Two-piece, ionomer-coated golf balls usually don’t invite comparisons to the Pro V1. As I wrote in my story on the new Title Speedthey are usually designed with a specific purpose: soft feel, low price, or straight-line distance. Most knowledgeable players understand those trade-offs before they hit their first shot.
Although it may have taken us a few cycles to notice, Tour Softapparently, it was never fully adapted to that form.
For example, when we tested Tour Soft for our 2025 ball test, it measured 88 on our compression gauge. This is essentially indistinguishable from For V1 (which usually sits around 87). This also does Tour Soft a little stronger than most two-pieces on the market, but that detail alone doesn’t make it one Tournament ball. However, she hints at why Tour Soft continues to blur the lines between “distance” balls and multi-layered urethane models.
It’s also fair to say that if the compression wasn’t what it is, we’d be hard-pressed to explain why the Tour Soft was among the longest balls we’ve tested off the tee. It was, by far, the biggest surprise of the 2025 Test.
With the launch of the new Tour SoftTitleist is hinting at the gap between Tour Soft and those generally considered Tournament balls it could have been narrowed down a bit more.
Core to Cover, Revised
Titleist describes the new Tour Soft as a core-to-cover redesign, and while that expression has become a reliable industry cliché, at least it checks out.
At its core, Tour Soft it remains a two-piece Surlyn-covered golf ball, but the internal geometry has changed slightly. The new design features a slightly smaller core paired with a thicker, softer elastomer cover, a combination that aims to reduce spin during play without sacrificing the soft feel the name suggests.
This lower spin profile creates more tip distance, while the softer, thicker cover helps maintain short game control—an area where most ionomer balls fall short.
Here, of course, there is a nuance. In full (or fairly full) wedge shots, Tour Soft will typically launch just a few yards more than Titleist’s premium balls. I’ve stood in the landing area while the wedge shots landed and I’ll attest that it probably makes less of a difference than you might think.
It’s fair to say a little closer to the green Tour Soft it doesn’t quite replicate the performance of urethane, but it would be unreasonable to expect otherwise. There are always trade-offs.
Still, if you’re looking for an ionomer/Surlyn ball that’s as close as you can get to urethane, I’d put my money on Tour Soft.
Aerodynamics Matter (Even If You Don’t Care About Geometry)
One of the most substantial updates is with the aerodynamic package (dimples).
The new one Tour Soft presents a 386 dipyramid quadrilateral dimple model, specially developed for this ball. I only mention the specs because those words are fun, but I think the geometry itself probably doesn’t matter much to most golfers, so let’s at least consider the point.
Unlike many competitors that reuse dimple patterns across multiple models, Titleist designs a unique aerodynamic package for each golf ball it produces. It’s a more difficult, more expensive approach, but when you’re optimizing a cannon with limited building leverage, every variable carries more weight.
The result is a more consistent ball flight and increased distance gains without transforming the Tour Soft into something it’s not meant to be.
Distance and stopping power (Yes, both)
Titleist focused on two primary objectives with the new Tour Soft: more distance and increased stopping power.
Sounds like one of the they stop me if you’ve heard this before sort of thing (and it is), but it’s a tricky balance for a two-piece design.
Lower spin in the long game is achieved through revised core and cap dimensions. At the same time, the new construction promotes higher flight iron shots, increasing tip height and descent angle. That steeper landing angle is part of what allows the Tour Soft to hold the greens better than most ionomer balls, despite Titleist taking some spin out of the design.
Softer cover, smarter materials
One of the quiet improvements is the cover itself.
Reworded title Tour Soft’s Elastomer cover using a new blend of softening agents (fluffy bunny essence, perhaps?), resulting in a cover that is softer than the previous generation.
Delivery for golfers is simple: Tour Soft maintains its distinctive feel while providing better distance and improved iron stopping power.
As for how soft that feel really is…a lot of things on the golf ball are relative, but my two cents is that Tour Soft is the rare two-piece ball where the “tournament” part is a more accurate descriptor than “soft” but, hey, what’s in a name?
Who is it for?
Tour Soft it’s not trying to be For V1. Honestly, if the Tour Soft had one more layer and a urethane cover, it would to be For V1.
Tour Soft It’s designed for golfers who want near-complete tee-to-green performance and title quality without paying Tour-ball prices.
Options, pricing, availability
The new one Titleist Tour Soft is available now in white and yellow. Retail price is $39.99 per dozen.
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