Chrome soft end of life.

[phil75070]

29 minutes ago, GoGoErky said:

Curious what the actual numbers are

It is over 20% and the rate of growth is faster than any other ball per a Callaway press release:

 

Callaway Golf Announces Highest Golf Ball Market Share In Company History (prnewswire.com)

[sittingbull]

I have been playing the ERC soft lately & there is not much difference between them and my gamer which is AVX.

[third-times-a-charm]

Callaway would be wise to keep the Chrome Soft (not X) going and phase out the lingerers like the Hex Diablo and Hex Tour that they still make for some reason.

 

Knock the Chrome Soft down to $29, keep it as a 'soft' ball. And rebrand the firmer tour balls.

[bardezart]

1 hour ago, BIG STU said:

Like you I read and hear the Hype on any of them but do not subscribe--- Usually around my course because we have such a strong Srixon presence I usually find Srixon balls--- I do find some Callaway balls--- Like you they go into the shag bag I use when messing around and playing practice rounds. Did find a Titleist Tour Soft the other day and that thing hits good off of persimmon. Right now front line I use Srixon Q Star Tours since I have won quite a few in fact won a dozen in the 9 and dine Saturday night. It is getting cooler so I will more than likely go to the Soft Feels which I think I still have 4 dozen of including some green ones. I am wanting to try the new Vice Pro balls ( 3 piece) because they are $23 at Wally World--- If I did not have so many free Srixon balls I would be playing Vice. 

 

It was funny you mentioned the off center Cally balls--- One of my sometimes scramble partners plays anything he finds. He hit a wobbly putt with a Chrome Soft the other day that wobbled funny. I laughed and told him if he had a decent ball that putt would have went in. He thought I was shooting him a line of BS. I threw my Q Star down and he putted it and it did not wobble and went in. LOL he threw the Chrome Soft in the lake beside the green. You want to see some funky flight hit a Chrome Soft or Super Soft with my M-6. With the Twisted Sister face on some mishits you can get some funky flights with any ball. Callaway balls are even funkier. 

Second paragraph is a real stretch there. I’ve been exclusively playing ChromeSofts for the past 4 years, never seen anything wobble. I am a former club pro and currently playing off a mid plus handicap if I had to guess. There’s nothing wrong with the ball. 

[bardezart]

1 hour ago, third-times-a-charm said:

Callaway would be wise to keep the Chrome Soft (not X) going and phase out the lingerers like the Hex Diablo and Hex Tour that they still make for some reason.

 

Knock the Chrome Soft down to $29, keep it as a 'soft' ball. And rebrand the firmer tour balls.

Feel like people in the know would just load up on Chrome Softs and not even look at the new ball. I know I would. That’d be a hell of a deal. 

[Rippin6Gears]

Callaway ProChrome coming 2022 😉

[tsecor]

Chromesoft X is an amazing ball

[tsecor]

4 hours ago, bardezart said:

Second paragraph is a real stretch there. I’ve been exclusively playing ChromeSofts for the past 4 years, never seen anything wobble. I am a former club pro and currently playing off a mid plus handicap if I had to guess. There’s nothing wrong with the ball. 

Wobbly putt.....lol.....thats the best

[BIG STU]

17 hours ago, bardezart said:

Second paragraph is a real stretch there. I’ve been exclusively playing ChromeSofts for the past 4 years, never seen anything wobble. I am a former club pro and currently playing off a mid plus handicap if I had to guess. There’s nothing wrong with the ball. 

Ok I respect your opinion and observations but just telling what I have observed--- And BTW I am ex PGA Class A and Mini Tour Player too---

[tsecor]

5 hours ago, BIG STU said:

Ok I respect your opinion and observations but just telling what I have observed--- And BTW I am ex PGA Class A and Mini Tour Player too---

Come on Stu....your dipiction of the wobbly ball is crazy.....even the worst ball cut open in the myGolfPie test showed nothing to affect a putt in that manner.....and then the Q Star "went right in"........holy cow dude.....we get it, you hate Callaway.....but that is hilarious.  

 

[Bad9]

On 9/26/2021 at 9:55 AM, NRJyzr said:

Ironic.  I had Pro shop credit from Men's Club events, used it to buy a couple dozen Chrome Softs.

 

The irony comes from my amazing skill at buying product as it's disappearing from the market.  LOL

 

I seem to have the same skill. Started playing the Duo Pro last year and a month ago a guy at Golftown tells me its being blown out($29 Canadian) as been discontinued. I stocked up and have 6 dozen on hand and will buy more next time I get to GT.

[phil75070]

1 hour ago, tsecor said:

Come on Stu....your dipiction of the wobbly ball is crazy.....even the worst ball cut open in the myGolfPie test showed nothing to affect a putt in that manner.....and then the Q Star "went right in"........holy cow dude.....we get it, you hate Callaway.....but that is hilarious.  

 

Not only that, but his friend was apparently hitting a ball he found! God only knows what it was subject to before he put it in play.

[MattM97]

I doubt they are going to end the line considering how well it's doing now. I can see a name change cause a 100 compression ball isn't exactly soft, it's an awesome ball but not soft. 

 

Maybe they just drop the "Soft" naming on X and LS?

 

Chrome Soft -> Stays Chrome Soft

Chrome Soft X -> Chrome X

Chrome Soft XLS -> Chrome XLS

 

I know not amazing name but better I guess??? 

[NRJyzr]

12 minutes ago, MattM97 said:

I doubt they are going to end the line considering how well it's doing now. I can see a name change cause a 100 compression ball isn't exactly soft, it's an awesome ball but not soft. 

 

Maybe they just drop the "Soft" naming on X and LS?

 

Chrome Soft -> Stays Chrome Soft

Chrome Soft X -> Chrome X

Chrome Soft XLS -> Chrome XLS

 

I know not amazing name but better I guess??? 

 

Sounds like a return to the Chrome/Chrome+ that preceeded the Chrome Soft.  🙂

 

[MattM97]

Just now, NRJyzr said:

 

Sounds like a return to the Chrome/Chrome+ that preceeded the Chrome Soft.  🙂

 

 

I wasn't golfing then. But I'm not sure what else they could call their premium ball? But I'm sure they'll come up with something with all the lines they have. 

[GHIN n Juice]

This is the exact reason I gave up on Callaway balls.  They did the same thing with the chrome+ which I loved and then quit producing it to make those turds of a ball in the SR line.  
 

No matter how good a ball Callaway may have I’ll never play them because they’ll always pull them from the shelves with no rhyme or reason.

[mokedaddy]

16 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

 

Sounds like a return to the Chrome/Chrome+ that preceeded the Chrome Soft.  🙂

 

The original chrome was very underrated if you play a high spin ball.

[NRJyzr]

15 minutes ago, MattM97 said:

 

I wasn't golfing then. But I'm not sure what else they could call their premium ball? But I'm sure they'll come up with something with all the lines they have. 

 

You're making me feel old LOL.  I remember when Callaway got their start in the ball market with the Rule 35...

 

[NRJyzr]

4 minutes ago, mokedaddy said:

The original chrome was very underrated if you play a high spin ball.

 

When they were out, I didn't try them, I was a high spin player.  Jumped on the Chrome+ instead.

 

Rather liked it.  🙂

 

[Londo]

It would truly be flushing a ton of spent marketing money down the drain if they are scrapping and completely rebranding. If they truly feel that the brand isn't viewed positively, they must figure that they are saving future marketing dollars. It would be a huge long term play though as it takes a decade + to build strong name/brand recognition to the casual golfer and the chrome soft are there/just about there with the TP5, Tour B, Z Star(to some extent). Pro V1 is in a class of its own with brand. 

[Mike_Honcho]

it will probably be an AI, jailbreak ball and match up perfectly with any new callaway driver/iron/putter.  AI can't be wrong.

[Bulldog1990]

So long as they keep the CS X LS recipe in production, I don't care what they call it.

 

I do find it a bit odd that they're switching things up though. In my opinion, even though the CS X and X LS aren't low compression balls, and therefore not soft in an absolute sense, using "Soft" in the name still makes sense in a relative way, since the CS X is lower compression than the Pro V1x (and TP5x, Z-Star XV, Tour B X), and the X LS is lower compression than the Left Dash. To me, that relative compression softness makes enough sense to keep Soft in the name.

[BIG STU]

5 hours ago, tsecor said:

Come on Stu....your dipiction of the wobbly ball is crazy.....even the worst ball cut open in the myGolfPie test showed nothing to affect a putt in that manner.....and then the Q Star "went right in"........holy cow dude.....we get it, you hate Callaway.....but that is hilarious.  

 

Seriously it did wobble 3 others saw it too----- Naah do not hate Cally I am brand agnostic--- I play whatever works I could care less about politics and marketing cycles and other such BS of any manufacturer---- But hey believe what you want too I aint mad at all--- If you ever get this way I will be glad to buy you a beverage of your choice

[BIG STU]

3 hours ago, El Kabong2 said:

it will probably be an AI, jailbreak ball and match up perfectly with any new callaway driver/iron/putter.  AI can't be wrong.

LOL I call those drivers the Jailbird drivers and to be fair I called the twist Face TMs Twisted Sister---- Ironic I ended up with a M-6 and love that thing and yes I named it Twisted Sister-- Aint tried a Jailbird yet but who knows I may like it. Like I told @tsecor I am as brand agnostic as one can get

[Wardonation]

Just now, BIG STU said:

Seriously it did wobble 3 others saw it too----- Naah do not hate Cally I am brand agnostic--- I play whatever works I could care less about politics and marketing cycles and other such BS of any manufacturer---- But hey believe what you want too I aint mad at all--- If you ever get this way I will be glad to buy you a beverage of your choice

I spent 3 hours with Guerin Rife and his putting robot back in 2018. He wanted to show me that ALL balls need to be balanced regardless of brand. THe robot does not lie and I have balanced my golf balls since. Not one ball since 2018 EVER matches the "line" the manufacturer puts on the balls. Some brands do spin right out of the machine I use (extremely lopsided). Srixon being the worst offender, pre 2020 Cally balls were second. With that being said to "wobble" is on a another elvel.

[BIG STU]

Just now, Wardonation said:

I spent 3 hours with Guerin Rife and his putting robot back in 2018. He wanted to show me that ALL balls need to be balanced regardless of brand. THe robot does not lie and I have balanced my golf balls since. Not one ball since 2018 EVER matches the "line" the manufacturer puts on the balls. Some brands do spin right out of the machine I use (extremely lopsided). Srixon being the worst offender, pre 2020 Cally balls were second. With that being said to "wobble" is on a another elvel.

I sometimes check mine old school style with epson salts and water--- And I am familiar with the machine you use my friend has one. I can remember the first Srixon balls. I was testing clubs for the Infiniti Golf Company ( component company) and those Srixon balls would peel off the short irons or as we say harried up. I questioned the legality of the Infiniti irons but they were legal. In all fairness did not have any trouble with covers peeling on Titleist or Callaway. This was around 07 or so. In fact I played the Hex Tour some. My mainstay in those days in comp because I had a Titleist ball deal was the ProV 1  But on my dime I also played the Precept U-Tri Tour. 

[Unibrow]

That's the problem with greed. Callaway gets a ball that is doing good and most seem to like. Lets change the name and try to beat Titleist, ain't gonna happen. To take the market share from Titleist would require a ball that is so good it can't be ignored, I don't think technology will allow that to happen. Changing the name will only cause the whole process to have to start over again. Titleist won't lose it #1 status anytime soon, its been the pro V since it first came out, other companies changing their ball's name every two years will assure Titleist of the #1 spot for a long time to come, even if the competition is better.

[NRJyzr]

2 hours ago, Unibrow said:

To take the market share from Titleist would require a ball that is so good it can't be ignored

 

Disagree.  Strongly.

 

All it would take is to do exactly what Titleist has done, which is spend enough money to buy that level of tour usage.  Just as TM did for many years with driver count.  

 

When it comes to the PGA Tour, it is *always* about the money.

 

Edited September 28, 2021 by NRJyzr

[jas904]

I’ve known Bryson since he’s been in the 6th grade and remember him spinning balls in epsom salt. 
 

As far as Callaway, I have confidence that the new ball will be good. Like someone else said, probably more of a re-branding, I would guess. I’m a Chrome Soft X player now. I just hope they don’t get rid of Triple Track. 

[dlygrisse]

On 9/26/2021 at 2:41 PM, BIG STU said:

Yep that happened with me on the Precept U- Tri Tour and the Bridgestone Treo Soft. Loved those 2 balls off of short irons

That U Tri was $$$$

 

I liked the Nike Tour Accuracy DD as well.