“The ball that changed the ball” is back.

Callaway announced new Chrome Soft and Chrome Soft X balls for 2018, as well as a retooled Superhot, which it is offering in some bold colorways.

See all of our photos from the 2018 PGA Show Demo Day here.

Chrome Soft

Callaway promises innovation at every level with the new Chrome Soft. That starts with a new Graphene Dual SoftFast Core. The company touts the new Chrome Soft as a fast, soft, high launch, low spin ball. But let’s dig a little deeper.

According to Dr Alan Hocknell, Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Callaway, Graphene is an “atomic-scale honeycomb lattice made of carbon atoms and was first produced in a laboratory at the University of Manchester in 2004 by Russian-born scientists, Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, who went on to be awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics for their work.”

The material is stronger than diamond and 200 times stronger than steel, however, it’s also elastic and can be stretched a substantial amount. It sounds like Callaway thought the material was interesting and decided to see how to incorporate it into a golf ball, which is cool.

“We had to assess which part of our golf ball we could mix it with to get a strength advantage and where in the golf ball we would want it…We looked at various parts of the golf ball and the functions of each, and we quickly decided that if we were going to use a material that made any part of our golf ball substantially stronger it would be in the outer core, because its role is partly to allow the inner core to be soft. What we wanted to produce was an outer core that was much stronger, effectively a thinner but stronger ‘crash helmet’ for the inner core and that would allow us to make the inner core bigger.”

“If you think of this inner core as the engine of the golf ball, the inner of the new Chrome Soft is now bigger and softer because it is protected by the stronger outer core, which allows us to pump up the speed, pump up the spin-reducing characteristic of the soft core, and still retain the soft-feel benefits.”

Hocknell says the new Chrome Soft is similarly, well, soft to the original ball. However, feel around the green is crisper and there is a “clickier” sound on those shots. As expected, the new ball features higher ball speeds and lower spin on driver shots relative to the previous incarnation.

Chrome Soft balls are also available in yellow and Callaway’s Truvis pattern. $44.99/dozen.

Chrome Soft X

We’ll let Dr. Hocknell explain the reworking of Callaway’s tour ball for higher swing speeds.

“The X ball has undergone the bigger transformation of the two…In the new 2018 Chrome Soft X we have dramatically reduced its spin profile through the bag so, in many ways, it is similar to the standard Chrome Soft ball of 2017, but what you will find now is a firmer overall feel, while still retaining excellent spin properties around the green.”

“The differences between both golf balls are mostly focused on feel and then if you have a swing speed in the higher ranges – roughly 105mph and above – you might be an ideal candidate for the X, as its increased firmness will convert more driver head speed to ball speed, compared to standard Chrome Soft.”

Superhot

Callaway is also releasing a new version of its three-piece Superhot ball ($29.99/dozen). The new Superhot features improved aerodynamics for low drag and optimal lift, according to the company. Additionally, Callaway is introducing Superhot Bold colors in matte red, yellow, and orange.

See all of our photos from the 2018 PGA Show Demo Day here.