Titleist Tour Speed Ball

[EHolm]

Spoke to a rep at a demo day yesterday. Mentioned a new ball coming called Tour Speed. Didnt give any more info than that other than its gonna be around the Tour Soft in price.

Thinking maybe something similar to the NXT Tour/NXT Tour S? Tour Soft and Tour Speed?

[tmax77]

The exp 01 prototype golf ball that was released in small quantities last year.

[EHolm]

Must've missed it, what was it?

[forrester_fire]

Let me guess, another wildly overpriced suryln ball by Titleist?

[Carolina Golfer 2]

It'll be a mid price ball, meaning in the $30 to $34 range. The EXP mentioned above, which I got to demo last fall, I believe was the new AVX not this ball. But while i'm pretty sure of that, I'm not 100% certain. The Tour Speed should be in stores next week.

[grm24]

The EXP-01 ball is not the new AVX. The EXP-01 has a new urethane cover (thermoplastic) which is different from the Pro-V1, V1x and AVX cast thermoset urethane cover. The EXP-01 has fewer dimples (346 vs 352) and a different dimple pattern than the current AVX.

[storm319]

Agreed. EXP-01 was produced in ball plant 2 which is where all of Acushnet's injection molded covered balls are produced (ionomer and TPU). Historically Acushnet had only produced cast thermoset urethane (ball plants 3 and 4) for their urethane ball offerings so the EXP-01 being TPU was definitely new for them.

As for this "Tour Speed" rumor, my guess is that it is another ionomer covered ball to compliment the existing Tour Soft if it is going to retail at a sub-$40 price point. I guess we will have to wait and see!

[Carolina Golfer 2]

Thanks both for the clarification on the EXP-1 and production of it. Like I said, I wasn't 100% sure, but was going off some information from someone who "should" know and my personal experience with it. Based on short game practice with it, it performed more in the level of an AVX.

So are you saying the EXP-01 is definitely the Tour Speed? If so, if they kept the characteristics the same from the one I tried last fall, then it's going to be a heck of a ball in that price point.

 

[chippa13]

It sounds to me like the Tour Speed is going to be the sister ball to the Tour Soft. I think they're looking to compete against the E12 Soft/Speed with this setup.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

That would certainly make sense by the name.

i dont see them going to the extensive testing that they did for EXP for a non premium ball.

[RWbloom]

They already have the Velocity which I thought was supposed to compete with mid-price "distance" balls. Maybe the Tour Speed will replace the Velocity...that's my guess.

[grm24]

Titleist released an updated version of the Velocity at the start of the year. I would doubt it's already being replaced.

[RWbloom]

Interesting...So Acushnet has or will have (in order of low to high price):

Pinnacle Soft/RushTitliest DT TrueFeelTitleist VelocityTitleist TourSoft/TourSpeedTitleist AVX, ProV1, ProV1x...Ok then.

[noodle3872]

The one gap in Titleist’s ball line up is a ball to compete against the Q Star Tour and Tour Response balls with their urethane cover and lower price point.

[grm24]

Agree. The TourSoft/TourSpeed slot should be a 3 piece urethane ball to compete with the QST and Tour Response balls. With the price point of $34.99/dozen there is zero reason to pay that price for an ionomer/surlyn covered ball.

[grm24]

Titleist when they had the NXT line usually had two overpriced surlyn covered balls where the Tour Soft/Tour Speed will now slot in. There is no need for another overpriced surlyn golf ball.

[storm319]

They aren’t going to risk cannibalizing ProV1 sales hence the reason why the AVX was released at the same price point. Highly doubt that we will see a Titleist branded urethane offering under $40 unless they somehow lose a ton of market share.

[noodle3872]

I’m willing to bet Titleist is losing plenty of sales to QST and Tour Response. Factor in DTC balls too and I’m sure there is some sales Titleist would like to take back. People say Titleist is a ball company first and foremost. If this is truly true, they need mid-range balls that stack up against their competitors. Having Titleist stamped on the ball isn’t enough anymore. Some golfers will never consider anything but the top tier Tour ball. Meanwhile there are far more golfers willing to pay the price of the QST and Tour Response. These lower priced urethane are the like Tour-light balls in that they have similar construction as a Tour ball albeit with less premium materials and lower compression. And it really is a gap Titleist needs to fill.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

Not what we see in our shop at. 90% of ball purchases are either ProV1 or whatever value ball we have, Pinnacle or Marathon 15 pack etc.

The mid tier balls whether they are Qstar, e6/12 SuperSoft, Project A you name it. They are all such a small percentage of ball sales, it is really insignificant as to which one sells more. Honest at that point it's brand loyalty.