[Update 2/15/11:  Nike has formally announced the 20XI golf balls and released a video of tour player perspectives on the new balls]

We’ve posted about the rumors surrounding this ball back when it was code names “RZN”.  Now we have pictures of the new packaging for Nike’s 20XI Golf Ball.  It will be available in 2 versions hitting retailers in April 2011.  The X is the “tour level” distance offering and the S is the “tour level” spin offering.

The balls feature a new resin core instead of the traditional rubber core that has become standard over the past 10 years.  The resin core is lighter than rubber which lets them move weight to the outside of the ball.  It’s perimeter weighting for golf balls.  The benefit is supposed to be higher spin off of the wedges, lower spin on the driver, and an increase in distance.

NGNation is reporting that Nike’s RZN golf ball will be named the 20XI.  RZN has always been a prototype/development name, but I happen to think it’s a darn good one and that it would actually work as an official product name.

20XI is “2011″ in half numbers and half roman numerals.  Perhaps RZN (resin) was too tied into the new core technology of the ball?  I’m guessing the 20XI brand will better tie into other golf balls and products across their lineup.   The timing on this seems right with the expected official announcement of the RZN this month with a 2011 product launch.

Additionally an astute Golfwrx’er noticed that the pros in Nike’s new SQ Machspeed “The Oven” video were wearing hats that replaced the “ONE” on the side with “20XI”.  Seems like a pretty solid bet at this point that 20XI is the new name.  Regardless of what they call it, I’m looking forward to trying out this new ball and seeing if it lives up to the hype.

Screen grab of Justin Leonard from Nike's new video

Titleist is putting the finishing touches on their new ProV1 and ProV1x golf balls.  They’re out in force at the McGladrey Classic in St. Simmons, GA.  No word on exactly when they’ll be available for purchase (or exactly what the improvements are), but it seems like a reasonable bet that Titleist will want something new to compete with the upcoming Nike RZN in February.

via Team Titleist Blog

Immelman's caddy marks the new Nike RZN?

As I was hanging around the practice green today at the Viking Classic doing my best stalker imitation, I happened to see Trevor Immelman walk out with a unlabeled box of golf balls.  His caddie pulled them out and began to mark them so I snapped a photo.  I can only speculate that these may be the new Nike RZN golf balls that will be announced in just over a month.  It would make sense that their top tour players are testing out the ball prior to the retail release in early 2011.

Immelman walks onto the practice green with an unmarked box of balls

A poster over at Golfwrx has spilled the beans on Nike’s new upcoming tour-level golf ball.  It’s currently codenamed RZN (pronounced resin) and is the first solid core golf ball that has a core made of a material other than rubber.  The core is made from a resin that Nike and DuPont have allegedly been working on for the past 4 years (I believe I read this in the golfwrx thread but I can’t find the post anymore – maybe it was deleted?).

The general idea is that the resin material is lighter than traditional rubber cores.  This allows them to move more weight to the outside of the golf ball.  Think of it as the golf ball version of perimeter weighted clubs.  The benefits are reported to be less spin off the driver, more spin on wedge shots, higher ball speeds, and the highest MOI ever for a golf ball.

According to the poster on Golfwrx, the new ball spins 150rpm less on driver shots and 300rpm more on wedge shots as compared to the current Nike One Tour (already a high spinning ball).  Average ball speed increase is said to be 3mph.  And the increased MOI should result in more “forgiveness” and “tighter shot dispersion”.  All things being equal, the increased ball speed alone should result in another 7 yards of carry.

The official name for the new ball will be announced in November with availability expected in February ’11.  The big question is what this means for the current One Tour and One Tour D golf balls.  They’re being sold just about everywhere for $30 per dozen – far less than other tour caliber balls which typically go for $40 or more.  At one local pro shop here in town, you can get 2 dozen for $45.  Will Nike keep these balls on the market at their current price point or will the RZN replace them (presumably at $40-45 per dozen)?  Will they go to a single premium ball strategy ala Taylormade Penta or will there be multiple variations of the RZN?

As more info becomes available, we’ll be sure to post an update.