About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the golf balls, which I purchased with my own money in July of 2022.

My take

The Callaway Chrome Soft is great for holding the green on long approaches. It has the softest feel of any premium ball I have tested. However, I did find that it has significant deficiencies in distance, both off the tee and fairway.

About the golf ball

• Model: 2022 Callaway Chrome Soft
• Color: White

About me

• Average score: 85
• Handicap: 13
• Experience: 25 years of golfing
• Right/Left-handed: Right
• Typical shot shape: Fade
• Typical trajectory: Medium
• Club swing speed: Driver 115mph

Test conditions

• When I bought this: July 2022
• Days tested: 30 days
• Where I’ve used it: Practice/chipping area and on a regulation course
• Weather and wind conditions: Hot weather, little to no wind
• Turf conditions: Medium to firm
• Green speeds: Medium to slow

How they perform

What I was looking for

I was looking for a golf ball that holds the green on approach, above all other aspects. I was noticing that with other balls, my approach was hitting the green and rolling past or off.

Why I chose this golf ball

I chose this ball after researching online which ball has the most fairway approach and greenside spin. The Callaway Chrome Soft received high scores from magazine reviews and I wanted to compare this ball to others highly ranked in this category such as the TaylorMade TP5 and Srixon Z-Star XV.

What I love about it

• Feel: The soft urethane coating provides a very true, soft feel, which I prefer in a premium ball. It comes off the club face very nicely.
• Green Spin: The best in the category, this ball proves to hold the green, even with thin or low approach shots. For chip and flop shots, it spins so much that there is hardly any roll-out.
• Color: It has a bright white color and minimal marking/branding on the ball which I prefer for simplicity sake. I like the feel of looking down at a shiny ball as opposed to matte finish. I can picture the strike and spin better.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Distance: This ball simply does not go as far as other premium (non–X model) balls, such as the Titleist Pro V1 and TP5. I noticed that it goes about 10–12 yards short on irons and 20 yards shorter than usual with a driver.
• Durability: I noticed this ball is not very durable, as there were scuff marks from wedge shots and some scarring from two cart path hits. The scuff marks were jagged and deep, and they could not be easily buffed out with a brush. I suspect this is due to the very soft nature of the urethane coating; it simply cannot hold up to much abrasion.

Best shot with this golf ball

I had a 160 yard shot from a hilltop in the rough at Pinecrest CC in Lansdale, PA. I used a 7-iron full swing, and the ball flew very high and landed softly 7 feet from the hole. Normally, I would not expect the ball to hold the green or roll farther from the hole, but was pleasantly surprised to see this great result when I approached the green!

Value for the money vs. other options

Compared with other premium balls mentioned above, the Callaway Chrome Soft is not a good value. I feel as though I can get just about the same spin and green hold from the Pro V1 without compromising distance, which to many is a must-have.

Final verdict

In summary, I won’t be playing the Callaway Chrome Soft ball simply because it lacks “get up and go” distance. Also, it produces too much spin greenside (chipping and out of bunker), with no roll-out. I had to adjust my game a bit to get comfortable with this ball model.