Equipment
Callaway upgrades new Chrome Soft golf balls
Few golf balls in recent memory have created the buzz of Callaway’s Chrome Soft, a category buster that the company dubbed “the ball that changed the ball” when it was launched in December 2014.
A bold claim? Yes. It can be argued, however, that the Chrome Soft went where no golf ball had gone before. Its three-piece design merged a low-compression core, typical of distance balls, with a urethane cover used on higher-compression tour balls.
The idea was to offer golfers reduced spin with their long clubs, which would help them create more distance, while giving them increased spin with their short clubs to help them get up and down more often. Maybe the biggest difference between the Chrome Soft and its competitors, however, was its feel. With a compression of 65, the Chrome Soft felt softer than the best-selling tour balls on the market. Its popularity also wasn’t hurt by its price of $37.99 per dozen, which was $10 less than Callaway’s going tour-ball rate.
For all those reasons, we rewarded the original Chrome Soft with our highest honor, a 5-Star Rating in our official review.
Callaway’s Senior Director of Golf Ball R&D, Dave Bartels, says the new Chrome Soft golf balls are better for everyone, but skilled golfers in particular will benefit from the ball’s new four-piece construction.
Callaway’s testing with its tour staff revealed that the Chrome Soft’s large, low-compression core could create inconsistencies for golfers with their short irons. For that reason, Callaway created a new Dual Core construction, which uses a slightly firmer outer core to help golfers hit their short irons more consistent distances.
According to Bartels, most golfers won’t notice a change between old and new, but for those with the skills to discern if it was their swing or their golf ball that caused their 9 iron to fly 140 yards instead of 137 yards, the new Chrome Soft will make a difference. Better players with PGA Tour-level swing speeds should also notice a little more ball speed from the ball’s slightly firmer compression of 75, which can lead to more driver distance.
The new Chrome Soft golf balls, which are manufactured in the United States, will be in stores February 5 and sell for $39.99 per dozen.
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Whats in the Bag
Russell Henley WITB 2024 (March)
- Russell Henley WITB accurate as of the Cognizant Classic.
Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 6.5 TX
3-wood: Titleist TS3 (16.5 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT Hybrid 100 TX
Irons: Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (7-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 50-08F @51, 54-10S, @55, 60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron T5 Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
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Whats in the Bag
Vince Carter WITB 2024 (March)
- The NBA legend was teeing it up in the Arnold Palmer Invitational Pro-Am.
Driver: Ping G430 Max 10K (9 degrees)
3-wood: Ping G430 Max (15 degrees)
7-wood: Ping G430 Max (21 degrees)
Irons: Ping i230 (4-PW)
Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 (50, 54, 58)
Putter: Ping
Ball: Renegade Mbu
Check out more photos of Vince Carter’s WITB here.
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Equipment
From the Forums: I need more forgiveness in my irons – Looking for recommendations
In our forums, our members have been discussing the most forgiving irons currently on the market. WRXer ‘TheShark1’ is on the hunt for a new set of irons, saying:
“Currently gaming the Mizuno Pro 225’s but think I need more forgiveness in my irons. My well struck shots are real nice, but my mishits are not performing as good as I had hoped anymore. I really like hollow body irons so if I could find something more forgiving in a hollow body iron that would be great.
Open to any and all recommendations other than Ping. Can’t hit Ping irons at all.”
And our members have been sharing their best suggestions in our forum.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- AvidSwampThing66: “Another vote for the super forgiving and fast Paradym irons. They look really good for being a GI iron.”
- bobfoster: “I just went from MP20 MMCs to the new 245s in my scoring irons (just played my first round with them today). If you have a chance to try them, you might find them worth a serious look.”
- vman: “Shoot me down, but spend the money on lessons.”
- J_Tizzle: “i525s are great off the heel in my opinion.”
Entire Thread: “From the Forums: I need more forgiveness in my irons – Looking for recommendations”
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J.T. Parker
May 11, 2016 at 1:59 pm
I loved the Pro VI x but and have switched to the Chrome Soft just because I really can’t tell any difference in the balls and the chrome soft is 10.00 a dozen less. Both are long and both check up great on the greens. Is there really any difference in any of the premium golf balls? I doubt it.
mizuno 29
Jan 22, 2016 at 10:39 am
I’ve tried the new ball as well, its been really cold here so I don’t know that it flies further with the driver or not. The biggest difference I saw was the spin off the wedges was much better, not as inconsistent in the spin around the greens either. Good ball!
Brian K
Jan 21, 2016 at 9:10 pm
Tom Watson is using chrome soft soccer ball today in senior PGA.
Lee
Jan 20, 2016 at 2:25 pm
I do hope it’s not like the Chrome, I loved the original 3 piece Chrome then Calli superseded it with the 4 piece Chrome + which I personally didn’t like at all. That said in the grand design of things none of them are bad balls.
Jack Nash
Jan 20, 2016 at 2:09 pm
I switched from Pro V’s and have been quite happy.
Andrew
Jan 20, 2016 at 7:30 am
It says new and improved on the box. McBoob, why are you so upset. It’s a friggin golf ball.
Fahgdat
Jan 20, 2016 at 10:27 am
Because it ought to say, new and “changed”
Busty McBoober
Jan 20, 2016 at 12:45 am
I was pissed when they got rid of the hex chromes. I was used to them and liked using them. Then came the Chrome Soft, and now the Chrome Soft. You’re marketing people are out of names? Or more likely an admittance that the previous CS ball wasn’t as good as advertised? Who upgrades a product but calls it the exact same name with no indication on the box of the new product? Lame.
Vito
Jan 20, 2016 at 10:48 am
It’s been the pro v 1 since the 90s. It seems to work for the other guys
Andrew
Jan 19, 2016 at 8:08 pm
When does the original come down in price?
proshopboy
Jan 19, 2016 at 3:44 pm
I have been fortunate enough to trial the latest version of the Chrome Soft. I can confirm that the ball performs even better than its predecessor. It still has the great feel off the club face but the biggest difference I have noticed is, it flies a little further with the driver.
For people that have been using the original version, I seriously doubt that they will notice a huge difference in terms of feel. All marketing garbage aside, it is a seriously good golf ball that will suit a ton of golfers.
Fahgdat
Jan 20, 2016 at 10:26 am
You just said that, Callaway boy
proshopboy
Jan 20, 2016 at 3:26 pm
Relaaaaax
CubbieinNC
Jan 20, 2016 at 2:24 pm
Is there a difference in how it feels off of the putter? That is my gripe with that ball it feels too soft and mushy I prefer a click with it.
mizuno29
Jan 28, 2016 at 9:49 am
No it still feels mushy!
Geno
Feb 12, 2016 at 7:02 pm
It feels more mushy, actually. Callaway should bring back their milled putters to go with it.
ComeOnSense
Jan 19, 2016 at 3:25 pm
So… the ‘Ball that changed the ball” now got changed again?!!!!!!!
When it’s going to end, you guys at Callaway need to make an appointment with Dr Phil.,
and i don’t mean Phil Michelson.
golfshopboy
Jan 19, 2016 at 3:21 pm
I have been fortunate enough to trial the latest version of the Chrome Soft. I can confirm that the ball performs even better than its predecessor. It still has the great feel off the club face but the biggest difference I have noticed is, it flies a little further with the driver.
For people that have been using the original version, I seriously doubt that they will notice a huge difference in terms of feel. All marketing garbage aside, it is a seriously good golf ball that will suit a ton of golfers.
Fahgdat
Jan 20, 2016 at 10:25 am
Must be nice to be working for Callaway
Joe Duffer
Feb 17, 2016 at 7:22 pm
+1 Geez, give it a rest !!
Jason
Jan 19, 2016 at 3:05 pm
Kinda sucks really, I just started playing this ball in October. I really liked the super soft feel and the extremely soft sound of the ball. Making it 10 compression points harder is liable to change that…
8thehardway
Jan 20, 2016 at 9:53 am
My exact timeline, experience and concern. I dumped the $20/dozen Duo – a great ball – without a second thought and now I’ll have to come crawling back, eat humble pie and agree to do the dishes.
Bozo
Jan 21, 2016 at 3:14 am
Dou best feel and distance/ badly victimized by cart paths
Fahgdat
Jan 19, 2016 at 1:58 pm
Such a joke. They get people used to hitting the 3-piece version, and they realize it wasn’t that good a ball after all, so they come out with a 4-piece version at a slightly higher price. Huh? So it oughta be not called Chrome Soft, but Chrome Soft X. So since it’s a 4-piece and harder, it will launch higher than the previous version. Soooooo krazy
proshopboy
Jan 23, 2016 at 1:49 am
You need to relax a bit dude, you sound like a disgruntled ex employee.
Geno
Feb 12, 2016 at 7:04 pm
They first CS is a great ball. The real fear is that they wreck it.