When talking about ‘elixirs,’ your mind probably wanders to magical potions and alchemy. We suspect the marketing surrounding OnCore’s ‘ultimate’ golf ball is geared to precisely this end. Their website talks of things like ‘chemistry blends, material elements and infusions’. How big of an impact do these things have on this up and coming golf ball? And who should be playing the OnCore Elixr golf ball? We’ve covered this in our full Oncore Elixr Golf Ball review. Check it out below!
OnCore Elixr | At A Glance
The OnCore Elixr golf ball is touted as a premium ball for all performance levels. OnCore claims that their three-piece ball is suitable for both high and low handicappers who want tour quality performance.
The ball has won Golf Digest Gold two years running in 2019 and 2020 and is touted by OnCore as their ‘ultimate golf ball’.
Who should the OnCore Elixr appeal to? Well, according to OnCore, it would ideally suit those who want premium ‘tour quality’ performance, but without the designer price tag.
The ball is available in a range of 3 colors, white, matte green, and yellow. While we are on the subject of visuals, the Elixr golf ball features a 318 hexagonal dimple pattern. The ball also features a large and very visual alignment logo.
Is OnCore a Good Golf Ball?
Two Golf Digest Gold awards can never be a bad thing, and those guys tend to see a huge range of different golf balls.
Overall, yes, it is a good golf ball. While, as you’ll see in our Oncore Elixr review, that it doesn’t quite meet the same levels of performance as something like the Titleist Pro V1. Bearing in mind the price point, it isn’t too far away.
The OnCore Elixr has a similar value proposition to a tour quality Vice golf ball; excellent quality, and certainly excellent value considering the price.
What does OnCore Say About Elixr?
Wading through the technical jargon that dots their website, what you have, in essence, is a 3-piece golf ball with an 80 compression rating.
Its selling points are the cast urethane cover that should give a softer feel- this type of cover is used by virtually all tour quality golf balls . This cover encases an inner mantle that is supposedly denser. This gives the ball a perimeter weighting. The aim is that more weight around the outside will lead to a faster and more sustained, stable flight depending on the club and shot type.
The outer shell is made of a special compound called polybutadiene. This allows the golf ball to recover its shape quicker, giving longer distance and faster exit speeds off the clubface.
OnCore Elixr Performance
While marketing materials are always fun to read and look at, it’s really the shot data and ball performance we care about. We took a few sleeves of the OnCore Elixr golf balls and checked the launch monitor before taking them out on the course to see if they performed well out on the golf course.
Here’s what we discovered…
Long Game Performance
As with any golf enthusiast, we were keen to try the ball with the driver before any other club. The results were pretty solid. When struck from the middle, the ball felt neither too ‘clacky’ nor too soft. In a blind test, we’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the OnCore Elixr and the Titleist Pro V1.
Aside from feeling, the launch monitor numbers told a similar story. In fact, in certain areas, the Exlir was just as impressive compared to the Pro V1.
The OnCore Elixr had a carry of 268 yards, compared to our usual ‘gold standard’ of 272 with the Pro V1 that isn’t bad at all.
One area we were slightly disappointed in was the spin rate. The backspin was in the ballpark of what we were expecting, but at 2300 RPM was pushing towards the top end of what we would want to see with a driver.
However…
One area where the Elixr golf ball’s interior technology was visible was the exit speed off the face. Over 10 shots, we recorded speeds of 160 MPH. That is just fractionally faster than what we normally see and is right up there with anything premium produced by Titleist and other top golf brands.
Out on the course, the data was accurately reflected in the real world. As you’d expect with higher backspin, the ball flight was slightly higher with the Elixr. It wasn’t enough to be really noticeable, but it was there.
Short Game Performance
When it comes to the short game, the OnCore Elixr came into its own.
We were actually pretty impressed.
On the launch monitor with a 7-iron, the golf ball performed extremely well. At 109mph, it had a rocket-fast exit speed, and the backspin was exactly what we like for approach shots at around 7800 RPM.
The standout areas were the carry and the launch angle. Our launch was around 24° with a carry almost exactly on the 150 yards mark. Again that is most certainly in the ballpark of ‘premium’ performance.
The course told a similar story, but only to a point. While we were impressed indoors, we found that outdoors the ball was a little slippy on the greens and didn’t check and stop quite as fast as we would have liked. This could have been the conditions on the day, but it was noticeable. The ball felt just like it didn’t have the same stopping power we’d like to see on an approach.
We were willing to give it a chance. However, our shorter shots confirmed our fears…
When viewing electronic golf ball data, the 50-yard shots with a 54° wedge showed a similar story to the one we’d seen out on the course.
Again, the OnCore Elixr left the clubface at high speed. At 50 mph, that is just what we wanted to see. We found the launch angle was, on average, about 2° higher too. These were all good signs. The carry was the first indication that this ball was a little ‘sporty’. The launch monitor was showing an increase of about 2-3 yards in the distance.
This is good for approach shots and drives, not so much when trying to pepper the flag. Think about it. 3 yards doesn’t sound much… Except that’s a 14 foot putt instead of a nice 5-footer.
We tried a few pitches from 50 yards on the practice ground too. Again, we had a little trouble getting the ball to hold where we were expecting.
Spin
Regarding spin, the OnCore Elixr does perform admirably.
None of the numbers jumped out as ‘abnormal’ to us. And, generally, we found that in most cases, they were pretty good. Approach shots and pitches showed us spin rates that we’d expect to see.
The driver was the one area where we felt slightly let down. It wasn’t massively noticeable, but the spin during drives was towards the top end of what we would like to see. When the ball was spinning back at this rate, we ended up with a slightly higher flight, with a marginal loss of carry and distance.
Perhaps the most frustrating thing about the spin was that while the numbers were excellent, this didn’t quite translate into the stopping power we normally like to see with premium balls. It was still manageable and didn’t adversely affect our game once we had grown used to it, but the Elixr did feel just a little ‘hot’ compared to its competition.
Technology
There are numerous ‘goodies’ within the OnCore Elixr that promise to deliver… Here’s what it is about.
Perimeter Weighted Technology
The OnCore Elixr is constructed in such a way as to keep the bulk of the ball’s weight focused towards the periphery. Just like when ice skaters extend their arms while spinning, this technology aims to keep the ball flight more stable.
If you are a fan of playing in all weathers, this could be the golf ball for you. OnCore claims that the ball is much better at piercing into the wind as a result of this technology.
Low Compression Tour Ball
While the Elixr feels relatively soft, it isn’t particularly low compression. Rated at 80, it is neither too hard nor too soft, especially if you have a relatively average swing speed. For those who smash the ball, it is hard enough to cater. For those with slightly slower swing speeds, it is still soft enough to accommodate.
OnCore’s thoughts match our own. It’s true. We didn’t see a loss in ball speed but got all of the feel of a softer tour ball.
The Urethane Cover
The Urethane cover is OnCore’s secret weapon and masks that this isn’t a true ‘soft’ ball. One area where this is particularly noticeable is one the putting green. It does ‘feel’ like a performance ball based on strike alone. However, you’ll tend to find that you end up overhitting your putts.
If you find that you are coming up short when switching to a ‘players’ ball, this might be a great choice.
Metal Infused Mantle
This is the middle layer of the three-piece construction. It is also the method that the Elixr uses to increase that outer weighting that we talked about.
Polybutadiene Core
This is where those fast exit speeds spring from. Quite literally. The polybutadiene core has a high coefficient of restitution…
In simple terms?
It recovers and snaps back to its original shape quicker, converting spring energy into kinetic energy. When it comes to hitting the ball a long way, this is what you want to see.
OnCore Elixr Alternatives
Ok, after our OnCore Elixr golf ball review, you still aren’t sure?
The good news is that we’ve got plenty of great alternatives that will allow you to excel in your game:
Titleist Pro V1
If it is award-winning (and tour winning) feel you are after, it makes sense to head straight towards the ball that all the others are trying to beat. The Titleist Pro V1 might not be cheap, but it is worth it.
As with the OnCore Elixr, the ball is a three-piece design. It also features a softer compression giving excellent ball speeds off the face. The cover and high spin rate offered allows great control into the green with excellent short game performance and feel.
Here are some of the key features that make it worth a look: –
- High spin
- Soft feel with a urethane cover
- One of golf’s most celebrated golf balls, literally the gold standard
- Three-piece construction, just like the Elixr
Callaway Supersoft Golf Balls
The soft feel promised by OnCore might have been what sent you their way. Well, here is another golf ball that offers a great feel with a fair helping of forgiveness. If you are looking for a touch of finesse in your short game or just have an overall dislike of ‘clickety’ sounds when hitting your driver, this could be the one for you.
This would be the ideal choice for players looking to generate faster ball speeds on longer shots or those looking for higher launch angles. These are both qualities that the Callaway Supersoft and the Elixr share:-
Other key comparisons include: –
- Both are balls offering premium performance at a reasonable price
- The focus is on feel above all else
- You’ll get plenty of shot straightening forgiveness with either
- The Callaway is a two-piece ball that feels like the three-piece Elixr
TaylorMade Tour Response
As we said in our Oncore Elixr review, the thing that makes it feel truly soft is the urethane cover. It makes sense to consider this when looking at alternatives. The Taylormade Tour Response golf ball shares quite a few similarities with the Elixr.
Why is the TaylorMade Tour Response similar? Here’s your answer
- Fast ball speeds, allowing for extra distance
- 100% Urethane cover for excellent short game feel.
- Mid compression, a great all-rounder suited to different skill levels
- Tour Feel, in a mid-priced ball
Final Thoughts
Considering the price, our Oncore Elixr golf ball review has revealed a few surprises. You don’t have to break the bank to get a ball that offers tour performance. Overall the Oncore Elixr performed exceptionally well. It would be a great choice for those looking for distance, high spin, and soft feel. At a fraction of the cost of its rival, the Titleist Pro V1, we think that OnCore may have just worked a little bit of magic.
