For nearly a century, we played golf balls made of materials that didn’t belong at Office Depot — or at Cinnabon. Thankfully, a more solid idea emerged.
By the mid-1990s, many top-shelf golf balls had urethane covers not unlike those used today. Inside it was a middle layer with rubber bands – hence the name “wound” balls. And inside it was a bag of corn syrup or basically salt water with yeast or bacteria injected to pressurize it. Weird? Well, it worked.
In 1994, Bridgestone’s Precept brand introduced the EV Extra Spin, a two-piece, solid-core ball designed to take on best-in-class wound offerings. Pitch: The Extra Spin was long and long-lasting, like a traditional two-piece ball, but with the short game feel needed to compete at the highest level … minus the rubber bands and dim centers.
Especially in golf balls, tournament proof changes the game. Nick Price using the EV Extra Spin to win that year’s Open Championship and the PGA Championship were Mic Drop’s best moments.
The sore, fluid-centered balls didn’t disappear overnight: Tiger Woods won the 1997 Masters Tournament by a record 12 strokes to one. But by the time Mark O’Meara won his green jacket the following year with a solid coat – a THREE-pieces, with a solid middle layer added – the corn syrup was drying up and the importance of the rubber band had snapped.
In 1999, Titleist introduced its multi-ply, solid-core ball: the Pro V1. Maybe you have heard of it?
Shop the latest golf balls at Fairway Jockey
Bridgestone 2026 Tour B RXS MindSet Golf Balls
Features: UNATTACHED DISTANCE: New VeloSurge core sleeve integration technology delivers incredible speed for unmatched distance from the tip TOUR CONTROL: The Reactiv iQ fairing sticks longer on the clubface, generating tournament-level spin and precision control on scientifically engineered BX shots on TOUR. help players separate analytical thinking from athletic performance MindSet is a visual cue printed directly on the golf ball, serving as a reminder of a simple three-step process: identify your target, visualize the shot path, and focus on the point.
$54.99 from Fairway Jockey
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Titleist Pro V1x RCT Golf Balls
The Titleist Pro V1x RCT golf ball is designed to deliver and accurately capture the high flight, high spin performance and feel of the Pro V1x. The Pro V1x RCT is designed for radar-based launch monitors to deliver the most accurate golf ball data on these devices for the indoor golf experience, offering the same premium performance benefits as the Pro V1x. Why play Pro V1x RCT? You are a golfer who uses radar-based launch monitors to practice and play indoors and you want accurate and reliable feedback from these sessions. You also prioritize total performance. The Pro V1x RCT, like the Pro V1x, is recommended for players who can benefit from higher trajectory flight, low long game spin with higher short game spin and a stronger feel.
$70.00 from Fairway Jockey
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