Titleist has announced the introduction of new versions of the NXT Tour, NXT Tour S and Velocity golf balls as well as the new DT TruSoft that replaces the DT Solo in the line-up for 2016.
The success of all Titleist golf ball development can be found in the extensive R&D process, with over 34,000 golfers around the world taking part in white box testing and validation, and precision manufacturing that ensures each new model delivers the superior performance, consistency and quality that golfers expect from Titleist.
Michael Mahoney, Titleist's Director of Golf Ball Product Management, explains:
At Titleist, our goal is always to deliver the best performing product we possibly can, and what new NXT Tour, NXT Tour S, Velocity and DT TruSoft represent are the best performing golf balls in their respective categories.
When we look at the results of our extensive robot and player testing, we are exceedingly confident that golfers will experience new Titleist golf ball models that outperform their competition and deliver on their meaningful performance improvements relative to distance, short-game performance and soft feel.
Titleist NXT Tour 2016 Golf Ball
The 2016 NXT Tour features a larger dual central core that produces low spin and fast ball speed to give players longer driver and iron distance.
The volume of the softer centre of the dual core has been increased by 66% from the previous NXT Tour and this change in relation to the firmer outer core is the key to lowering spin on full shots and which combined with fast ball speed means more distance.
Titleist has combined the dual core with a soft, thin Fusablend cover to optimise scoring performance with shot stopping control into and around the green.
The cover features a spherically tiled 302 octahedral dimple design with shallower edge angles that give a higher ball flight for a deep peak trajectory and angle of descent.
The NXT Tour 2016 has an RRP of £34 per dozen.
Titleist NXT Tour S 2016 Golf Ball
The NXT Tour S gives similar high performance benefits as the NXT Tour for golfers with a preference for a much softer feel.
A two piece golf ball, the remarkably soft feel of the NXT Tour S has been achieved by reformulating the core to a lower compression whilst maintaining the 1.585 inch core size.
The new core has been combined with the Fusablend cover that stands out against the thermoplastic urethane covers found on a lot of balls in this price category as it feels soft on all shots rather than clicky.
Made softer by increasing the percentage of softening agent in the formulation the cover is also durable and features a spherically tiled 302 octahedral dimple design for a piercing and stable flight.
The 2016 NXT Tour S is available in both White and High Optic Yellow and has an RRP of £34 per dozen.
Titleist Velocity 2016 Golf Ball
For 2016 the latest Titleist Velocity also features a re-designed core that delivers more distance on all full swing shots.
The LSX core is both larger, now 1.575 inches in diameter, and faster thanks to a reformulation of the the materials used in its construction.
The low spin construction is complemented with 328 dimples in a spherically-tiled tetrahedral design to promote a penetrating ball flight with longer carry distance and more roll.
Although the Velocity is designed for distance Titleist designs all of its golf balls for tee-to-green performance and the high ball flight and steep angle of descent allow players who may struggle generate sufficient spin stop the ball on the greens.
This is complemented by a thinner NAZ2 cover which combines with the core to give the 2016 Velocity a more playable feel around the green.
The Velocity is available in both single (1,2,3,4) and double-digit (00, 22, 77, 99) play numbers and has an RRP of £24.
Titleist DT TruSoft 2016 Golf Ball
The DT TruSoft replaces the DT SoLo in the Titleist ball line up and has been designed for players who are looking for a truly soft feel.
Titleist say it is the best performing ball in its class featuring a new core and cover formulation engineered by Titleist R&D, delivering an incredibly soft compression feel with impressive distance and short game playability.
The DT TruSoft is significantly softer than the DT Solo with the very low compression core combining with a soft pure ionmer cover to give a uniquely soft feel and sound on every shot.
Players who want this soft feel also want distance performance and the soft core gives very low spin in the long game for consistently long distance from the tee and with irons on full shots. The soft cover gives reliable short game spin for shots into and around the green.
Matt Hogge, Titleist Golf Ball R&D's Director of Product Implementation says this is the key to the low compression DT TruSoft:
We’ve balanced our core and cover combination to deliver a great feeling ball with performance on every type of shot. When it comes to making low compression golf balls, what’s often sacrificed is spin performance on shots into the green.
Any shot to the green without sufficient spin will hit and release quickly, making it extremely difficult to stop the ball close to the hole or hold the green. There is clearly a point of diminishing returns. We’ve moved away from that trend with DT TruSoft by maintaining really good short game spin relative to those products.
The DT TruSoft is available in White and Optic Yellow and has an RRP of £20 per dozen.