The golf ball space is a flooded market dominated by a handful of manufacturers, making it difficult for innovative newcomers to break through.
Around a decade ago — OnCore managed to do just that.
After the release of its innovative hollow metal-core ball, OnCore went on to develop its perimeter weighting technology that reduces unwanted driver spin.
Today, the brand makes 3 flagship balls: the ELIXR, the VERO X1, and the VERO X2.
In this review, we take a look at the OnCore VERO X1 Golf Balls — a DTC tour caliber ball designed for golfers with swing speeds in excess of 100 mph.
I just about make it into that 100+ mph category — so let’s get into the review!
OnCore VERO X1 Golf Balls
PROS
– Good ball speed and distance
– Consistent spin control
– Great value at $40/dozen for the quality
CONS
– Not suited for slower swing speeds
OnCore VERO X1 Golf Balls deliver great spin control and feel for players with faster swing speeds, without compromising distance or durability.
Let’s dive into the specifications.
OnCore VERO X1 Golf Ball Specs
Below, you can see how the VERO X1 stacks up against the VERO X2:
| VERO X1 | VERO X2 | |
| Layers | 4-Piece | 4-Piece |
| Compression | 85 | 95 |
| Cover | Cast Urethane | Cast Urethane |
| Dimple | 318 | 318 |
| Launch Angle | High | High |
| Swing Speed | 100+ mph | 100+ mph |
| Feel | Firm | Firmer |
| Driver Spin | Low | Lower |
| Wedge Spin | High | High |
| Retail Price | $40/dozen | $50/dozen |
In short, the OnCore VERO X2 is targeted at golfers with relatively fast swing speeds.
To withstand these forces, the VERO X1 is produced with a 4-piece construction.
Essentially, this comprises a solid oversized core wrapped in a high-modulus, metal-infused mantle. This is wrapped in a nano-engineered transition layer, followed by a cast urethane cover which is embossed with 318 dimples for optimal ball flight.
By contrast, the entry-level OnCore ELIXR Golf Ball has a 3-piece build and targets players with slower swing speeds in the 80-95 mph segment.
The VERO X1’s 4-piece design places the ball firmly in the premium category, alongside the highly-coveted and widely-used Titleist ProV1 and ProV1x.
Enough specs — time to take it onto the course!
Long Game
The VERO X1 performed very well off the tee. I have a tendency to get lazy and cut across the ball — the X1 definitely helped to limit the side spin effects.
This is thanks to OnCore’s proprietary “perimeter weighting technology.”
Put simply, the metal-infused mantle bears a significant amount of the weight in the ball, distributing the weight to the outer edges of the ball rather than the core.
As a result, this perimeter weighting reduces driver spin.
I certainly saw the effects of this technology, and I can imagine it’s something many golfers would benefit from if they have a tendency to hook or slice their tee shots.
The name “vero” is the Italian word for “true” — named for the ball’s stability, control, responsiveness, and all-round true performance on the course.
With approach shots using my hybrid and irons, I found the OnCore VERO X1 to live up to this performance. It offered a stable ball flight — not too low and not too high.
The VERO X1 felt great off the clubface, slightly firmer than its ELIXR sibling.
Short Game
Around the greens, the VERO X1 felt responsive off the face of my Vokey SM9s.
The ball reacted off the clubface as I would expect any premium ball to, whether it was delicate greenside chips or longer pitches out of thicker rough.
For fuller wedge shots, the ball had lots of spin and held up nicely on the greens.
With the putter, the VERO X1 feels like a premium golf ball.
It comes off the face with a satisfying audible *click* — signifying that the ball is firmer than premium competitors like the Callaway Chrome Soft.
The ball also rolled very true, with consistent distance control.
Who Is the OnCore VERO X1 Golf Ball For?
Essentially, the OnCore VERO X1 Golf Ball is designed for intermediate or advanced players with a swing speed profile of 100+ mph.
The ball offers a great balance between firm and soft.
This allows for plenty of distance off the tee and for longer approach shots, without sacrificing the feel and spin needed for wedge control around the greens.
At the same time, this ball offers great value at $40/dozen compared to the similar options in the premium performance bracket — like the ProV1 at $55/dozen.
Overall Opinion
In summary, the OnCore VERO X1 is a solid premium option for faster players.
The VERO X1 is a relatively firm ball that offers plenty of distance on longer shots, with a good amount of spin on wedge shots. It also feels great off the putter face.
In my experience, the ball feels very similar to a ProV1 — without the premium price tag.
Also, I’d expect this ball to perform well in the wind due to the stability characteristics that come about from the perimeter weighting construction.
However, if you prefer a slightly softer feel then I recommend the OnCore ELIXR.
Ultimately, the VERO X1 offers great value for its quality.
