Golfers dream about hitting the ball farther and thirst for more yards off the tee and from the fairway. We love blowing it past our playing partners and hitting one less club into the green on approach shots than anyone else in our group.
“Nice shot Steve. What did you hit back there?”
“Thanks Jim, you too! I hit a 6-iron. What about you?”
“7-iron.”
While distance is sexy, consistency is, well … not. But Callaway has made $50 million worth of improvements and upgrades to its golf ball factory in Chicopee, Massachusetts, over the last few years to make balls that not only perform well but also deliver more consistency shot after shot, ball after ball. That work is at the heart of 2022’s Chrome Soft, Chrome Soft X and Chrome Soft X LS balls.
As most golfers know, modern premium balls are constructed in layers, typically three, four or five of them. One of the hardest things to do from a manufacturing standpoint is to ensure each layer fits inside the other symmetrically. If the core is off-center, the ball will compress more on the side with more core material and create sidespin that will make the ball curve in the opposite direction. For example, if a player tees up a ball and the core is off-center to the right as it sits on the tee, the right side of the ball will compress more than the left and hook spin will be created, even if the driver’s face is square to the path at impact.
To ensure that all its balls have perfectly centered layers, Callaway is now using a 3D X-ray machine to scan each ball after it is produced. It measures the dimensions of every layer in the ball, including the mantle and cover, to make sure each is centered and the desired thickness in every direction.
Here’s are the other things you need to know about the Chrome Soft, Chrome Soft X and Chrome Soft X LS balls.