Callaway VS Titleist - DT Solo VS HX Diablo, Pre-2010 NXT Tour VS HX Diablo Tour

H-Blade · November 7, 2012

I just got a free gift card for shop.Callaway.com and upon review determined that I really cannot use anything exept some golf balls... I normally play Titleist DT Solo, is the HX Diablo a similar ball??? I used to like the pre 2010 NXT Tour (hate 2010 - 2012 versions)... and it appears from the specs on compression test reports floating around this forum that the HX Diablo Tour is similar to the pre-2010 NXT Tour... do these play the same as the older NXT Tours???

Fourmyle of Ceres · November 7, 2012

For quite a while (couple years?) my default ball choice alternated between HX Diablo Tour and DT Solo. Whenever I wasn't trying out a dozen of some other ball (none of which ever seemed to work as well) I'd play the DT Solo when I was feeling budget conscious and HX Diablo Tour when I was willing to splurge a bit.

For my low clubhead speed game, they perform fairly similar from tee to green (HX Diablo Tour maybe gets a distance edge with the driver but not much). I just thought the HX Diablo Tour was an awesome ball for chipping and putting. All the hex dimple balls seem to roll real smooth and true for me. But on a driver, iron or wedge shot I wouldn't say either was worlds better than the other.

I have played quite a few rounds with the older NXT Tour back before finding that the DT Solo and HX Diablo Tour worked better for me. I thought either of the other two flew a bit higher and stayed in the air a couple yards longer on full shots. I also thought the NXT Tour felt a bit heavy or dead on short-game shots, although the performance was fine.

The two-piece HX Diablo is not a particularly good ball in my estimation. I'd just as soon play the DT Solo. For me, the three-piece Surlyn/ionomer balls like the HX Diablo Tour (or many others from other brands) really do seem to feel/sound a bit nicer and possibly carry a tiny bit farther off my driver than the two-piecers. But they go for $25-$30 a dozen rather than $20-ish and if I'm in a phase where I'm losing a couple of balls a round in the woods or water I stick to the $20/dozen two-piecers.

jonnyrose · November 7, 2012

I'm a big fan of the Diablo Tour. It has a great feel off the driver, irons and putter. Distance is great, and though they won't stop on a dime, they generate plenty of spin to be playable. The three-piece technology makes this a much better ball than its baby brother, the two-piece Diablo. Though I haven't played NXT Tours in a while, I used them exclusively in the early 2000's. I remember that ball as being spinnier than the Diablo Tour with a much softer and thinner cover.

Fourmyle of Ceres · November 7, 2012

In my experience, I can find a few two-piece balls (like the DT Solo) that come close to the performance of a good three-piecer. But it takes some shopping around to find one. Most of the three-piece ionomer/Surlyn balls perform well. I can almost pick any one I like and get the same performance. A lot of the two-piece balls are just hard feeling and/or short hitting for me.

Problem is, most of those three-piecers also cost over $25/dozen. Ow, my wallet, my poor wallet...

marte · November 7, 2012

This summer I tested, played rounds with HX Diablo Tour, TM RBZ, TM Burner Tour. t**. Velocity and NXT Tour "s" (soft not spin), Noodle+ Long and Soft. Of these my favourite was Diablo Tour (really liked it).
Least favourite by far was the t**. Tour "s". Also played a round or 2 with Pinnacle Gold and DT Solo and they were fine. For free...give the Diablo Tours a try-what's to lose. I got a dozen on sale at Walmart in Canada for $21...not bad.