Equipment
Everything you need to know about Callaway’s new SuperSoft golf balls
In 2014, Callaway launched its SuperSoft golf balls. The two-piece design had an insanely low compression, yet our testing showed it was not just another soft-feeling ball. “It could be one of the best non-premium balls for golfers with slower clubhead speeds,” our reviewer Kane Cochran said.
When Callaway did market research on what golfers thought about the feel and the greenside spin of its SuperSoft golf balls, the results showed that 74 percent of golfers thought the feel was “just right.” Only 58 percent of golfers answered the same way about greenside control, however.
That’s why the new SuperSoft golf balls are made with a new “Tri-Ionomer” cover, which Callaway says gives the balls both a softer feel and more spin around the greens.
How much more spin are we talking about? On a 40-yard shot, Callaway testing showed the 2017 version of the SuperSoft launched with 5035 rpm of spin, while the 2015 version launched with 4950 rpm of spin. It’s change that Callaway’s Senior Director of Golf Ball R&D Dave Bartels says golfers should notice.
Callaway also has updated its unique HEX dimple design on the 2017 SuperSoft golf balls, which it’s calling “Premium HEX Aero.” The more defined contours of the golf ball’s surface reduce drag and enhance lift, Callaway says, helping golfers create a longer, straighter flight with their full shots.
The 2017 SuperSoft ($21.99 per dozen) are the company’s lowest-compression golf balls, will be in store January 13 in white, yellow, pink and multi-color versions.
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- Patrick Reed what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G400 (8.5 degrees)
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 125 MSI 70 Tour X
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (15 degrees)
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 125MSI 80 Tour X
Hybrid: Callaway Apex Pro (18 degrees)
Shaft: Aldila RIP Phenom Hybrid 100 TX
Irons: Titleist 716 TMB (2), Grindworks PR-202 (4), Grindworks PR-101A (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore (50-10 Mid), Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (56-08M @55), SM10 (60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Odyssey White Hot RX Pt Customs No. 2
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
More photos of Patrick Reed’s WITB in the forums.
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Welcome to the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
In the last two PGA Championships held at Valhalla, Tiger Woods won in 2000 – when he famously pointed his golf ball into the hole during the historic duel with Bob May – and Rory McIlroy won the 2014 event, basically in the dark on the final hole.
The point is, history shows that Valhalla tends to produce top-tier champions and plenty of drama.
This week at the 2024 PGA Championship, GolfWRX got its first up-close look at what some of the LIV Tour players have in their bags in 2024. We also caught back up with a few PGA Championship legends, such as Rich Beem and John Daly, and we dove into the bags of PGA Sectional qualifiers, too.
In total, we captured 47 different photo galleries this week, including 32 individual What’s In The Bag (WITB) forum threads. Click here to see all of our photos from the event, or continue reading to see my 10 equipment highlights from Valhalla.
1) Brooks Koepka’s new putter
Koepka was previously using a Scotty Cameron T5.5 putter with a slant neck, which he used to win at the beginning of the month in Singapore on the LIV tour. This week, however, he tried a T5.5 with a plumbers neck instead of the slant neck, and it’s immediately going in the bag. According to Scotty Cameron Tour rep Drew Page, Koepka already loved the head, and now finds the plumbers neck a bit more familiar to the blade-style putters he’s used throughout most of his career.
2) The lead tape king returns, with putting goggles
Phil Mickelson has always been one of the GOATs when it comes to lead tape usage, so it was no surprise to see his 64-degree custom Callaway wedge slathered with slabs of lead tape on the back.
The big surprise was that lefty was spotted using ProAim putting training goggles on Wednesday during his warm-up session.
The ProAim goggles are helpful to find center lines and ensure proper alignment to the target.
See Phil Mickelson’s full WITB from the 2024 PGA Championship
3) Dobyns’ old-school gamer setup
Speaking of lead tape, check out Matt Dobyn’s old Titleist 718 T-MB irons, which are so loaded with lead tape that the club is nearly unrecognizable.
Respect.
The head professional at Meadow Brook Club is making his sixth start in a PGA Championship, and he’s using a throwback Callaway GBB Epic driver with MOI-boosting lead tape and adjustable weight placements.
As GolfWRX Forum user “InTheBag” pointed out in our Matt Dobyns’ WITB thread, he has the type of setup that makes you want to hide your wallet: “I don’t know Mr. Dobyns, but one look at that bag tells me he can take your money,” writes InTheBag.
Spot on.
4) John Daly’s custom Sub70 irons and wedges
We first saw John Daly using $750 direct-to-consumer Sub70 659-CB irons and TAIII wedges at the 2023 PNC Championship, and he still has them in the bag, but he’s since stepped up the customization on the Sub70 clubs.
Does Daly ever NOT keep things entertaining?
View this post on Instagram
A true showman.
5) DJ’s custom putter
Dustin Johnson has always been one to test multiple putters week-to-week, and he has a keen eye for different alignment lines and crowns. This week, he’s opting for a completely gray TaylorMade Spider Tour “T3.0” prototype with a short slant neck.
See the rest of DJ’s WITB from the week here
6) Patrick Reed still rocking GrindWorks irons
Patrick Reed knows his stuff when it comes to equipment, and he’s a prolific tester. Still, however, the GrindWorks PR-101A irons are squarely in the bag after his departure to the LIV tour.
The most notable new addition to Reed’s bag is this Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond 3-wood.
Click here to see Reed’s full WITB from this week
7) Beem’s Scratch set
Rich Beem, who won the 2002 PGA Championship at Hazeltine National, came to the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla with a bag full of Scratch Golf irons, which are loaded with lead tape and equipped with some of the coolest custom ferrules in professional golf.
See Rich Beem’s full WITB here
8) Jon Rahm’s 10-iron
Before going to LIV, Rahm was using a Callaway Apex TCB pitching wedge.
Now, he’s using a Callaway Apex TCB “10 iron.”
He’s also since upgraded to three Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke metalwoods, and fresh stampings on his Jaws Raw wedges. Click here to see Rahm’s full WITB from the 2024 PGA Championship.
9) “Why so serious?”
Tyrrell Hatton, another LIV player in the 2024 PGA Championship field, channels his inner Joker to ask everyone, “Why so serious?”
10) Block’s “Proto” iron, from address
As you probably know by now, Block switched out of his old TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC 2014 irons, and into a full set of TaylorMade’s new “Proto” irons. We’ve already seen the Proto 4-iron in the bags of Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa, but this is our first look at the higher-lofted irons in the set.
Here’s a look at the 7-iron from address:
See what GolfWRX members are saying about the Proto irons in our Forums
And, with that, we say goodbye to Louisville, and the second major championship of the 2024 season. We’ll see you next week at the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas after a champion has been crowned.
Until then, don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week at the 2024 PGA Championship!
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We will be one quarter of the way through Thursday night men’s league season after this week. BK played much better last week, so he is hoping to continue that success and post another good score.
Here are the 14 clubs that will hopefully win him some skins!
Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops (9 degrees, neutral setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 X (2024)
3-wood: Cobra Dark Speed LS Titanium (14.5 degrees, set +1)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD IZ-7x
Fairway: Callaway Apex UW (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura ATMOS Tour Spec Blue 8 X
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops 4h (22 degrees, Flat Setting)
Shaft: KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype 85 S
Irons: TaylorMade P770 Phantom Black (5-PW)
Shaft: KBS Tour 120 Stiff
Wedge: PXG Sugar Daddy II (50-13 BP)
Shaft: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 Stiff
Wedge: PXG Sugar Daddy II (56-13 BP)
Shaft: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 Stiff
Wedge: PXG Sugar Daddy II (60-13 BP)
Shaft: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 Stiff
Putter: L.A.B. Mezz.1 Max
Shaft: Accra x L.A.B. White
Ball: Titleist ProV1 Enhanced Alignment
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Patrick Reed WITB 2024 (May)
Patrick Reed what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Ping...
Club Junkie WITB, league night week 5: Another L.A.B. putter arises
We will be one quarter of the way through Thursday night men’s league season after this week. BK played much...
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Jon Rahm what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship. 15 clubs pictured. More photos from the event...
John Daly WITB 2024 (May)
John Daly WITB accurate as of the PGA Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Ping G430 LST (9...
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Dan
Feb 14, 2017 at 12:17 am
These are great balls!
chinchbugs
Jan 13, 2017 at 2:56 pm
Bring back the Rule 35 Red!
And I still want them in the 5 sleeve packs!!
tlmck
Jan 12, 2017 at 1:56 am
Also my ball of choice. The new ones coming out must be why I just got 2 dozen of the old for$30.. But still no Truvis? Come on Callaway!
Tim
Jan 12, 2017 at 1:48 am
Lets see a 2 piece ball with a “Tri-Ionomer” cover 2 dozen $44. Or a 4 piece ball with a Urethane cover at $30 for 2 dozen…do you think Callaway needs to worry a little about Costco’s Kirkland ball?? If you are thinking about green side control which one would you choose?
Rich Douglas
Jan 11, 2017 at 10:25 pm
Callawy balls, both these and the tour balls, are a terrific value. But I recommend taking a look at Snell. A tour ball at a great price.
Mike Cleland
Jan 11, 2017 at 3:44 pm
Callaway Super Soft is a great ball. I am a 3 handicap with a swing speed of 85-90 mpg…driver. I had been playing a Pro V-1. This is a better ball for me. I get 10-15 yes more distance on my drives, good control around the greens & better feel, on our very quick greens, with the putter. I would recommend the ball highly,
Troy Sheaffer
Jan 11, 2017 at 1:33 pm
I use this ball when the weather turns colder and have been very impressed with the distance and control around the green this ball produces. Slow swingers would most likely find this ball beneficial in any weather condition.
Scott Mulholland
Jan 16, 2017 at 2:20 pm
Troy- interesting that you use this ball in the colder weather. I just recently played in a two day tournament in (cold for Northern California,) wind and rain and although I love the soft feel around the greens I felt like I lost a considerable amount of distance using the Supersoft. In fact, I switched back to the Pro-V1X the next day and saw much better results.
robin
Jan 11, 2017 at 12:37 pm
They got away from the teal color balls they were easily lost in any length rough.
Philip
Jan 11, 2017 at 11:05 am
An increase of 1.7% in spin is going to be noticed? Not by the majority of golfers whose technique more than would negate such a MASSIVE increase of 85 RPM in spin. Not knocking the ball – but common Callaway, cut the marketing drivel …
LD
Jan 11, 2017 at 9:46 am
Definitely gonna get some blue balls.
Seriously, great balls at a great price, but as S Mizzle said, I doubt golfers are going to notice the spin increase. Marketing nonsense.
S Mizzle
Jan 11, 2017 at 7:55 am
Love these but 85rpm more spin..that should be noticed by the golfer….cmon callaway
chinchbugs
Jan 13, 2017 at 2:58 pm
According to my calculation (which like you are never wrong) that is almost 2% more spin on 40 yard shots. That should be the turning point for me to go pro now. Thank you Callaway!
steve kemlo
Jan 11, 2017 at 7:48 am
Fantastic balls, I’ve been using them for over a year now, and i get great green side check even on the hardest of Scottish links greens