Alright, let’s talk about these Vice Pro balls. Heard some chatter about them online, mostly folks saying they were pretty decent for the price, especially compared to the big names. Curiosity got the better of me, you know how it is. Always looking for that magic ball that might shave a stroke or two off the score, even though we all know it’s usually the swing, not the ball.
So, I decided to give them a shot. Went online, found their site. The ordering process was straightforward enough, no real headaches there. Picked the standard Pro model, not the Plus or the Soft, just wanted to see what their main offering felt like. They push buying in bulk, like five dozen at a time, to get the price down. Made sense, so I pulled the trigger on a bigger batch. Waited for them to arrive, maybe took about a week, which felt pretty standard.
Getting Them in Hand
The box showed up, nothing fancy, just a plain shipping box. Inside, the individual sleeves looked pretty cool, gotta say. Nice design. Pulled a ball out. Felt… well, it felt like a golf ball. Urethane cover, felt reasonably soft to the touch, maybe a little tacky. Compared it side-by-side with a Pro V1 I had lying around. Felt similar enough just holding it. No obvious defects or anything, seemed well-made.
Hitting the Range
Couldn’t wait to actually hit them, so I took a sleeve down to the local range. Started with some wedges. The feel off the clubface was actually quite nice. Soft-ish, but not mushy. Got a decent little check-up on short chips, which was encouraging. Moved onto the irons. Again, felt pretty solid. Flight seemed okay, maybe a touch lower than my usual ball, but hard to tell for sure on a range. Distance felt comparable.
Then came the driver. This is where I often notice bigger differences. The Vice Pro felt good off the driver face too. Nice sound, not too clicky, not too thuddy. Seemed to launch well. I wasn’t seeing any crazy distance gains, but it definitely wasn’t short either. Felt like it was right there with the other premium balls I’ve played in terms of distance off the tee.
Taking Them to the Course
Okay, range is one thing, the course is where it counts. Played a couple of rounds using only the Vice Pro.
- Tee shots: Performed well. Good distance, seemed relatively straight (as straight as my drives get, anyway). Didn’t notice excessive side spin.
- Iron shots: This was pretty impressive. They held the greens really well. Even on longer iron shots, I was getting them to stop quicker than I expected. That urethane cover was definitely doing its job. Feel was consistent.
- Around the greens: Good control on chips and pitches. Could get some decent spin when I needed it. Felt predictable.
- Putting: Felt good off the putter face. Soft but provided enough feedback. Rolled true, no complaints there at all.
How They Held Up
Durability was something I watched closely. After 18 holes, the ball I used definitely showed some wear, a few minor scuffs, especially if I clipped a tree or found a cart path (happens to the best of us, right?). I’d say the durability was maybe slightly less than a Pro V1, but not by much. It certainly didn’t shred easily like some cheaper balls do. Perfectly playable for more than one round if you don’t abuse it too badly.
So, the verdict? Yeah, I actually liked them quite a bit. For the price, especially when you buy a few dozen, they’re great value. They perform very similarly to the top-tier balls in most respects – feel, distance, and especially greenside spin. The durability is decent enough. I’ve definitely re-ordered since that first batch. If you’re looking for a premium-feeling ball without that top-end price tag, I’d say give the Vice Pro a try. I was pleasantly surprised, and they’ve found a regular spot in my bag now.
