Forum Member Reviews: Callaway Whitebox Testing

[chisag]

2 hours ago, Pingzingny said:

There is nothing being hit other than the golf club. The ball does not respond well to sharp grooves and compression of the irons.  That ball was used for 7 holes in a round of a 75 score.  If you look at my previous posts you will see how the ball shreds and clearly shows signs of groove marks.  In my opinion the cover should hold up better and according to mygolfspy testing scuffed and cut golf balls should be removed from play due to its yardage decrease.  I would go through way too many balls in a round of golf.  I probably should have removed that ball after 3 holes.  

... Very interesting. Are there premium urethane balls that you have found hold up better? I played 18 holes in the desert that normally slightly scuffs the cover due to the sand based fairways but after 18 my Chrome Tour Dragon Edition still looked close to new. I am sure I am not as aggressive as you with my wedges, but I do hit down creating lots of spin and brand new grooves will cut urethane balls til I have several rounds in with them so I normally hit lots of range balls to break them in. I just ordered 4 dozen Chrome Tours because the performance was excellent and the cover held up really well for me. Like you, I remove a ball with any scuffs or cuts. Obviously your milage varied by quite a bit! 

 

Edited March 10 by chisag

[GolfSpy_APH]

10 minutes ago, Pingzingny said:

I used them in real course situations and I go down, dig and compress the ball especially with my wedges.  I know I am creating a lot of spin and I do intentionally keep my grooves sharp but legal.  I have found this with both models of their new golf balls. 

So you use a groove sharpener?

[Pingzingny]

I’m I used them in real course situations and I go down, dig and compress the ball especially with my wedges.  I know I am creating a lot of spin and I do intentionally keep my grooves sharp but legal.  I have found this with both models of their new golf balls. 
 

I find that all of the premium golf balls will eventually cut but I have found that the past premium balls from Titleist and Taylormade hold up better.  Taylormade just sent me 8 of their newest balls yesterday and I have not had a chance to test them out yet. 4 each of their TP5 and TP5x.  

[Pingzingny]

Yes I play 140-170 rounds a year and use a sharpener to extend the life of my wedges.  Manufacturers will recommend that you should change your wedges much more frequently than I would, as I would have to pay for them. A groove sharpener will extend the life and bring the wedges back to its original performance.

[2puttbogey]

4 hours ago, chisag said:

 

... It is just so personal. I gave Kirklands to 2 of my playing partners. One is an 81 yr old dude that is crazy straight and he gained about 10 yds because the spin is keeping his ball in the air longer. He now drives the ball around 180-200 and after building him an Aerojet with a NVS 45 A Flex driver the ball really was the final piece of the puzzle for him. The fact that he is only paying $15 a dozen and rarely loses a ball is just a nice bonus. 

... The other player is one of my pards wife and she has a tendency to open her body too quickly and cut across the ball producing a 20-15yd slice. When she is timing her body rotation well the Kirkland produced longer carries for her too, but when swinging poorly he slice was exaggerated. Moving to a Chrome Soft gave her the best of both worlds when swinging well or poorly. Her best drives may be a few yards shorter than with the Kirkland but her average and poor drives are much better. Asa shorter hitter she doesn't lose many balls so the added expense of the Chrome Soft balls is worth it for her as she will play one ball for 3 or 4 rounds. 

I absolutely agree that it’s personal. I was having no issues with the balls for a white. I changed equipment and that’s when it showed up. It’s mostly noticeable with the irons.

[TG8]

5 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

So you use a groove sharpener?

Always wondered if that really worked or just made the wedge worse?

[climberboy2000]

6 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Really interesting you found this. 

I was impressed by the durability overall..I have new wedges and hit 50 plus shots into a net plus the rest of my shots and it showed like new.

Interesting!

My golf buddies and I have hit them into the screens (a lot) for the past few weeks and they hold up really well inside.  It wasn't until I played outside that I saw any real wear on the balls.

[SteveLo]

Congrats guys


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GolfSpy_APH]

4 hours ago, TG8 said:

Always wondered if that really worked or just made the wedge worse?

Definitely could create some areas that are more harsh on golf balls.

[Erin B]

The Chrome Tour X is doing great! Played Falcon Ridge yesterday with it. Going to continue with it today at Casa Blanca. Not much more to say about its performance because it’s doing everything it was designed to do. 

[ZackS]

I played today and the ball held up we’ll durability wise. This was after 9 holes and I did hit it into the trees on a few drives so that mark I more just discoloration from that but was not torn.Didn’t get a 18 hole picture as it got donated to the water gods thanks to some swirling wind I misjudged. Performance wise the ball performed as expected and was very happy with it. 

["Mr. 72"]

Callaway White Box Review
Ball Tested: Chrome Tour and Chrome Tour X

HDCP - 8, Swing Speed - 90 - 95ish, Strengths - Iron Play and Putting

My Final, Final  ...for now. I'm taking the remaining Callaway white box test balls out of my bag for now. I want to test them in the warm summer months and don't want to lose them before then. Afterwards, I'll be back with a quick review, but I don't expect much to change.

The Skinny: Read this, and you don't need to bother with the rest of my review. I said this in one of my first reviews. If the only reason you're not playing ProV1 or ProV1x is because they're too firm, you NEED to try these new offerings from Callaway. The Chrome Tour and Chrome Tour X have closed the gap with Titleist. I found them to perform equally across the board. Are they better than the ProVs? No, but they're just as good.

I'm not going to score with numbers here. I never like it when my doctor asks me to rate my pain. I've never felt a 10, sooo....  Are we grading on a curve of ALL balls, many of which I've never used? Do I have to factor in the score of 2 that I'd give both models for "looks"? (Whoops. SPOILER ALERT)  ...I'll just say that both models have performed very well, as well as any ball I've played, for their respective intended purpose.

First Impressions - Aesthetics: Does anyone really care? They have a glossy white cover. Great. Besides that, I'm not a fan. Both models' numbers have the same bad, dull red color. Each model should have its own color and the red should match the red in the Triple Track stripe. I don't like the placement of the model name. It should be buried in that middle TT stripe. Overall, I think the look of this ball is a big miss, but that won't stop me from buying them. What might stop me is the eight dozen premium balls I already have in my golf closet. MIGHT stop me.

Feel: Both models feel and sound great with a driver and full iron shots. They really shine around the green with pitch shots, chips and putts. I really had trouble in determining that the CTX was a tad firmer than the CT. They're very close, so I'm happy with either. They're certainly softer than their Titleist counterparts.

Spin: The CTX spins more than the CT. Both have plenty of spin around the green and in full shots. Short irons can hop and stop or spin back a bit. For me, turf conditions is the biggest factor. Mid irons do not roll out excessively.

70ish yard SW with Chrome Tour spun back a few feet.

Distance: Driver distance was very good with both models. I couldn't really tell much difference between the two, and both traveled as far as the ProV1. The CTX was almost identical to the ProV1x with a full 7 iron. The CT flew a few yard farther, but with less spin. If that "less spin" is manageable in warm, firm conditions, the CT will most likely be my ball of choice.

Control: I played in at least 10 - 15 mph wind each round. A couple of days had gusts of 30+. The CT seemed to be impervious to any wind! The CTX flies higher, but still did a great job of ripping through the wind. Both models display great control around the greens as well. They'll do exactly what you want them to do.... assuming you know what you're doing, of course! 

Durability: Both covers are great, but I think the CT is a bit more durable. It might last a round longer than the CTX before I want to take it out if play. Both covers also seem to stay white for a long time. They don't seem to dull as quickly as ProVs.

Triple Track: I've gone back and forth about aligning a ball through the years. I think I've settled on using an alignment aid from here on out, and I'm a fan of the TT. I think is much easier to use than a single line. However, I still prefer the 360° Stripe on the TM Tour Response.

I played in a 2man "tough pin placement" scramble yesterday at Cog Hill in Lemont, IL. It was another windy, mid 30° wind chill day. My partner and I couldn't have played much worse, and didn't cash. But here's two short videos of a decent drive and 3 wood on the way to a birdie.

Still trying to get rid of that little over-the-top move with my right shoulder.

I've been retired for a few years and turn 62 years old next month, so my best ability is availability. Thank you very much for this opportunity, MGS. I enjoyed the process and hope my reviews have been helpful to some extent. 

Cheers!

[JeremyD]

I wasn't able to get out and play this weekend. Rain all day saturday, and plans on sunday. I do plan again on Saturday morning, however, rain is forecast again. Thankfully Golf Galaxy opened here in Southern Pines, and I won a Ping Hoofer bag, so that made up for no ability to play. A full set of Qi10 irons was the first number pulled, and someone came in last minute to claim the prize. Oh well, maybe I'll win a set another time to replace my 25 year old ones.

[TG8]

58 minutes ago, ZackS said:

I played today and the ball held up we’ll durability wise. This was after 9 holes and I did hit it into the trees on a few drives so that mark I more just discoloration from that but was not torn.Didn’t get a 18 hole picture as it got donated to the water gods thanks to some swirling wind I misjudged. Performance wise the ball performed as expected and was very happy with it. 

What is the story on your soccer style marking?  

[ZackS]

32 minutes ago, TG8 said:

What is the story on your soccer style marking?  

That is their Tru Track ball. It’s Callaway version of Taylormade Pix ball. It is one of the reasons I wanted to try the Callaway as the Srixon I currently play doesn’t have anything like this. I personally like the look of the Pix better when I rolls as it stands out more, plus orange is one of my favorite colors. But when I did testing I was getting a little better numbers with the Callaway. I might go do one more ball fitting just to validate the numbers I saw the first time but I am leaning towards getting the Callaway on the current sale. At this point to be honest the deciding factor to go with them over the Srixon I currently use is they are made in the USA and I like to support companies that do that. Taylormade make their ball partly in the USA as well. Side note the new Bridgestone BX was right there on the numbers as well. 

[TG8]

3 minutes ago, ZackS said:

That is their Tru Track ball. It’s Callaway version of Taylormade Pix ball. It is one of the reasons I wanted to try the Callaway as the Srixon I currently play doesn’t have anything like this. I personally like the look of the Pix better when I rolls as it stands out more, plus orange is one of my favorite colors. But when I did testing I was getting a little better numbers with the Callaway. I might go do one more ball fitting just to validate the numbers I saw the first time but I am leaning towards getting the Callaway on the current sale. At this point to be honest the deciding factor to go with them over the Srixon I currently use is they are made in the USA and I like to support companies that do that. Taylormade make their ball partly in the USA as well. Side note the new Bridgestone BX was right there on the numbers as well. 

I was thinking it was one of the test chrome tour balls so I thought you did those yourself. 

[ZackS]

1 minute ago, TG8 said:

I was thinking it was one of the test chrome tour balls so I thought you did those yourself. 

Haha, I have looked for stencils to be able to do something similar on the Srixon balls but they are all half ball stencils and with something like this it need to be exact to get the desired feedback this is for and don’t trust I would do that. 

[buckpillar]

Testers,

Has there been any "UH HUH" moments that would make you choose either ball and put it in play going forward?

["Mr. 72"]

1 minute ago, buckpillar said:

Testers,

Has there been any "UH HUH" moments that would make you choose either ball and put it in play going forward?

The way these balls played in pretty strong winds was very impressive to me.

[Digiburdie]

3 hours ago, buckpillar said:

Testers,

Has there been any "UH HUH" moments that would make you choose either ball and put it in play going forward?

From a short-game perspective, How the X bit hard on the green was eye-opening. Over the AVX it was a winner around the greens. 

[MuniGolfer]

11 hours ago, buckpillar said:

Testers,

Has there been any "UH HUH" moments that would make you choose either ball and put it in play going forward?

I wish I could just get them outside, but the weather hasn’t cooperated with my schedule. From the indoors testing, the ball speed of the tour x is making me really consider it. Also the durability of both. If I could actually hit the ball halfway decent, that would help me make a decision. Right now I am leaning to one of them being my ball for this year.

Edited March 12 by MuniGolfer

[TG8]

4 hours ago, buckpillar said:

Testers,

Has there been any "UH HUH" moments that would make you choose either ball and put it in play going forward?

Definitely the chrome tour for me.  Huge ball speeds and low spin off the tee. Exactly what the doc ordered. 

[hoppman]

On 3/1/2024 at 2:58 PM, "Mr. 72" said:

Callaway White Box Review 

Ball Tested: Chrome Tour Chrome Tour, Chrome Tour X, ProV1x, 2022 TM Tour Response and New TM TP5

HDCP - 8, Swing Speed - 90ish, Strengths - Iron Play and Putting

The "Bottom Line" of my last post was to see if I wanted to return two dozen of ProV1x. I can say that I'm not going to do that. The difference that I saw today does not make it worth the hassle, and is just a great ball.

Simulator Test - Foresight Sports GC Quad Launch Monitor: I only tested full 7 iron shots today. 

The golf balls used were a Chrome Tour, Chrome Tour X, ProV1x, 2022 Taylomade Tour Response and a New Taylomade TP5. Again, what Im looking for is a ball speed of 110 - 115 mph, launch angle in the 16° - 19° range, the spin rate around 5500, decent angle of 45° - 50° and a peak hight around 85' - 90'. 

I asked the question last post if you should look at the data of the best shot or the average data of shots. For a golf ball, I think the data of the best shot is probably best.

The first ball that I hit was the ProV1x, and because it was the first ball, I hit the most amount of shots with it. This ball needed to redeem itself, and it did.

What stood out here to me is the total spin rate and peak height. The overall performance was very good in all areas.

Next up was the CTX.

The last ball hit impressed me with ball speed. The total spin was also decent. It's also a good performer across the board. 

The CT was next.

Check out the carry distance with this ball! That was impressive as well as the ball speed. The total spin is lacking.

The next ball is a MGS ball lab standout, and it has my favorite alignment aid - the green stripe of the 2022 TM Tour Response.

This ball is long for me off the tee, and has reall good carry distance and total distance. However, the total spin is the lowest of all balls tested.

And finally, the new TM TP5. I received a flier from Golf Galaxy in the mail. I glanced at it, and it sat in my mail pile for quite a few days. I was about to toss it out when I saw that it was an offer for a free 4 ball trial pack, so....

And the numbers:

It had me at "hello"! Look at the first ball right out of the gate - really good across the board. It also felt great off the club face. It's the first thing I noticed right away. This is also the more spin, less distance model as the TP5x is claiming to be a half club longer. ...Prediction: The testers are going to LOVE this ball!

By the way, Taylomade, if you're going to give away a 4 ball pack, why not make it 2 balls of each model. I did have a choice between models, but I would loved to have a combo option.

Bottom Line: I really like the performance of both Callaway premium offerings. I want to see in the summer months how the balls perform on approach shots. Specifically, will the Total Spin numbers be noticeable in actual play?

Next Up: My Final Take

TM sent me a free 4 pack of each ball model, 2 pix 2 regular, I won't be able to test for a couple of months as I am coming off of back surgery, but I am interested in the X for sure.

[climberboy2000]

13 hours ago, buckpillar said:

Testers,

Has there been any "UH HUH" moments that would make you choose either ball and put it in play going forward?

Based on my testing, both on SIM and on the course I will definitely add this ball to my bag.  When I played outside I loved how they stuck on the green.  My balls typically roll out and I felt they bit a lot more.  My home course hopefully opens next week and I'll get to see how they play on the greens I'm used to.  But as far as distance, they are right up there with ProV1.  And they have a great feel when putting.

[hoppman]

On 3/10/2024 at 8:34 AM, Erin B said:

Played Sky Mountain yesterday and the Chrome Tour X’s did not disappoint! In fact, they were incredible! Great distance, with my longest drive 322 and my longest 4 iron was 236. The putting was darn near perfect! They checked nicely but the greens were so hard and fast that no one in our group was able to hold them. The ground was very, very hard. I can’t recall what course I’m playing today, but will update accordingly. Happy Birdie Hunting!!!

I like Sky Mountain, fun course to play. Last year this time of year all these courses were waterlogged when we tripped to Mesquite and St. George for golf, I think we got one full round in on that trip.

[Erin B]

14 hours ago, buckpillar said:

Testers,

Has there been any "UH HUH" moments that would make you choose either ball and put it in play going forward?

Yea, when I played them in the wind.

[MuniGolfer]

Well, at this point I am at a loss. The best I can say is the balls are performing similarly to the Prov1x and other premium tour-level balls. I am just doing some strange things with my swing so I can't really get a good feel as to what is the best fit for me. What I can say, is that the Chrome Tour is lower spinning than the Chrome Tour x. That difference is more and more negligible the closer you get to the green. The Chrome Tour x is faster. Its balls speeds average a few miles per hour higher than the ProV1x and the Chrome Tour. I just need to figure out my swing to see which of the two has the more ideal spin rate for me in the longer clubs and then tweak my driver settings, if need be. I will be doing swing work this weekend, so hopefully I can get some better numbers. One thing I do know, as of now, one of these balls will be in my bag for the coming year, unless one of the Taylormades' happen to beat it.

I will have some more updates this weekend, if I can actually strike the ball somewhat normally. 

[JeremyD]

Final Review:

I'd like to start by thanking MyGolfSpy and Callaway for this opportunity. I wasn't sure what to think about regarding Callaway golf balls. I've never bought any. The only ones I've ever played were found in the woods, and maybe used when I wasn't trying to score well, or maybe in a scramble.

I am reposting my initial unboxing information to start, and will finish with my overall impressions. 

First Impressions (9 out of 10):

I was excited to see both the Chrome Tour and Chrome Tour X in the box.

Initial impressions are very good. I used my fingernail to make a mark. It didn't make one. The outer cover feels of high quality materials, that appear on the surface, that they can take mishits.

I like the lettering. Callaway is very prominent, while the words Chrome Tour and Chrome Tour X are very small. When placed on the ground, I actually had difficulty seeing the difference. To me, this means that wording isn't an annoyance when over the ball. I was expecting the triple track to be distracting, but the lines are so thin, they don't appear that they will bother me when over the ball as well.

Here is basic information about the two balls. I feel they are in line with other brands that have a "Tour" and a "Tour X" model. 

According to Callaway's Youtube video and the website, the CTX is higher compression with higher spin, however, the dimple pattern promotes a lower flight pattern even with a higher spin, and provides maximum speed and distance, especially off the driver. The Tour is designed for the better golfer looking for a balance of distance and soft feel.

Here is the video. 

I do like the video, as it can give those that have basic information about our speeds ideas how the ball may, or may not perform for myself.

Aesthetics (8 out of 10 for both) 

Now the packaging for the test was basic white, however, the boxes as found in stores is attractive. The colors are not too obnoxious, and seem to follow the gold for Tour, and black for X pattern I've seen with other manufacturers. I do like the hexagonal window showing the ball.

The ball gives the appearance of durability. Even holding in my hands, I can tell the ball can take a licking. Do I want to avoid trees and cart paths? Yes, and I also want a ball, given I don't lose it, that I can play for 9 holes, or more. 

The dimple pattern is interesting to me. I've been playing for almost 40 years, so I've seen attractive, like historical Titleist Balata, to the odd like, I believe, old Dunlop or Maxfli that had odd patterns that included both large and tiny dimples. While I will never understand the science behind the hexagonal dimples, I wanted to make sure they weren't distracting, and they weren't. I could stand over the ball, and not be bothered by staring at them.

Triple Track. I don't feel comfortable over alignment aids. Maybe because I've never practiced with them to use them appropriately. They're noticeable but not distracting to me, even standing over the ball. They do line up nicely with my old Rossie II, as they should. Maybe I should use them.

Here's a video of 9 holes of damage. Yes, I hit trees, bunkers, roots, occasional cart paths. I was extremely impressed with the durability.

As for the feel, and sound. On driver, woods, irons, when struck properly, they feel great. The sound is comparable to my gamer, Maxfli Tour X. As I got to the lower irons, the feel felt firmer to me, on both balls. The sound was fine. Everyone is different, but nothing alarming. 

As for putting. Whole different story. I struggled with feel, and the sound was different. Almost clunky. 

Look, ball striking, especially on longer irons/woods are great. Points deducted for putting feel and sound.

The Numbers (18 out of 20 for both)

Here is a chart of my last testing session on a Trackman. The first two balls tested were warm up time. Not really what my main focus of testing was for, although, I was kind of surprised with the Pinnacle Soft, but I digress. 

Ten ball averages of Maxfli Tour X, Chrome Tour, and Chrome Tour X were all in line. I honestly couldn't go wrong with any of them, if I randomly grabbed them. The only unfortunate thing, is that none of them stood out. They were all within a lard of each other, a MPH in ball speed with each other, and spin was within 100. I guess it shows some consistency on my behalf, but that they are very comparable to my gamer.

I did have another session

8 Iron (5 balls each):

Maxfli Tour X: 138.6 yds, 103.5 ball speed, 6273 spin rate

Callaway CTX: 140.5 yds, 106.4 ball speed, 6845 spin rate

Callaway Tour: 140.0 yds, 104.5 ball speed, 6053 spin rate

What stands out most is the CTX spin rate average. A lot higher than expected.

My score was based on the fact that they are comparative to the Maxfli Tour X. Higher scores would have been earned if something stood out.

On The Course (16 out of 20 for CTX, 15 out of 20 for Chrome Tour)

I played a local course that I've played a few times, so I am familiar with where I usually hit it, what clubs I use on the par 3's, and how (poorly) I've been scoring.

My biggest misses happen with my driver. Do these balls make me hit it straighter? No. I lost a couple of balls with terrible mishits. As for distance, the numbers above were consistent with how I hit the balls on the course.

Here are 3 three woods. CTX, Tour, ProV1x

Unfortunately the Chrome Tour was not struck very well, however, the best hit ball was the CTX, and while it was only swing on each ball, they all performed comparably, even the one I missed.

I was happy with the spin on approaches. First picture is a PW (49 degree) with the CTX. First swing of the day. Spun back a few yards. This is indicative of all approaches with the club. While the spin can be higher, I always worry with a firmer ball not spinning in the right direction.

Second picture is with the Chrome Tour with another PW. It performed as I had hoped.

The next picture is with the CTX after a 7 iron into the green. It wasn't close to the hole, but held well on the narrow green. I missed with the Chrome Tour.

The balls fly high, but all of my balls do. I would love a ball that doesn't go into the stratosphere. The good thing, is based on this golf course, I think higher is better. Similar to the course I grew up on, many of the greens are small, and the ball flight, and high spin help hold the green.

I've struggled with chipping since moving to the sandhills over 3 years ago. I'm more comfortable with clay and mud of New England. As I mentioned earlier, I struggled with the shorter shots. Here is a video of some chips at Pinehurst CC. My video skills will need to improve, however, you can see some spin from the balls. The first ball hit was the CTX, the second was the Chrome Tour. 

When it comes to putting, this is where my scores take the biggest hit. They just sound a feel off. Is it the durable cover? I don't know. Maxfli Tour X's have a durable cover, and don't feel or sound the same. I had some putts fly past the hole. Would more time practicing help? Absolutely.

Here is the sound of putting at Thistle Dhu

 

Overall, I was very happy with the balls. The distance was comparable to my gamer. The spin was impressive, and chipping was good, but not great. I wasn't impressed with sound and feel of putting. Overall, did the balls help my score? Yes, and if I could get the putting figured out, I think I'd actually score better. My scores were the best on this course that I've had in a while.

The Good, the bad, the inbetween (17 out of 20 for both)

Where do I start? I was extremely happy with the number of balls, and how fast they were received. Having six balls of each shows me that Callaway really wanted us to be able to spend some time trying to damage their balls. I think testing only a sleeve makes it difficult, especially taking on the course, as I would worry I'd lose them and not be able to test properly. From the opening of the box, I liked the look, the feel in my hands. Nothing seemed distracting. The website descriptions, and videos about the balls, really shows how they were really trying to get the information out that these balls are what they want to compete with the Prov1(x)'s, and other big boys in the ball game. 

The bad is highlighted in the performance in the short game for me. I struggled with putting, and some chipping, but the further away I was from the green, with my irons, I enjoyed the performance. 

For those that line up their balls, and especially with Odyssey, the Triple Track is great. Even with my old putter, the lines on my putter line up perfectly with the Triple Track.

Play it or Trade it? (18 out of 20 for CTX, 15 out of 20 for Chrome Tour)

When I tested the Maxfli Tour and Tour X in 2021, I found my ball in the Tour X. My biggest issue was that I sometimes would forget them at home, or realize that I didn't have many left in my bag. I would be relegated to buying a sleeve in the pro shop. It was always Titleist since I knew or thought I knew how they'd perform. Now that I've tried these balls, I'm making the switch. I want a ball that I can buy at a store and in a pro shop, should they have them. 

The CTX performs so close to the Maxfli Tour X that I am making a change. For a dozen, at $54.99, it is obviously higher than 39.99, but I am more than willing to pay 164.99 for 4 dozen, especially when I have $40 in GC's to Golf Galaxy. 

The type of golfer that fits these balls is exactly as they describe. I wanted something that compare to Maxfli Tour X. As I get older I like a little firmer to keep my distance, while still having the spin I like from short and mid iron approaches. 

Conclusion

I feel this review is long, so I'll try my best to condense my experience with my new ball of choice. From the look an feel in my hands from the box opening, I found a ball that compares to my Maxfli Tour X. The spin, distance, and ball speed all match. While my misses didn't improve, I did see an improvement in scores than I had been having. Was it the ball? Maybe, but I felt confident playing every shot in the bag, with possibly one. I do admit I struggled putting. It does feel firm, and I'm not sure if it's me or the ball, or even the winter greens. 

I do feel that Callaway made balls that perform the way they describe, based on my experience, and what I've seen online. 

For those that use lines for putting, I do like the triple track. It isn't too distracting, and 3 lines, I've found is better than one, especially if playing an Odyssey. I've bought Callaway clubs before, and have always had a good experience, so I would expect no less if I ran into any issues.

The reason I am switching comes down to two a few things. Performance is on par with what I like. While the balls are pricier than my gamer, 4 dozen for the price of 3 is always a deal in my eyes, no matter who it is. As mentioned above, I don't always come to the course prepared, and have to buy balls when I get there. I wanted an option that wasn't Titleist, even though I do enjoy Titleist. 

 

Final Score (86 out of 100 for CTX, 82 for Chrome Tour)

Final picture is just a really bad miss

Edited March 14 by JeremyD

[Indy_Oz]

On 3/12/2024 at 7:03 AM, buckpillar said:

Testers,

Has there been any "UH HUH" moments that would make you choose either ball and put it in play going forward?

As others have said, performance in windy conditions. The Tour is a rock star in adverse winds. Close in performance to the '23 and '24 TP5 from what I've seen so far (I played 9 in wind again today and used both '23 and '24 TP5 and the Chrome Tour and all performed very well into wind and didn't spin up too much.

Last weekend I played 18- 9 holes with the Tour and 9 with the Tour X. Into wind and with side winds, the X would be bullied around and the Tour was easier to control, particularly approach shots.

The X definitely spins impressively and checks on greens even with short chips/ pitches and I'm sure will rip back in dry and receptive conditions. Today the Tour held greens very well. It checked, but didn't rip back like the X does (and TP5X).

I'm going to keep playing both the Tour and TP5 (I have a good stock of the latter) to see what suits me better longer term.

[Desous17]

Callaway White Box Final Thoughts

The Quick and Dirty: First and foremost, I think it’s worth saying right out the gate, that Callaway has upped their game and I think they finally have a worthy ProV1 and ProV1X competitor. Coming into this review I have previously tended to play “soft” 2-piece golf balls, as I preferred the feel and performance for my game. I never really thought that I would notice a significant difference in performance when comparing my “gamer” to these premium urethane offerings… boy was I in for a surprise.

As someone who plays a traditional "soft" golf ball, I never thought that I would notice or appreciate the performance and feel of a premium urethane cover ball like a ProV1.  The reason that I wasn't playing something better is because of the price and the ProV1 felt too firm and "clicky" to me, like it gives me instant Top Rocks vibes (I’m looking at you ProV1X). I would say that after getting the chance to test Callaway's new Chrome Tour and Chrome Tour X, they have pretty much squashed all that. I found these 2 balls to be a great contender in the premium urethane ball segment. Not only do they just perform but they also feel great! After this test, I am a convert and have seen the light of what a premium ball can do and feel. If you are someone like me who prefers the feel of a softer ball but can benefit from the performance of a premium ball you need to check these out!

Feel: Both Chrome Tour and Chrome Tour X feel superb with a driver, woods, and irons. As others have said, where these balls really come into their own is around the green pitches, chips, and putts. The only discernible difference that I could pick up on was that the CTX had a slightly firmer feel and had a higher pitch tone when hit with putts. The closest ball in terms of feel to me is the Titleist Toursoft.

 

Distance: Distance was very good and predictable with both models. I had a tough time determining the difference between the two. It was only in windy conditions did I notice that the CT tends to fly true and penetrating, while the CTX seems to be affected by wind more easily.  

(club head and ball speed didn’t register on one of the swings causing the average of the CTX to be a little wonky)

Spin: Now it’s only in the simulator I was able to confirm that the CT spins more for me than the CT.X Both have plenty of spin around the green to stop on a dime. I ran into the issue of not rolling out enough or as I expected.  Spin is not an issue for these balls.

Durability: I really have to hand it to Callaway, I think this is where they outdid themselves and put it above the ProV1. Both covers performed fantastically! I found the CTX to hold up just a hair better than the CT from all the cart path, sand, and everything in between I could throw at these. 

Play it or Trade it: I would happily play either ball! But I think CTX was my ball of choice. Now with the nice promo going around of buy 3 dozen and get 1 dozen free, I think I could be open to purchasing these on my own. I think for someone who has strictly played a ProV1 or X you deserve to yourself to give these a try. I highly anticipate that you won’t be disappointed!

Thank you very much, Callaway and MGS for this opportunity. As a first-time tester, I thoroughly enjoyed the process, and hope that my thoughts and feedback are somewhat insightful.