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#ICanHitADraw
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- In Flux
The game's a lot more fun from the fairway.
Callaway HEX Black and Chrome balls
The game's a lot more fun from the fairway.
INgolfer
Internet Golfer
- Thread starter
- #827
So true. I must say though I have had a lot of fun pulling off some interesting punch shots over my last couple of rounds. The actually happened because I overshot the fairway on a couple holes that curve, but golf can be a lot of fun when you pull off some amazing trick shots too.
TripleBogieTim
Long lost sheep
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- my swing
When I was on the course yesterday, I had a couple of chromes left and I played a couple of holes with both balls all the way from tee to green...I was probably 5-10 yards longer with the Black....the dispertion was better with the Black and I spin the Chrome too much with wedges. I parred the first hole with both balls and the second time I made par with the Black and double with the Chrome thanks to a ball in the water off the tee.
Blacks all the way for me....I wish they would make them in Yellow too!
Blacks all the way for me....I wish they would make them in Yellow too!
motoo344
Bearded Bandit
I played through my first box of chromes recently and that box was cursed! I think through the first two sleeves I lost each one after a shot or two. It was really weird too because I would only play them after I had a little bit of rhythm so I wouldn't lose my better balls, that plan backfired. I've been going through a rough patch so I have been playing cheaper balls, I don't seem to lose the Gamer V2s lol. :act-up:
Jjmorris
Will Post for Thanks
I am about two days away from purchasing a box of Chrome yellows.. But now the last few posts are for the black.. Hmmmm
Mr. Satchmo
urielsatchmoortegaMR.Jinx
Do it, I'm actually considering this myself. I really like yellow golf balls and I like the idea of the ball meant for swing speeds that aren't tour speed, I'm hoping the performance is similar to the b330-rx/rxs since I really like that ball!
Easy solution, buy a sleeve of each and test them out.
crazygolfnut
Let's have fun out there!
I have a slower swing speed at 90 mph and find the Chrome works great. I dont curve the ball much and find plenty of wedge spin. Have not tried the Blacks yet but hope to soon. Dont know if I will like them or not.
coondog16
New member
I kinda want to try the Black and see how it compares to the XV'x I play now. Ive heard similar things about these two, can anyone who has tested these two together give any details for me?
BIGBALL
Active member
I have been playing the blacks, and trying them out against other balls. Sunday I played it against a Penta TP5. Pretty close in some ways, but the blacks were definitely longer off the tee, and spun less off the driver - at least for me. Around the greens spin was similiar - both checked up well on partial shots, and held the greens well on full iron shots. Only edge at all I would give to the Penta was that it seemed more durable.
I tested a sleeve of the Chromes and found them ok. Decent distance, with some sidespin but not so much it was scary. Spin into the greens was average on full shots. Around the green they were kind of boring, which is a good thing. I need to grab a sleeve of the Blacks and see what's up. Do all of you that enjoy them have a high swing speed? I'm mid-90s with my driver, so I always shy away from 'tour level' balls.
BIGBALL
Active member
Jon
My SS is around 90, and the blacks, quite honestly, have been a game changer for me... Definitely try them!
Hanks
On the Fringe
Very logical....that's what I've done and I think the Black is going to be just fine for me
One-T
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My wife gave me a dozen of these for fathers day. It will be the first time I have hit them so I am pretty excited to put them in play. Sorry, its the Black she gave me
Im about in that same SS as you and Ive found them to be ok too. Nothing crazy good mind you but pretty good. I like the putt putt yellow Chromes.
I think the Blacks will be pretty good for you, Chromes may spin a bit much for your liking...if I remember correctly.
You should go with the putt-putt style SeeMore to complete the effect.
It would be pretty funny if they fit me for that putter.
- Admin
- #845
I found a hex chrome on the course. It was brand new and I decided to play a round with it . Good Ball, however after just reading this I see the ball does not fit my swing characteristics. The black would be more up my alley.
I'm guessing this would explain why all my distances were off with this ball? Short to be exact.
I'm guessing this would explain why all my distances were off with this ball? Short to be exact.
- Moderator
- #846
That's probably a safe bet yes. It's a pretty spinny ball for some. It's wonderful around the greens though. I wish the Black were as good as the Chrome around the greens :/
Hanks
On the Fringe
I guess I just dont see that significant distance loss that others are seeing with the Chromes vs the Blacks.
I switched to the HEX Black as my preferred ball a few months back after some serious comparisons on the course against Penta, Pro V1, and B330-S. I am primarily an irons and short game focused player so my main interest is in the feel and controllability off of these clubs. My driver and wood don't hold up so well normally, so I end up leaving a lot of distance on the table off of the tee, usually laying up with an iron instead.
Spin/Shot Shaping
The HEX Black is a phenomenal ball that provides excellent shot shaping and spin control. Full iron shots are predictable in trajectory and will allow you to reliably work the ball in any fashion required. High shots and low shots both produce excellent spin control that let you carve up the course. I can reliably hold a moderately receptive green with a 4-iron but can change it up to get extra roll on the fairway. With a repeatable swing, it is easy to produce high amounts of spin with the shorter clubs. Everything up through a 7-iron can be hit such that it will either check up within a couple of feet or spin back a foot or two. Don't expect these balls to spin back 15 feet unless you hit into a nice backstop. They have a nice balance between spin and bite that allows them to catch the greens and quickly dissipate their energy. The pitch marks are significantly deeper than other balls in the same class, which is probably the big reason they seem to stop so reliably. Most of the spin energy goes into burying and twisting the green's surface.
Wind
The most surprising thing about the HEX Black is how well it handles the wind. It reacts to head/tail winds about the same as other balls, providing the same yardage changes which makes switching over a breeze so to speak. However, it seems that these balls are wind cutters. They seem to only be affected about half as much as others in a cross wind. For example, on a series of shots with comparable loft, the Pro V1 and Penta moved roughly 10-12 yards right to left whereas the HEX Black was pushed only 4-6 yards. This caught me off guard the first few times because I was used to hold shots against the wind and instead punched through regularly. Once you know what to expect, the course changes completely because you don't have to worry nearly as much about ballooning.
Short Game
Performance around the green is excellent. You can easily control the spin and release with every shot imaginable. Everything from high and soft to low bump and runs perform predictably from a variety of lies. One of my favorites is using a 64 to fire a low spinner from 40 feet that stops in about 3 inches. Read low as in chest height. By the same token, you can just as easily hit shots that will release and roll a good distance if desired. Probably the one thing that requires adjustment when you first pick these up is the change in release on chips. With the Penta and Pro V1, let's say your pitching wedge would produce about a 1/1 ratio of carry to roll. The HEX Black is somewhere around a ratio of 1.5-2/1 instead. It will affect your club selection, but nothing a little practice on the chipping and putting green can't fix.
Putting
On the green the ball responds well. It rolls smoothly and holds its line well. The feel is firm and with a distinct clicky sound. It sits somewhere between the B330-S and 20XI-S in firmness. From the fringe it still rolls true and even seems to be forgiving of slightly downward strikes. The only caveat is that this ball seems to come out of the fringe a little hot compared to some others, almost as if it was on the green's surface. Distance control is spot on with a reliable putting stroke.
Feel/Sound
This ball compresses well and has a firm, meaty feel. It is definitely meant for players with higher swing speeds. The firmness is higher than the Penta, Pro V1, and B330-S but not to the point of feeling hard. You can actually feel the club face bite and spin the shot and will immediately know if you caught it cleanly. The sound at impact is a firm click followed by a moderate hiss as it travels through the air. You won't hear this ball hissing nearly as much as others, but believe me, it's still spinning like crazy. The design of the dimples simply changes the air flow to produce a unique sound.
Durability
The HEX Black holds up about as well as other high end balls during routine play. Moderate wedge shots will cause fish gilling immediately. Then again, I have yet to find a tour ball that doesn't when it says hello to the Vokeys. Durability in the sand is very good and it should hold up well in a variety of shot situations. Concrete obviously does bad things. Depending on what shots I'm making, one of these balls lasts from 6-9 holes typically. By that point it is scuffed enough to show performance degradation, even after cleaning. Once these balls have 4-5 noticeable marks, they start to behave more like a Pro V1. Firmness and compression go down and they balloon. Spin control goes down and they start to feel like they are squirting off of the club face. That said, you'll notice this change well before it becomes a problem so you can switch out balls.
Overall
This ball is an excellent choice if you do a lot of shot shaping and spin variation. It will respond exactly the way you want. The performance in the wind is unparalleled and around the green they are a dream to play.
Spin/Shot Shaping
The HEX Black is a phenomenal ball that provides excellent shot shaping and spin control. Full iron shots are predictable in trajectory and will allow you to reliably work the ball in any fashion required. High shots and low shots both produce excellent spin control that let you carve up the course. I can reliably hold a moderately receptive green with a 4-iron but can change it up to get extra roll on the fairway. With a repeatable swing, it is easy to produce high amounts of spin with the shorter clubs. Everything up through a 7-iron can be hit such that it will either check up within a couple of feet or spin back a foot or two. Don't expect these balls to spin back 15 feet unless you hit into a nice backstop. They have a nice balance between spin and bite that allows them to catch the greens and quickly dissipate their energy. The pitch marks are significantly deeper than other balls in the same class, which is probably the big reason they seem to stop so reliably. Most of the spin energy goes into burying and twisting the green's surface.
Wind
The most surprising thing about the HEX Black is how well it handles the wind. It reacts to head/tail winds about the same as other balls, providing the same yardage changes which makes switching over a breeze so to speak. However, it seems that these balls are wind cutters. They seem to only be affected about half as much as others in a cross wind. For example, on a series of shots with comparable loft, the Pro V1 and Penta moved roughly 10-12 yards right to left whereas the HEX Black was pushed only 4-6 yards. This caught me off guard the first few times because I was used to hold shots against the wind and instead punched through regularly. Once you know what to expect, the course changes completely because you don't have to worry nearly as much about ballooning.
Short Game
Performance around the green is excellent. You can easily control the spin and release with every shot imaginable. Everything from high and soft to low bump and runs perform predictably from a variety of lies. One of my favorites is using a 64 to fire a low spinner from 40 feet that stops in about 3 inches. Read low as in chest height. By the same token, you can just as easily hit shots that will release and roll a good distance if desired. Probably the one thing that requires adjustment when you first pick these up is the change in release on chips. With the Penta and Pro V1, let's say your pitching wedge would produce about a 1/1 ratio of carry to roll. The HEX Black is somewhere around a ratio of 1.5-2/1 instead. It will affect your club selection, but nothing a little practice on the chipping and putting green can't fix.
Putting
On the green the ball responds well. It rolls smoothly and holds its line well. The feel is firm and with a distinct clicky sound. It sits somewhere between the B330-S and 20XI-S in firmness. From the fringe it still rolls true and even seems to be forgiving of slightly downward strikes. The only caveat is that this ball seems to come out of the fringe a little hot compared to some others, almost as if it was on the green's surface. Distance control is spot on with a reliable putting stroke.
Feel/Sound
This ball compresses well and has a firm, meaty feel. It is definitely meant for players with higher swing speeds. The firmness is higher than the Penta, Pro V1, and B330-S but not to the point of feeling hard. You can actually feel the club face bite and spin the shot and will immediately know if you caught it cleanly. The sound at impact is a firm click followed by a moderate hiss as it travels through the air. You won't hear this ball hissing nearly as much as others, but believe me, it's still spinning like crazy. The design of the dimples simply changes the air flow to produce a unique sound.
Durability
The HEX Black holds up about as well as other high end balls during routine play. Moderate wedge shots will cause fish gilling immediately. Then again, I have yet to find a tour ball that doesn't when it says hello to the Vokeys. Durability in the sand is very good and it should hold up well in a variety of shot situations. Concrete obviously does bad things. Depending on what shots I'm making, one of these balls lasts from 6-9 holes typically. By that point it is scuffed enough to show performance degradation, even after cleaning. Once these balls have 4-5 noticeable marks, they start to behave more like a Pro V1. Firmness and compression go down and they balloon. Spin control goes down and they start to feel like they are squirting off of the club face. That said, you'll notice this change well before it becomes a problem so you can switch out balls.
Overall
This ball is an excellent choice if you do a lot of shot shaping and spin variation. It will respond exactly the way you want. The performance in the wind is unparalleled and around the green they are a dream to play.
Wicked Cool Bearded Man
4thegolf+4thefriends
Nice first post TrapShot! Nice to meet you as well. Very good thoughts on the Hex black.