Last year Callaway launched the latest iteration of the Chrome Soft and Chrome Soft X golf balls. Immediate feedback from golfers on the THP Forum suggested that both balls were high in performance to go along with the tech story. Today a third member of the family is here called the Chrome Soft X LS (CSX LS).
Despite what is mentioned around the internet, distance is not just pure speed. That is one component of what you are looking for in a golf ball to create maximum length and consistency. Spin, launch angle and a number of other factors are included in this equation as well. For many golfers, choosing a ball starts at the green and works backwards, and while that equation works just fine, the difference between golf balls with full swings differ quite a bit (we saw 10 yards with an 8 iron). We tested this out in a recent video you can find here.
The Callaway golf ball line was already fairly robust, and at the top of that lineup was the Chrome Soft and Chrome Soft X. On one end of this two ball spectrum you have low spin off the tee and solid speed and spin around the green, while on the other end of the spectrum you have one of the fastest golf balls on the market that is also higher in spin. Enter Chrome Soft X LS.
The Chrome Soft X LS is a 4-piece single core construction that is in some ways a compromise between the two. Although compromise is probably not the right word since there were no compromises used to create the CSX LS. What this offers is speed. Very fast speed while also maintaining low spin.
Large SoftFast core was designed to deliver high speeds, but not just with the driver, throughout the bag. The mantle layers are fairly unique in that the inner mantle is quite soft, while the outer mantle is more firm and together they create…you guessed it, SPEED! The CSX LS is then wrapped in a very thin urethane cover that in our testing is pretty darn durable.
As faster swinging golfers search for distance without the increase in spin, the CSX LS delivers that, yet makes no compromises around the green. Is low spin and distance throughout the bag necessary for everybody? No. In fact, many golfers will fit squarely into Chrome Soft or Chrome Soft X in the Callaway lineup. This third option is best suited for better players that are looking for spin reduction on full swings, especially with longer clubs such as off the tee, without losing control green side.
For those that wonder about the usage breakdown, it goes something like this. Chrome Soft is the number one selling tour ball from Callaway. Chrome Soft X is their most used ball on tour. While Callaway expects most tour pros to stay with Chrome Soft X, the initial conversion to CSX LS by a few has already taken place. Marc Leishman, Akshay Bhatia and Wesley Bryan all have made the switch to the lower spinning option.
Which one of the three options is best suited for you? Give us your thoughts below.
The Details
In Stores: March 18th, 2021
Cost: $47.99
Options: White, Triple Track and Yellow with Triple Track
Would love to hear @Canadan ’s thoughts on these since he plays the same ball for mostly the same reasons as me (albeit he does to a much higher level).
I’ll be at HQ in a couple weeks. Maybe I’ll smuggle a sleeve onto the golf course while I’m down there to get some info.
….and maybe I’ve got bigger plans for the Tech Studio + video potential
Really thought he would dunk a couple of those.
Same here. he was getting pretty close on a couple of those.
I think it’s interesting he saw the most gain through the irons and the wedges/scoring irons spun pretty close to each other.
I am hoping I can find some to buy in just a sleeve instead of the dozen. Could be a very fun test.
I’m with you. A sleeve to test would be great.
To the whole part of the conversation where they said they had to throw out a couple 50yd wedge shots that seemed to slip on the face and dropped a couple thousand spin.
i was fit into it yesterday and averaged 95-99 CHS with driver yesterday.
That one left me scratching my head a bit. I guess that wedge shots higher off the face saw that spin reduction. Being indoors I don’t think any "debris" or anything like that would be in play.
I’m thinking the same thing. I’m really interested to see how they work for me but can’t justify buying a full dozen of they end up being a bad fit.
I:. "The tolerances were so tight with the LS that it had to be a great strike to make it spin at 8100 or it would drop to 6000"
M:. "It was finicky I found. Yeah. A couple shots I thought I struck well that kind of felt a bit slippy.."
I don’t think ‘finicky’, or less consistent, is probably what Callaway would want to hear said there, but Finley was talking about softer ball forgiveness so who knows. I’m sure they’re getting comments about that though and I’m looking forward to their follow up against the other high compression low spin offerings.
Edit: Yep. In the comments. Sidenote – spotted a couple comments from THP’ers on that vid too!
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This video really peaked my interest. Seeing how closely it plays to the CSX while differing exactly where Callaway suggested it would was great to see!
There really done a great job ensuring that each model is different enough from the others to ensure they’re able to fit a broad spectrum.
Loved it. I love the sound/feel if it off the irons. It is noticeable when I have a miss-hit, but I don’t feel like I lost much on those either.
Limited sample. But one of the things I was worried about was firmness off the putter face. And, that will likely be a non issue.
At one point, TXG really had my full attention, but this continual editing of the shots is turning me off. This was the most important information in the test/review in my opinion. Who wants a ball with that much variance in spin on such a delicate shot, where you have to have predictability. I want to see Matty boy on those swings, to determine whether it is complete user swing-related. I am beginning to believe that there is way too much editing going on.
Use a White Hot OG and you are good to go, LOL.
Haha, not a fan of inserts. But, it is definitely an acceptable level of feedback off my Toulon San Diego.
The simple answer is yes. I’ve compared the two in small sample size but LS was the better choice for me of the two
Perfect!!!!
This is exactly what I needed to hear! Left dash is great but just a little too firm (mainly talking about the feel off the putter).
I talked about this part of the vid with a fitter yesterday and we had an interesting discussion about expected spin consistency on partials with hard, low spin balls.
That exchange just jumped out at me and I felt bad for Callaway that they would say that if it was a user inconsistency, or say it without getting into it a little further maybe. If it is in fact a thing, then show all the shots/data, include that in the standard deviations, postulate as to why it might be, and then test again another time with another ball maybe? They have so much influence it just seemed way to Woah to throw out there casually like that to me. :confused2:
These arrived yesterday! Just in time for the rounds this weekend!
Official day is March 18th I believe but they are popping up a little before that in some places
I’ve been gaming the CSX since the ’19 GD and have loved it, so not sure if I’ll make the switch, but if I can pickup some carry distance with the driver and maintain distances with irons I’ll be jumping in!
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I am more interested in the guitar that is photo bombing us.
Haha. It’s a Fender. Wife and in laws bought it for me a long time ago. I took some lessons and then joined the Navy and shipped off to bootcamp and forgot everything. Took a couple more while stationed in Washington state and then deployed, so forgot everything again. Just never picked it up. I am just keeping it for my daughter because she’s really into music.
I’ve only seen the TT versions in person but I know plain white will be available when they officially release on the 18th.
On irons, the ball feels….clicky isn’t the right word. Fuller maybe? I hit a CSx and LS back to back a couple of times throughout the round when we had some down time and though they are the same compression, the LS felt like there was more behind it. That may not make any sense. It was my very first time using the ball so I will try to get a more defined comparative feel in the next few rounds.
Besides feel, like I said on the woods, the ball goes! It was cooler outside so loss of distance should have been somewhat noticeable, but I was able to hit my distances exactly how I feel like I should be during mid season. So there may be a little more in these than I’m even seeing right now. It will have to get warmer for me to verify what kind of distance gains, if any, I’m actually seeing.
With wedges and true approach shots, these still have all the spin on them you could ask for which is the claim. Lower spin on driver and full iron shots while still retaining close to, if not the same, spin on approach/wedge play. Even on the little touch shots around the green, these wouldn’t run out on me. Granted, our greens were a little on the soft and slow side. So I could be off here once the grass livens up but for now, I don’t feel like I’m at a disadvantage using these around the green.
As I said, this was all a really early eye test, but I’m liking what I’m seeing!
The Edwin Watts where I got mine yesterday had them.
Hearing this has me even more excited to get these out to the course!
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Yep. Me too. Saw some non-Triple Trackers and grabbed them to try. Curiousity got the better of me.