Equipment
Callaway Chrome Soft: Building a better golf ball
“Changing a tire on a bus while it’s moving.” That’s how Callaway’s Norm Smith, Vice President, Global Manufacturing, Engineering, and Quality at Callaway describes the never-ending process of upgrading and improving operations while continuing to produce golf balls and equipment to satisfy current demand — which, for Callaway, like the rest of the golf equipment world, is at record highs.
While Smith oversees operations, including Callaway’s Chicopee, Massachusetts, ball plant, which produces all the company’s Chrome Soft and Truvis golf balls, Jason Finley, Callaway’s Global Director Product Strategy, Golf Ball and his team are locked into the 18-month process of developing the next generation of the company’s flagship ball offerings.
This delicate dance can take the form of identifying opportunities to bring new products to market — such as this year’s Chrome Soft X LS golf ball — researching new technologies — such as graphene, which Callaway uses in the core of Chrome Soft balls — and looking at every element of the previous product to see what can be optimized and enhanced.
In developing the current Chrome Soft line, engineers were faced with the challenge of taking a product that has done well both on tour and at retail and determining what can be improved upon. This process relies on feedback from everyone from tour pros to retail consumers and a look at the Chrome Soft line through the lens of a few questions: What tools do we have at our disposal? How can we make it faster? How can we optimize spin? How do we cater to a range of spin profiles? How do we increase quality?
According to Norm Smith, Callaway’s well-documented Chicopee ball plant upgrades have included night-and-day changes in just the past six months. More broadly, in recent years, from start to finish, the entire process and the machines involved therein have been assessed and upgraded. Indeed, the company has improvements to the packaging operation in its sites next as it is both literally and figuratively the end of the Chrome Soft production process.
In addition to new cover molding equipment, Truvis equipment, and paint lines, as we detailed in this piece, Callaway’s $60 million-plus investment in the Chicopee ball plant includes.
- State-of-the-art rubber mixer: This giant mixer is a four-story tall machine built for absolute precision mixing batch after batch. It precisely measures chemical compounds and polymers needed to build each layer. It also regulates multiple parameters during the process to make sure the final product meets strict quality control measures.
- New 3D X-Ray system: If for some reason a bad golf ball gets past the first steps of the quality control process without fault, the 3D X-Ray system will prevent it from going any further. As Callaway has stated, “these machines can’t make the ball pieces more centered, but it prevents ones that aren’t from ever leaving the plant.”
- New core-molding tools: Balls are built from the core out, and without consistency, the rest of the pieces don’t quite matter as much. Even with automation already a huge part of the process, Callaway is adding more to not only help respond to ever-growing demand but to ensure quality core to core.
Now, a refresher on the Chrome Soft line being produced in western Massachusetts.
Chrome Soft
Callaway’s latest Chrome Soft golf ball features a Dual SoftFast Core with a 34 percent larger volume inner core. It’s also equipped with a thinner, graphene-infused outer core for better wedge spin and faster ball speed.
Beyond the Dual SoftFast Core, inside the Chrome Soft is a new mantle system made of proprietary, high-energy ionomer to promote fast ball speed.
Chrome Soft’s 10 percent thinner urethane cover is designed to promote less spin on full shots and added distance — without sacrificing soft feel and excellent greenside spin and control.
The final element of the new Chrome soft is a new lower drag aerodynamic dimple pattern that promotes higher launch, higher flight, and ultimately, longer distance.
Lower spinning than the Chrome Soft X, the Chrome Soft is the highest launching, softest ball in Callaway’s CS lineup.
Chrome Soft X
Designed to promote faster ball speed, the Chrome Soft X ball contains a significantly larger SoftFast core than its predecessor, and a 15 percent thinner cover to produces lower spin on full shots (and added distance).
Inside the Chrome Soft X is a new mantle system combines a softer inner mantle with a firmer outer mantle. Both elements feature proprietary ionomer blends.
This firm outer mantle works with the a new, thinner cover that yields increased greenside spin and control. A lower drag aerodynamic dimple pattern is also new in the Chrome Soft X. It is designed to produce penetrating flight and longer distance.
Higher spinning than the Chrome Soft with driver and irons, the Chrome Soft X features the highest wedge and greenside spin and is more workable overall, in addition to offering a firmer feel.
Chrome Soft X LS
The most recent addition to the lineup, the Chrome Soft X LS features four-piece, single-core construction engineered to increase speed through a SoftFast Core, a Dual Mantle System, and a refined urethane cover.
According to Callaway, players see a 300-400 rpm decrease in spin from the X with the LS ball on mid-irons.
The LS contains a significantly larger high-speed core design that aims to provide more distance through the bag. It functions in concert with the mantle system to deliver high resilience and speed.
The Chrome Soft X LS is equipped with a thin proprietary urethane cover for high spin, low launch, and excellent feel in a player’s scoring clubs — without sacrificing greenside control.
Higher launching with driver and irons than the Chrome Soft X, the LS is, not surprisingly, lower spinning than the Chrome Soft X across the board while offering similar feel.
The Callaway Chrome Soft family of golf balls are at retail for $47.99 per dozen. All three models are available with Callaway’s Triple Track Technology.
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- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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Richard Douglas
Jul 17, 2021 at 3:36 am
Are they still making balls with off-center cores? The article–which reads like a press release (because it is) wasn’t clear about this.
This is my favorite ball, but I won’t buy it again until that little quirk is addressed candidly.
Mac
Jul 17, 2021 at 5:44 am
They are not. Did you miss that part of the article?
Lou
Jul 14, 2021 at 10:52 pm
Seeing “All three models are available with Callaway’s Triple Track Technology” gets me every time. Painting three lines on the ball is not any kind of technological advancement and it’s another in a long line of ideas Callaway has stolen from other companies. Though I’ve gotta admit I didn’t expect anyone to steal design ideas from the Kick X Tour Z.
Larry
Jul 14, 2021 at 9:30 pm
Pretty skeptical until there’s some evidence. I tested golf balls last year and Callaways were in the Oncore category (i.e. they suck). The investment is only good if it goes to the product and not the marketing. Cally/TM lead the way imo of “we make bold claims that you’ll never actually experience after you buy it”.