FAIRHAVEN, Mass. (Jan. 27, 2009) -- Titleist, the golf ball technology leader wherever competitive golf is played, announces the introduction of the New 2009 Pro V1 and Pro V1x. Committed to exceeding the requirements of most of the world's best professional tour players, as well as discerning amateur and aspiring golfers globally, Titleist once again raises the bar for high quality and performance by making the most played and best-selling golf balls even better. The product improvements to its flagship models have been engineered to deliver longer distance and enhanced Drop-and-Stop scoring performance with improved cover durability.

"Pro V1 loyalists, and golfers ranging from the world's most accomplished players to those aspiring to optimize their games, will experience longer distance with improved scoring performance on Pro V1, as well as longer distance on New Pro V1x, with the added benefit of more durable covers on both models," said George Sine, Vice President Golf Ball Marketing and Strategic Planning, Acushnet Company Worldwide. "At the onset of the New Pro V1 and Pro V1x development process, we engaged in comprehensive research with Tour Played golf ball consumers toward determining which attributes were most important and beneficial to their games. Our findings were extensive and the resulting improvements address the expectations cited by the target audience as being vital toward optimization of their game and important to their golf ball selection.''

NEW PRO V1: Longer Distance. Improved Scoring Performance. More Durable.

Since taking the golf industry by storm in the fall of 2000, the three-piece multi-layer Pro V1 continues to serve as the high performance standard by which all other golf balls are compared and measured. The New 2009 Pro V1 maximizes distance, durability and performance, and benefits a wide range of golfers with varying launch conditions.

"By reformulating and increasing the size of the core, we have increased ball speed, making the New Pro V1 even longer than its predecessor," said Bill Morgan, Senior Vice President, Golf Ball Research and Development, Acushnet Company. "In addition, a new high performance Urethane Elastomer cover formulation improves cover durability. The new cover, new core, and redesigned thinner Ionomeric casing layer, improve Pro V1's legendary Drop-and-Stop scoring performance."

Titleist's Tour-proven, high-coverage 392 dimple design with Staggered Wave parting line contributes to consistent ball flight. The New Pro V1 will remain the most suited and game optimizing technology within the Pro V1 family for the majority of amateur golfers looking to lower their scores with the proper golf ball selection.

New Pro V1 Features and Benefits • Newly reformulated and larger core provides soft feel, while contributing to longer distance. • Redesigned thinner, Ionomeric casing layer contributes to improved Drop-and-Stop scoring performance. • A new, high performance Urethane Elastomer formulation offers improved cover durability on all shots. • Tour-proven high coverage 392 multi-dimple design with Staggered Wave parting line for consistent ball flight. NEW PRO V1x: Longer Distance. More Durable. "The New 2009 Pro V1x is the ultimate performance companion to the New Pro V1," said Morgan. "A four-piece, dual core design featuring a redesigned Ionomeric casing layer, controls the spin rate on full iron shots into and around the green, in addition to providing increased distance off the driver."

An improved high performance Urethane Elastomer cover delivers improved cover durability, while its Tour-proven high coverage 332 dimple design with Staggered Wave parting line generates penetrating trajectory and consistent ball flight. Utilizing Titleist's industry-leading multi-component technology and manufacturing process excellence, the New Pro V1x is designed to optimize ball flight and increase driver distance. The spin control and flight characteristics have made Pro V1x the ball of choice for many of the game's longest players and the New Pro V1x will surpass its predecessor.

New Pro V1x Features and Benefits • Soft center, high energy 1.550'' dual core delivers low spin and increased velocity. • New, speed enhancing Ionomeric casing layer controls driver spin for longer distance. • Low spin can provide greater control and green-holding ability with full iron and wedge shots. • A new, high performance Urethane Elastomer formulation offers improved cover durability on all shots. • Tour-proven high coverage 332 multi-dimple design with Staggered Wave parting line for consistent ball flight.

"As we have successfully employed throughout our near 75-year history of golf ball technology leadership, the New Pro V1 and New Pro V1x improve upon current models and deliver superior performance, quality, distance, consistency and durability than our prior benchmark products," said Sine. "We have advanced Pro V1 and Pro V1x with the goal of not merely meeting, but exceeding golfers' expectations. Professionals and amateurs alike have accompanied us every step along the way by providing insight, feedback and validation that has resulted in our best effort to make every shot count for Pro V1 loyalists and current players of Tour Played products seeking to advance their games."

The New Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls begin shipping to golf shops in mid-February, with a suggested retail price of $58 per dozen (MAP: $45.99). Both models will be sold in traditional dozen and three-ball sleeves. Play numbers 5-8 also will be available in addition to the traditional 1-4.

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