If you’ve ever wondered what quality golf balls exist outside of tour-level balls, this Titleist Tour Speed review is for you. It’s no secret that we muni golfers have different abilities than tour players.
While there are still benefits to be gained by playing tour balls, sometimes it’s nice to know there are other options.
That’s where the Tour Speed comes into the fold.
First off, it’s still made my Titleist.
And if you’re not going to play a tour ball, I would suggest you at least try a ball from the company that sets the gold standard in the market.
There are two main differences you will get from a Tour Speed compared to Titleist’s premium golf ball lineup.
The first comes in the way of spin.
Most of us hacks are far more likely to spray shots left and right than any tour pro. For this, Titleist has taken out quite a bit of spin for this golf ball.
The second biggest difference also aids with this spin reduction and that is a softer feel.
Contrary to popular belief, the softer a golf ball is, the less it will spin.
Unfortunately, this spin reduction means you won’t see any jaw-dropping stopping power around the greens.
But you will see straighter ball flights and more balls hitting fairways.
A worthy trade-off for most of us.
Without further ado, let’s do a deep dive into this Titleist Tour Speed review.
Titleist Tour Speed Spin
Wedge Spin: Mid
Iron Spin: Mid
Driver Spin: Low
As stated above, the Tour Speed is not going to be the highest-spinning golf ball you’ve ever played.
Far from it.
But what it lacks in spin, it tries to make up for by limiting left-to-right dispersion.
Logically this makes sense.
If your spin axis gets any bit off-kilter, the lack of spin will stop your ball from creating those wild banana slices or snap hooks we have all had at one time or another.
For the bump-and-run lovers, this might even be a blessing in disguise.
Not only will your longer clubs fly straighter but they won’t check up unnecessarily around the green either.
If that’s your game, you might be onto something with the Titleist Tour Speed…
Trajectory: How Low is Too Low?
Iron Trajectory: Low-Mid
Driver Trajectory: Low
The Tour Speed’s trajectory is, without a doubt, its Achilles heal.
While its low long-game spin might benefit your left-to-right dispersion, it won’t help your stopping power on the greens.
Unfortunately, its low trajectory won’t offer any help either.
This is a true give something to get something relationship.
For everything you gain with the Tour Speed’s low spin, you are sacrificing the ability to hit it high and stop it quickly.
For drives, this will not be as much of an issue. We’d all love to see our ball roll out another few yards.
However, for any other shot, this can start hindering your ability to score.
You know your game better than others.
It’s up to you to decide if straighter shots will help you more than quick stopping power on the greens.
Best in Class Distance
Overall Distance: Long
The Tour Speed has a surprisingly long carry distance for how soft it is.
At this point in the golf space, it’s no secret that softer balls don’t have as high of ball speed. Especially the faster you swing a club.
However, the lack of spin helps add some carry distance and counterbalance any loss in ball speed.
Overall, the Tour Speed will not travel as far as some of the elite distance golf balls. (I.e. Titleist Pro V1x or Pro V1x Left Dash)
However, for being in the tier just below premium balls, it is very much the best in its class.
Titleist Tour Speed Compression: Butter Soft Feel
Compression Rating: 80-85 (Slightly Soft)
Softer than any of Titleist’s tour balls, the Tour Speed will have that butter-soft feel we all yearn for.
While its soft feel will slightly decrease the maximum ball speed, it also aids in the decrease of spin which can balance out the slower ball speed and help it travel farther.
As stated above, this also means you will lose some stopping power around the green. But you might also lose fewer balls from errant shots.
All that being said, I wouldn’t recommend choosing a ball based solely on how it feels.
This should be considered as a small piece of the golf ball-choosing process. (For more, see our tips in choosing the right golf ball for your game.)
Titleist Tour Speed Review: Final Thoughts
Good For: Golfers who value performance, but don’t want to pay premium price points.
Price: $42 – Shop Now
Construction: 3-Piece
Cover: Urethane
Pros
- Price: Very close to a tour quality ball for over 20% off Titleist’s tour lineup prices.
- Good distance for how soft.
Cons
- Lack of spin.
If you don’t want to buy a tour ball, it’s hard to argue against the company that has made the best golf balls for over 20 years.
The attention to detail and precision you will get in a Tour Speed is everything you would get in a tour ball.
It just lacks some of the tour-level features. (Higher spin and firmer feel.)
That said, you will definitely notice a tighter dispersion on your longer shots which could save you a few golf balls on your next round.
Couple that with the lower price compared to Titleist’s tour golf balls and you could be looking at a decent savings on your golf balls.
I would not say the Tour Speed should replace the Pro V1 in your bag, but if losing balls is a concern to you don’t be afraid to try it.
If you want to see even more golf ball options, check out our full golf ball guide.
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