2020 Vice Pro Soft Golf Ball Opinions

Steve-O

Frugal Golf Dad
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Has anyone tried these? They are new for 2020, supposedly with a thinner cover and faster core. But what really caught my eye when looking at the Web site (and my daughter’s eye especially) was that Vice has gone back to “glossy” colors! She played for some time using Volvik Crystal glossy red golf balls and would love to play a glossy red golf ball again, but she is good enough now that she should probably be playing a urethane golf ball. We’ve both tried the Wilson Staff Duo Professional golf balls in colors, but neither of us is terribly enamored of the “matte” finish on these or most of the colored golf balls now. It really picks up the dirt. And the courses we play, at least for now, don’t have golf ball washers out since they would be a touch point for many people.
 
I actually got to try these (1 of them anyway) just a couple of days ago. No holes, so no distance info, but just chipping and putting. It felt fine, looked good, but a few sand shots in the practice bunker and I got a pretty good scuff on there.

YMMV of course as I was also testing a brand new wedge.
 
Haven’t had payed that one but I’ve enjoyed the Pro Plus.
 
I haven’t tried the pro soft, but I love the pro plus, except for one large draw back. Durability. The ball is pretty beat after 18. Even worse with the lime balls I use, you can see where the cover has been damaged quite easily. If the pro sifts have a glossy cover, they may hold up a little better.
 
Thanks guys. I am ordering a box to try. I find it interesting that they are selling the Vice Pro Softs with a "New glossy, shiny finish" as the Web site says. Maybe they've figured out there is a demographic out there of golfers who like a soft colorful urethane golf ball with a shiny finish in some other color besides yellow! My daughter and I will be comparing with the Titleist AVX (my current ball) and the Bridgestone Tour B RX.
 
Has anyone tried these? They are new for 2020, supposedly with a thinner cover and faster core. But what really caught my eye when looking at the Web site (and my daughter’s eye especially) was that Vice has gone back to “glossy” colors! She played for some time using Volvik Crystal glossy red golf balls and would love to play a glossy red golf ball again, but she is good enough now that she should probably be playing a urethane golf ball. We’ve both tried the Wilson Staff Duo Professional golf balls in colors, but neither of us is terribly enamored of the “matte” finish on these or most of the colored golf balls now. It really picks up the dirt. And the courses we play, at least for now, don’t have golf ball washers out since they would be a touch point for many people.

I ventured out and got the 10 ball sample pack from Vice and have been testing all of them. I really enjoyed the Pro Softs and they have come in second place to what I will be using in the future. Below I have some quick notes I took while playing that ball.


Tour Soft:
-Like butter on the putter face
-Nice spin with G wedge on short chips
-Flushed feel off tee. Not wavering, heavenly feel.
-Easy, smooth feel off P wedge
-Juicy off the iron face
 
I ventured out and got the 10 ball sample pack from Vice and have been testing all of them. I really enjoyed the Pro Softs and they have come in second place to what I will be using in the future. Below I have some quick notes I took while playing that ball.


Tour Soft:
-Like butter on the putter face
-Nice spin with G wedge on short chips
-Flushed feel off tee. Not wavering, heavenly feel.
-Easy, smooth feel off P wedge
-Juicy off the iron face
Wow. That sounds promising! Thank you.
 
I ventured out and got the 10 ball sample pack from Vice and have been testing all of them. I really enjoyed the Pro Softs and they have come in second place to what I will be using in the future. Below I have some quick notes I took while playing that ball.


Tour Soft:
-Like butter on the putter face
-Nice spin with G wedge on short chips
-Flushed feel off tee. Not wavering, heavenly feel.
-Easy, smooth feel off P wedge
-Juicy off the iron face

What ball would you compare them to?
 
Wow. That sounds promising! Thank you.

For sure. I would bet a lot of doll hairs that you are going to be happy with them. Good luck! Look forward to your feedback.
 
What ball would you compare them to?

Maybe a Chrome Soft?

Honestly have never played a ball so soft and juicy. It’s like you hit it flush even on miss hits.
 
Maybe a Chrome Soft?

Honestly have never played a ball so soft and juicy. It’s like you hit it flush even on miss hits.

I may have to give it a whirl
 
I may have to give it a whirl

I have one of the orginal two from the sample pack still and would be happy to send it to you lol. Probably does not make sense with the cost of shipping.
 
I find the AVX soft and juicy. But, when I first tried the AVX upon its introduction, I discovered it was the first urethane golf ball I tried that went as far off my irons as the ionomer golf balls I had been playing. I tried the Chrome Soft some years ago and it fell short for me and I need all the help I can get. That's part of the reason I ended up with the AVX. But all of this changes over time as the golf balls are developed. If I find the Vice Pro Soft doesn't quite do it for me it may just be my daughter that plays them. It would be nice to save some money vs. the AVX either way.
 
I find the AVX soft and juicy. But, when I first tried the AVX upon its introduction, I discovered it was the first urethane golf ball I tried that went as far off my irons as the ionomer golf balls I had been playing. I tried the Chrome Soft some years ago and it fell short for me and I need all the help I can get. That's part of the reason I ended up with the AVX. But all of this changes over time as the golf balls are developed. If I find the Vice Pro Soft doesn't quite do it for me it may just be my daughter that plays them. It would be nice to save some money vs. the AVX either way.

It's funny you played the AVX because that was my go to until I started on this Vice longitudinal study lol. I already know I will not be going back to the AVX because honestly The Vice Pro+, Pro, and Soft, are all equivalent if not better at a lower price point. Plus, I really believe in the company and like what they have been doing.
 
I have one of the orginal two from the sample pack still and would be happy to send it to you lol. Probably does not make sense with the cost of shipping.

Yeah, as much as I'd appreciate it, I feel like I could never lose that ball for the shipping :ROFLMAO:

Edit - wish they sold test sleeves rather than the veggie platter sampler pack.
 
Yeah, as much as I'd appreciate it, I feel like I could never lose that ball for the shipping :ROFLMAO:

Edit - wish they sold test sleeves rather than the veggie platter sampler pack.

Right! That's a good point. Would be ideal.
 
It's funny you played the AVX because that was my go to until I started on this Vice longitudinal study lol. I already know I will not be going back to the AVX because honestly The Vice Pro+, Pro, and Soft, are all equivalent if not better at a lower price point. Plus, I really believe in the company and like what they have been doing.
Yes, we are thinking the same thing here, saving some money, and I do like what I read about the company. My daughter is playing the Bridgestone Tour B RX and I hope to try it this weekend. So far I've tried practicing with the Bridgestone in the short game area and was impressed with it chipping and especially for high pitch shots both feel and distance (which was pretty much identical to the AVX for me on those shots). And it's really nice off the putter. While the list price of Bridgestone tour balls is only slightly less than Titleist, retailers can usually discount Bridgestone more than they are allowed to for Titleist products and you can find Bridgestones on sale at pretty big discounts at certain times, for example, usually 29.95 near the end of a model year. If we like the Vice, I would probably go for the Lime and she would stick with the Red. The cool thing is, you can mix colors and they give the same quantity discounts.
 
Yes, we are thinking the same thing here, saving some money, and I do like what I read about the company. My daughter is playing the Bridgestone Tour B RX and I hope to try it this weekend. So far I've tried practicing with the Bridgestone in the short game area and was impressed with it chipping and especially for high pitch shots both feel and distance (which was pretty much identical to the AVX for me on those shots). And it's really nice off the putter. While the list price of Bridgestone tour balls is only slightly less than Titleist, retailers can usually discount Bridgestone more than they are allowed to for Titleist products and you can find Bridgestones on sale at pretty big discounts at certain times, for example, usually 29.95 near the end of a model year. If we like the Vice, I would probably go for the Lime and she would stick with the Red. The cool thing is, you can mix colors and they give the same quantity discounts.

That is cool you can mix colors, I did not know that. My wife plays, and she always enjoys playing the colorful balls. Good to know!
 
Thanks to @NateG<80 I tried out the Vice Pro Soft yestetday. Initial reaction:

- I like the matte white finish. Good way to differentiate from others and looks good doing it
- like the name suggests it is soft. Felt good on the approach shots from roughly 150 yrs. out.
- maybe a bit softer than my usual Srixon Z-star, but not as hard as the Cut Blue DC I was also trying out again.
- overall its a good ball. Just need to see how it holds up over an entire round
 
Here is my mostly subjective take on the Vice Pro Soft after some side-by-side testing to compare the Vice Pro Soft with my current golf ball, the Titleist AVX, and with my daughter’s current golf ball, the Bridgestone Tour B RX. My distance testing, especially for full swing, is flawed because I have no launch monitor and am not a super-consistent ball-striker. It was probably more reliable on short game because I could hit a lot more golf balls at a nice short-game practice facility without being in anybody’s way or having to go too far to retrieve the balls I hit.

The three models were pretty similar in ball flight, spin, and distance. The Vice exhibited perhaps a tad more stopping power on pitches and a tad higher ball flight off longer clubs. The Bridgestone exhibited perhaps a tad less distance than the other two overall. Sound and feel was where differences were more evident.

The AVX was a bit clickier off the putter and wedges, which surprised me a bit because I never noticed it until I tested it against the competition side-by-side. The golf balls didn’t feel much different to me in the short game.

But - on full swing shots, sound and feel-wise, NateG is absolutely spot on with his “buttery” and “soft and juicy” descriptions. The Vice stood out in both sound and feel. This is totally subjective, but the Vice Pro Soft felt great too me, even on some poorly struck shots! The buttery smooth feel and pleasing (to me) sound of the Vice don’t really show up so much unless I hit the golf ball at full speed with a normal swing, I assume this is because compressing the core is where this comes from.

As far as durability goes, no issues came up in a nine-hole round, a fair amount of green side play and hitting irons in a practice field. The Web site says the company has improved durability 25% with the new glossy coating. I guess time will tell. The AVX has been very durable for sure and it would be nice if the Vice Pro Soft could approach it.

Given the price difference and wonderful glossy colors, it’s an easy decision. Once I use up the last of my AVX golf balls, I will be playing the Vice Pro Soft.
 
Here is my mostly subjective take on the Vice Pro Soft after some side-by-side testing to compare the Vice Pro Soft with my current golf ball, the Titleist AVX, and with my daughter’s current golf ball, the Bridgestone Tour B RX. My distance testing, especially for full swing, is flawed because I have no launch monitor and am not a super-consistent ball-striker. It was probably more reliable on short game because I could hit a lot more golf balls at a nice short-game practice facility without being in anybody’s way or having to go too far to retrieve the balls I hit.

The three models were pretty similar in ball flight, spin, and distance. The Vice exhibited perhaps a tad more stopping power on pitches and a tad higher ball flight off longer clubs. The Bridgestone exhibited perhaps a tad less distance than the other two overall. Sound and feel was where differences were more evident.

The AVX was a bit clickier off the putter and wedges, which surprised me a bit because I never noticed it until I tested it against the competition side-by-side. The golf balls didn’t feel much different to me in the short game.

But - on full swing shots, sound and feel-wise, NateG is absolutely spot on with his “buttery” and “soft and juicy” descriptions. The Vice stood out in both sound and feel. This is totally subjective, but the Vice Pro Soft felt great too me, even on some poorly struck shots! The buttery smooth feel and pleasing (to me) sound of the Vice don’t really show up so much unless I hit the golf ball at full speed with a normal swing, I assume this is because compressing the core is where this comes from.

As far as durability goes, no issues came up in a nine-hole round, a fair amount of green side play and hitting irons in a practice field. The Web site says the company has improved durability 25% with the new glossy coating. I guess time will tell. The AVX has been very durable for sure and it would be nice if the Vice Pro Soft could approach it.

Given the price difference and wonderful glossy colors, it’s an easy decision. Once I use up the last of my AVX golf balls, I will be playing the Vice Pro Soft.

Awesome review, some great info and comparisions. Also, thanks for the shoutout!

It is pretty crazy that you found the AVX to be clickier off the putter and wedges, I found that interesting. Goes to show how soft the Pro Soft is. The two things that stood out are your reassurance of the buttery feel, and the stopping power. Although I am playing the Vice Pro Plus now, I think the Pro Soft might have the best stopping power for some reason.. Not sure why?
 
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Here is my mostly subjective take on the Vice Pro Soft after some side-by-side testing to compare the Vice Pro Soft with my current golf ball, the Titleist AVX, and with my daughter’s current golf ball, the Bridgestone Tour B RX. My distance testing, especially for full swing, is flawed because I have no launch monitor and am not a super-consistent ball-striker. It was probably more reliable on short game because I could hit a lot more golf balls at a nice short-game practice facility without being in anybody’s way or having to go too far to retrieve the balls I hit.

The three models were pretty similar in ball flight, spin, and distance. The Vice exhibited perhaps a tad more stopping power on pitches and a tad higher ball flight off longer clubs. The Bridgestone exhibited perhaps a tad less distance than the other two overall. Sound and feel was where differences were more evident.

The AVX was a bit clickier off the putter and wedges, which surprised me a bit because I never noticed it until I tested it against the competition side-by-side. The golf balls didn’t feel much different to me in the short game.

But - on full swing shots, sound and feel-wise, NateG is absolutely spot on with his “buttery” and “soft and juicy” descriptions. The Vice stood out in both sound and feel. This is totally subjective, but the Vice Pro Soft felt great too me, even on some poorly struck shots! The buttery smooth feel and pleasing (to me) sound of the Vice don’t really show up so much unless I hit the golf ball at full speed with a normal swing, I assume this is because compressing the core is where this comes from.

As far as durability goes, no issues came up in a nine-hole round, a fair amount of green side play and hitting irons in a practice field. The Web site says the company has improved durability 25% with the new glossy coating. I guess time will tell. The AVX has been very durable for sure and it would be nice if the Vice Pro Soft could approach it.

Given the price difference and wonderful glossy colors, it’s an easy decision. Once I use up the last of my AVX golf balls, I will be playing the Vice Pro Soft.

Oh and of course, with the conversion it was only right to sport the Vice towel as I picked this one up. Love the unique design.

Screen Shot 2020-06-20 at 8.04.10 AM.png
 
Awesome review, some great info and comparisions. Also, thanks for the shoutout!

It is pretty crazy that you found the AVX to be clickier off the putter and wedges, I found that interesting. Goes to show how soft the Pro Soft is. The two things that stood out are your reassurance of the buttery feel, and the stopping power. Although I am playing the Vice Pro Plus now, I think the Pro Soft might have the best stopping power for some reason.. Not sure why?
Maybe. Having not tried any other Vice ball I can’t say. I’m also probably not the best judge of stopping power. Due to age and health issues my swing speed is supposedly not high enough to impart much backspin to any golf ball with anything but my highest lofted wedges. (Seven iron carry distance is about 135 yards.) For this test, I did high pitch shots with my 59 to try and test spin and I seemed to perceive a little backward bounce with the Vice at times as compared to hop up or slightly forward and stop with the other golf balls on well struck shots. If there’s anything to it, I would assume a more skilled player could probably exaggerate the effect more and test it with more certainty.

As to why, I’m not sure either. There was no evidence of more spin off my driver or other longer clubs. Two reasonably solid drives with each golf ball is too small a sample to call “data” but in fact my drives with the Vice and the Bridgestone were straight as arrows and I was drawing the AVX quite a bit for some reason that day. All of these golf balls claim to have tech that lets them spin more around the green and reduce sidespin on longer shots to prevent errant shots. Most good golfers seem to think spin on balls like the original AVX is compromised too much generally. Maybe Vice has figured out a better way around that.
 
Oh and of course, with the conversion it was only right to sport the Vice towel as I picked this one up. Love the unique design.

View attachment 8949855
Cool! Maybe I’ll get one or two when I order the first 5-dozen. But I wish they had a wolf because my daughter’s high school golf team is “the Wolves.” She has not played the Vice balls yet and won’t have the patience for any methodical testing, but she seems to hit them well into the net at home. She has a couple playing lessons scheduled next week where she will use some. Ultimately, I’m hoping to place a full order with both of the colors for us to share. She actually will need them sooner than me.
 
I'm tempted to give these balls a try. I've never hit a Vice before and I just saw last night where they make urethane red ball. I like the visibility of the red balls but I'm trying to move into urethane covered balls to help my short game. Vice seems to be the only company that offers that possibility.
 
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