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Callaway HEX Black and Chrome balls

SuperStroke
I've been offline for 3 days, just ended my annual family 3-day golf event, played 54 over 3 straight days. I have much to chime in here on this.

First of all I was convinced the Chrome was my ball of choice for 2012. Prior to this event, I happened to hear a swing tip from Martin Hall that really resonated with me. I put the tip into play at the range and I saw a dramatic difference in ball flight and distance, hit the ball much higher, and picked up 10 yards a club. Tried it the next day at range, same results, first day of play, first 9 was horrible, gutted it out and by back 9 on day one the range results came back and I was able to repeat the range results for next 2.5 days with dramatic results....my typical drives are 230, with this tip I was hitting 245, several 255, most in the 238 to 242 range - life is nice when you have 7/8 in versus a 4 hybrid...so....my results with the ball are influenced by this swing change.

The Chrome is LONG!!!!! The Chrome for me was GREAT with 6 through 9 iron - these clubs were much higher and the ball flight was fantastic, my short game over the 3 days wasn't great, I feel like this ball compares to the 330 RX, is not a glue-like around the greens like the Tour IS, but the Chrome is longer, I can feel it compress with driver and irons, it feels soft on full shots, but is a little clicky around the greens. I think it has better ball graphics (versus previous Callaway balls, these graphics are smaller), and is MUCH better in the wind (we played in Santa Ana winds on Friday), we played Strawberry Farms, Costa Mesa CC, and Tjeras Creek, I shot 88, 86, and 87, in very competitive conditions with no pickups, money on the line, and family pressure to beat brothers, dad, and uncle... (I had 5 penalty strokes over the 3 days because I hit the ball too far, over greens into a hazard, a good miss!!!!!) I was VERY happy with the ball after Friday's round, but then I spoke to Callaway late Friday about a club repair issue I'm having, I happen to ask about the difference between Black and Chrome and I was told "you should be playing the black ball - you'll hit it straighter"....now I hit a few pretty nasty slices with the Chrome ball, much bigger banana balls then I'm used to, so this got me thinking, I called back, got another rep, and was told same thing....for me, this begs a question, is the Black/Chrome relationship like the ProV1/ProV1X? with the Chrome ball similar to the ProV1 (it spins more off the tee?). Before these balls were released, a Callaway rep told me that "with my swing speed I would be better in the Chrome" (my driver SS is 88 to 90)....so the company is sending mixed messages on who this ball is for? Is it just price? Or is one ball better off the tee in terms of accuracy (black), while the other compresses easily for lower speeds due to fewer layers but also cuts more (chrome) but the extra spin helps with 6/7 irons (chrome)....one thing is FOR SURE, I hit the Chrome much higher with my mid irons and hybrids than I ever did with the Tour IZ or IS (and I've played every Callaway ball since the Tour 56 - I really like the dimple pattern)...

As some of you know, I have access to some nice launch gear, I have a friend that works at Golfsmith and I'm able to go in and pound balls on the monitor just before they close and compare whatever. Wednesday night I'm going to compare Black/Chrome with driver and 7 iron and report back (should I post this in new thread or here?). Today I'm going to do some short game work and compare the two, which I'll report back here...

All this and I'm still confused?? The one thing I wish the company would clarify is which ball is straighter off the tee for the slower swing speeds? They used to have a ball selector on the site, no matter what I put in, I was told to play wither Tour IZ or Tour IS, they've taken that down, and I'm sure something new will go up soon to include the two new balls. I would really like to hear someone's opinion on which ball is straighter off the tee that has tried both that has similar, old man, swing speed like I have....LOL....

FB
 
Great write up FrankB and those are some pretty good scores you put up there. Looking forward to what you think of the black after you get some swings in with it.
 
You know the Chrome reminds me of another great ball from a performance standpoint. All or most of THP know the ball that I refer to. A hint... Blind Ball Testing Review. When I was looking for a ball that would hop and stop I was turned on to the RX. I am loving the Chrome because it reminds me of that offering from a performance perpsective but yet there is something I like more about the Chrome. I am a little perplexed about a change from i(z) to one of these because i don't know which I like more. As I sit here looking out the window I wanna lean towards....

Chrome


Alex

BTW.. I agree with a lot of your sentiments and great write and read.
 
I've played the last 2 rounds with the Chrome and Black. I'd start with the black and play about half the round with it (or lose it) then switched balls, and alternated like that.
I'm a 22 handicap with some swing consistency problems, and my driver swing speed is 89-91. I understand why Callaway says the Chrome is for moderate swing speeds. I'm really able to get that smash factor going with the Chrome and I have to hit the Hex Black really pure in order to get the same impact quality and distance with it as the Chrome.

I like the performance of the Black on approach shots to the green vs. the Chrome. It seems more solid and a bit lower ball flight. And i mean all distances of approach shots. I hit a beautiful 4 hybrid from 180 out and the ball had a mid trajectory, beautiful little draw, hit the front of the green between two bunkers, just as I intended, and rolled to three and half feet of the pin. Best shot I've hit to a green, maybe ever, using the Hex Black. But I can't control the Black from the tee. If I put my best swing on it, then yes, it goes long and straight. But I've also hit quite a few OB by putting too much of a hook spin on them. I can keep the Chrome much straighter than the Black.

If I could, I'd play the Chrome off the tee then switch it to the Black on the fairway. Since that's not possible, between the two, the Chrome is better for my game. The Callaway balls are only available in white, and I've come to really like the fluorescent yellow offerings that some of the other ball makers use. That's the only thing that would keep me from making the Chrome my regular ball out on the course, because the overall performance of the ball, and the reasonable price, make it really attractive.
 
Bullit, please post your results here so we can all find them.

I am very intrigued by the different results people are getting with these balls. Prior to the release, I was confused over which ball might be considered a "distance" ball, and which onemight be more of a spin ball. Just based on the price point and the 3-layer vs. 5 layer, I thought theChrome would be more of a distance type of ball, bu tthe Callaway website was not very clear.

Now, I am not a high spin player. I'm ore of a sweeper and don't hit down on the ball that much. With the Black, I am getting tons of spin, particularly in the short game, and I love it. I really don't care for the Chrome; I get very little spin, and I don't think Ihit it any longer off the tee than the Black. I actually think I got more sidespin with the Black, but then I was playing it with my new driver and I had not really dialed in my driver swing at that time. I am anxious to hit the Black again now that I am straighter off the tee.
 
Just got back from chipping session. Hit 3 chrome, 3 black, back and forth, these were short shots, 5 paces of fringe, 15 to 30 paces of green....I did not see much difference, I have brand new forged wedges with really sharp grooves, and I thought both were very similar. My brother came with me, went through same routine, same shot, felt both were very close, he's decided to play the Chrome, he's a 10.6, he's of the opinion that if you put a good move on it, you can spin anything, I disagree....he felt the two balls are very close, but that the difference would come in full wedges from 80 to 120 yards - black better, he thinks Chrome is way better off the tee, I agree....I'm pretty sure I'm going with Chrome...we'll see after I see real numbers from monitor on Wednesday....

FB
 
Got both of these out on the course today for the first time. I had spent a lot of time around the greens and based on greenside spin it was clear to me that I was getting more spin with the Black than the Chrome. I was anxious to get out and see how they performed on the course. Without getting into too many details these are the things I came away with.

1. Definitely more sidespin on the Chrome ball. Every drive with the Black was straight today, one had a very slight fade. Every drive with the Chrome was a power fade, definitely not something I liked. The Black is definitely straighter for me off the tee
2. Chrome spins more on full wedge shots. The Black spins great, actually just as good as the Pentas I have always loved. I had a couple of full wedge shots where the ball ended up a foot behind the ball mark. However, the Chrome was backing up several feet on each wedge shot. It surprises me that it gets so much spin on the full shots but definitely not as much around the greens. Overall both are great spinning balls on full shots though
3. These things are as durable as durable gets. I alternated with the balls on each hole, and a couple of times I decided to hit one of each from the fairway where I was at to see which one would go farther. So each ball got a decent amount of shots on them, and when I cleaned them after the round you couldnt even tell they had been used. FANTASTIC!
4. The Black is just as long for me as the Chrome. Both balls have good distance. I had a couple of shots today that flew over the green about 10 yards today with the Black, I was just really surprised with the distance I was getting on some shots. I crushed a couple of drives, wish I would have had my GPS to show how far I hit the drives because I was really impressed. On one hole I hit my drive with the Chrome, caught it dead center, and it faded to the right side of the fairway. I pulled out a Black and caught it very low on the face and it went about 15 yards past the Chrome.

All-in-all the Black is a clear winner for me. The ball rocks. I will probably designate the Chromes to putting practice now, otherwise I will probably lose them quick on the course with the way I was driving them. Very impressed with the Black ball, it definitely out-performs the Penta I played all last year.
 
3 holes with chrome....durable and a ton of spin on the greens im not used to, solid feel off of irons. not sure about tee ball cause i was terrible today
 
Well I had an up and down day with the Black today. When I kept it in play, this thing was a bomber. On a downhill dogleg par 5(cut the corner and downhill so the distance is not as extreme as it sounds) I hit a 340 yard drive. Then flubbed my next shot. Off the tee the Black is beastly. Perhaps a little more spin than the B330RX? Not sure. Had some big hooks today. Kept forgetting to hit mark on the Skycaddie so can't give you an average distance but it was big. I was impressed off the tee box. Around the greens the ball reacted much like the B330RX for me. Chips and pitches reacted the same with the same sort of roll out. Putting was very nice. Nice and soft coming off the FIT face of my Betti. Definitely a ball that I will continue to try.
 
Chunkylover77 said:
Well I had an up and down day with the Black today. When I kept it in play, this thing was a bomber. On a downhill dogleg par 5(cut the corner and downhill so the distance is not as extreme as it sounds) I hit a 340 yard drive. Then flubbed my next shot. Off the tee the Black is beastly. Perhaps a little more spin than the B330RX? Not sure. Had some big hooks today. Kept forgetting to hit mark on the Skycaddie so can't give you an average distance but it was big. I was impressed off the tee box. Around the greens the ball reacted much like the B330RX for me. Chips and pitches reacted the same with the same sort of roll out. Putting was very nice. Nice and soft coming off the FIT face of my Betti. Definitely a ball that I will continue to try.
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Nice thoughts Chunky. Glad to hear it is performing like advertised. I can't wait to game these.
 
Chunkylover77 said:
Well I had an up and down day with the Black today. When I kept it in play, this thing was a bomber. On a downhill dogleg par 5(cut the corner and downhill so the distance is not as extreme as it sounds) I hit a 340 yard drive. Then flubbed my next shot. Off the tee the Black is beastly. Perhaps a little more spin than the B330RX? Not sure. Had some big hooks today. Kept forgetting to hit mark on the Skycaddie so can't give you an average distance but it was big. I was impressed off the tee box. Around the greens the ball reacted much like the B330RX for me. Chips and pitches reacted the same with the same sort of roll out. Putting was very nice. Nice and soft coming off the FIT face of my Betti. Definitely a ball that I will continue to try.
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I was surprised by how far I was bombing the Black off the driver today too! I was hitting it farther than the Chrome. Definitely a little more spin than the RX off all the clubs, but nothing too extreme. I think the Chrome spins more off the driver than the Black. Difference for me is I am definitely getting more spin with the Black than the RX around the greens.
 
So I picked up a sleeve of the Hex Black for yesterdays round - and my results I would have to say are inconclusive. I really liked the distance and control off the tee - but my iron game was soo bad that I honestly can't give a real opinion about them. I was able to get a lot of spin on them around the greens - and in most instances too much as a lot of my pitches and chips came up short of the hole with quite a bit of action. I didn't lose a ball, but played 2 apparantly as I just happened to switch balls by mistake. Both look in pretty good shape - some of my wedge shots beat them up a bit and a cartpath and tree took its toll here and there... I think they are even more beat up as there was an hour frost delay before our tee time and I ended up hitting a lot of chips and pitches on the practice green. If I remember when I get home tonight I'll grab a few pics and post them in here.

All in all - I like them off the tee, and just have to get used to them around the greens. I am plannin on playing on Friday - and hope to have more information regarding full iron shots.
 
Interesting thoughts Chunk....the Black definitely has my interest for sure.

Chunkylover77 said:
Well I had an up and down day with the Black today. When I kept it in play, this thing was a bomber. On a downhill dogleg par 5(cut the corner and downhill so the distance is not as extreme as it sounds) I hit a 340 yard drive. Then flubbed my next shot. Off the tee the Black is beastly. Perhaps a little more spin than the B330RX? Not sure. Had some big hooks today. Kept forgetting to hit mark on the Skycaddie so can't give you an average distance but it was big. I was impressed off the tee box. Around the greens the ball reacted much like the B330RX for me. Chips and pitches reacted the same with the same sort of roll out. Putting was very nice. Nice and soft coming off the FIT face of my Betti. Definitely a ball that I will continue to try.
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I played another round with the Chrome today. I want to use up these balls before getting a dozen Black. Actually, I played pretty well today and consequently I liked the ball a lot more. I was getting tons of roll with the driver, which was turning decent drives into really pleasing drives. Spin with the irons was good, and the short game spin still was not where I would like it to be, but it was better than my last round with the Chrome. Even though I was hitting toe hooks for most of the day, the ball was flying pretty straight for me. I wound up giving a couple to my playing partners since I wasn't losing any and I'm ready to move back to the Black.
 
INgolfer said:
Got both of these out on the course today for the first time. I had spent a lot of time around the greens and based on greenside spin it was clear to me that I was getting more spin with the Black than the Chrome. I was anxious to get out and see how they performed on the course. Without getting into too many details these are the things I came away with.

1. Definitely more sidespin on the Chrome ball. Every drive with the Black was straight today, one had a very slight fade. Every drive with the Chrome was a power fade, definitely not something I liked. The Black is definitely straighter for me off the tee
2. Chrome spins more on full wedge shots. The Black spins great, actually just as good as the Pentas I have always loved. I had a couple of full wedge shots where the ball ended up a foot behind the ball mark. However, the Chrome was backing up several feet on each wedge shot. It surprises me that it gets so much spin on the full shots but definitely not as much around the greens. Overall both are great spinning balls on full shots though
3. These things are as durable as durable gets. I alternated with the balls on each hole, and a couple of times I decided to hit one of each from the fairway where I was at to see which one would go farther. So each ball got a decent amount of shots on them, and when I cleaned them after the round you couldnt even tell they had been used. FANTASTIC!
4. The Black is just as long for me as the Chrome. Both balls have good distance. I had a couple of shots today that flew over the green about 10 yards today with the Black, I was just really surprised with the distance I was getting on some shots. I crushed a couple of drives, wish I would have had my GPS to show how far I hit the drives because I was really impressed. On one hole I hit my drive with the Chrome, caught it dead center, and it faded to the right side of the fairway. I pulled out a Black and caught it very low on the face and it went about 15 yards past the Chrome.

All-in-all the Black is a clear winner for me. The ball rocks. I will probably designate the Chromes to putting practice now, otherwise I will probably lose them quick on the course with the way I was driving them. Very impressed with the Black ball, it definitely out-performs the Penta I played all last year.
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This is a really good review, I think the thing that makes the Chrome better for one person over another is swing speed. If someone has moderate swing speed, which is who the ball is being marketed to, then it will work well. If a player has higher swing speed, then it will probably cut more, which is sounds like was the case with you. How fast is your swing speed with the driver?
 
Frank Bullitt said:
This is a really good review, I think the thing that makes the Chrome better for one person over another is swing speed. If someone has moderate swing speed, which is who the ball is being marketed to, then it will work well. If a player has higher swing speed, then it will probably cut more, which is sounds like was the case with you. How fast is your swing speed with the driver?
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I agree with that. I went in to hitting the Chrome thinking it is going to be a lot like the Bridgestone RX, but I think the RX can withstand a little higher swingspeed than the Chrome. I think the Chrome compresses a little easier, so I think if you are around the 100mph swing speed it can be overcompressed and then the extra sidespin is created.
 
Frank Bullitt said:
This is a really good review, I think the thing that makes the Chrome better for one person over another is swing speed. If someone has moderate swing speed, which is who the ball is being marketed to, then it will work well. If a player has higher swing speed, then it will probably cut more, which is sounds like was the case with you. How fast is your swing speed with the driver?
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Which is really confusing me, because the only time I've had my swing speed checked, it was 90 to 95 in Florida in April 2010. I can't imagine that I've increased it past whatever it is that Callaway is considering a moderate swing speed. But I hit the Black a lot better.
 
Usually play the Prov1's but was given a sleeve of Blacks and got two more sleeves when I bought the RAZR-Fit. Used it today in a tournament (2-man Modified scramble).
not going to get into to heavy a review as I will hold my judgement until the warm weather and course conditions improve (grenes cut and rolled for the first time and it was 40-50* all day).

Driver - Very comparable to the Pro-V1, as advertised, not a lot of spin. Went straight. Distance was excellent considering the weather averaging ~ 250-260 (shorter than normal, but relate that to the cool and very soft conditions).
Approaches - Was sticking and even pulling back a few inches everything above a 7iron.
Chips/pitches - spun as expected, nothing more or less than the ProV1.
Putting- Really liked the feel, it rolled nice, came off the face nice and had a nice soft click to it.
Durability - Great, used the same ball ALL 18 HOLES without looking at the ball before teeing off and saying to myself, I should switch balls.


Overall thoughts - I really thought this ball performed well and comparible to the PRoV1. I was lucky enough to use the ball the entire round and it still likes in very good shape. From a pricing perspective, I would make the switch to save $3 or $4 per dozen, BUT I just purchased 4 Dozen (personalized) ProV1's in the Buy 3 get 1 Free. So not making the switch yet.

I will do a side by side comparison when I have the chance and want to see the performance once the temps get above 60*
 
Just got back from the course and the Black is def the ball for me, the chrome just did not agree with me at all. The ball flight with the Chrome was way to high(driver) and it also seemed to have quite a bit more side spin than the black does and less spin around the greens. I have loved the Black since day one of playing it at the end of last year and was hoping the chrome would work out since they are $10 a dozen cheaper but o well. HEX Black I love you lol.
 
All the stuff I said about how the Chromes were not for me are on hold while I work on my grip change. Now that I am getting through the ball better, these are growing on me.

I am going to play some other balls for a few rounds until my thumb doesn't hurt and I form a good callus. Then I'll go back to the Chromes. I don't want to lose them or ruin them! I still have two Blacks left that I am going to wait a while to play again too.
 
Smallville said:
All the stuff I said about how the Chromes were not for me are on hold while I work on my grip change. Now that I am getting through the ball better, these are growing on me.

I am going to play some other balls for a few rounds until my thumb doesn't hurt and I form a good callus. Then I'll go back to the Chromes. I don't want to lose them or ruin them! I still have two Blacks left that I am going to wait a while to play again too.
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What kind of grip change are you doing Smallie?
 
I moved my left thumb position a half inch to the right and it seems to be helping. It fits into the pad of my right hand better.
 
Smallville said:
I moved my left thumb position a half inch to the right and it seems to be helping. It fits into the pad of my right hand better.
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Gotcha....I am in the process of strengthening my grip as well....I really want to change to the overlap from interlock, but I just can't seem to get used to it.
 
TripleBogieTim said:
Gotcha....I am in the process of strengthening my grip as well....I really want to change to the overlap from interlock, but I just can't seem to get used to it.
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I didn't really strengthen it, just moved my thumb from the top of the grip to wrapping it around a little.

I mentioned it in the best shot of the day thread, we should probably get this one back to the balls.
 
Frank Bullitt said:
I've been offline for 3 days, just ended my annual family 3-day golf event, played 54 over 3 straight days. I have much to chime in here on this.

First of all I was convinced the Chrome was my ball of choice for 2012. Prior to this event, I happened to hear a swing tip from Martin Hall that really resonated with me. I put the tip into play at the range and I saw a dramatic difference in ball flight and distance, hit the ball much higher, and picked up 10 yards a club
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FB, what was the swing tip that helped you?
 
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