5 and 7 wood.  New this year.  Irons are Miura CB57 cavity backed forged with Accra graphite shafts and Edison wedges with KBS graphite shafts.  Putter LAB Mezz1.

I play golf primarily in the northeast at both public and private courses.  My strengths are woods and irons, weakness is putting although the LAB is really helping.
 

I look forward to sharing my subjective thoughts and any objective data from my ShotScope X5 watch.

 

Unboxing/First Impressions:

Like others have said, I received only one box and it was securely wrapped in bubble wrap.  Not as neat and clean as the Bridgestone balls I received, but the box arrived undamaged.

The box looks fairly unremarkable.  Not sure what I was expecting, but really looks, to my eye, rather mid-level rather than upper tier packaging.   Obviously this makes no difference once out on the course but it may make a difference in the casual purchaser walking out of the store with a box!  The balls have a glossy bright white cover which compares favorably with my gamer, the Oncor Elixr and the Bridgestone Tour B RX Mindset that I have been testing.  It may be just a coincidence, but the Volvik has placed a focal point and alignment aid on the ball a la Mindset.  The graphic is completely different but it suggests that another company besides Bridgestone has seen the merit of this.  Once I get these out on the course I will see if it works as well.  

Looking forward to getting out on the course this upcoming Monday and giving them a go.  Results to follow...

First Impressions on the course: 9 out of 10

The ball appears has a gloss pure white cover with subdued graphics.  The alignment aid and focal point are what I would expect from a current generation golf ball.  Not overly obtrusive and likely helpful.  On the course, the ball was impressive.  Sound off the driver and irons was soft and muted, but not mushy.  Off the putter I would rate the sound as dull.  Not clicky like higher compression balls, but not objectionable. Durability. The alignment aid is useful for putting but the focus point could be more dynamic like the Bridgestone Mindset.  Durability has been excellent.  After two rounds on one ball I noticed a slight dulling of the bright white cover, but only noticeable if compared to a new one.  Not immune to cart path injuries, but still playable. This is significantly better than the Oncor which shows more cover degradation after multiple rounds.

Distance on the course was similar to my gamer, the Oncor Elixr.  Medium high trajectory off the driver with eerily straight ball flight.  My usual ball flight is a fade.  Feel off the irons was soft in a positive way.  Approach shots had good spin and landed softly with a one foot or so roll out from the pitch mark.  Shots off of well played chip shots exhibited excellent spin.  All of these characteristics were similar to my gamer ball and the Bridgestone Tour B Rx.  Worthy of praise.

The Numbers:  9 out of 10

Distance off the driver, irons and wedges were no different than my Oncor Elixr and Bridgestone Tour B RX despite being lower compression than both.  I have used ShotScope and Arrcos before to nail down my distances.  Shot shape was straight.  Great for me, maybe not for someone who is able to consistently work the ball in either direction.  I am happy for it to go in the direction I send it.

Despite the ball doing everything I could ask of it, the ball did not improve my scores but then again, it did not cause the score to rise.  Feel off the clubs felt "good".  Distance control with the putter was excellent.

On the course:  18 out of 20

Driver off the tee was consistent at 230 yards.  This is mostly carry as my course has very little roll.  Mostly landing zones are soft with slight uphill elevations.  On a public course with harder fairways I could manage 250.  This is consistent with the Oncor and Bridgestone.

Approach shots had a medium to high trajectory with no evidence of ballooning. Shots landed softly on the greens.

Around the greens ball was able to generate good spin on a well executed chip.  Distance control was predictable.

The bright white balls were easy to spot in the fairway and rough.

The Good the Bad and inbetween: 19 out of 20

Having used this ball for 15 rounds I can't think of any reason why it couldn't stay in my bag.  Except the price, hence the loss of one point.  Felt great off the driver, fairway woods, wedges and putter.  Really can't ask for more than that.  At $39 it is almost twice what I pay for the Oncore (sale price) for the same performance.  I did note Volvik have them on sale for $29 which would make them more tempting.  

Play it or Trade it: 18 out of 20

I would use these for a big match.  They are consistent and I know if I do my part they won't let me down.  My gamer Oncor Elixr does everything just about as well except it does appear to have a bit more spin off of long clubs.  Whereas the Volvik just wants to go straight even on a relatively poor swing, the Elixr will give more of a fade.  Price keeps it out of the 20 rating.

Conclusion: 64 out of 70 (91%)

This is the first Volvik ball I would unhesitatingly keep in my bag.  I had tried some of the Volvik matt finish vibrant balls in the past. They were harsh and unpredictable.  I really was not expecting much from this "Tour" level ball.  I was pleasantly surprised. I approached every shot with the confidence that if I did my part the ball would do its.  Predictable ball flight and distance, soft landings on the green, good spin off wedges and confidence over putts.  Can't ask for anything more from a golf ball.  If someone is in the market for a lower compression ball this certainly should be one to test.

Edited July 20 by MajorCavalry

[RajMahal]

Hey everyone, I’m Raj. I haven’t been an active poster for too long, but have relied on the reviews here quite a bit. And when I discovered the testing opportunities and the Virtual Tour, I decided to dive in. Pretty psyched for this first opportunity!

I’m in the Washington, D.C. area. For most of the past 20 years, I’d play 1-2 times a year with a couple friends. I was given some hand-me-down clubs from a buddy back when I was 18, though they weren’t the most ideal fit since I’m 6’3. To give you an idea of how infrequently I played, I literally didn’t own a pair of golf pants or cooler-weather tops because I had never played a round under 75 degrees until this past Fall. 

But when I hurt my knee playing basketball a couple years ago and had to undergo surgery and a long recovery, it made me reevaluate my future in playing sports. I don’t know how much ball I have left in me, or if it’s worth the risk…but golf really appealed to me because (theoretically) I can play it until I’m old, and scratch my competitive itch. It’s also a little more accessible to me now that I make a little bit more money than I did in my 20s. 

So I took the plunge, got fitted for clubs, and took a few lessons. I still suck and my form is out of whack due to some health issues as well (I can’t really flex my wrist into an appropriate position because of pain)…but I’ve fully caught the bug. I joined a club this past October and have been trying to play as much as possible, usually a couple times a week. I also have access to some other network clubs in the area and nationwide (and play other public and private courses with friends, so I can keep it fresh-ish locally and have gotten to play some beautiful courses over the past nine months. 

I like to gamble so games on the course are always fun for me, and I’m always happy to see  someone pull out a speaker and play some jams during a round. 

I’m also married and we’re considering having a kid here shortly, which I jokingly give my wife grief about since I just joined a club and the initiation fee was painful.

My Current Golfing Game

My handicap has hovered between 14-16, though it dropped dramatically after a personal-best 78 this week that should’ve been closer to an 85. I feel like if I can keep the ball inbounds off the tee and not 3-putt everything, I should be cracking 90 consistently. 

Despite my size, I’m not the biggest hitter, particularly off the tee. I don’t use all of my body as I should, and try to keep my swing less busy because the more I try to dial it up, the less control I have (which is already low to begin with). And my putting is pretty piss-poor. I’m basically the Mayor of 3-Putt Town at this point.

 

Type of Ball and Testing Plan

I typically play the Vice Pro Plus, largely based on the balance of price and performance (from what I read on here). I did recently play a dozen ProV1s and I liked the performance of that ball — distances were similar, but I felt a bit more control with my short irons and wedges. I just lost my last one today, though, so it’s back to the Vice balls this week, ahead of the test balls arriving.

I have a really good idea of my distances with most of the clubs in my bag. I also play the same courses quite a bit so that variable should be limited. So my plan is to take these balls on the course and compare distances and feel. If I get out on a weekday and it’s not busy, I’ll also take the opportunity to hit two different balls from the same shot to get a direct, in-the-moment comparison. I don’t have a bunch of Trackman data, but I might also book a session to get that comparative data to share. 

What I’ll be looking for with these balls is distance, feel, stopping power, and how quickly they get banged up. I’ve never heard of Volvik before but I’m excited to try them out, particularly given their claims at what would be a much more wallet-friendly price for a performance ball. I also typically haven’t targeted “soft” balls, but if I can get similar distances with a soft feel, that might be pretty great. Given that this isn’t a Titleist don’t have any expectations.

The Review

Full disclosure: I'm a relative golf ball novice. I typically play Vice Pro Plus balls, though I'm about to give the regular Vice Pro ball a shot here soon. I've hit a couple soft balls that I've found on the course, but my experience with soft balls is severely limited. 

Unboxing / Aesthetics: 7/10

After ripping through the generic FedEx packaging, I uncovered the case of ball sleeves. I'll break down what I liked and what I didn't like, with the obvious caveat that this is all subjective.

What I liked

• I'm a fan of the color scheme. The silver in particular really pops and gives the box and sleeves a cutting edge feel. Silver and blue always seem to work nicely, even if they're also Dallas Cowboys colors. 
• The main box has a textured feel on the XTSoft part, which is really pleasing. 
• The XTSoft feels soft. When they describe it as Extreme Soft on the box, they're not kidding. 
• I like the "V-Focus" ball alignment aid. This is the first ball I've played that has one, and it's helpful without being distracting. 
• The "Product Performance" section on the back of the box is helpful in terms of setting expectations for ball performance. 

What I didn't like as much

• Personally not a fan of the Volvik logo, particularly on the ball itself. The italics-like font seems almost childish.
• The right side of the back of the box (and one side) is a lot of brand jargon nonsense. "V-High" "V-Hybrid" "VU-X2" "V-Focus" are all in one section, and are all meaningless. Classic case of a company branding terms that create more confusion instead of being clearer and more direct.
• The back and one side of the box is just too "busy."
• There's a "Winners" badge on one side of the box that I'm still trying to discern the meaning of. What did it win? This just seems like a made-up badge that some designer stuck on the side, hoping no one would think about it. 

 

 

First Impressions: 9/10

My first few rounds with the balls made a strong first impression. Like I mentioned in a comment, these balls play soft. They feel very controllable on approaches and around the greens, which made for more confident, precise shots. My yardages also seemed to be generally the same, which was a huge positive — I assumed that the soft balls and their controllability would come at the expense of distance. In particular, I’m experiencing strong performance with my driver, and these balls seem to fly a little straighter than my normal ones. Its claim of “maximum distance” seems to be the case, along with superior control and accuracy. 

The only disappointing part of my first impressions is durability. This ball seems to get more scuffed up more quickly and permanently than the Vice balls I typically use. Even when I’m in the woods and not just hitting a cart path, the scratches are more abundant and pronounced. 

The Numbers: 20/20

This score is based on the fact that this ball, which is much softer than the ball I typically play (Vice Pro Plus), essentially performed similarly. I took three Vice Pro Plus and three Volvik XTSoft balls to a simulator armed with Trackman and hit a few different clubs with each. The three numbers I cared most about were Average Carry, Ball Speed, and Spin Rate. Here's how they compared:

These numbers were in harmony with my on-course experience — even with the softer feel, the ball performed at the distances I needed and expected.

 

On the Course: 19/20

Off the tee: This ball stood up to the Vice Pro Plus, and I actually hit more fairways with the Volvik. Distance off the tee was my biggest concern before playing these balls, and that concern was alleviated immediately and consistently.

Approach: My approach shots consistently stuck on the green, enabling me to play yardages closer to the pin than with the Vice. This was the single most impressive, differentiated benefit of using the Volvik XTSoft. 

Ball Flight: These softer balls felt easier for me to elevate. Both drives and approach shots seemed to play higher than the VPP. I noticed this far more with my wedges and high irons.

Around the green: The Volvik ball felt very controllable. Particularly out of the sand, I confidently landed the ball close to the pin. I'm not a great sand player so this was noticeable. I think the softness of the ball really shone through here. But bump and runs and flop shots were just as good. 

Putting: As I mentioned before, I’ve never used an alignment aid on a golf ball. But using it has been a benefit. When I take the time to line up my putts using it, I roll them straighter and on-plane. Could this be a product of more focus and patience? Possibly. Either way, it helps! I will say that there’s a lot going on with the alignment aid, and I’m not exactly sure why there are two arrows pointing horizontally when I’m using the vertical lines for my putt. But this could be user error.

The Good, the Bad, the In Between: 15/20

My favorite part of this ball is how soft it is and how much more confidently I hit my approach shots as a result. You won't be disappointed here.

The biggest mark against this ball is durability. Every round, this ball got nicked up. Even when I wasn't hitting a cart path or a branch, the ball seemed to suffer cosmetic damage that surprised me. I've attached a picture so you can see for yourself. This recurring issue gives me a little pause in terms of investing in the ball. 

And again, redesign the box. There's just too much nonsense on it.

 

Play It or Trade It? 17/20

If the price point is competitive, I think this ball is absolutely worth playing. It makes me want to run out and try out some other soft balls and compare their performance. I saw my performance improve basically across the board, from driving to putting.

The only reason this isn't a 20/20 is because of the durability questions. I'd like to see if another box of balls have the same issue.

 

Conclusion

Give the Volvik XTSoft a try if you're into soft balls. Despite my inexperience with them, I can't imagine there are ones out there that would significantly outperform this one. I think you'll end up with more 1-putts on your GIRs because of both the accuracy and ball flight on the approach, and the alignment aid on putts.

 

Final Score: 87/100

Edited July 19 by RajMahal

[rkj427]

Congratulations to this great, diverse group. 

Looking forward to their comments and reviews. 

[TSauer]

Congrats, y'all!

[EasyPutter]

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!

Volvik Condor - @jayyarr @MichaelC_81 and @Zman56

Volvik Condor X - @TK_ @JackBurtonsPorkchopExpress and @Sharp.shell

Volvik XT Soft - @archship @MajorCavalry and @RajMahal

Awesome to see all of you MGSpies selected for this testing!  Looking forward to the adventure ahead with your intros, testing, and reviews!  

[Digiburdie]

As a tester for the Chrome Tour's recently I'm excited to see how these play out for the testing team! Good luck! 

[TJ Hall]

Congratulations testers…excited to hear your feedback/thoughts on these balls!

[Josh Parker]

Congrats testers. Can't wait to follow along on this one.  

[EugeGall]

Congrats all!!!

Volvik Condor - @jayyarr @MichaelC_81 and @Zman56

Volvik Condor X - @TK_ @JackBurtonsPorkchopExpress and @Sharp.shell

Volvik XT Soft - @archship @MajorCavalry and @RajMahal

Looking forward to your thoughts and insights.

[3Putt4Double]

Congratulations testers! Now the stress/fun begins!

[William P]

Congrats testers! Waiting to hear how these perform.

[GolferXY]

Congrats testers!

[Zgrabby11]

Congrats testers! Interested to see how these stack up against other tour balls!

[russtopherb]

Congrats all! A lot of newer members here getting a chance to test & review, which is awesome to see.

[jbern]

Congrats to the testers! I actually found two Volvik XT soft balls on the course over the weekend and I had never seen them before. It turns out that they are sold in the clubhouse now at the closest course to my house. So I'm very curious how all the testers get along with them!

[buckpillar]

6 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

About Volvik

Volvik is a Korean company founded in 1980. “Volvik” stands for "Fly to Victory," with "Vol" in "volare" meaning "to fly" in Italian, taking "Vi" from "victory" and then combining that with the "K" from Korea to create the mashup name Volvik. They own their own R&D center and two golf ball manufacturing facilities, where they make ionomer-covered golf balls and, soon, urethane balls. It wasn’t until 2012 that Volvik expanded into the U.S. market through a joint venture. 

Now they have a wholly owned U.S. division which could be considered a relaunch of the brand in the U.S. Volvik has the second-largest golf ball market share in Korea and exports to more than 50 countries. They hope to gain further traction in the U.S. market with their new balls and matte finish technology.

The Testing Opportunity

We are looking for nine golfers to test, review and keep two dozen golf balls from Volvik's lineup. We will select three golfers each to test the Condor X, Condor and XT Soft golf balls.

The Volvik Condor is a three-piece, urethane-covered ball that Volvik classifies as high speed and low spin with softer feel and longer distance.

The Volvik Condor X is a four-piece ball with a Dual White Carbon urethane cover which they say offers enhanced feel, high speed, high rebound and maximum distance.

Both Condor balls are available only in white.

The Volvik XT Soft is a three-piece urethane ball. The XT Soft claims softer feel and longer distance along with maximum short game spin, control, and durability. It features the V-Focus alignment and is available in white or yellow.

We want our selected testers to see how these stack up against their current golf balls and provide feedback on their performance on the course.

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!

Volvik Condor - @jayyarr @MichaelC_81 and @Zman56

Volvik Condor X - @TK_ @JackBurtonsPorkchopExpress and @Sharp.shell

Volvik XT Soft - @archship @MajorCavalry and @RajMahal

Congratulations to all the testers, can’t wait till you ROLL or the reviews

[Jean D]

Congratulations to all the testers! 

[Willie T]

7 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

About Volvik

Volvik is a Korean company founded in 1980. “Volvik” stands for "Fly to Victory," with "Vol" in "volare" meaning "to fly" in Italian, taking "Vi" from "victory" and then combining that with the "K" from Korea to create the mashup name Volvik. They own their own R&D center and two golf ball manufacturing facilities, where they make ionomer-covered golf balls and, soon, urethane balls. It wasn’t until 2012 that Volvik expanded into the U.S. market through a joint venture. 

Now they have a wholly owned U.S. division which could be considered a relaunch of the brand in the U.S. Volvik has the second-largest golf ball market share in Korea and exports to more than 50 countries. They hope to gain further traction in the U.S. market with their new balls and matte finish technology.

The Testing Opportunity

We are looking for nine golfers to test, review and keep two dozen golf balls from Volvik's lineup. We will select three golfers each to test the Condor X, Condor and XT Soft golf balls.

The Volvik Condor is a three-piece, urethane-covered ball that Volvik classifies as high speed and low spin with softer feel and longer distance.

The Volvik Condor X is a four-piece ball with a Dual White Carbon urethane cover which they say offers enhanced feel, high speed, high rebound and maximum distance.

Both Condor balls are available only in white.

The Volvik XT Soft is a three-piece urethane ball. The XT Soft claims softer feel and longer distance along with maximum short game spin, control, and durability. It features the V-Focus alignment and is available in white or yellow.

We want our selected testers to see how these stack up against their current golf balls and provide feedback on their performance on the course.

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!

Volvik Condor - @jayyarr @MichaelC_81 and @Zman56

Volvik Condor X - @TK_ @JackBurtonsPorkchopExpress and @Sharp.shell

Volvik XT Soft - @archship @MajorCavalry and @RajMahal

Whoo hooo!  Looking forward to seeing how Volvik does for these golfers....its been amazing to see how more manufacturers have stepped in to build "tour level" balls at really neat price points.  Test 'em well boys! 

[Shrek74]

7 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!

Volvik Condor - @jayyarr @MichaelC_81 and @Zman56

Volvik Condor X - @TK_ @JackBurtonsPorkchopExpress and @Sharp.shell

Volvik XT Soft - @archship @MajorCavalry and @RajMahal

Congrats to the testers!! I'm interested to see how Volvik's balls have improved, assuming they have. Best of luck to all the testers, and to the Volvik balls.

[MattWillGolf]

Congrats testers. I’m curious to see how Volvik has evolved since the Bubba days. 

[Splatt]

Congrats everyone 

@MichaelC_81 I'm looking forward to watching you lose a couple during the testing period

[fixyurdivot]

Congratulations spies!  Great seeing lots of new members getting into the product tests.