New Titleist ProV1x Left Dash Debuts in Napa

The Napa Valley is world-renowned for the wines it produces, and people from around the world flock there to experience the various varieties available. But this week, the PGA Heads to Napa for one of the last events leading into the Ryder Cup, and along the way, players will have the opportunity to experience something else beyond wine for the first time - the new Titleist Prov1x Left Dash, aka the (-Pro V1x).

What is the Pro V1x Left Dash?

In the world of modern performance golf balls, the Pro V1x Left Dash, as a single model, has been around for what feels like an eternity. It debuted in 2018 on the PGA Tour as a CPO (custom performance option) and then became a full retail golf ball in 2019. Since then, nothing about the golf ball has changed except for the addition of AIM alignment for those looking to have a longer sidestamp.

The core differentiator of the Pro V1x Left Dash is its flight performance that blends the higher ball flight and firmer feel of the Pro V1x with the lower spin performance of the Pro V1. Titleist says the Left Dash was created to cater to players who were looking to maximize distance off the tee, while still maintaining stopping power generated from a steep descent angle.

Left Dash’s north star was to prioritize speed and low spin for distance while producing tour-validated short game control, meaning it still had to have more than enough control to be played on the game’s most demanding setups. At its core, Pro V1x Left Dash was designed for players looking to hit it far by taking advantage of a high-launching, low-spinning golf ball in the long game.

Frederick Waddell, Director of Titleist Golf Ball Product Management

Why Now?

Regardless of how great any golf ball is, at some point, a product gets enough feedback from the world's best players that the R&D team has to figure out how to make tweaks to push performance forward. In the case of the Pro V1x Left Dash, like any other ball, that process started the moment the original ball was released.

Now, Titleist never mentions this, and I'm strictly hypothesizing, but considering the original Left Dash came to retail in 2019, and then you know, the whole global pandemic thing that happened, it was likely that supply chain issues, among other difficulties that came from that time period, caused potential production timelines to shift. TaylorMade took an extra year to launch the newest generation of the TP5 series, for example, and with the current Left Dash still being a top choice for many players, including Bryson DeChambeau when he won at Pinehurst, there was likely less of a rush to change a more niche ball in the lineup, until now.

We set out to create a better Left Dash four years ago, and there were points over that stretch where we got really close to the finish line before changing course. We are where we are today because of the collaboration between our R&D teams and tour players. We had prototypes that offered improved performance in some respects but, according to Left Dash players, ultimately strayed too far from Dash’s original DNA. If a product isn’t delivering what players are asking for, then we go back to the drawing board. And that’s what we did.

Frederick Waddell.

We have no word yet on who might be putting these into play, but we will continue to follow the story as players test in Napa in preparation for the Procore Championship.

As for you at home, if you're curious about the current Pro V1x Left Dash, it is still available for customization and can also be ordered with Titleist's AIM alignment.