"Winning today, I feel has got me closer to being able to compete a lot better in the Major tournaments. My next goal is, of course, to win a Major and I'm going to do all that I can to prepare well for that.”

These comments were made by Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama following his victory in last week’s WGC-HSBC Champions event.

The four majors aside, there’s nothing quite like winning a World Golf Championships event. Many see it as a sign that the winner is ready to compete at the highest level, and this is certainly the case for Matsuyama.

The 24-year-old carded 29 birdies over the week to finish seven clear of Henrik Stenson and Daniel Berger on 23-under-par. To put this achievement into perspective, only Tiger Woods has managed to win a WGC event by seven shots or more – something he’s done on four separate occasions. Not bad company to hold for the new world number six.

You may have seen our earlier blog post on Rory’s switch to the TaylorMade M2 driver and metal wood (click here to read) for the event in China; well it certainly didn’t hamper the Northern Irishman as he finished in T4 to move up to second in the World Rankings. In fact, McIlroy’s average driving distance for the week was a measly 300.5 yards – putting him 4th in the field that week.

But even McIlroy was no match for Matsuyama last week, I truly impressive performance that puts him in good stead for the 2017 Majors.

What equipment did Matsuyama use?

• Driver – Callaway Great Big Bertha (9 degree)
• Fairway wood – TaylorMade RBZ (15 degree)
• Irons – TaylorMade M2 Tour (3-iron); Srixon Z945 (4-PW)
• Wedges – Cleveland RTX 2.0 (52, 56 & 60)
• Putter – Scotty Cameron Newport

What makes the Titleist Pro V1 golf ball the pick of the bunch?

Simply put, the Titleist Pro V1 golf ball is a golfing icon. Other balls have come and gone, trying to accomplish the lofty heights of Titleist’s premium offering, but have consistently come up short.

In this blog post, Foremost Golf looks at the reasons behind the dominance of the Titleist Pro V1 golf ball whilst trying to answer one simple question:

What makes the Titleist Pro V1 golf ball so special?

The golf ball is the only piece of equipment that is used for every shot on the golf course, so it’s vitally important that you can trust what you’re using. And trust is something that is synonymous with the Titleist Pro V1 golf ball.

Anyone who plays golf will know that the Pro V1 has dominated the ball market over the last decade. There’s no arguing it. The fact that the Titleist Pro V1 golf ball has been at the top for such a long time, without any drastic changes, speaks volumes for what Titleist has been able to achieve.

Never ones to rest on their laurels, Titleist undertook unparalleled research and comprehensive testing with both professionals and amateurs before releasing the 2015 version of the ball. When asked how the Pro V1 could be improved, the pros were adamant in their response:

“Don’t change anything, just add some more control around the green”

We don’t want to delve too much into the technical side of things, but the way Titleist has achieved this is quite remarkable. Now urethane covers aren’t new, but Titleist’s version certainly is. They’ve built their patented Elastomer cover in-house so that they’re in control of the characteristics it provides, rather than adding a pre-made urethane cover that isn’t necessarily designed for a golf ball. All this means that they have created an extremely soft ball offering premium feel off the clubface.

So what can you expect from the Titleist Pro V1 golf ball?

• Extra distance
• Softer feel
• Enhanced durability
• Greenside control
• Optimum trajectory

Most golfers would take one or two of these characteristics in a ball if it was going to improve their performance. So when you get all five in the Titleist Pro V1 golf ball, you can see why it’s the number one ball across worldwide tours.

But this ball isn’t just for professionals. The exceptional tee-to-green performance makes the Titleist Pro V1 golf ball a firm favourite for golfers of all skill levels.

How can added distance and increased greenside control not be beneficial?

Our rating?

Quite simply: 5 out of 5. Unbeatable.