Home / Head-to-head
TaylorMade Distance+ vs Titleist Pro V1
The TaylorMade Distance+ and Titleist Pro V1 are built for opposite jobs: the Distance+ is a budget 2-piece ball with an ionomer cover engineered for maximum carry and durability, while the Pro V1 is a urethane-covered tour ball whose spin and control only pay off if your swing speed and short game are developed enough to actually use them.
The price gap between these two is the widest in our ball catalogue, and it's tempting to read it as 'more money equals more distance'. It isn't — both are conforming balls, both sit at the same regulated weight, and for a lot of amateur swings the cheaper ball flies just as far. The real difference is what each ball does with the spin it generates, and that difference only shows up where your game actually needs it.
The Distance+ is a 2-piece construction with a 77-compression core and an ionomer cover — a formula built to come off the driver with low spin, a mid launch and a penetrating flight that rolls out when it lands. TaylorMade rates its wedge spin as medium-to-high for a distance ball, but a 2-piece ionomer ball still can't generate the greenside friction of a urethane tour ball. What it gives you instead is distance, durability (the cover shrugs off tree branches and cart paths without marking up) and a price per ball that makes losing one an 'oops' rather than a small financial event.
The Pro V1 uses a soft cast urethane elastomer cover over a gradient core. Urethane grips the clubface longer at impact, which is exactly what produces the high short-game spin that lets a competent player stop an approach shot near the pin and hold a green. Titleist's own spec sheet describes the flight as mid-trajectory with very low long-game spin and high short-game spin — control on approach, not raw distance. The trade-offs are real: the softer cover scuffs and wears faster, and the cost per ball sits in the premium band.
If you strike the ball where you're aiming most of the time and generate enough speed to spin a wedge, the Pro V1's control translates into lower scores. If you're still developing that consistency — or you lose a few balls a round, as most players do — the spin advantage shows up on a minority of shots while the price difference shows up on every one you lose. That's the honest arithmetic of this comparison.
| TaylorMade Distance+ | Titleist Pro V1 | |
|---|---|---|
| weight | 0.135 kg (pack) | 0.454 kg (pack) |
| material | Ionomer | Urethane |
| € | budget | premium |
TaylorMade Distance+
- weight
- 0.135 kg (pack)
- material
- Ionomer
ballbudget
Titleist Pro V1
- weight
- 0.454 kg (pack)
- material
- Urethane
ballpremium
Choose the TaylorMade Distance+ if you want maximum carry and roll-out at a budget price, you lose balls often enough that cost per ball matters, or you don't yet generate the swing speed and short-game spin to make a tour ball work. Choose the Titleist Pro V1 once your game is consistent enough to actually use the extra control — the spin, the feel and the stopping power on approach are only worth the premium if you can turn them into fewer strokes.
Price links coming soon — we're setting up Amazon Associates for this store.
FAQ
Does the Pro V1 go further than the Distance+?
Not automatically. Distance is mostly a matter of matching the ball to your swing — a 2-piece distance ball like the Distance+ can out-carry a tour ball for a moderate swing speed. What the Pro V1 reliably adds is spin and control on and around the green, not extra yards off the tee.
Will a mid-handicapper notice the Pro V1's spin?
Partially. The high short-game spin shows up on approach shots and chips when you strike the ball cleanly and consistently. If your miss pattern is still scattered, you'll notice the softer feel, but the spin advantage won't translate into lower scores often enough to justify the price per ball.
Which ball lasts longer?
The Distance+'s ionomer cover is noticeably more scuff-resistant than the Pro V1's soft urethane — it survives tree branches, cart paths and wedge strikes without marking up as quickly. A urethane cover is deliberately softer, and softer marks faster.
Are both balls legal for competition?
Yes — both conform to R&A and USGA rules and are used in amateur competition. The choice between them is performance and price, not legality.
Which should a beginner buy?
The Distance+. Beginners lose balls at a high rate and don't yet generate the swing speed or short-game spin that a tour ball is built to reward. A durable, budget distance ball does the same job for a fraction of the cost while the game is still developing.
Guides
Best golf ball: how to actually pick one
Try the bag finder →Try the ball finder →Bag & gear glossary →