Many of the golf ball manufacturers that make a Tour Model golf ball make 2 models of that same ball with one of them designated with the letter “x.” The Callaway Chrome Soft golf ball is no different.
The Chrome Soft ball is Callaway’s version of a multi-layer golf ball that gives you very little spin off the tee, a lot of backspin on the greens, and great feel. It is the Tour level ball that, while it costs a little more, provides low handicap golfers with all of the features they need to score low.
The following is a Chrome Soft vs Chrome Soft X review that will go over the differences between these golf balls. These same differences are what you will probably find with all of the other Tour Model golf balls and their accompanying “x” models.
Chrome Soft
The Chrome Soft is Callaway’s gold standard golf ball and main competition with the Titleist ProV1. Callaway poured a lot of R&D into the Chrome Soft line of golf balls and the 2020 version of the Chrome Soft is a really good golf ball.
The dual SoftFast inner core is larger than ever and infused with graphene giving it a higher launch and more distance than ever. The outer core is a little firmer than before and also enhanced with graphene which gives it a little more durability and increases the wedge spin in the short game.
The mantle system, the layer between the core and cover, is a new ionomer blend for great energy transfer from the core for even more distance.
An even thinner urethane cover promotes ball speed and softness at the same time so that the Chrome Soft is as long and soft as ever.
The aerodynamic dimple design is supposed to reduce drag even more for a penetrating and longer ball flight.
The bottom line with the Chrome Soft is that it does pretty much everything well. Off the tee, it is long and straight. Around the greens it is soft and provides you with really good backspin.
It is a great Tour Level offering with a lot of new improvements that could catapult the Chrome Soft up in popularity and help it compete with the ProV1.
Pros
- Great workability with every club in your bag but still easy to hit straight and long off the tee.
- Better for the majority of really good golfers who do not exceed 110mph of clubhead speed. It helps to add a little distance for those who need it.
- One of the softer feeling balls out there, and considerably softer than the Chrome Soft X.
- Available in a Triple Track version to help with alignment and especially in tandem with an Odyssey Triple Track putter.
- A really good price for a really good golf ball. You can get 15 for the same price or less than you get a dozen ProV1.
Cons
- Not as long or as straight off the tee as the Chrome Soft X.
- Made for players with somewhat slower swing speeds, but it produces a little extra spin as well which can exacerbate a hook or slice.
Chrome Soft X
The Chrome Soft X has benefited from the same R&D and design engineering as the Chrome Soft golf ball just with a twist. The Chrome Soft X, however, has a higher compression and firmer feel that is really built for what Tour Professionals and other really good golfers are looking for in a golf ball.
The Chrome Soft X, because of the higher compression will actually add some ball speed to players that are swinging 110mph and more. Aside from swing and subsequent ball speed, feel is the other main attraction of the Chrome Soft X.
Most players will forfeit an extra 5 or 10 yards of distance for a ball that feels and performs well around the green. Players who hit ball first and compresses it against the ground will usually get better results from the firmer “X” model golf ball. Basically, the Chrome Soft X is a ball designed for the best of the best, and it is those players on tour that you will find carrying this ball in their bag.
Pros
- Higher compression and a firmer feel for more ball speed and distance if you swing the club hard.
- Available in a Triple Track version to help with alignment and especially in tandem with an Odyssey Triple Track putter.
- Used by some of the best golfers in the world, notably Phil Mickelson who is known as a “feel” player.
- Is great around the green for players who hit “ball first” and compress the ball into the ground.
Cons
- Feels a little hard off the face with shorter irons and wedges.
- Too much spin if you are trying to get your drive as straight and long as possible, it spins more than some of the other Tour “X” balls.
Features Face to Face: Chrome Soft Vs Chrome Soft X
Construction
The main difference in construction of these 2 golf balls is that the Chrome Soft X has a higher compression and firmer outer cover. The mantle of both balls are the same and the materials used are similar as well. The higher compression helps give you a few more yards if you swing hard and the softer cover gives the Chrome Soft a softer overall feel.
Performance
Distance
The Chrome Soft is slightly longer and straighter, but both balls provide a lot of distance. As far as a face-to-face comparison on distance goes, if you have a high swing speed it is pretty much a wash. If your swing is a little slower, say less than 110mph, then the Chrome Soft begins to pull away from the Chrome Soft X as far as distance is concerned.
Launch
Both balls feature an extra large core which helps to produce a high launch angle and a great ball flight. You get a little higher ball flight from the Chrome X with your longer irons but the rest of the clubs are pretty similar as far as launch goes.
Spin
Long Game
The Chrome Soft X has one of the best combinations of spin and distance out there. It is a very workable ball but it is also really long and that is a hard combination to come by. The higher compression gives you a little extra pop if you swing hard so that even if you lose a couple of yards to a draw or fade you gain them back with the energy produced in your swing. The Chrome Soft has a little less spin which makes it easier to hit straight.
Short Game
The extra firmness of the Chrome Soft X along with the higher compression actually gives you quite a bit of extra backspin around the greens if, and this is a big “if”, you consistently strike the ball first. That is the thing about the Chrome Soft X, it has some great performance features, but you have to be a solid and consistent striker of the golf ball. If you struggle with starting your divot a few inches in front of the ball, then the Chrome Soft will give you the feel and spin you need in your short game.
Feel
Long Game
The Chrome Soft has a noticeably softer feel than the Chrome Soft X no matter how far away from the green you are. The Chrome Soft X just feels harder and firmer than the Chrome Soft and while that does have its advantages, the softer feel in the long game belongs to the Chrome Soft.
Short Game
Similar to Long Game Feel, the Chrome Soft has an advantage on and around the green as well. Sometimes players like to putt a firmer golf ball because you can feel it a little better in your hands with the softer swing. In general, however, most golfers prefer the softer feel of the Chrome Soft.
Cost
The Chrome Soft and Chrome Soft X can be found at most retailers for about the same price. As compared to the ProV1, you can usually get 15 Callaway Chrome balls for about the same price as a dozen ProV1.
Standout Features of the Chrome Soft vs Chrome Soft X
Workability
The Chrome Soft X produces a slightly higher spin rate so that they are easier to work around the course. The truth is, as far as golf balls go, both balls produce more spin than most, but there is a clear difference in the workability of the Chrome Soft X and the control that that workability offers.
Distance
The distance is close again, but the clear edge goes to the Chrome Soft ball, especially for golfers with more moderate swing speeds. The Chrome Soft has a lower spin rate so that it is easier to hit straight and maintain maximum distance.
What you have to ask yourself, when it comes to distance, is how much is 5 extra yards worth to you?
If you are a player with a high swing speed that is about all that you are going to get and the Chrome Soft X has a few extra advantages.
On the other hand, if you do not have a fast swing, then the added yardage you will get is more significant and it is worth taking a harder look at the Chrome Soft.
Feel
The Chrome Soft golf balls have that really soft feel that many golfers crave. The Chrome Soft X is a little firmer which is good in certain situations, but around the green you just cannot beat the softness of the Chrome Soft.
Feel is about a lot more than just chipping and putting, and the Chrome Soft really has an advantage all over the course. When you make contact with the Chrome Soft X, it just feels harder and some golfers like that but most do prefer the softness of the Chrome Soft.
Final Thoughts on The Chrome Soft Vs Chrome Soft X
Across the Tour and in the bags of most really good golfers, you will still find the ProV1. That does not, however, mean that the Chrome Soft or Chrome Soft X should not be there. These are both really good golf balls and can do as much if not more than even the ProV1.
If you have decided to go with the Callaway offering and are wondering which of the 2 Chrome balls is for you, the answer is pretty easy.
If you have a high swing speed, make good and consistent contact, and want to work the ball around the course more than the Chrome Soft X is for you.
If, on the other hand, you are looking for distance off the tee, a straighter ball flight, and a feathery soft feel, the Chrome Soft might be a better option and especially if your swing speeds are on the slower side.
