I needed to add something to this as we are five months into the launch of Chrome Tour, and you will see a ton of content (like the awesome “making of video” below) on what we have in hand. Whenever you have a new product going to market, the excitement around the performance is always the main battle cry. But let’s be honest, we already had an elite golf ball. The RETAIL model won three men’s majors, a gold medal, a bunch of worldwide wins, and on and on. If we did nothing this year we still had a ball in Chrome Soft that stood up to everyone.
So when you see us puffing our chest out a bit about how good Chrome TOUR is, it’s because, well, our data against the previous gens, The Chrome TOUR challenge, and the TOUR reaction tell us we have something special.
So good, in fact, that I believe it transcends even our own expectations.
What does that mean for you?
Well, by simple logic, if the Chrome Soft platform was ELITE and Chrome TOUR outperformed it…do the math.
“Going all the way back to mid-last year when we first started doing the chrome tour challenge, I can say that what we have observed since then is something that is drawing a lot of attention. The new ball’s performance off the tee, trajectory with irons, and control around the green is outperforming what we have tested it against, and it’s been getting players at all levels to see that there is a better ball for their game. The best part about the Chrome Tour challenge is that everybody can do this, and although results may vary, the majority of players who take the challenge are getting to experience these performance benefits. This is what we have strived for in the development of this ball and it’s been an amazing success.”
Dan Bladen Callaway Golf Ball R&D
I am definitely a ball-first, clubs-second kind of guy. It’s been said a million times but begs to repeat. The ball is involved in EVERYTHING you do on the golf course. Not your driver, irons, wedges, or even putter. The golf ball is the KING.
I have shot GREAT scores with the wrong ball a bunch of times; I know it can be done, but at what cost? In my younger days, I had very little idea what it looked like when something was wrong because if it were, I would always start remodeling my bag and make it work…in hindsight, I could have made my life a touch easier if I prioritized my ball. Oh Well. Live and learn.
HOW DO I KNOW WHEN THE BALL AIN’T WORKING?
Here is my answer to this one:
- If you hit one solid and it doesn’t stay in the air (not enough spin), you NEED Chrome Tour X
- If you hit one solid and it spins so much that you hope it falls out of the air…quickly (too much spin), you NEED Chrome Tour.
- Around the greens: If you clip one nicely and usually it hops and stops..but it doesn’t (not enough spin) NEED Chrome Tour X or Chrome Tour
- The ball in the air is just unstable (IE, it has a mind of its own) NEED a Chrome SOFT 🙂
What does it look like if the ball is proper?
The answer…
- The central part is control. Your misses are tighter. The windows are familiar day in and day out, and you have a level of dependability. It just kind of works with you and for you.
- Around the greens, predictability. It’s pretty self-explanatory: if you hit a shot the way you want to, the ball reacts the way you want it to.
- YES, distance efficiency matches your swing speed, AOA, and ball-striking abilities. A good ball will protect you if it’s proper. That means the right ball will mitigate a miss (along with properly fit clubs) and give the player a buffer depending on their particular profile (IE Launch, spin, AOA, etc.)
ALWAYS TEST THE BALL FROM THE HOLE BACK TO THE TEE. Hit Putts for sound and feel, short game shots, wedges, short irons, mid-irons, long irons, hybrids, etc. In the modern game, if it checks off all those boxes, a good fitter can dial in your woods to match the rest.
The right golf ball is an extension of you. A well-struck shot should have a flight that matches your intention (all things being equal). If you are over the ball, pull it back, make the swing you want, strike it as you want, and the ball flies out of some weird window and goes awry, it’s the ball, not you. ALL players have the right shot in their head, and YES, it’s possible to find a ball that will narrow the gap between your imagination and your reality.
Happy Hunting:)
JDub
