First Look: Callaway 2021 ERC Soft Golf Ball

Just a little bump to catch the afternoon crowd.
 
Grabbed a dozen to play around with today. I’m a little excited about it.
 
Who out there has been gaming these? I've been pondering finding balls in this bracket to keep me a little straighter, and I rarely play the one hop spinners and nipped shots around the green, at least not on purpose, so I'm wondering if this will help my approach play get some consistency. This ball is high on the list with triple track.
The ERC is a really strong ball in the mid price category.

The ball doesn’t spin like the higher priced Chrome Soft. However, has a fantastic cover that feels very soft yet durable. I have always been a fan of the Triple Track. I use the Triple Track off both the tee and green.
 
The ERC is a really strong ball in the mid price category.

The ball doesn’t spin like the higher priced Chrome Soft. However, has a fantastic cover that feels very soft yet durable. I have always been a fan of the Triple Track. I use the Triple Track off both the tee and green.
Thats good to hear. I really enjoy triple track and and mid-price ball curious so here we are.

I also seem to enjoy swinging with the face open to path which means I don’t enjoy losing $ on the course. I’m also not one that really plays those checking chips shots, I’m much more of pick a spot and trajectory to let it roll out. So when I couple those together I’m curious how these will perform. And if it doesn’t work out I’ll stock up on Chrome Soft LS and call it a day.
 
Who out there has been gaming these? I've been pondering finding balls in this bracket to keep me a little straighter, and I rarely play the one hop spinners and nipped shots around the green, at least not on purpose, so I'm wondering if this will help my approach play get some consistency. This ball is high on the list with triple track.
I got to test a sleeve when they first introduced the latest version and have been playing them consistently. They are longer off the tee and irons than what I had previously played (Snell MTB Black), are durable and spin more than the 1st iteration and spin well enough for me. I do think it is more a $29.95 ball than $34.95, but I can live with that difference for the performance I am seeing.
 
Got my first short taste with these tonight on a short par three. First chip really popped up so I was a little nervous but it was my strike as the other three balls I threw around the green came out much lower. Looking forward to playing 18 with them soon.
 
So I went through three sleeves of balls today 😳

Half were the ERC soft. A few thoughts:

1) Clearly there are financial benefits for me to playing this ball compared to ChromeSoft given how I was feeding the fishes today.

2) More importantly, I didn’t really noticed much difference in performance for how I play the game.

Will report back after I play a full round exclusively with the two sleeves I have left.
 
Played all weekend at Bourbon Bash with this ball. It was doing just about everything I would ask of it. I had one cut up on hole one from a full gap wedge but the second ball kept good enough condition to make it the rest of the round.

There was plenty of stopping power for me, even a thin 5 iron stopped within a few feet.

I can't speak to how well it works for throwing in a low nipper pitch, but that shot isn't in my game and felt my chips and pitches had above average stopping power for me.
 
Just finished marking half a dozen boxes….

#LFG!!!
 
I played these in yellow last weekend for 2 1/2 of 4 rounds (used a pink Callaway for the other holes) and really liked them around the greens. It felt nice off the putter and off the tee in high 40's weather in the mornings, and wasn't mushy when it got above 60* in the afternoon. I could not really tell a difference between them and the Chrome Soft for spin around the greens, but I'm not a big spinner. They did check up quicker than the SuperSofts I've been playing this summer in league.

The yellow was awesome in overcast skies, and Triple Track is legit.
 
I’d hit it. Actually I probably will just to test it. 4 yards is a big deal if just the model changed and no other variables.
 
I played these in yellow last weekend for 2 1/2 of 4 rounds (used a pink Callaway for the other holes) and really liked them around the greens. It felt nice off the putter and off the tee in high 40's weather in the mornings, and wasn't mushy when it got above 60* in the afternoon. I could not really tell a difference between them and the Chrome Soft for spin around the greens, but I'm not a big spinner. They did check up quicker than the SuperSofts I've been playing this summer in league.

The yellow was awesome in overcast skies, and Triple Track is legit.
This mirrors my experience. For how I play short game shots around the green or, which does not include that one hop stop type shot, I was unable to notice much difference in spin and these have plenty of stopping distance for approach shots
 
This is turning into the Scooby thread, but I am really enjoying these balls. I had multiple balls hit and stop or even come back a foot or so with my short irons. Hit a 4 hybrid in that checked up with around 8’. Plenty of spin around the greens for me. I don’t hit low one hop stoppers but I’ve never been at a loss for how I play, even getting up and down on short sided chips.

I think they really have something with this ball and cover.
 
Who is still playing this ball? Any fans out there? They feel due for an update.
 
Who is still playing this ball? Any fans out there? They feel due for an update.
I am. I’m a big fan. With triple track, performance for me, and cost it kinda sits in a sweet spot of what I need from a ball.

If I could clean up my tee game I would possibly game something Chromesoft to get a little more grab around the green but outside of say 30 yards this ball does everything I’m looking for.

I‘ve felt the same and loaded up on several dozen to hopefully get me through next year.
 
I‘ve felt the same and loaded up on several dozen to hopefully get me through next year.

But what if new is better?

It usually is.
 
But what if new is better?

It usually is.
Then I will be really happy in 2024 assuming it still offers triple track 😃

Or just play more golf and be full send off every tee to burn through the stash quicker 🤣
 
Then I will be really happy in 2024 assuming it still offers triple track 😃

Or just play more golf and be full send off every tee to burn through the stash quicker 🤣


 
How does this compare to the Q-star Tour? They're both in that mid-priced segment, and they both have sweet putting aids. But on iron and wedge shots, which one are you guys taking?
 
How does this compare to the Q-star Tour? They're both in that mid-priced segment, and they both have sweet putting aids.
Q-STAR Tour is a urethane cover and the ERC is a firmer cover. ERC will feel slightly softer on full swings to most people and offer a bit less spin on full shots.
 
Q-STAR Tour is a urethane cover and the ERC is a firmer cover. ERC will feel slightly softer on full swings to most people and offer a bit less spin on full shots.
That mirrors my experience with those two. I played the Srixon almost all of last year, and the ERC a lot this year.

I would add that as a player with not a lot of iron spin, I didn't notice a difference holding the green with 6-9i and only a little difference (more spin) with the wedges.

The ERC cover was more durable if you hit cat paths or trees a lot.
 
How does this compare to the Q-star Tour? They're both in that mid-priced segment, and they both have sweet putting aids. But on iron and wedge shots, which one are you guys taking?
My skill level probably isn't good enough to notice all the differences but to me they seemed quite a bit alike in feel and spin holding the greens. Neither back up for me when going for the green but neither seems to run out too far. I like the ERC quite a bit better because I seem to get better distance with both driver and irons. The ERC will be the ball I use in 2023.
 
 
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