2024 Vice Golf Balls

[wantacigar]

11 hours ago, IndyArcher said:

 

That's why I'm looking forward to actual data. I'll pick up a box at Walmart at some point, but I've got enough golfballs to keep me from buying for quite some time. My previous compulsion was to basically buy when something new came out. I'm trying to break that habit at this point, saving more for retirement, future grandkids and the like. I like the previous version so well I can't fathom that a new ball is going to impact my game to any great degree, so currently that's helping curb my impulse for now. I know, complete blasphemy among WRXers! 

I'm actually going to be a grandfather in July and September.  I'm 57 and a little way from retirement but definitely need to save for that.  Plus, I figure I'll start hoarding in around 1-2 years to get me through retirement golf after the rollback!  I figure at the rate I lose balls nowadays, I figure around a 45 dozen nest egg of golf balls by the time 2030 comes around will get me to around age 75 (2042) 🤦‍♂️🤣

[craz-e]

On 5/11/2024 at 2:01 AM, LeftyZach said:

@craz-e any updates on how these play on real life?

 

I’ve been playing the Pro Plus 2020 version, and their ball fitter keeps recommending me for this ball despite my thinking that I need either the Pro or Pro Plus.
 

Also, two videos I’ve seen have me intrigued by this ball because since it spins a little less, it’s longer off driver/irons, but the wedge spin isn’t a terrible drop off. 

 

Hey LeftyZach, sorry I missed your question.

I dismissed the Pro Air pretty quickly as I wasn't impressed with how soft it was around the greens and with the putter. I have grown to love the feel of the new TP5x and I think the Pro Plus would be more suited to myself. I might grab a box and put them up against the Taylormade as although the TM ball is working well, I would prefer a slightly lower flight.

[snagy2000]

I just got my Pro Plus in on Tuesday and I put it in play during a tournament today and have to say it's a great mixture of the feel from generation 1 and the performance aspects of generation 2. I'm going to be very happy using this ball. 

[Jdudley13]

41 minutes ago, snagy2000 said:

I just got my Pro Plus in on Tuesday and I put it in play during a tournament today and have to say it's a great mixture of the feel from generation 1 and the performance aspects of generation 2. I'm going to be very happy using this ball. 

So still low-mid trajectory? Have been waiting to get some feedback on it before I order some. 

[snagy2000]

1 minute ago, Jdudley13 said:

So still low-mid trajectory? Have been waiting to get some feedback on it before I order some. 

Off the driver I'm assuming you're talking about. For me, these shoot out mid to high. Distance wise, they're just as long or longer than previous generation. 

[phizzy30]

58 minutes ago, snagy2000 said:

Off the driver I'm assuming you're talking about. For me, these shoot out mid to high. Distance wise, they're just as long or longer than previous generation. 

So it sounds like the new gen launch higher then because previous gen was low to mid launch for me.  I've tested pretty much every urethane ball from the major OEMs and the previous gen Pro Plus was the lowest launching and spinning outta the bunch. 

[LeftyZach]

I have 2 sleeves coming in on Monday (hopefully). I’m planning to put them into play later in the week. I’ve used the VPP prior generation and have really enjoyed it! Hoping this will be as consistent as the last ones have been. 

[craz-e]

10 hours ago, LeftyZach said:

I have 2 sleeves coming in on Monday (hopefully). I’m planning to put them into play later in the week. I’ve used the VPP prior generation and have really enjoyed it! Hoping this will be as consistent as the last ones have been. 

looking forward to hearing your thoughts 

[LeftyZach]

I played 18 today with the 2024 Vice Pro Plus. Here are my anecdotal observations. 
 

1. I thought I would hate the updated alignment aid more that I did. I still prefer the thick line with a consistent width, but this wasn’t bad either. I could see some people preferring it because it is kind of shaped like a cup, viewed from above. If you’ve read Bob Rotella’s Putting Out of Your Mind (or anything by him), you know one of his mantras is to think about the target. I tried to worry less about how narrow those ends were and more about letting the shape of that alignment aid remind me of the cup, into which ultimately I wanted this ball to roll. I had a very good day putting. I think it had less to do with the alignment aid and more with other factors. However, it was not hard to line up putts with this aid, and I did not miss putts because of that when I did miss them. 
 

2. As far as performance, it was difficult to tell a difference between this and the 2020 version. I will say that maybe I saw a touch more spin on longer clubs (I had one 5 wood that unusually ballooned on me a touch and came up a few yards shorter than I’m used to having a good strike do with that club). I think I could also argue that on other clubs, it was just as long or maybe even a touch longer, so that may come down to my own inconsistency. It could also be a trick of a gust of wind on that particular shot. I felt like for the most part I got the distances I expected from my clubs though. The 2020 Vice Pro Plus is a high flying ball for me on my irons..like towering shots. I felt like this new model behaved similarly. It checked up nicely on lots of iron shots and chips. Putting was great. I don’t think I would know the difference between these blindfolded off the putter. All around, this ball performs just as well as the 2020 version for me. 
 

3. Here is where I was surprised—durability. I was disappointed in the 2024 model this morning. I played with one ball for about 3 holes before losing it. And I had one 3/4 pitch shot with my 60* SM8 (so not brand new by any means) that took some paint off the cover. That just never happened to me with the 2020 version. I thought it was maybe an anomaly, though. Maybe I just got into that one a little. I eventually lost that one on the next hole and broke out another which I played the rest of the holes with (so roughly the last 12 holes). By number 16, I had another ball with some paint chips/scuffs on it. They weren’t anything like what the MTB-Prime-X or the Chrome Soft X LS did (in my experience, both were prone to deep gouges), but I won’t play that ball again when I go out next time. It’s in the practice bag. Again, I never had anything close to that happen with the 2020 version. I had hit trees and hard wedges, and could play that ball, put it in the bag, get it back out the next round, and then play part of the next round with it. With my limited sample so far, I can’t say 2024 version is the same. 
 

All of this is a long way to say: I’m glad to have tried these out, and they are really good balls for the price. Having said that, I will keep trying my best to get the 2020 version of the Pro Plus for as long as possible because it does everything I want it to do and is virtually a tank (and will maybe be even cheaper now that a new model is out). 
 

Below are pics of the hall I finished up the day with (12ish holes):

[ANimz]

On 4/17/2024 at 9:31 AM, JohnnyO3478 said:

Seems more like a dead heat to me if you consider both clubs and look at both distance and spin characteristics.  

 

Mid iron ranked by spin:

 

 

Mid iron ranked by distance:

 

 

Driver ranked by lowest spin:

 

 

Driver by total distance:

 

 

And just for fun - since some folks start greenside and work backwards to the tee - 35 yd wedge shot ranked by spin:

 

As I'd expect from balls of similar construction using similar (if not identical) materials built at the same factory - there just doesn't seem to be much of a case to say one doesn't perform as well as the other based on robot testing.  With numbers this close - and with the pricing essentially the same - I'd take the decision down to either Ball Lab testing results or aesthetics.

 

Of course - this discussion has essentially become moot - until the next round of robot testing in 2025 - since the new vice balls will not be tested until then - at least by one source.

 

Pro+ and Tour X need to be tested at higher swing speeds.  If your driver is only going 224 yards, you should probably be in a different ball right?

[IndyArcher]

32 minutes ago, LeftyZach said:

Having said that, I will keep trying my best to get the 2020 version of the Pro Plus for as long as possible because it does everything I want it to do and is virtually a tank (and will maybe be even cheaper now that a new model is out). 

Is there anyplace to still find the 2020 besides Walmart where they are $40/dozen??

[LeftyZach]

2 minutes ago, IndyArcher said:

Is there anyplace to still find the 2020 besides Walmart where they are $40/dozen??

I’m hopeful they’ll go on sale/clearance there. I’d also LOVE it if one day Sam’s had a double dozen for $50 (pipe dream, I know). 
 

But I’ve gotten all mine on eBay, usually around $30-35 shipped, which is basically the “bulk” price you’d get through Vice. I think with performance and durability, they’re absolutely worth it. 

[JohnnyO3478]

On 6/8/2024 at 1:39 PM, ANimz said:

Pro+ and Tour X need to be tested at higher swing speeds.  If your driver is only going 224 yards, you should probably be in a different ball right?

They were tested at two higher swing speeds as well.  I was responding to a particular poster who was a slow swing speed player, IIRC.  The higher speed results are available if you need to see them.  

 

As for which ball you should be playing if you have such a slow swing speed - if Total Driver Distance is the metric upon which you base your decision - the old VPP is the overall winner from last year:

 

[craz-e]

Just ordered a dozen of the Pro Plus to try. Will put them up against the TP5x that I am currently playing.

[Jdudley13]

9 hours ago, craz-e said:

Just ordered a dozen of the Pro Plus to try. Will put them up against the TP5x that I am currently playing.

This is what I’ve been waiting to see. I like the ‘20 pro plus and have played it quite a lot, but I love the higher flight I’m getting from the tp5x. Interested to hear your thoughts. 

[Soccerrick10]

Played my first round with the ProAir.  It is definitely longer than the ProSoft.  It also has a much better feel - soft, but not marshmallow soft feel.  I'm not sure on the spin yet.  It is not as high as the ProSoft.  But MOSTLY had "enough" spin.  Still testing that...

 

So far, I'm encouraged.  That is coming 2 weeks after my first hole in one ever using the ProSoft.

Edited Monday at 04:32 PM by Soccerrick10

[Golf1965]

I am a 1 index and driver speed around 100.  I played the 2020 Vice Pro Plus and for me it had a steep decent angle and perfect amount of spin.  I definitely noticed a slightly higher flight with my mid irons playing the 2020 pro plus.  Started playing the 2024 Pro Plus about 3 weeks ago and noticed a change to flight and feel.  The 2024 seems firmer and seems to have a flatter trajectory.  My swing speed seemed to like the old version slightly better but for someone with a high swing speed the new ball might be just the ticket.  Anyways haven't done any trackman numbers that's just my observations after a few weeks.