Callaway once called their Chrome Soft “the ball that changed the ball.” 2019’s robot ball tests certainly changed the way we think about golf balls. It’s a large part of why we decided to build the MyGolfSpy Ball Lab. In the seasons since, it’s unquestionable that Callaway has upped their game. Their family of balls are now certainly worth trying to see if they work for you. Which is the best Callaway golf ball though? While that will vary from golfer to golfer, this list will take a look.
Best Callaway Ball Overall: Callaway Chrome Soft X
This might be considered a break from the mold for usual best overall selections. Instead of the original, for Callaway there’s a solid argument that the best overall is their X version. The big reason for this is spin. The X has the highest spin numbers of Callaway’s tour offerings. Too much spin might be bad, but it can be very important for short game and ball testing really should be done from the green out. It’s good enough for Jon Rahm as well, so that makes the Chrome Soft X the best Callaway golf ball overall.
Best Ball for Softer Feel: Callaway Chrome Soft
There is certainly a subset of golfers who want to play a tour-caliber ball, but find most to be too firm to their liking, especially off the putter. For those folks, the Chrome Soft is the softest urethane cover ball made by any of the major players. While softer compression may reduce ball speeds a bit off the driver, lower spin can help make up for that. In fact, the Chrome Soft was the longest Callaway ball in high driver speed robot testing. For a premium ball, but a softer feel, the Chrome Soft is the best Callaway golf ball.
Best Callaway Ball for a Few Extra Yards: Callaway Chrome Soft X LS
Spin can be good, too much spin can be bad, especially if you’re looking for a few more yards of roll out off the tee. The “LS” is Chrome Soft X LS stands for “low spin” and it can certainly help knock off a few RPMs. Especially for moderate swing speeds, this can give those extra yards. In fact, in the moderate speed robot testing, the Chrome Soft X LS finished in the top 5, a mere half yard behind the longest ball tested. It does this with firmer compression as well, so it won’t feel like a marshmallow off the face. That makes the Chrome Soft X LS the best Callaway golf ball for a few extra yards.
Best for Something Completely Different: Callaway Supersoft MAX
Generally speaking, if you read about a ball on MyGolfSpy, it is multilayered and has a urethane cover. So what is a 2-piece ionomer ball doing on this list? Well the Supersoft MAX is different than most any other golf ball. In short, it’s a bigger ball. The spec sheet lists the Supersoft MAX at 1.73 inches, or around 3% higher than the minimum USGA requirement most balls target. In theory, a bigger ball means a higher center of gravity. Also in theory, it’s easier to get a club under the higher center of gravity and hit the ball higher into the air. Does theory work in practice? That’s something a golfer can test for themselves. It’s probably not the best ball you can buy, but the Supersoft MAX is the best Callaway golf ball for something different than anything else.
Frequently asked questions about golf balls:
Q. What type of golf ball should I use?
A. Finding the right ball is a process so start with a few you think might work. If you’ve got a launch monitor, use it to trim the list. If you don’t have access to a launch monitor, our data should help you narrow the field. Test on the course and side by side. For the best comparison, don’t test more than two balls at a time.
The conventional wisdom is to start around the green and work backward. The idea here is to see how the ball performs on relatively short shots (partial wedges). From there, move to your irons. That’s where the biggest differences are and where you’re most likely to notice them.
Q. What is the best Callaway golf ball for distance?
A. In the moderate speed robot testing, the Chrome Soft X LS finished in the top 5, a mere half yard behind the longest ball tested.
Q. When do golf balls go on sale?
A. As a general rule when a new golf model is released keep an eye out for a price drop for the previous model. Also, brands typically pick a time in the year to run a promo of buy 2 get 1 free, so keep an eye out for that.
Q. Should I always play one ball (model) per round?
A. Our recommendation is to play 100 percent of your shots with the same ball (model). Given the variation between models, it only makes sense to minimize every variable you possibly can.
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