Equipment
Callaway Chrome Soft X LS golf ball: A low spin addition to the Chrome Soft lineup
Callaway is setting out to deliver maximum distance and premium low spin performance with the release of its all-new Chrome Soft X LS (low spin) ball for 2021.
The new ball has been specifically developed for players who not only want the extra distance available by lowering spin—but who also seek to hit low launching, higher spinning shots with their scoring clubs to attack pins.
The four-piece ball is built around a single core, dual mantle layer system designed for speed and paired with a proprietary urethane cover to maximize control along and optimize aerodynamics for consistency in flight, according to Callaway.
Callaway Chrome Soft X LS: Technology and features
To make a golf ball longer, it needs to retain as much energy from impact as possible—and soft golf balls don’t do that as well as harder ones. The more a golf ball deforms during impact, the more energy is lost, and in the simplest form, it won’t go as far.
To be able to produce a soft distance ball (it’s called the Chrome “Soft” after all) Callaway wraps the softer inner mantle with a highly resilient firm outer layer. It’s kind of like coating a marshmallow with chocolate—the inside maintains its soft properties but is now coated in a layer of hard chocolate. To round out the poor food analogy, let’s call the final coating of sprinkles the urethane cover.
The end result is a ball that produces less spin on shots at the highest speed and with more direct force caused by lower lofted clubs while still being able to maintain high spin and soft feel on shots hit around the green and at lower speeds.
The final part of the equation is the ability for engineers to optimize the ball’s aerodynamic performance at lower spin rates and the highest speeds. If you have ever hit a shot high on the toe only to watch it fall from the sky, then you have experienced what happens when a ball doesn’t spin enough to maintain lift.
The Chrome Soft X LS keeps the proven Hex dimples shape, but on a granular scale, the dimple depths and dimensions have been altered to produce a penetrating and stable flight.
Price and Availability
The new Callaway Chrome Soft X LS ball will be available starting March 18 and will retail for $47.99 a dozen in White, Triple Track, and Tripple Track yellow.
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Whats in the Bag
Daniel Berger WITB 2024 (April)
- Daniel Berger what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X
6-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (3), TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC 2011 (4-PW)
Shafts: Project X Denali Blue 105 TX (3), Project X 6.5 (4-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (50-12F), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-14F), Callaway Jaws Raw (60-08C)
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (50), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (56, 60)
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Mini DB
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy PistolLock 1.0
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Wrap
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Check out more in-hand photos of Daniel Berger’s clubs in the forums.
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Equipment
Heavy Artillery: A look at drivers in play at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans
What are the driver and shaft combinations of the best golfers in the world? For gearheads, it’s an endlessly interesting question — even if we can only ever aspire to play LS heads and 7 TX shafts.
At this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, GolfWRX got in-hand looks at the driver setups of a wealth of players.
Check out some of the most interesting combos below, then head to the GolfWRX forums for the rest, as well as the rest of our galleries from New Orleans.
Rory McIlroy
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @8.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride MCC
Alex Fitzpatrick
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride MCC
Daniel Berger
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees @9)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Wrap
Rasmus Hojgaard
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 60 TX
Grip: Golf Pride MCC
Alejandro Tosti
Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees @10.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75 6.5
Grip: Golf Pride MCC Plus4
James Nicholas
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (8 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Kevin Streelman
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Sang-moon Bae
Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (9+ @8)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Russ Cochran
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke (9 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD TP 6 X
Grip: Golf pride MCC Align
MJ Daffue
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (10.5 degrees @9.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green RDX 65 TX
Grip: Golf Pride ZGrip Cord Align
Check our more photos from the Zurich Classic here.
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Whats in the Bag
Rasmus Højgaard WITB 2024 (April)
- Rasmus Højgaard what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Prototype (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Utility: Callaway Apex UW (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw White 85 TX
Irons: Callaway Apex Pro (3), Callaway X Forged (4-PW)
Shafts: KBS $-Taper 130
Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (52-10S, 56-10S, 60-06C)
Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X
Putter: Odyssey Ai One Milled Eight T DB
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Hojgaard in the forums.
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Brian
Mar 3, 2021 at 9:26 am
Their counter to the AVX finally??
Shooter
Mar 3, 2021 at 2:13 pm
AVX was the counter to chrome soft. This is a tour variant that was made for public release. Closer to the left dash end of the spectrum.
Tour BX
Mar 2, 2021 at 10:39 pm
Hey Bridgestone, look, another YELLOW option…
d
Mar 4, 2021 at 4:24 pm
yes bridgestone, lets get some yellow
Chuck
Mar 2, 2021 at 11:24 am
Thanks for this, Ryan. Interesting product, and an interesting review from you.
As always, one of the most informative pages from any golf website or any golf magazine is the annual review and charting of spin rates and launch angles of various leading retail golf balls. For the 99.9999999% of us who buy golf balls based on anecdotal experience and word of mouth, rather than lengthy launch monitor testing with every ball on the market.
But moreover, it is good to see once again how it is that equipment manufacturers can continue to refine and develop lower-spinning (off driver) golf balls that essentially allow elite players to swing harder, and produce more distance, even when the Ruling Bodies’ ball testing specifications remain static.