Cutaway of HX Tour 56
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One of the major criticisms of premium golf balls has been their durability in the hands of club golfers. While Tour pros get their’s for free – and change their ball upto a dozen times in a round – it can prove very expensive when the humble handicap golfer pays around £40 for a dozen of his favourite high performance golf balls.
The alternative is to pay less for a ball that will guarantee durability with a hard, scuff-free cover but is unlikely to deliver the same spin and control characteristics of the balls the pros use.
However, Callaway Golf claims it has given due consideration to the concerns of its customers with the introduction of ‘new and improved’ versions of the HX Tour and HX Tour 56 balls, used by Michael Campbell, Phil Mickelson and Annika Sorenstam to win half of last year’s eight major championships.
Its engineers have devised a new finishing system to create better adhesion and improve the gloss paint retention.
Says Callaway: "Balls will keep their whiter, brighter finish longer and will better resist scuffing and shearing from the grooves of clubs for a longer life."
The company adds that probably only highly skilled players will notice the tiny difference of three-thousandths of an inch in the covers of the two balls but that it’s enough to help with a little more speed off the driver with the HX Tour and more spin, control and a softer feel from the HX Tour 56.
As well as an upgrade in the manufacturing process, the two balls share the same HEX Aerodynamic pattern replacing conventional dimples and virtually eliminating the ball’s seam. This helps reduce drag at impact, while stabilising flight in the wind, says Callaway.
The improved versions of the HX Tour and HX Tour 56 will be available early in March with the recommended price remaining at £40 per dozen.
