REVIEW: Callaway Golf Ball Lineup – Which One Is Best for You?

After two rounds testing Callaway’s new Chrome Tour, Chrome Tour X, and Chrome Soft golf balls, I was able to get a good idea of what ball was best for me. However, another ball might be better for you, your swing speed, and your playing style, so I have broken down each ball and what I like about them, along with what I did not particularly enjoy.

However, your preferences and personal likes may be features that I don’t necessarily like. What I label as a “Con” might be a “Pro” for you, and vice versa.

Chrome Tour

The Chrome Tour is a premium ball that is comparable to the Titleist Pro V1. It is engineered for consistency in terms of ball flight, spin, and greenside control.

The new Hyper Fast Core is engineered for better players who want long distance and soft feel. The cover is a High-Performance Tour Urethane Soft cover, which helps add spin and provides control.

From a personal perspective, this was my least favorite of the three, and I still really liked playing it. However, it didn’t provide a super soft feel that I like with the mid-to-long iron shots. It was fun to play with around the greens. It provided excellent spin on wedge shots from 60 to 100 yards, and I truly felt like I could attack pins with it.

Pros

• Consistent ball flight
• High spin with 60 to 100 yard wedge shots
• Solid distance

Cons

• Harder feel

Chrome Tour X

The Chrome Tour X is like the Titleist Pro V1x. Callaway emphasizes its versatility throughout the bag, while also equipping the Hyper Fast Soft Core for maximum ball speed and distance, especially with the driver.

Pros

• Solid workability
• Good distance off the tee
• Consistent

Cons

• Not as much spin as I expected, relatively identical to Chrome Tour (in my experience)
• Too firm for my liking

Chrome Soft

The Chrome Soft was my favorite ball of all, and it might be the new choice for me coming from someone who has played the Pro V1x for about two years. I have heard the AVX is pretty similar, but I have yet to try that from Titleist, so I will come back to that later on.

I loved the amount of spin and the consistency once again in this ball. I also liked the fact that I had a dozen with the Triple Track, which is really awesome for putting.

However, my favorite thing about this ball was the feel. Incredibly soft. Incredibly confidence-inspiring. Incredibly fun to play.

It feels amazing with every shot from 150 in. Soft and I just felt like I was making perfect contact every time. I also loved playing the longer shots after I played 4-5 lights out holes with this ball last weekend at a local course that is tough.

The best shot for me of the year thus far was with this ball on the final hole at Heritage Hills, where I played last weekend. The 18th hole is long and challenging, a Par 4, it takes two perfect shots to get on the green. You need to avoid any sort of extreme spin on your tee shot to even have a chance to access this green. After a 290-yard drive from my partner in alternate shot, I had 190 in, out of the rough, with the ball above my feet.

I went with a Titleist T200 4i and avoided the water left and bunkers short, long, and to the right of the green. The four-footer I sunk for birdie felt amazing after that approach.

Here’s a rough look at the shot:

While I credit a lot of it to the strike, I think the ball and its soft feel just felt so good from the holes prior, that my confidence was through the roof.

Pros

• Soft, soft, soft
• Good spin on longer shots
• Consistent flight

Cons

• Launches slightly higher, so if you have trouble with this, it could cost you some yards
• Short game and greenside spin not as beneficial as Chrome Tour, Tour X

Overall, Callaway brought three great balls to market and you truly cannot go wrong with any of them. If I could suggest it, try to get a sleeve of all three, play a few holes with each, and make your decision from there.

Cover Image via Golf Digest