It's the year 2022 and golf balls can be expensive at over £50 per dozen for some premium options, this hefty price-tag can also make it even more heart-breaking when your first tee shot sails into the bushes never to be seen again.
“Losing expensive golf balls isn’t fun” are the words of Dean Klatt and a couple of his mates, who decided to do something about it. In 2015 they came together to form Seed.
In this review I will be testing the SD-X1 golf ball against the no.1 ball in golf, the Titleist ProV1 Golf Ball.
The Tech
Seed promise to bring the golfer high performing golf balls for less money. They are cost cutting on large-scale marketing and selling direct to consumer, meaning that all of their resources go into the R&D of the golf ball itself.
Golf balls are the most regulated piece of equipment in our golf bags, with the size, weight, shape, distance and spin levels all controlled by the governing bodies, creating a level playing field when it comes to technology.
Seed's subscription-based e-commerce business model allows for a high standard of product to be delivered at a cheaper price - £30 per dozen or £25 if you sign up for a subscription.
The website's purchasing model looks very familiar, it's like Amazon. You're given clear options to either subscribe or buy products individually, with each product featuring reviews from buyers.
Seed offer five different golf balls in total, but in this review I will be focusing on the SD.X1.
This is a three-piece golf ball which compares itself to a Titleist Pro V1 or TaylorMade TP5. It features a soft cast urethane cover with 332 dimples - 50 less than the 2021 ProV1.
Sitting between the rubber core is an ultra-thin DuPont HPF mantle which is designed to optimise driver spin and carry distance. It is a ball with an extra penetrating trajectory for stability in the wind, and added control around the greens.
Purchase advice is easily available on the website with an excellent table to break down technology and suitability between their golf balls and others available on the market.
If you're looking to invest in some Seed golf balls we suggest checking it out to avoid any confusion on the ball you are purchasing, it's very helpful.
Seed SD-X1 The Pro X1 Golf Ball Review
Looks and Feel
Before I even look at the golf ball, let's discuss the packaging. It's recycled cardboard with dashes of lime green and white, and it looks as if the brand has really tried to save money in this area, however on the flipside it looks like Seed are conscious of being sustainable.
The ball itself has a nice white shine, with Seed written in black and a black and green bullseye sign logo above it. There is also a black alignment line on the side just like we're used to on most golf balls these days.
In terms of feel, I didn't notice too much difference between the ProV1 and a Seed golf ball throughout most of the bag, except in my full wedge play. I would say the SD-X1 sounded louder off the face, but with my seven iron and driver I found there was very little difference.
There was no click to the strike, it felt full and if I was blindfolded I don't think I would've noticed the difference between a Pro V1 and a SD-X1, which to start with is a massive compliment.
Outside during my short-game testing this felt like a premium golf ball, and performed very similar to the Pro V1. The flight was consistent and I was getting that 'drop and stop' reaction on the green when the strike warranted it.
The Data
I tested the SD-X1 and the Titleist Pro V1 balls head-to-head on the Trackman, hitting wedges, 7 irons and driver. I then visited Stockport Golf Club to trial these golf balls when hitting into the green.
The biggest difference in numbers was with the pitching wedge. Wedges hit with the Pro V1 carried further, flew higher, had slightly more ball speed and the spin rate was so much more consistent. All of my shots produced spin rates between 8000 and 8500 rpm with the Pro V1.
The SD-X1 was much lower spinning with the wedge, there was one outlier which was over 9000 rpm but other than that my average spin was 7700, which was around 400 rpm down on the Pro V1. This might leave you having to think a bit more before hitting shots as the ball is likely to release more after landing.
When hitting 7 irons the numbers were very similar. Both balls produced a carry distance of within one yard of each other, and both had an average height of 69 feet. The ballspeed was 99 mph with the SD-X1, and 98 mph with the Pro V1, with a spin rate of 5200 rpm for the SD-X1 and 5200 rpm for the Pro V1. Considering this golf ball is around half of the price of the Pro V1, you'd be hard pressed to really see a difference.
The driver numbers were very similar also. Both of these balls are low spinning, and so my average spin rate was under 2000 rpm with both of these golf balls. The ball carried just under 190 yards, with ball speeds of 126 mph with the ProV1 and 127 mph with the Seed.
You really couldn’t separate them...
Performance
Out on the golf course, the performance was once again very similar with both the SD-X1 and the Pro V1. However what was noticeable when hitting wedges outside was the damage I was making to the Seed ball. It seemed the durability of the cover was becoming an issue.
After 10 pitch shots it was already marking up, by the time I had hit 20 shots I had scuffed the ball multiple times. The grass colour had started to wear onto the dimples, and I would've wanted to change the ball if I was playing in a competition. In comparison, the Titleist ball still looked brand new.
Seed SD-X1 Golf Ball Verdict
Seed's business plan is aiming to tap in to the Amazon purchaser in us all, by offering a product that does not pay for advertising or fancy packaging and cuts out the middleman.
This golf ball still performs highly but there are no frills or hype. You certainly won't feel as bad when losing of these golf balls than if it was a Pro V1. You might be a bit disappointed by how much it marks up, but if you lose the ball before it has time to then you won't even notice!
I am a player that looks to switch out the ball when it cuts up so value for money on this product drops a bit. To start with I had a mental block of 'it's just not a Titleist' which changed my mindset over the ball, but the results from my testing provided that the problem was with me and not with the golf ball.
It was like the test often seen with cans of baked beans, when blindfolded people would struggle to know the difference between Heinz and Tesco Value.
Overall, the only downside I found with this golf ball is its durability. I had four hours of awesome testing but the scuffs on the cover took the shine off what was a good day exploring a new golf ball that can definitely stand up the no.1 ball in golf in terms of performance.
Would I Use Them?
No, as it is too low spinning for me with the driver. It also wasn't that durable when chipping and I don’t lose many golf balls, so I would want sustainability over price.
Who Are They Aimed At?
Golfers who want a low-spinning ball which performs like a Pro V1, but at a cheaper price.
The subscription offer is great for the unorganised golfer who is always buying from a Pro Shop before they start a round and ends up paying over the odds.
If you enjoyed this, you may also like:
Titleist Titleist TruFeel 2022 Golf Ball Review
TaylorMade Tour Response Stripe Golf Ball Review