Callaway Tour ix Ball
August 5, 2008
This is the ball that so many seem to be talking about. Rocco Mediate says that the Callaway Tour ix is so good, “it should be illegal.”
The Tour ix is a FOUR piece ball, adding a tungsten infused outer core that’s supposed to shift weight away from the center (and adding tungsten certainly would do that), for reduced driver spin and straighter shots. The inner core is still soft, though, for the feel that players today seem to prefer. On the outside is a urethane cover with Callaway’s excellent hex pattern “dimples.”
I’ve been meaning to review the Tour ix, but at $45 a box, it may be a while before I give it a go.
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Well I never really liked the HX-Black series- I just didn’t get any benefit from them. HX Hot, yes. At times the HX Pearl. And if the suckers could last, the HX Hot Bite would be the best ball made.
I would like to try these, but if I am going to spend $10-12 for a sleeve, it is going to be ProV1s. I am going to have to find some of these ix’s and to date, I have not seen one on the course. Maybe I can get a sample 2 ball pack at a Callaway day or something.
The thing is, while I like playing with ProV1s, I have probably purchased a grand total of about 8 sleeves in 5 years-- the ones I play with are either won or found. Unless I am winning or finding these Callaway ix, even if they are good, I don’t see myself playing with them.
Posted by martin on 08/06
I bought a sleeve of the ix to try out. Given that I was only going to play one day this week, I decided to splurge for the $11 sleeve and give it a go.
The result? Personal lowest score (1 stroke better than previous best- net score was 68)
Durability- after losing a ball on #1, the second ball proceeded to last 26 holes and it looked new as I launched it into the trees.
Distance- I can’t tell from one playing what the distance really is, but it seemed a little short- right off the first tee, my 3 wood came up surprisingly short, but it felt really good, and had a good trajectory. Likewise, I think that on #8, I hit driver about as good as I can, with just a slight draw and good altitude, it came up 20-30 yards shorter than other well hit balls of mine (it was the longest drive in my foursome though). In the second round, on #5, a very well struck ball also came up noticably shorter than I would have expected- I have been regularly driving into a greenside bunker (275 downhill), this came up at a short 250 on what seemed a well struck ball.
Resistance to slice- I am getting much better at hitting my Burner Draw driver lately, but it did seem that even so, this ball was straighter almost all the time.
Spin - I am not a spinner, I need a lot of help with that. The ix stopped short in the same way I would expect my average balls to (HX Hot, Bridgestones). The only balls I see with noticable greenside spin are the Callaway HX Hot Bite and the ProV1. Sometimes I get some spin with Noodles.
Conclusion- good ball, maybe a little short. Very durable, ProV1 like durability - notable contract with HX Hot Bite, also new from Callaway, which tears like a cheap suit.
I will play this ball if I win some or am given some, but I have probably bought my last sleeve. Like I say above, if I am going to pay $10+ for a sleeve, it has to outperform a ProV1, and I don’t think this ball does. I did like it better than the HX Blacks. I still have no business regularly playing with a $40 ball, so I am going back to the $20-30 tier.
Posted by martin on 08/11
I agree that the price is a bit high...maybe buying a sleeve to try. But people feel comfortible with a certain brand after playing with them for so long. I guess if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.
Posted by chefsheila on 08/13
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