Equipment

Callaway upgrades new Chrome Soft golf balls

Published

8 years ago

Jan 19, 2016

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.

Two dots after “Soft” differentiate the new Chrome Soft from the original.

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.

Callaway’s Dual Core is shown in yellow (inner core) and red (outer core).

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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26 Comments

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.

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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!

Reply Report comment
Brian K

Jan 21, 2016 at 9:10 pm

Tom Watson is using chrome soft soccer ball today in senior PGA.

Reply Report comment
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.

Reply Report comment
Jack Nash

Jan 20, 2016 at 2:09 pm

I switched from Pro V’s and have been quite happy.

Reply Report comment
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.

Reply Report comment
- Fahgdat
  
  Jan 20, 2016 at 10:27 am
  
  Because it ought to say, new and “changed”
  
  Reply Report comment
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.

Reply Report comment
- 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
  
  Reply Report comment
Andrew

Jan 19, 2016 at 8:08 pm

When does the original come down in price?

Reply Report comment
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.

Reply Report comment
- Fahgdat
  
  Jan 20, 2016 at 10:26 am
  
  You just said that, Callaway boy
  
  Reply Report comment
  - proshopboy
    
    Jan 20, 2016 at 3:26 pm
    
    Relaaaaax
    
    Reply Report comment
- 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.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - mizuno29
    
    Jan 28, 2016 at 9:49 am
    
    No it still feels mushy!
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Geno
      
      Feb 12, 2016 at 7:02 pm
      
      It feels more mushy, actually. Callaway should bring back their milled putters to go with it.
      
      Reply Report comment
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.

Reply Report comment
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.

Reply Report comment
- Fahgdat
  
  Jan 20, 2016 at 10:25 am
  
  Must be nice to be working for Callaway
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Joe Duffer
    
    Feb 17, 2016 at 7:22 pm
    
    +1 Geez, give it a rest !!
    
    Reply Report comment
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…

Reply Report comment
- 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.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Bozo
    
    Jan 21, 2016 at 3:14 am
    
    Dou best feel and distance/ badly victimized by cart paths
    
    Reply Report comment
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

Reply Report comment
- proshopboy
  
  Jan 23, 2016 at 1:49 am
  
  You need to relax a bit dude, you sound like a disgruntled ex employee.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Geno
  
  Feb 12, 2016 at 7:04 pm
  
  They first CS is a great ball. The real fear is that they wreck it.
  
  Reply Report comment

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

13 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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