Titleist NXT Tour Golf Balls:  Value and Performance

How do Titleist NXT Tour Golf Balls compare to other premium golf balls?

Well, I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Titleist has dominated the golf ball market for quite a while now. Although much of the company's stellar reputation for making high quality golf balls rests on its flagship Pro V1 and Pro V1x balls, the Titleist NXT Tour and NXT balls do not lag far behind.

All four of these fine Titleist balls have recently been updated and improved to provide even better performance than before. For example, the popular Titleist NXT series incorporates some new technology but retains the feel and performance many of us have come to rely upon.

The two balls in the NXT series - the Titleist NXT Tour and the Titleist NXT - are both aimed at the avid low to mid handicap golfer who wants a combination of distance, spin and feel around the greens at a more affordable price than the Pro V1 series and other premium balls. In the overall lineup of Titleist's golf balls, the NXT balls are just one rung below the renowned Pro V1 and Pro V1x. Both the NXT Tour and the NXT are fine balls, and although I slightly prefer the NXT, I would be happy playing either one regularly. I evaluated them separately: this page is my review of Titleist NXT Tour golf balls; the NXT is discussed on a different page of this site.

From the beginning, these golf balls have been a good all-around mid-range ball, but the recent improvements have made them even better. They're not the absolute best, but they're also far from the worst golf balls you could buy. Their price is mid-range too - the MSRP is $40 per dozen but the street price is closer to $30. That puts them at the higher end of the price range for affordable balls, but their performance makes them well worth their cost. In short, these golf balls are close to being the perfect blend of performance and value.

Compared to the previous version, the current Titleist NXT Tour golf balls are a bit longer, have a larger, faster core, a cover that is soft and thin but seems more durable and slightly firmer, and a different dimple pattern that Titleist claims promotes more distance. This is a multilayer ball that some think of as the Pro V1's less expensive kid brother. In truth, Titleist NXT Tour golf balls and the Pro V1 do share a couple of design features, including Titleist's "Staggered Wave Parting Line" dimple pattern that creates a seamless cover (a characteristic which enhances the ball's aerodynamics, promoting additional distance and better performance in windy conditions). They also share a similar side stamp that serves as a handy putting alignment aid.

The balls use a 3-piece construction with a soft, lively polybutadiene core and a firmer middle layer to maximize the potential for distance while still retaining a soft feel. The thin "Fusablend®" cover is softer than Surlyn and is intended to deliver an optimal blend of durability, distance, feel and short-game spin.

This ball isn't the longest, the softest or the "spinniest," but it does strike a nice balance of all of these characteristics. It's fairly long, gives you soft feel on all types of shots, and delivers nice short-game spin, although it does run out a bit on the green. It doesn't quite measure up to its big brother the Pro V1, but then, neither does its price. Among players who aren't on the tour - like you and me - Titleist NXT Tour golf balls might be some of the most popular balls currently available.

The Bottom Line: Titleist NXT Tour golf balls were always well-suited to the average amateur golfer. The improvements made in the latest version have upped the ante, making these balls good enough for not "just" average golfers, but highly skilled players too. Despite these improvements, Titleist held the price of Titleist NXT Tour golf balls well below that of the Titleist Pro V1.

Titleist NXT Tour golf balls represent a nice compromise between value and performance, and one that could help just about any golfer play better affordably. There's just not much to complain about here, although slower swingers might prefer the regular Titleist NXT ball. It's a little cheaper, compresses a bit better on slower swings, and its cover might be a bit more durable than the cover of the Titleist NXT Tour.

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