Equipment
Callaway Chrome Soft X LS golf ball: A low spin addition to the Chrome Soft lineup
Callaway is setting out to deliver maximum distance and premium low spin performance with the release of its all-new Chrome Soft X LS (low spin) ball for 2021.
The new ball has been specifically developed for players who not only want the extra distance available by lowering spin—but who also seek to hit low launching, higher spinning shots with their scoring clubs to attack pins.
The four-piece ball is built around a single core, dual mantle layer system designed for speed and paired with a proprietary urethane cover to maximize control along and optimize aerodynamics for consistency in flight, according to Callaway.
Callaway Chrome Soft X LS: Technology and features
To make a golf ball longer, it needs to retain as much energy from impact as possible—and soft golf balls don’t do that as well as harder ones. The more a golf ball deforms during impact, the more energy is lost, and in the simplest form, it won’t go as far.
To be able to produce a soft distance ball (it’s called the Chrome “Soft” after all) Callaway wraps the softer inner mantle with a highly resilient firm outer layer. It’s kind of like coating a marshmallow with chocolate—the inside maintains its soft properties but is now coated in a layer of hard chocolate. To round out the poor food analogy, let’s call the final coating of sprinkles the urethane cover.
The end result is a ball that produces less spin on shots at the highest speed and with more direct force caused by lower lofted clubs while still being able to maintain high spin and soft feel on shots hit around the green and at lower speeds.
The final part of the equation is the ability for engineers to optimize the ball’s aerodynamic performance at lower spin rates and the highest speeds. If you have ever hit a shot high on the toe only to watch it fall from the sky, then you have experienced what happens when a ball doesn’t spin enough to maintain lift.
The Chrome Soft X LS keeps the proven Hex dimples shape, but on a granular scale, the dimple depths and dimensions have been altered to produce a penetrating and stable flight.
Price and Availability
The new Callaway Chrome Soft X LS ball will be available starting March 18 and will retail for $47.99 a dozen in White, Triple Track, and Tripple Track yellow.
This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.
Joel Thelen
Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.
First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.
Mitchell Meissner
Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.
Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: Titleist GTS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 70 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 80 TX
Irons: Titleist U505 (3), Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 8 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putters: Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron GOLO 6.3 Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
In our forums, one user has offered up a prompt for the true sickos, inviting fellow forum members to share every set of irons they’ve ever owned. As to be expected, this is a lengthy forum topic.
@Lamosteve began:
Can you name every set of irons you’ve owned? Here’s mine
Spalding Dots
Spalding Eclipse
Ram Lazer FX
Lynx Parallax
Mizuno EZ Comp
Ben Hogans
Cleveland CG Red
Taylor Made R9s
PING i20
PING iE1
Taylor Made M6
Our members in the forum have been offering up their own collections. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- macedan: “Started with a hand-me-down Golden Bear set from my brother when I was in high school, never really played more than once a year or got into the game until about summer of 2017. First purchased a set of Cleveland CG4’s (I actually really miss this set sometimes, soft & not terribly large for a GI iron), moved into Nike Vapor Fly’s by the end of the year. Those lasted until spring of 18 when I decided I wanted new, so I traded them in for TM Rbladez. Honestly, although I liked the Rbladez, poor decision on my part, I think this was really about the only time so far that after a week or two I was kicking myself for not staying with what I had. Rbladez stayed with me until late last summer when I switched to P790’s and (knock on wood) I am hoping this will be my longest lasting set.”
- JimmyC59: “MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Triple Crown. Palmer The Standard. Still play these.”
- jgrzask: “Tommy Armour 845u
Mizuno MP-32
Mizuno MP-33 (2 sets)
Bridgestone J33cb – still own
Srixon i-302 (2 sets) – still own
Tourstage X-Blades – still own
Mizuno Hot Metal – still own
Nike Forged Blades – still own
Titleist 714 AP1 – still own
Cobra Forged SS – still own”
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Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament. Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura...
Hannah Green WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Titleist GTS3 (10 degrees, D4 SureFit setting) Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana RB 53 S 3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees,...
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Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 S 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (16.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue...
Brianna Do WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (9 degrees) Shaft: KBS PGW 3-wood: Callaway Elyte Titanium (15 degrees) Shaft: KBS PGW 5-wood:...
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Brian
Mar 3, 2021 at 9:26 am
Their counter to the AVX finally??
Shooter
Mar 3, 2021 at 2:13 pm
AVX was the counter to chrome soft. This is a tour variant that was made for public release. Closer to the left dash end of the spectrum.
Tour BX
Mar 2, 2021 at 10:39 pm
Hey Bridgestone, look, another YELLOW option…
d
Mar 4, 2021 at 4:24 pm
yes bridgestone, lets get some yellow
Chuck
Mar 2, 2021 at 11:24 am
Thanks for this, Ryan. Interesting product, and an interesting review from you.
As always, one of the most informative pages from any golf website or any golf magazine is the annual review and charting of spin rates and launch angles of various leading retail golf balls. For the 99.9999999% of us who buy golf balls based on anecdotal experience and word of mouth, rather than lengthy launch monitor testing with every ball on the market.
But moreover, it is good to see once again how it is that equipment manufacturers can continue to refine and develop lower-spinning (off driver) golf balls that essentially allow elite players to swing harder, and produce more distance, even when the Ruling Bodies’ ball testing specifications remain static.