Vice Pro: the pros and cons

[ReidE5]

To get back on topic.... Does anyone know of any difference in performance (other than cover durability) between the 2016 Vice pro and the newest model?  I purchased the sams club deal before realizing they were the older model.  Should I return or play?  If durability is the only difference then I will play them because that deal makes them cheap enough for me to not worry about starting with a fresh ball every 9 holes or so. 

[Jeff58]

1 hour ago, ReidE5 said:

To get back on topic.... Does anyone know of any difference in performance (other than cover durability) between the 2016 Vice pro and the newest model?

The prior (current Sam’s Club) model was prone to cracking, which would obviously and immediately require that the ball be removed from play. It wasn’t just a “scuffs easily” issue.

 

The performance differences between the two versions and the V1 are very well documented on the Vice site. There is also a “Detailed Data” button if you’re interested at that level.

 

While the durability and performance characteristics are in favor of the newer model at least to some degree, another potentially significant factor is feedback. The older Pro, but as well as the current Pro Plus version, tend to feel markedly springy/lively/fast regardless of impact location. In this regard the V1 family is in a different league, and the current Vice Pro is at least significantly better than the older model.

[hammergolf]

2 hours ago, ReidE5 said:

To get back on topic.... Does anyone know of any difference in performance (other than cover durability) between the 2016 Vice pro and the newest model?  I purchased the sams club deal before realizing they were the older model.  Should I return or play?  If durability is the only difference then I will play them because that deal makes them cheap enough for me to not worry about starting with a fresh ball every 9 holes or so. 

I never played the 2016 version, but at that price it’s really hard to go wrong. Give them a try and let us know. 

[ReidE5]

2 hours ago, Jeff58 said:

The prior (current Sam’s Club) model was prone to cracking, which would obviously and immediately require that the ball be removed from play. It wasn’t just a “scuffs easily” issue.

 

The performance differences between the two versions and the V1 are very well documented on the Vice site. There is also a “Detailed Data” button if you’re interested at that level.

 

While the durability and performance characteristics are in favor of the newer model at least to some degree, another potentially significant factor is feedback. The older Pro, but as well as the current Pro Plus version, tend to feel markedly springy/lively/fast regardless of impact location. In this regard the V1 family is in a different league, and the current Vice Pro is at least significantly better than the older model.

Great insight.  Appreciate it!

[me05501]

Take it somewhere else fellas. 

[Cwing]

On 1/28/2023 at 7:05 PM, hammergolf said:

I never played the 2016 version, but at that price it’s really hard to go wrong. Give them a try and let us know. 

All in on the Sams Vice balls. I bought the double dz at $49 before Christmas. After Christmas they were marked down to $39 so I picked up two more.

Edited January 31, 2023 by Cwing

[southpaw72]

I finally ordered some last week but they’re still in Europe. I think if we get enough snow melt today I might be able to play my first 18 of the year but it will be without them. Will have to follow up quickly with another round for the sake of research lol 

[Mr_Wolfe]

I typically play Srixon Z-Stars and just bought 5 dozen Vice Pro. Looking forward to giving them a crack.

 

Mr. Wolfe

[southpaw72]

What’s everyone seen for delivery? Mine shipped two weeks ago and are still in the Netherlands lol 

[Simp]

On 2/8/2023 at 4:19 PM, southpaw72 said:

What’s everyone seen for delivery? Mine shipped two weeks ago and are still in the Netherlands lol 

 

I ordered 5 dz and they were in Texas in 3 days. 

[IndyArcher]

2 minutes ago, Simp said:

 

I ordered 5 dz and they were in Texas in 3 days. 

 

I assume due to customs, but my vice orders have been all over the place over the years. I've had them in as little as 4 to 5 days and also 4 to 5 weeks. When I'm waiting it always seems to take forever, but that's the cost of ordering from overseas. I'm not sure if they have a shipping warehouse in the USA not, but I know my last order in December shipped from Germany.

[southpaw72]

49 minutes ago, Simp said:

 

I ordered 5 dz and they were in Texas in 3 days. 

Crazy I think my two dozen took over  two weeks and was in Europe for all but 3 days of it 

[aquapig]

Been playing the Vice Pro in Ice Blue for a while now and love it. I don't see any performance differences between the Vice Pro and ProV1. 

 

Fantastic ball for the price. 

[IndyArcher]

5 minutes ago, aquapig said:

Been playing the Vice Pro in Ice Blue for a while now and love it. I don't see any performance differences between the Vice Pro and ProV1. 

 

Fantastic ball for the price. 

 

How easy is the ice blue ball to see on the course and in rough? Love the look of it. 

[aquapig]

1 hour ago, IndyArcher said:

 

How easy is the ice blue ball to see on the course and in rough? Love the look of it. 

It's not the easiest ball to find in the rough. 

[mikseymono]

I've just pulled the trigger on the Vice Pro 5+1..with their freedozen offer.....got two of the boxes in Pro Neon Lime, the rest white, to help out in the winter...though strangely been playing alot of yellow balls and rather like them...so easy to spot....lets see how the delivery goes...because trying to sort out my address, which took two days of email exchanges, with the rep was calamitous to say the least.......hey ho...M

[wantacigar]

2 hours ago, mikseymono said:

I've just pulled the trigger on the Vice Pro 5+1..with their freedozen offer.....got two of the boxes in Pro Neon Lime, the rest white, to help out in the winter...though strangely been playing alot of yellow balls and rather like them...so easy to spot....lets see how the delivery goes...because trying to sort out my address, which took two days of email exchanges, with the rep was calamitous to say the least.......hey ho...M

They wouldn't let me do that yesterday!  Could only get 5 doz. of 1 color.  That sucks for me. 

[mikseymono]

I emailed customer services and they created a special order for me........TBH...they kept getting my address and details wrong and were one click away from me pulling the deal...but I hung in there.......had Snell last year...but no balls around, so trying out Vice again...having gone off them 5 years ago due to durability issues...which I have read are much better....

[IndyArcher]

2 hours ago, aquapig said:

It's not the easiest ball to find in the rough. 

 

I sorta figured. I've got some of the black. I absolutely LOVE the look, and if I were playing in sleet they'd be the cat's meow. Get off the runway and they become very difficult to spot. I wondered if the blue might be similar. 

[Augie53]

On 1/28/2023 at 10:11 PM, Cwing said:

All in on the Sams Vice balls. I bought the double dz at $49 before Christmas. After Christmas they were marked down to $39 so I picked up two more.

Just picked up two double dozens last evening for $50 each.  Great deal.

 

Then I read about this $40 deal and feel a bit cheated, LOL.  I'll need to keep my eye out if that happens again.

 

 

[QuigleyDU]

I have litereally played every ball out there and this one is solid. i think it lacks a little green side spin. The cover seems a little firm but over all it is a good ball. 

[Fairways_and_Greens]

I have no way of testing, but I feel like the spin axis on the Pro Plus can get more tilted off the driver compared to other balls.

 

it has to be me, but in my mind, they go more offline. 

[me05501]

On 3/1/2023 at 6:59 PM, Fairways_and_Greens said:

I have no way of testing, but I feel like the spin axis on the Pro Plus can get more tilted off the driver compared to other balls.

 

it has to be me, but in my mind, they go more offline. 

Definitely has to be you. 

[Fairways_and_Greens]

7 minutes ago, me05501 said:

Definitely has to be you. 

No s#*^. Thanks for another value added post, guy. 

[IndyArcher]

On 3/1/2023 at 6:59 PM, Fairways_and_Greens said:

I have no way of testing, but I feel like the spin axis on the Pro Plus can get more tilted off the driver compared to other balls.

 

it has to be me, but in my mind, they go more offline. 

 

I’ve used the Pro+ for a number of years now and I’ve not had that experience at all. 

[Fairways_and_Greens]

29 minutes ago, IndyArcher said:

 

I’ve used the Pro+ for a number of years now and I’ve not had that experience at all. 

Realistically, when I hit them on my GC3 I get a bunch of them in the 1300 to 1500 range. I don't think they spin enough for me.

[IndyArcher]

5 minutes ago, Fairways_and_Greens said:

Realistically, when I hit them on my GC3 I get a bunch of them in the 1300 to 1500 range. I don't think they spin enough for me.

It would be great to see some results of a robot. I’ve never tracked hits off a digital device like a trackman, so I can’t speak with any more authority than my anecdotal experience. I will say that I have hit virtually nothing but vice pro/+ and Pro V1/x for several years and I have never detected any notable performance differences. Your results may be more precise than my own. 

[me05501]

3 hours ago, Fairways_and_Greens said:

No s#*^. Thanks for another value added post, guy. 

Okay “Guy”. I’ll add a wink emoji for you next time. 
 

There’s no way any ball can have a more titled spin axis, and the only other choice you offered was that it was you. And it is. 
 

😏

[Highlander 24]

Might be a dumb question but when I tried the 2016 version I liked the ball but didn’t like that the white ball turned off white almost beigeish pretty quickly. Has anyone found this in the newer version?

[Highlander 24]

On 1/18/2023 at 4:23 PM, MtlJeff said:

Hey OP---I was actually thinking of starting a Vice Pro thread but saw this one

 

I tested every major 2023 "non X" ball this winter on trackman also. And amazingly to me, the Vice Pro came out the winner (Full disclosure, the TP5 was also a standout and was essentially a numbers tie, but i prefer the feel of the Vice)

 

One thing that i noticed consistently vs the other big ball companies, was that the Vice was slightly higher launching with comparable spin. Like with most irons i noticed like a 1.0 degree difference between highest and lowest launching balls, with the Vice Pro being the highest. This is pretty interesting for when it comes to approaching greens. I saw this consistently. 

 

The Vice also performed as well as anything other than the TP5 in terms of total distance. (i ran a NCAA tournament style bracket at one point between the balls). In a head to head matchup with the Pro V1 over like 100 swings--The Vice Pro launched higher, spun more, and went further with every club. It was an absolute slaughter. 

 

This is a very legit ball. For the price IMO it's the best ball on the market, at least for normative/good swingers. 

Hey Jeff would love to see the results of your testing would be very interesting.