Vice Golf established its reputation in the golf ball category by building products to fit golfers of any age, gender, swing speed and ability.
The German-based manufacturer believes that among current OEM ball brands there tends to be a priority on balls that target a specific outcome especially when it comes to distance.
Vice contends that some of today’s so-called “distance” balls not only feel hard at impact but they produce lousy short-game feedback on half and three-quarter shots.
A big reason Vice Golf researched and developed the new Pro Air ball was to have a product capable of dependable distance for all swing speeds while still being efficient from 100 yards in and on the green.
Vice Pro Air Construction
Like its sister products Vice Pro Plus and Pro, the Pro Air is a three-piece cast-urethane cover ball with an aerodynamically designed 318-dimple pattern that produces dependable distance, good feel and control and comes with good durability.
Designed to increase energy transfer, the single mantle layer is a zinc-ionomer thermoplastic DuPont Surlyn grade which helps minimize wood and long-iron spin.
A size-optimized High Energy Speed Core (HESC) works in tandem with that Surlyn mantle to improve the Pro Air’s feel and to efficiently convert swing speed into distance while increasing launch angle.
Pro Air Compression
Compression-wise, the Vice Pro Air comes in at 75, giving it a dependable one-two combination of low spin and slightly higher launch.
Once a low-compression golf ball, today 75 is considered more mid to high compression, meaning golfers of any swing speed can use it pretty effectively—including higher swing speed golfers wanting to maximize distance off the tee.
Performance
The Vice Pro Air has been engineered to increase ball flight trajectory and reduce spin to help add distance. It’s the lowest-spinning ball in the Vice inventory.
With that low spin comes the aforementioned distance potential but the Vice Pro Air achieves it without sacrificing control or feel. The increased launch angle will help players, especially slower swingers, who have problems reaching optimal trajectory heights or attacking pins.
On the feel depth chart, Vice doubled down with Pro Air. The ball is softer than the company’s Vice Pro and the equivalent of the Vice Pro Soft which the Pro Air replaced.
Is the Vice Pro Air for You?
It is—if you have a slow to moderate swing speed and continuously find yourself challenged with getting to peak trajectory heights or going after pins from further distances.
But, as mentioned, there is definitely some merit in faster swingers giving this product a test. Vice Pro Air offers plenty of distance upside and you might be pleasantly surprised by its feel and how well it performs from 100 yards in.
Other Nuggets
One of the cool features about the Vice Pro Air (like the rest of the Vice line) is the simplicity of the alignment aid. The ball team designed the side stamp to taper towards the target with “Pro Air” nicely displayed inside in white letters.
Ball fitting at Vice Golf is also getting a ramp-up. An agreement with HIO will allow the company to incorporate the European ball fitting laboratory’s data into its next-generation online fitting tool.
Expect to see that launched later this summer or in early fall.
Availability and Pricing
Vice Pro Air comes in White, Drip Red Black, Neon Pink and Neon Lime.
Retail price is $39.99
This article was written in partnership with Vice Golf.
Michael Branche
6 months ago
Will MGS do an independent golf ball test on these new balls anytime soon?
I’d like to know how these balls compare to the Vice balls that were tested in the 2023 Golf Ball Test.