Staff WriterThere are golf balls that fly forever, and there are golf balls that behave like they’ve got brakes when they land. The new AVX golf ball is Titleist’s attempt to be both: reengineered to produce more greenside spin for sharper short-game control, while still delivering the low long-game spin, exceptional distance and very soft feel that AVX players have built their games around.
Available in golf shops worldwide beginning Wednesday, Jan. 21, the latest AVX advances performance by upgrading every layer of the ball — the sort of internal renovation you’ll never see, but you’ll absolutely argue about in the clubhouse.
The one thing AVX players wanted? More bite around the greens
Titleist says golfer feedback sits at the centre of every golf ball update, and when the company asked AVX loyalists what they wanted next, the answer was consistent: more greenside spin — but not at the cost of what makes AVX, AVX.
“AVX golfers are very clear about why they play AVX. They like the long distance, the low long-game spin and especially the soft feel. These players are looking for specific performance attributes,” said Frederick Waddell, Titleist’s Director of Golf Ball Product Management. “They were also telling us that if they could get more of anything with AVX, it was short-game spin and control, as long as it didn’t compromise the other aspects of AVX that they love.”
And that’s the tightrope, isn’t it? Add spin near the green and you risk adding spin everywhere — the kind that turns a confident tee shot into a drifting balloon with an identity crisis.
“Spin slope”: the nerdy bit that decides whether your chips check and your drives stay calm
Titleist engineers talk about steepening AVX’s “spin slope” — the differential between long-game spin and short-game spin. Adjusting one end of the bag without disturbing the other is notoriously tricky, but AVX’s three-piece design gave the R&D team options.
“The advantage of AVX is that it’s a three-piece golf ball,” said Mike Madson, Senior Vice President of Titleist Golf Ball R&D. “Having the core, the casing layer and the cover gives you more options to influence performance. Whenever we’re targeting spin, we can look at each piece and consider its dimensions, formulations, hardness, materials… But to really hone in on greenside spin, the cover becomes the focus.”
So the cover became the headline act.
What’s actually new inside the AVX?
Titleist’s update isn’t a single tweak — it’s a full-stack refresh designed to add greenside control while preserving the AVX hallmarks: low long-game spin, a penetrating flight, and that famously soft feel.
1) Softer urethane cover — and it’s thicker than before
Increased short-game spin was unlocked through a newly reformulated urethane cover, thicker than the prior generation. Titleist says this improves greenside spin and control and brings an even softer feel.
2) Thinner high-flex casing layer to manage long-game spin
The thicker cover is matched with a thinner high-flex casing layer, intended to keep long-game spin dialled down.
3) A faster core to keep distance strong
The core was reformulated to deliver more speed, helping balance cover changes while maintaining distance and low long-game spin.
As Madson explains, it’s the interplay between layers — soft over firm, firm over soft — that shapes spin across the set.
“These soft-over-hard, hard-over-soft relationships really drive spin performance for all golf ball models,” Madson said. “A soft cover over a firm casing layer adds spin on shorter shots where the cover plays the biggest role. Then you have a firm casing layer over a softer core, which lowers spin when you get to those higher-speed impacts like a driver or hybrid. With AVX, it’s really every piece of its construction that we’re using to fine-tune spin and give AVX players exactly what they’re looking for with this ball.”
Flight talk: low and piercing off the tee, higher on mid-irons
Titleist also points to “optimised aerodynamics” designed to produce a low, piercing ball flight off the tee, with higher peak flight on mid-iron shots. The dimple pattern is specified as a 346 quadrilateral dipyramid catenary dimple design — which sounds like something NASA would stamp on a rocket, but in golf terms means “flight control you don’t have to think about.”
Who is AVX for — and how does it compare to Pro V1?
AVX is recommended for players seeking long distance, low spin and a penetrating flight in the long game, alongside impressive stopping power into the green and very soft feel.
Compared to Pro V1, Titleist says AVX will fly in a lower window in the long game with lower spin and an even softer feel.
If you like a slightly flatter flight, you prefer the sensation of compressing a marshmallow rather than a marble, and you’ve been begging for a bit more grab on chips and pitches, the Titleist AVX golf ball is clearly aiming right at you.
Construction and performance summary
- New faster core | Long distance tee to green
- New softer urethane cover | Improved short-game spin
- Reengineered high flex casing layer | Low spin in the long game
- Optimised aerodynamics (346 quadrilateral dipyramid catenary dimple design) | Low, penetrating ball flight off the tee; higher peak height on mid-iron shots
Colours: white and high-optic yellow.
Price and availability
New AVX golf balls will be available in golf shops worldwide beginning Wednesday, Jan. 21.
SRP: £44 per dozen
