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Callaway Supersoft Ball

SuperStroke
MUTiger said:
I was full of anticipation, but I was not impressed with the Supersoft. I've been using the Duo for a year, and love it. However, when I read all the positive reviews here about the Supersoft it sounded like it might push the Duo out of my bag. In fairness, I guess the jury is still out, but for me the Supersoft is not as long as the Duo (it's close) and gives me far more sidespin. Not to say the quality (or lack thereof) was the main contributing factor, but I saw Supersofts go places I've seldom seen the Duo visit.

Saturday afternoon I had a chance to play an 18 hole match pitting the two balls against each other. I know the huge variable here is my swing, but the Duo won the match 71-76. There were several times I would hit a good shot with the Duo, and then watch basically the same shot with the Supersoft go far off line. I know I'd have to do this same match several more times to get a better overall picture, but for me the Duo still is a better ball. Plus, I like the softer feel of the Duo off the club face compared to the Supersoft. My 2 cents.
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Great thoughts! If you shot that 71 at Winterstone Saturday my hats off to you. Played there as well Saturday and that wind kicked my butt
 
I've played both the Duo and Supersoft and actually prefer the Supersoft. It's much easier to see and I've just preferred it in general. I really can't compare that much distance or side spin wise frankly because I'm a high handicapper whose swing is inconsistent to begin with. The ball stays on the green quite well though.
 
I played a few holes Saturday with a yellow supersoft I found on the course and don't dislike it, but don't think I will be purchasing any. Off the tee it seemed to be straight but I couldn't judge distance because I haven't played that course enough times to know my usual landing area. With my irons the supersoft flew well but I just didn't like how soft it felt when hitting a full iron shot. On one hole I hit a 4 iron punch from about 160 to keep it below the trees and just let it run up to the green. I hit down on it a little too much and it felt like I had hit a rubber super bounce ball. It shot about 30 feet then hit the ground, bounced about 10 feet in the air and dove straight down with a huge amount of top spin and then ran on the ground all the way to the green. My swing definitely wasn't the best but it was interesting to see because I have never seen a golf ball react anything like that. Putting it felt too soft for me but I prefer a little clicker feel off of my putter. The supersoft may not be for me but can definitely see the benefit for someone with a slightly slower swing speed or that likes a softer feel.
 
TexasHacker34 said:
Great thoughts! If you shot that 71 at Winterstone Saturday my hats off to you. Played there as well Saturday and that wind kicked my butt
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The rounds were at Winterstone. Seems the winds been brutal all spring, including today. Played yesterday morning at 7:30 and it was coming in hard from the south. I tried the Supersoft again and was five over after four holes. Went back to the Duo and played the next 14 holes in 2 over. I know the ball can't make THAT much difference, but there's something about my swing that made those Supersofts sidespin like crazy.
 
MUTiger said:
The rounds were at Winterstone. Seems the winds been brutal all spring, including today. Played yesterday morning at 7:30 and it was coming in hard from the south. I tried the Supersoft again and was five over after four holes. Went back to the Duo and played the next 14 holes in 2 over. I know the ball can't make THAT much difference, but there's something about my swing that made those Supersofts sidespin like crazy.
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We will have to get out for a round soon. Course was in pretty good shape.
 
Of all the balls I played in the last 5 rounds. I would say the super soft is best in the wind
 
Updated post:

Older part:

Played 36 holes this weekend and switched between the supersoft and duo to further test... I can add a few more comments. The Supersoft is straighter than the DUO by about 5-10 yards, trying to work this ball to the right or left is harder. I can work the DUO to some extent (as much as a soft 2 piece ball can be worked) but the Supersoft just wants to go straight, 4-5 times I tried to hit a hook and the ball was a slight draw vs. the DUO where I can put a strong draw. The difference was usually about 5-10 yards less draw/fade than I could get with the DUO. With that said I would recommend the Supersoft for those who suffer from the hook/slice bug, but as I try to work the ball the DUO was better for me.

I also believe this plays into the spin around the green, I continue to find the DUO has more greenside spin than the Supersoft, however I gain ~5 yards on my shots with the Supersoft, so once again its the old distance vs. greenside spin argument. However with that said, I don't think anyone who wants high spin on their wedge shots is playing a two piece ball so I have to give the benefit to the Supersoft in regards to distance.

Both the DUO and the Supersoft shine with a moderate swing speed, there is no need to try and kill the ball when your swinging at one of these low compression balls. In my opinion they are both the best balls on the market for their price point and should work well for most golfers.

Update:

I've been playing both for a couple of months depending on the course and weather... The above comments remain true, also I'd like to say the Supersoft seems to cut through the wind somewhat better (I think this is a regular strong point for callaway balls). I still find the both to be great balls. The DUO still has the edge around the greens and if I'm trying to work the ball, the Supersoft has the edge from the tee box / long irons / and if the wind is blowing.
 
Because of this thread, I bought a dozen and have now played a few rounds with these. Here are my thoughts. Background: It is early in the season, and it has been cold, 5 to 8 C. My swing speed is 92-95 with the driver, and my comparison points are the NXT Tour and E6.

First impressions: The feel of this ball is definitely unique. It is at the extreme edge compared to other balls in the market, so a noticeable difference in character is expected. Still, this ball does needs some "get to know you" time. (This is not necessarily a bad thing, some practice is always good.)

Driver, woods, hybrids: The Callaway claims for straightness are true, this ball does not want to go sideways. Of course, there are limits about what a ball can do, a bad swing still goes O.B., but some so-so hits turned out to be better than deserved (score benefit #1). It is long, but not hugely longer than the comparison. Anyway, no issues here.

Full irons and wedges: Again, straight. My attempts to hit a curve ball failed. I could still make it curve, but that takes so out-of-normal swing that bad things happen. I can live with that: I'm sure I gain more for not hitting an unintended curve with the driver than I lose from not being able to hit a curved iron. Again, longer that the comparison, but not hugely, maybe half a club or so. I had reservations for green holding spin, but well struck irons stop just fine. If the NXT Tour stops in two steps from the ball mark, the SuperSoft stops within three. Not an issue for me, I'm not that accurate anyway. My common miss with the irons is a thin shot, and here was surprise: On not so well struck irons, the flight is shorter than it should (as expected) but the ball made it up with roll, no bite to talk of here. For some that might be a bad thing, for me a definite plus.

Partial wedges: Here, the unique feel really shows. I don't put a plus or minus for that; I guess I don't care. Partial wedges don't go as far as the comparison, and this is one of the reasons why a practice session would be a good idea before putting this ball into play. For me, hitting pitches and chips harder results to a higher trajectory, softer landing and more margin of error. I like that. I don't play for big spin on these shots, so no comments on spin. I rely on club selection and trajectory for roll out control. For me, this ball is easier than the comparison, leading to more up and downs (score benefit #2).

Putting: Again, you'll notice the softness and again, this is not a plus or minus for me. The ball goes further than the comparison. I'm not sure I like that, distance control is an issue for me to begin with (potential score disadvantage). A putter with a soft insert or one that naturally wants to hit a shorter putt might be a better fit for this ball than my TM Spider. Ok, I was going to demo the Ketch anyway and I heard that tends not to hit the ball too far.

Other notes:
- Durability is fine. I took an hour session with partial wedges with three balls, and those were fine after that. On actual play, I didn't find any issues either, although average life time for a ball for me at my tight home course is about nine holes.
- As all hex dimpled balls, this too is less affected by wind than regular balls. But it is just a ball; a wind like yesterday can still take the ball to water once it raises above the trees (hole 6). The ball doesn't swim.
- The ball is too cheap, as it encourages me to take stupid risks on the course. (Said hole 6: "I might be able to carry the lake, and it is less than two Euros to try. I can still save bogey." Yeah, right. Putting two balls in the water on one hole is bad for the score!)

Conclusion: This is the best ball for my game in all other areas but putting. I'm not there yet, but I'm guessing I rather have a few practice session on the putting green (and maybe a new putter) to "recalibrate" my speed control than return to regular balls.
 
Halfway through a box, just some thoughts.

Awesome with the driver (95-100mph ss)- always straight. I set a record with 3 straight days with the same ball without losing it. Another thing, I don't really feel I get a hold of the ball and then feel like I crush a comparison ball and when I get out to the fairway the Supersoft is always marginally ahead in distance of comparison tour balls. I've yet to feel as if I have compressed this ball. It's been 55 degrees outside.

Putting and chipping- The ball feels "heavy"? I kinda like this feel off from the putter because it takes more of a commitment, but on chips it seems to come up short on little chip swings. I am not sure if the ball is physically heavier, just feels that way.

I am gonna stick with this ball a little longer because I like being in the fairway with the driver.
 
I gamed this ball the last few rounds (a few holes W/S DUO) and I love it!
 
One round for me with these. For me, it's a tour ball without the spin. Distance and feel the same, just not the green side spin.
 
grathan said:
Putting and chipping- The ball feels "heavy"? I kinda like this feel off from the putter because it takes more of a commitment, but on chips it seems to come up short on little chip swings. I am not sure if the ball is physically heavier, just feels that way.
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I find the same with the wedges -which I think is actually good, once I "calibrated" myself. Being delicate is not my strenght, and for partial wedges, I don't havt to be that delicate. But my experience with the putter was the opposite. For me, this ball goes further with the putter, requiring more touch, and this is my only reservation against it.

Would you mind telling us what putter you are using? Do you have an insert on it? I have a TM Spider, without an insert. If I find a putter that hits this ball shorter (and is otherwise at least as good as the Spider), I'll buy it. Does anybody have any experience with the Supersoft and the Ping Ketch combination?
 
Interesting comments: My two cents; several months ago I started a thread titled "Soft Balls For Old Hackers" in which most of the new "soft balls" were discussed and compared. The two balls most discussed were the "SuperSoft" and the "Duo". I tried as many of the newer "soft" balls as I could get my hands on, and was initially extremely impressed with the "SuperSoft". For my money there is no better ball off the tee for the majority of golfers that need more distance and less sidespin, and have a relatively slow swing speed. It has a very soft feel, and is consistently longer, and as straight as any ball I have played.

That said, I eventually concluded that those characteristics that make it so great off the tee also make it a very difficult ball to control when chipping and putting. It is just too hot off both the wedges and the putter for me to handle. Being an old man (75+) with a very slow swing speed, my short game is essential to scoring well, and I just could not adjust to the very hot nature of the "SuperSoft" around the greens.

Next I started looking for a low compression soft ball that was comparable off the tee, yet better behaved around the greens. I noticed many of the commenters in the previously mentioned thread had concluded the "Duo" had these characteristics, so I obtained a sleeve, and gave them a try. Bingo!! The "Duo" now has the number 1 spot in my bag; but if I could have adjusted to the "SuperSoft" around the green it would still be my "Numero Uno", as it is, to me, still the best ball off the tee. I am glad to see so many "low compression" balls coming to market, as they serve both the average amateur and the aging golfer well.

Hope this is useful.
 
JuKu said:
Would you mind telling us what putter you are using?
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Sure, though I don't know a lot about putters. It's a Odysessy 2-ball white steel I think? maybe 5 years old or so. MY swing is pretty soft. I actually play a short putter 33" so I can stand directly over the ball. If the situation called for it I can swing without even breaking elbows or wrists and put the slightest tap on the ball.
 
grathan said:
Sure, though I don't know a lot about putters. It's a Odysessy 2-ball white steel I think? maybe 5 years old or so. MY swing is pretty soft. I actually play a short putter 33" so I can stand directly over the ball. If the situation called for it I can swing without even breaking elbows or wrists and put the slightest tap on the ball.
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interesting. I have an accelerating stroke. Maybe the soft ball stays on the putter a bit longer and goes further? On the other hand, I don't believe that myself, I'm not accelerating that much. Hmm, I'll have to try figuring out what is going on here. You said it is short on wedges and putter, cbill said it is long on both, for me it is short on wedges but long on putts. ??
 
JuKu: " cbill said it is long on both, for me it is short on wedges but long on putts. " Actually I use my wedges a lot for "chip and run" shots, where the ball is kept low, and in the air a minimum amount of time. Those shots are more like a putt than a pitch. Also, In my area, the greens tend to be quite firm, so if there is no backspin the ball usually will not "sit down" very much on a chip or pitch. I use a 52* wedge for most of my close in chipping, but even with my 56* the ball seems to come off the iron way to hot. Then when I try to adjust I frequently leave putts short. My favorite ball in the past was the Callaway Warbird, which has a softer feel around the green. The Duo requires little or no adjustment for me on and around the greens, so it just fits me better. Actually, one of the main reasons I mentioned the thread "Soft Balls For Old Hackers" was to provide readers of this thread access to the large variety of opinions and reactions expressed in that thread.
 
Many have said here that this is their cold weather ball. Yesterday, it was 30 to 32C (86 to 90F), about as hot as it ever gets here. This ball performs even better when it is warm, especially with the driver. I was shooting my second shots from places where I have never been on my home course.
 
JuKu said:
Many have said here that this is their cold weather ball. Yesterday, it was 30 to 32C (86 to 90F), about as hot as it ever gets here. This ball performs even better when it is warm, especially with the driver. I was shooting my second shots from places where I have never been on my home course.
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I think by "cold weather ball" people simply mean that when it is winter they tend to go with a lower compression ball because everyones swing speeds tend to be slower, therefore a lower compression ball works a bit better than a ProV1 or TP5.
When it heats up a bit and we are all swinging better we go back to the ball of choice.

I suspect that this ball will still work great for a lot of players in the warm weather ...
As for me, I have already moved to my Summer balls as we have had several days over 90 degrees here in Louisiana. I picked up a dozen of "Wilson Staff FG Tour" balls the other day and I really like them.
 
I've used this ball for about 10 rounds and I love it. It's longer off the tee for me and I really like it around the greens. I feel like I can control it better than any other ball in my bag.
 
JuKu said:
Many have said here that this is their cold weather ball. Yesterday, it was 30 to 32C (86 to 90F), about as hot as it ever gets here. This ball performs even better when it is warm, especially with the driver. I was shooting my second shots from places where I have never been on my home course.
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I use them here in Australia where I am it never really get's cold and I find that the hotter it gets the better the ball performs.
 
Supersoft was far above the quality and performance I was expecting. My ball hit a cart path and a tree yet still looked brand new. Launched them far and straight. Quite amazed and excited to try these again

Sent from my SGH-I257M using Tapatalk
 
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Really need to get another dozen of these soon. I really enjoyed the performance I saw out of these.
 
Had a dozen supersofts then tried the X2 Hots and went right back to the Supersofts. Love these!
 
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