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Callaway HEX Black and Chrome balls

SuperStroke
ghsace said:
huh. I hope they start making the hex black in yellow too!
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I Agree..yellow for the hex black is a must


^^^^^^ I Tapped That ^^^^^^
 
I imagine if the Chrome sells well they will release the Black in yellow for sure. I am still on the fence as to which ball I like best. My last round I was hitting the Chrome pretty well off the tee, but it seems so many people are getting more sidespin off the driver with the Chrome. Only time will tell but I want to get it nailed down soon so I can continue to practice with the ball I will be using for the Morgan Cup.
 
Budgetgolf.com has free personalization on Callaway Hex Chrome Black and Chrome, as well as Hx Diablo, Hx Diablo Tour, and Solaire from April 2nd through June 29. Their price right now is $35.95 for the Chrome and $45.95 for the Black.

http://www.budgetgolf.com

Halfway down page on left hand side.
 
INgolfer said:
I imagine if the Chrome sells well they will release the Black in yellow for sure. I am still on the fence as to which ball I like best. My last round I was hitting the Chrome pretty well off the tee, but it seems so many people are getting more sidespin off the driver with the Chrome. Only time will tell but I want to get it nailed down soon so I can continue to practice with the ball I will be using for the Morgan Cup.
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Chrome buddy, I love that ball and I'm just not seeing this excess spin off the tee. I'm getting at least an extra 5-10 yards off the tee with the Chrome over the black. Enough said.
 
I am really glad I bought another dozen of the Chrome to try. When I got my first sleeve I just wasn't hitting the ball well that day, and the few shots where I pulled a Black out of the bag I hit the Blacks well. Now that I got another dozen to give them a try I am seeing some good results. I am going to continue to use the Chrome until I run out before I try the Black again. I don't want to keep switching back and forth throughout the round. I need to spend a few weeks with one, and then a few weeks with the other, and then I think I will be able to get a good judgement. I am seeing great distance with both, but after my round last week with the Chrome I definitely think I'm seeing some better short iron spin with the Chrome. Only thing that was worrying me my last round was the launch. My Diablos launch higher than I was previously used to, which I like, but a few shots with the Chrome launched higher than I was seeing with the Black, so I don't know if it was just the wind that day (it was very windy) or if it was my swing, but whatever it was I want to make sure I play a ball that doesn't launch too high since I am already getting a good launch with my irons.
 
Played an early morning 9 today and knew I would be battling the maintenance crew so I bought a sleeve of Chromes to play vs my Pro V1x. In my short, unscientific testing, I felt the distance off the tee was easily as good - completely nutted one Chrome tee shot 370y on a down hill perfect line which is hard to ignore. Pro V1x felt a little softer, which I like and spun just a bit more on full iron/wedge shots. Chipped both a half dozen times or so on the last green side by side (using SW from 20-40 feet) to test the short game spin more directly and would say they were pretty even. Gonna play out the sleeve to get more data, but as long as I can find Pro V1 practice balls for $30/dozen, I'm gonna be hard pressed to use anything else.
 
I spoke to Callaway this morning about a club issue (return repair) and I happened to mention this thread and our conversation regarding black versus chrome and the differences that people are seeing. I got a pretty knowledgble rep, the best I've spoken to. Here is what she had to say, broken up in 3 areas: driver, full wedge, partial wedge (around the green):

Black - With the driver, the ball is by design meant to spin a little less, it's "optimized for distance", to really engage that optimization, you need slightly higher swing speed, say 95, but she said with my 90 driver SS I would be fine in the black ball, she told me the flight would be lower, would spin less, and would be longer. With a full wedge, she said the ball would also spin a little less, I would get check and slight roll out with black ball. With a partial wedge, around the green, the ball should behave exactly like the chrome ball

Chrome - With the driver, the chrome is designed to spin a little more, with slower SS, the ball gets in the air easier and stays there, this results in more distance for lower SS, but it also can magnify slices and hooks, with a higher SS, the ball may ballon. With a full wedge, the ball should stop exactly where it lands, with tons of check (this is exactly what I'm seeing, it's fantastic with a full wedge!!!). With a partial wedge, around the green, the ball should behave exactly like the black ball. The chrome will feel softer because it's a 3-piece and has a lower compression.

My takeaway (if you have a slightly lower SS) - it's a choice between having a ball that is slightly longer on average and straighter off the tee that has good spin with a full wedge, versus a ball that can be even longer when struck perfectly, but will cut and hook when you miss, but offers superior drop and stop performance with a full wedge from 100 yards

To me, it seems like it's the same choice between a ProV1 and a ProV1x

FB
 
great info Frank, thanks for sharing!
 
I splurged and bought a dozen of the Black last night, and took them for a go this morning.

Driver: The distance was definitely there, however, the ball tended to slice a little more than I liked. I even let a couple get completely away from me. Not as straight at the i(z) was for me last year...

Wedges: Had several approach shots from 30-100 yards out go right where I wanted them. I love the feel of this ball when approaching the green.
 
I'm playing the chrome ball right now. It freaking rules.


Sent from someone else's iPhone using Tapatalk
 
that's great info Frank, thanks for sharing!

Frank Bullitt said:
I spoke to Callaway this morning about a club issue (return repair) and I happened to mention this thread and our conversation regarding black versus chrome and the differences that people are seeing. I got a pretty knowledgble rep, the best I've spoken to. Here is what she had to say, broken up in 3 areas: driver, full wedge, partial wedge (around the green):

Black - With the driver, the ball is by design meant to spin a little less, it's "optimized for distance", to really engage that optimization, you need slightly higher swing speed, say 95, but she said with my 90 driver SS I would be fine in the black ball, she told me the flight would be lower, would spin less, and would be longer. With a full wedge, she said the ball would also spin a little less, I would get check and slight roll out with black ball. With a partial wedge, around the green, the ball should behave exactly like the chrome ball

Chrome - With the driver, the chrome is designed to spin a little more, with slower SS, the ball gets in the air easier and stays there, this results in more distance for lower SS, but it also can magnify slices and hooks, with a higher SS, the ball may ballon. With a full wedge, the ball should stop exactly where it lands, with tons of check (this is exactly what I'm seeing, it's fantastic with a full wedge!!!). With a partial wedge, around the green, the ball should behave exactly like the black ball. The chrome will feel softer because it's a 3-piece and has a lower compression.

My takeaway (if you have a slightly lower SS) - it's a choice between having a ball that is slightly longer on average and straighter off the tee that has good spin with a full wedge, versus a ball that can be even longer when struck perfectly, but will cut and hook when you miss, but offers superior drop and stop performance with a full wedge from 100 yards

To me, it seems like it's the same choice between a ProV1 and a ProV1x

FB
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Frank B, thanks for posting that...its about what I thought we should expect from the two balls. I have a slower driver swing speed (upper 90s), so I am not seeing much difference between the two balls with the driver.

These balls do not feel the same to me in the short game, though. I don't have any problem with the Chrome on full wedge shots, but I get noticeably less spin out of the Chrome with chips and short pitches. I have two sleeves of Chromes left, so I will keep giving them a try....I would definitely prefer to play the less expensive ball if I can get it to work for me in the short game.
 
Good info Frank, I'm going Black, because you know what they say . . .

Seriously though, I expected to be happier with the Chrome, but I slice it too much. I get a much straighter ball flight with the Black.
 
Smallville said:
Good info Frank, I'm going Black, because you know what they say . . .

Seriously though, I expected to be happier with the Chrome, but I slice it too much. I get a much straighter ball flight with the Black.
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I am kinda in the same boat Smallie...I did just buy 2 more dozen of the Chrome on ebay for 22 bucks a dozen...so I am going to continue to expiriment, but right now the Blacks are just much begtter off the tee and with the longer clubs.

I am not ruling anything out at this point because we still have a couple of months...but right now I am definately leaning Black.
 
I've been playing the Black for several weeks now, and it is still by far my favorite ball I've ever played. The short game performance is unreal for me. I absolutely love the spin and feel I get around the greens. When I catch it good off the driver or 4 wood, it just goes forever. If I don't hit it on the center of the face, I don't compress it well and I lose a bunch of distance. Otherwise, this ball is just amazing. I haven't ever tried the Chrome, but I think I may at some point to see if I like it as much.
 
So after talking to Callaway, I decided that I had to put this issue to bed once and for all. I went to Roger Dunn and Golfsmith and took my driver and 7-iron. I hit the chrome and the black ball on the launch monitor. Here are my results:

7-Iron

7iron.jpg


Driver (under side spin for the chrome ball, the mouse pointer was in front of the number, it reads -550 - a huge difference versus the black ball)
driver.jpg
 
So, based on the results above, I'm playing the black ball. I was really surprised to see the increase in side spin with the 7-iron. I was told by my club fitting buddy at Golfsmith that the numbers for the black ball for the 7-iron were really consistent. The difference in spin off the driver was VERY different....

I think the black ball is for me because I'm not straight off the tee, I need a little spin control. If someone was really straight, then the chrome ball is better. But for me, I'm wiling to take a little less wedge spin to be straighter of the tee. I know that CoolBreeze loves the Chrome, and I'll bet he's pretty straight, I'm not, I hook AND slice....

The Titleist fitting tool asks if you hit the driver straight, and then if you hit long irons straight, and then if you hit wedges straight. If you answer no to the first two, they fit you in the ProV1x, if you answer yes to the first, they fit in you in the ProV1 - I think the same applies here...

So, I'm a black ball guy....done deal....
 
I have to say that ball selection is very personal, just like club fitting. Everyone has a different swing path and angle to the ball which will result in numerous different results.

When I tried out the chrome ball I found that my driver distance was about 5-15 yards father off the tee than the black. However, I noticed that the spin into greens on short chips was near non-existent.

I like to fire darts at the pin that will stick next to the landing spot. The chrome would not check up at all and just kept rolling past the pin as if it were a distance ball.

So based on my preferences I stuck with the black and opted for more control around the green, which the black ball gave me.

For anyone considering between these two balls I'd have to say to just try them out for yourself and make an informed decision.
 
Very interesting ball numbers. I have a swing speed of 90 mph, straight to small draw. Based on what I have been reading, it lookes like for slower swing speeds the Chrome should be the correct ball so I gave it a try. I have not played the Black but after several rounds with the Chrome, I find the ball to do just what I want. I should look around and find a place with a monitor to see what my numbers look like. One factor was the Chrome is $10 less that the Black.
 
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Great info Frank B and others. Think when I got a sleeve of Chromes I tested the "wrong one" against my V1x - Black is designed to be similar if I read right. My driver SS is about 100 and I definitely want straight off the tee and would give up a little spin for that. If I misinterepreted the feedback here, please stop me from wasting $15 on a sleeve of Blacks!
 
JK said:
Great info Frank B and others. Think when I got a sleeve of Chromes I tested the "wrong one" against my V1x - Black is designed to be similar if I read right. My driver SS is about 100 and I definitely want straight off the tee and would give up a little spin for that. If I misinterepreted the feedback here, please stop me from wasting $15 on a sleeve of Blacks!
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I believe you are reading this correct....chrome will be longer but with more sidespin off tee
black will be shorter but hopefully straighter

chrome will be spinnier around greens, the black will be less
 
mikedean441 said:
I believe you are reading this correct....chrome will be longer but with more sidespin off tee
black will be shorter but hopefully straighter

chrome will be spinnier around greens, the black will be less
Click to expand...

Not so fast......The new golf digest came out (May issue), I've got it on the iPad, they have a huge roundup of balls, measured by launch angle and spin with a wedge. It should be noted that BOTH balls did really well, BUT, the black ball had more wedge spin than the chrome ball. The black ball had more wedge spin than both ProV1 and ProV1x, plus, the Black ball did it with higher launch angle, I think it's the star ball of 2012 - BUT, the Chrome ball is without question the star of this round up. In the image I'll copy below, all the red balls represent premium balls, but the lone 20 ball (in green), is a mid-priced ball and it's the Chrome ball. Callaway should be VERY happy with this review. VERY STRANGE is that the two new TM balls (Penta 5 and Penta 3) are not in the roundup, I'm willing to bet that TM is not happy with Golf Digest because of the 2012 annual club review. I thought TM had a bad showing in the equipment issue as the Razr Fit was picked as standout driver of the year, the RBZ fairway wood was described as "hard to get in the air" and both the Ping and Callaway FW woods were ranked higher than the new RBZ FW woods, but I digress, this is an issue for another forum topic....

Wedge Launch Angle and Spin Table from May 2012 Ball Roundup - Golf Digest (I've got it sorted on the iPad to just show the premium balls):
golfdigest.jpg
 
dod did the c/s rep technically misinform u?
 
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