Chrome is becoming a 4 piece ball.

Callaway’s HEX Chrome golf ball is getting an upgrade. Released last year as a three-piece urethane ball geared towards players with moderate swing speeds, Callaway’s Golf Ball R&D team went back to the drawing board to figure out a way to improve on the ball’s s-Tech core, which was designed to maximize ball speed without generating high spin.

According to Dave Bartel, Callaway Golf’s Senior Director of Golf Ball R&D, the company was able to improve the HEX Chrome model with a couple new additions. On Wednesday, Callaway unveiled HEX Chrome+ at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a four-piece urethane ball that’s being touted as the fastest Tour ball the company has ever designed.

“HEX Chrome+ is hands down this is the fastest Tour Ball we’ve ever designed at Callaway and quite possibly our longest,” Bartels said. “This new 4-piece construction has a single-piece core and dual-mantle system that were designed in unison to create more ball speed with the longer clubs without generating excessive spin, leading to longer distance.”

Moving from a three-piece to a four-piece ball, HEX Chrome+ now has a dual mantle — as opposed to a single mantle in the previous model — with a thin inner and outer mantle that work together to produce more ball speed and reduce
spin off the tee, as well as a firm, fast core that leads to more distance over a wide range of clubs and swing speeds.

Like HEX Chrome, the new version also has the DuraSpin cover and refined HEX aerodynamics. Gary Woodland, who’s in the field this week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, is the most notable Callaway staffer currently playing HEX Chrome+.

HEX Chrome+ will be available April 19 at a suggested retail price of $35.99 per dozen and will come in two versions — traditional white and Optical Yellow.

Can’t wait to try this….

I’ve been happy with the ‘old’ Hex Chrome. I expect the existing model will drop a heap in price.

nope, it is not replacing the current model, both will still
be available.

I too am a fan of the existing Hex Chrome, will give this a try but hope they haven’t lost any of the feel off the Putter..

So is this like the Titliest NXT Tour and NXT Tour S?

Apparently the feel is the same, they are providing the same characteristics of the chrome in the +, for higher swing speeds.

I thought that was what the Hex Black was for….

http://golfweek.com/news/20...

The original Hex Chrome ball, a three-piece, urethane-covered model designed to maximize distance for players with lower swing speeds, will remain in Callaway’s line.

“The disadvantage of the softer core is that when you get to higher-swing-speed players, the ball speed suffers quite a bit, even though you still have relatively low spin,” says Dave Bartels, the senior director of golf ball research at Callaway Golf. “That’s why the original Hex Chrome wasn’t played on Tour. So with the Chrome+, we decided to make a ball that performs as well for higher-clubhead-speed players at that price point.”

Chrome and Chrome+ will cost $35.99 per dozen.

So they made a Ball for higher swing-speeds (Black) as a Tour level ball
A ball for slower swing-speeds (Chrome) for the rest of us except for the Gorillas

and now another higher swing-speed ball (Chrome+) for the tight arse Gorillas, is that what you’re telling me?

Why don’t they make a Tour level ball (Black-) for the slower swing-speeds next??

seems a little bit redonkulous to me

you are missing the price point.

there are 20 other balls in their range that are cheaper than the Black….and if this ball is as good as they claim why would anybody buy the Black at all???

Black? I thought it was “optical yellow”?

chrome
black
white
yellow

No wonder we all get confused

This is when players start to ask all the right questions.

Apparently Mickelson used the Chrome+ at Augusta. Didn’t help him but I don’t think it was the ball that was the problem

Mickelson also put Callaway’s new Chrome+ ball in play. The four-piece urethane ball has a single-piece core and dual-mantle system that were designed in unison to create more ball speed with the longer clubs without generating excessive spin.

The Chrome+ being a 4 piece in a similar structure setup to
the previous Callaway HX Tour balls than the 5 piece Black
that to me is a little experimental in the way the layers are
setup.

The other thing I noticed was that they have moved from
the really sticky RIM Urethane cover material to the TPU
Urethane for better durability and colour.

i always thought the Chrome held up pretty well in the durability stakes

The other thing I noticed was that they have moved from
the really sticky RIM Urethane cover material to the TPU
Urethane for better durability and colour.

.Please Read this Disclaimer which is an integral part of my Post
.My posts are just my written opinions,fiction or satire.
.No one was intended to be harmed by this post.

Boz, I think that’s a good thing, the old ‘Tour i’ & ‘Tour is’ had a cover that got torn up all over the shop after only a few holes..!! brining tour ball durability up to a ‘ProV1’ type level should be a goal for all ball manufacturers..!!

True Fumbles,,,,mind you the ProV1 still goes that dull off white
colour pretty quickly or does the NEW paint they are using help?

Hey Boz,

I have been using the Wilson FG Tour ball recently, love the ball but it does seem to be a lot duller than a lot of balls out there..

Got any feedback / opinion on this ball??

nice thread hack bud..!!
subtle as a sledgehammer

Apparently Stuart Appleby has replaced the Hex Black with the Chrome+

Appleby preferred the softer feel and quieter sound around the green

I found a Hex Black on course and played quite well with it, I didn’t find it a rock at all for my 98-100mph swing speed, but then my experience with golf balls is limited. I can definitely feel the difference between a softer and firmer ball, but it didn’t feel like a rock.

Hi Spartan,

The FG Tour is a good alternative but yes the cover reminds
me of the earlier Callaway Tour or Penta balls where the paint
starts milky white and within a round they look very off white
which I believe is their main weakness in design / performance
terms against the current balls you could play.

Its funny though years ago when we were researching colours
the brighter blue white balls were seen to look “harder” and the
off white versions were seen to look “softer” which in part had
to do with the history of Balata balls always being a bit duller
yet known to be really soft in the cover.

But today with there being enough of a gap in time players
appreciate more that a brighter white can be a better option
as it is easier to focus on / see in the air and find in play.

Some practical changes in our game can take a long time to
be adopted especially in Australia from my experience over
the years.

Cheers,
Boz

nice thread hack bud..!!
subtle as a sledgehammer

have you met Mr Ho-sel recently..!!

Hmmm, the only other post in this thread you have made mentioned three other balls and no reference of your experience with the Chrome or Chrome+.......

To Boz, thanks for the response, you are the Ball Guru so I like to hear your opinions on other brands.

there are 20 other balls in their range that are cheaper than the Black….and if this ball is as good as they claim why would anybody buy the Black at all???

Incoming Golf Balls have the right of way!

http://www.golflink.com.au/...

I am hoping on and planning on it doing so since it is suppose to have less driver spin than the black but just as much hold on the greens. Also hoping it is more durable, a bit annoying sometimes after 9 holes finding the blacks starting to split around the dimple lines.

Callaway probably do not care because the blacks have already been through a cycle which they will probably replace in the next cycle (12 months?).

Like HEX Chrome, the new version also has the DuraSpin cover and refined HEX aerodynamics.