What do you look for in a golf ball? Is it distance? Soft feel? Accuracy? Maybe a urethane cover?
Undoubtedly, you are sitting there nodding your head “YES!”, just like the hopeless golfing addicts which we all are, so, what if I told you that Callaway has a ball which checks all those boxes?
What if I told you it is only $39.99? Do I still have your attention?
Well, what if I told you that ball was the ERC Soft?
2023 Callaway ERC Soft
Now, before you accuse me of trying to pull one over on you, sit back and see why the newest iteration of the ERC Soft does, in fact, check all those aforementioned performance traits off of the list. You see, while on the internet, we golfers tend to believe to have a golf ball that offers all of those things then you absolutely must use a “Tour” style golf ball, but there is much more to it than that.
When ERC Soft came onto the scene Callaway was looking to establish a foothold in what was the fastest growing segment for golf balls. The goal was to produce a ball which would not just fill a hole for them at the sub forty dollar realm, but one that also brought a soft feel, higher launch, straight distance, and control around the greens. The ERC Soft did that, quickly gaining popularity among the golfers who represent the biggest portion of the bell curve.
All of that said, although golfers have enjoyed the soft feel and extreme distance through its two iterations, some feedback fell into questioning just how different it was performance wise from others in the lineup at a lower price point, like the SuperSoft. Yes, the ERC Soft is a three-piece compared to the SuperSoft’s two, but there was something in the equation missing to really set it apart not just among other Callaway golf balls, but this segment as a whole. They believe they have done that now.
Don’t fret, the soft feel and extreme distance is still packed into this three-piece design, it might actually be longer. Callaway started with the core and brought their Hyper Elastic SoftFast Core over from Chrome Soft. This was done because the technology in that core works on a molecular level to increase the resiliency of the material by activating more cross-sections. That resiliency means even more speed potential without any sacrifice of compression or feel changes.
The High Speed Mantle keeps the energy transfer between layers efficient, and that is what ties the SoftFast Core together with what is sure to be the most eye catching improvement, the implementation of Callaway’s new GRIP Urethane Coating on the Hybrid Cover. This coating is focused purely on wedge performance and has a higher “elongation point” (how much stretch it can take before breaking) which quite literally keeps the ball on the wedge face longer to increase spin with a flatter trajectory as well. How much spin? Callaway is claiming around 400 RPM more than the previous version of the ERC Soft, which is a massive increase.
You wanted differentiation? It would certainly appear that Callaway was listening. If that wasn’t enough though, they are also bringing the ERC Soft REVA to market in 2023, which is the same impressive design, but with its unique purple and charcoal colorway for the Triple Track which comes standard on both versions.
The Details
The 2023 Callaway ERC Soft is aimed at the golfer who wants more distance, softer feel, and any extra spin around the green they can get. With the implementation of the new GRIP Urethane, hitting stores on 1/27/23 at $39.99, this golf ball might just take that segment by storm and increase Callaway’s golf ball market share surge even more.
Are you the type of player who could benefit from what Callaway is bringing to the table with the 2023 ERC Soft? Let us know why, or why not, on the THP Community or in the comments below!
