Thanks to their clubs, Bridgestone and Titleist are big names in the golf world. But both brands also make their own lines of golf balls. Which ball is best for your game? Let’s find out!
The Bridgestone E12 Contact is a soft golf ball with mid-range spin. The Titleist Pro V1 is a firm ball with low spin and is more than 1.5 times as expensive as the E12. The feature that makes the E12 Contact unique is its contact force dimples, which increase the surface contact of the ball.
This article will examine the differences between the Bridgestone E12 Contact and the Titleist Pro V1 golf balls.
| Golf Balls | Bridgestone E12 Contact | Titleist Pro V1 |
| Feel | Soft | Firm |
| Spin | Mid | Low |
| Dimples | 326, Contact Force | 388 |
| Customizable | 3 lines of personalization | Player number |
| Colors | White, Red, Green, Yellow | White, Yellow |
| Price | Average | Moderately High |
Feel
The feel of a golf ball is based on its compression, rated on a scale from 0 to 200. The compression of a ball does not significantly impact your game, and it is really up to your personal preference of how you like your ball contact to feel.
The Bridgestone E12 Contact is rated 61, putting it in the softball category. The Titleist Pro V1 has a compression rating of 87, making it a firm ball. Hitting an E12 ball, you will feel less resistance than a Pro V1.
Spin
Your choice of clubs greatly impacts ball spin, but the ball also plays a part. The spin on a ball helps to create lift. Most golf balls are mid-spin, including the Bridgestone E12 Contact. However, the Titleist Pro V1 balls have a low spin. Paired with the right clubs, a V1 will help increase your long-game distance.
Dimples
While the number of dimples on the E12 Contact and V1 are comparable, the difference is in the dimple design.
The E12 Contact uses a new contact force design that adds a raised piece inside each dimple. This gives this Bridgestone ball 38% more surface contact than the typical golf ball. Surface contact means more energy from your hit transfers to the golf ball, increasing speed and distance.
Customization and Colors
If you are still torn about which balls you prefer, consider the customization you are looking for on your golf balls.
The E12 Contact allows three lines of customized text, while the Pro V1 allows you to customize your ball with a player number from their selected list.
Additionally, the Bridgestone E12 balls come in more colors than the Titleist ProV1. You can get E12 balls in white, red, green, and yellow, while V1s are only available in white and yellow.
Price
The price of a golf ball is typically tied to the number of layers in the ball. The Bridgestone E12 Contact and Pro V1 both have three layers, which would typically mean that they should be comparable in price.
The Pro V1 is over 1.5 times the price of the E12 Contact ball.
Final Thoughts
The Bridgestone E12 Contact ball is the better value of the two balls. As its name suggests, the defining feature of this ball is the increased surface contact provided by redesigned dimples.
The Pro V1 is pricier but does not seem to offer additional features to justify the higher price. It does offer a low long-game spin, though, which is less common among golf balls.