2024 Callaway balls

[DLiver]

23 minutes ago, Avidswampthing66 said:

🤔

I was striking it well today. There were three instances where I hit a very solid drive and the ball was 10-15 yards short of where it should be. There were a couple instances where I got pretty good distance as well. I did hit a lot of fairways (because I was striking it well). I was taking a little extra club into the greens because I didn't feel like I was getting particularly good distance with the ball. Spin was fine. Ball did not live up to the hype IMO. I will play this ball some more, but if you asked me right now, I will prolly be stocking up on the LS.

[GC70]

I saw these Chrome Tour• on the GC tonight. 

[flaghunting1987]

1 hour ago, DLiver said:

I played the Chrome Tour today. My usual ball is the Chrome Soft X LS. The CT is very similar. I didn't see any difference off the irons, distance wise. I did hit a lot of ball close to the pin today, but I doubt that had anything to do with the ball (but how do you know, right?).

 

Off the tee, I hit some balls that were longer, and a couple that were much shorter than I would have expected.

 

After one round, I honestly don't think this is as good for me as the LS.

Interesting...Im an avid LS user and haven't gotten my hands on the new CT yet. I spin the heck out of the ball and am a longer hitter, so the LS has been great for me. Not sure the new ball will benefit me at all, maybe a little more greenside spin, but well see when I try it. 

[Amarsuperstar]

I’m bummed. Got a dozen of the Chrome Tours last week for a golf trip. Historically you could have called me a Callaway hater, but I was completely converted last year. I loved the CSX and CSXLS both. I would switch between them depending on conditions. 
 

Based on the hype I thought the CT’s were going to be perfect. I think performance wise they felt great. Lower spinning irons like the CSXLS but definitely more spin around the greens.
 

Unfortunately, I had the same experience as some others with durability. Hoping I got a bad batch or it’s something they can update during the cycle. I couldn’t make it more than 1-2 holes without a large scuff. 

[DLiver]

I played another round with the CT, and it just doesn't spin enough for me. It seems to spin less than the LS. I would see some drives simply fall out of the sky, and even short irons were releasing. I'm thinking that perhaps the Chrome Tour X might fit me better. If not, then I need to get two years supply of the LS.

 

I really hate switching balls.

[70sinsight]

3 indoor rounds, 2 short game/iron sessions, and 3 30 ball driver speed sessions. 

[FISHSTIX]

Just chiming in here after my experience today playing the Chrome Tour for the first time. Performance is solid but not earth shattering. Definitely long off the irons with decent spin around the green and soft feel off the putter. But wow the durability is poor. Full wedge, nick a tree, etc. and it's basically done. Pretty shocking given the hype from Callaway around this ball. No chance I'm moving from Pro V1 to this. 

[flaghunting1987]

23 hours ago, DLiver said:

I played another round with the CT, and it just doesn't spin enough for me. It seems to spin less than the LS. I would see some drives simply fall out of the sky, and even short irons were releasing. I'm thinking that perhaps the Chrome Tour X might fit me better. If not, then I need to get two years supply of the LS.

 

I really hate switching balls.

Very odd, LESS spin?!! Interesting stuff, I'm debating on just going to buy what's left of the LS then and wait to to buy CT or try it if I find one on the course 

[craz-e]

I had been given a sleeve of the Tour to try after a recent full bag fitting and played 9 last night with them. Very impressive off the tee for me, seems to be a straighter ball than my usual TP5 and no issues around the greens with spin and control. I would prefer a slightly softer ball with the putter but it certainly isn't too firm to stop me playing. 

[phizzy30]

I received a sleeve of CTX from @Avidswampthing66 so big shout out to you, bro.  I will be testing them tomorrow at Jurupa Hills and will report back. 

[Notsohotshot]

4 hours ago, FISHSTIX said:

Just chiming in here after my experience today playing the Chrome Tour for the first time. Performance is solid but not earth shattering. Definitely long off the irons with decent spin around the green and soft feel off the putter. But wow the durability is poor. Full wedge, nick a tree, etc. and it's basically done. Pretty shocking given the hype from Callaway around this ball. No chance I'm moving from Pro V1 to this. 

Glad to see I wasn’t the only one experiencing this issue. I posted in this thread a few weeks ago that durability was poor. Had to ditch a CT after one wedge shot. 

[70sinsight]

42 minutes ago, Notsohotshot said:

Glad to see I wasn’t the only one experiencing this issue. I posted in this thread a few weeks ago that durability was poor. Had to ditch a CT after one wedge shot. 

Callaway CS wants me to send the cracked ball and the rest of the box back for testing. They are sending replacements, but it makes you wonder, especially with some of the other folks here who have had issues on course. 

[Avidswampthing66]

1 hour ago, 70sinsight said:

Callaway CS wants me to send the cracked ball and the rest of the box back for testing. They are sending replacements, but it makes you wonder, especially with some of the other folks here who have had issues on course. 

I hope it was fluky or a first-release deal.  The balls I've tested have been great so far.  GOOD on Callaway to send you a replacement.  With all the hype, they need to be durable as well.  You absolutely can't take Titleist market share if you are not as durable.  That's what always sets Titleist above the rest.  Even if it performs better...

Edited February 17 by Avidswampthing66

[Smokey227]

Had a chance to test the Chrome Tour X on the course. I don’t have any data just my impressions.

 

Someone described the feeling as dense and I think that is a great description. I really like the way it felt coming off my irons. It was extremely long for me with my irons. Probably 1/2 club longer than Prov1x but with a little lower launch and I felt the spin was slightly less on full shots than the prov1x. Spin around the greens was really good. Reminded me of the z star diamond around the greens. I didn’t swing my driver well today so I don’t have any real comparison with it. 

 

I will also echo everyone else’s concerns with durability. I had one that was scuffed up pretty good from hitting 15-20 pitches in the back yard. Played a new ball for the last 6 holes today and it has 3 good sized scrapes on it. Not something I have seen from prov1 or prov1x. 
 

 

[lbhitter]

Played the CTX for the last week.  My gamer is usually a Pro V1x.  

 

The ball has a great feel.  Off the driver it feels like it stays on the face a touch longer.  Superb trajectory off my irons.  Great feel and spin around the greens.  Is is longer, I don't think so.  If it is, no by much.  

 

Here are the two things that stand out to me:

- Offers more spin around the greens than the V1x.

- Less durable than the V1x.

 

LB

[j4663535]

12 hours ago, 70sinsight said:

Callaway CS wants me to send the cracked ball and the rest of the box back for testing. They are sending replacements, but it makes you wonder, especially with some of the other folks here who have had issues on course. 

 

You were hitting it indoors on a sim. Doesn't make me wonder at all. No one is having an issue of the ball cracking on the course. 

[70sinsight]

33 minutes ago, j4663535 said:

 

You were hitting it indoors on a sim. Doesn't make me wonder at all. No one is having an issue of the ball cracking on the course. 

I mean, I think that's pretty clear. However, while I have cracked other balls indoors, I've never had one crack so quickly. I have a left dash I've been using all through league and practice this year that is still going strong. Used it to test against this ball head to head as well. Had this ball for two weeks and it's kaput. Hopefully it's a fluke, but durability issues wouldn't be a surprise either. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Avidswampthing66]

3 hours ago, 70sinsight said:

I mean, I think that's pretty clear. However, while I have cracked other balls indoors, I've never had one crack so quickly. I have a left dash I've been using all through league and practice this year that is still going strong. Used it to test against this ball head to head as well. Had this ball for two weeks and it's kaput. Hopefully it's a fluke, but durability issues wouldn't be a surprise either. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Hope they see this thread at some point.

[Arlin964]

8 hours ago, lbhitter said:

Played the CTX for the last week.  My gamer is usually a Pro V1x.  

 

The ball has a great feel.  Off the driver it feels like it stays on the face a touch longer.  Superb trajectory off my irons.  Great feel and spin around the greens.  Is is longer, I don't think so.  If it is, no by much.  

 

Here are the two things that stand out to me:

- Offers more spin around the greens than the V1x.

- Less durable than the V1x.

 

LB

I played CTX for the first time yesterday, and I’d say my experience was very, very similar to these observations. 

[Peterman6068]

I have the yellow tru track chrome tour. I hit one ball on the sim for 300+ drives and 100+ wedges and it looks fine other than some tru track paint fading a little. Driver ball speed around 180. 
 

Just played it at Fallen Oak in Biloxi for a few rounds and it held up great. I don’t see any durability issues, at least with the yellow balls. 
 

 

[Avidswampthing66]

3 hours ago, Peterman6068 said:

I have the yellow tru track chrome tour. I hit one ball on the sim for 300+ drives and 100+ wedges and it looks fine other than some tru track paint fading a little. Driver ball speed around 180. 
 

Just played it at Fallen Oak in Biloxi for a few rounds and it held up great. I don’t see any durability issues, at least with the yellow balls. 
 

 

SWEET!  I'v reheard great things about the course.  I'm just a few hours away from Fallen Oak (central Louisiana), and it's on my short list! Played Mossy and Old Waverly and a few others...but just haven't committed to staying at the Casino haha.

 

Played a full 18 today with CT and it was fine.  Smudgy as well by hole 16, but no scratches or smiley faces.  Durability has been fine for me for multiple rounds in the books.

 

Performance.  CT is long and there is a crispy softness with driver.  Like, you can tell the core is softish but the cover is firm.  Feels similar to CSX from last year, but a touch softer.  Driver flight is mid-high and very low spin.  

Irons felt great today.  No complaints there.  Here is where I may switch balls...short game.  I hit some great pitch shots and when I was hoping for some check, the ball just released giving me like 6-8 footers instead of 4-6.  Maybe I could adjust to this, but I'm leaning CTX for a little more control.   CT is a great ball, for sure.  Those with durability issues, not sure what is going on there...but I haven't seen it personally yet.

Edited February 19 by Avidswampthing66

[jwb10]

I'm confused on this "durability" rap. The same noise was made last year about the ProV1X. I see it being made now on the TP5 string. If you hit a urethane ball with a rough surface it will scuff. I have hundreds of urethane balls, of all kinds, that I used for their requisite 18, that are pristine. But I have a few that were hit thin, or out of a bunker, or from a bad lie that are scraped . It happens, to all balls. As for the CS, only played it indoors and it held up as well the other pro balls. Eventually, the screen won

Edited February 20 by jwb10

[kkennedy]

I got a few rounds in with the Chrome Tour, with the plan to gauge it against my current preferred ProV1. 

 

Overall, I thought the distance, flight, and around the green performance was solid. I noticed what I felt like a bit less check on pitches but plenty enough. 

 

In conclusion, while I thought this was a solid job by Callaway, and definitely their best tour ball so far,  I didn't see any reason for it to dislodge the ProV1. At the same exact same price point, what seemed to me worse durability, it wasn't any better and I think that is the key; for someone like me who is giving it a fair shot I needed to find something materially better than what I was using currently, and I just didn't find this to be the case. 

[philly2kuk]

On 2/20/2024 at 3:20 PM, kkennedy said:

I got a few rounds in with the Chrome Tour, with the plan to gauge it against my current preferred ProV1. 

 

Overall, I thought the distance, flight, and around the green performance was solid. I noticed what I felt like a bit less check on pitches but plenty enough. 

 

In conclusion, while I thought this was a solid job by Callaway, and definitely their best tour ball so far,  I didn't see any reason for it to dislodge the ProV1. At the same exact same price point, what seemed to me worse durability, it wasn't any better and I think that is the key; for someone like me who is giving it a fair shot I needed to find something materially better than what I was using currently, and I just didn't find this to be the case. 

This is my position. It’s no better than my current pro v1 for me but it’s the same price. So where is the incentive to change from a ball I’ve had many rounds and zero issues with? If it was cheaper or marginally better then sure, but it isn’t either. I just wish titleists competitors would realise they need to charge slightly less than titleist because at the same price there’s no reason to switch as their balls don’t actually beat the pro v1 overall for me.

[bcflyguy1]

9 hours ago, philly2kuk said:

This is my position. It’s no better than my current pro v1 for me but it’s the same price. So where is the incentive to change from a ball I’ve had many rounds and zero issues with? If it was cheaper or marginally better then sure, but it isn’t either. I just wish titleists competitors would realise they need to charge slightly less than titleist because at the same price there’s no reason to switch as their balls don’t actually beat the pro v1 overall for me.

Another example of how the constraints placed on equipment of all kinds by USGA/R&A help maintain the status quo.

[runningblind11]

14 hours ago, philly2kuk said:

This is my position. It’s no better than my current pro v1 for me but it’s the same price. So where is the incentive to change from a ball I’ve had many rounds and zero issues with? If it was cheaper or marginally better then sure, but it isn’t either. I just wish titleists competitors would realise they need to charge slightly less than titleist because at the same price there’s no reason to switch as their balls don’t actually beat the pro v1 overall for me.

I had almost assumed Callaway would go that route,  $49 vs $54 to get people to try it.  Little reason to for the average person just looking at the shelf, at the same price point.  Dumb.

Edited February 23 by runningblind11

[kkennedy]

1 hour ago, runningblind11 said:

I had almost assumed Callaway would go that route,  $49 vs $54 to get people to try it.  Little reason to for the average person just looking at the shelf, at the same price point.  Dumb.

I completely agree. My only guess, is that if they wanted to go head to head with the Pro V, they didn't want the consumer to think it was perhaps inferior by the cheaper price

[snagy2000]

1 hour ago, runningblind11 said:

I had almost assumed Callaway would go that route,  $49 vs $54 to get people to try it.  Little reason to for the average person just looking at the shelf, at the same price point.  Dumb.

Silly, public companies all about maximizing profit for investors...

[runningblind11]

41 minutes ago, snagy2000 said:

Silly, public companies all about maximizing profit for investors...

Pretty sure market share gain will do that more effectively than $5 per box.  That's the point in my opinion. 

Edited February 23 by runningblind11

[snagy2000]

6 minutes ago, runningblind11 said:

Pretty sure market share gain will do that more effectively than $5 per box.  That's the point in my opinion. 

I get it, but they've got their analysis and reasons. It's like the country club I recently played at which charged $4.17 for every product their beverage cart sold. Just amazing, crackers, snickers, soda, beer...All $4.17! 

 

Btw, I like their Tour and Tour X offerings. IMO, best Callaway balls in a very long time.