- Callaway is releasing two balls in the Supersoft family
- The standard Supersoft is designed for golfers who place a premium on iron distance
- The Supersoft MAX is an oversized golf ball designed to be easier to hit in the air
- Retail price for both models is $22.99
Last week we introduced you to the Callaway ERC Soft, the company’s offering at the premium end of the ionomer category. This time around it’s the Callaway Supersoft and Callaway Supersoft MAX, both of which fall closer to the other end of the category.
Callaway Supersoft Golf Ball
Priced at just $22.99 per dozen, I don’t think anyone would describe the two-piece Callaway Supersoft as premium, but, nevertheless, it remains a needle-mover for the company. It’s a top-5 dollar generator and solid No. 3 in the market. You could also make a case that the success of Supersoft is what led Callaway down the path of soft throughout its ball lineup.
Your primary Supersoft selling points: it is soft and it is cheap.
Callaway Supersoft – Who It’s For
Callaway says the Supersoft is for the mature player segment. That could mean experienced or just old. Perhaps it’s a bit of both. In any case, we’re talking about a moderate swing speed player who places a premium on iron distance.
To be clear, moderate is an industry euphemism for slow and premium on iron distance is code for high launch with not much spin.
Much like ERC Soft, I suppose you could say Supersoft is for a golfer who relies on trajectory to stop the ball. On a more granular level, the Callaway Supersoft fits a golfer who isn’t hunting flags or trying to suck the ball back.
If anywhere on the green is good enough, you might just be in the Supersoft demographic.
PARALOID Hybrid Cover
With that said, Callaway understands most everybody wants spin around the green so, despite the spin limitations of soft balls and ionomer covers, Callaway is doing what it can to give you a little bit more bite in the short game.
Like the ERC Soft, the Supersoft features a new PARALOID Hybrid cover. The new material is softer and more durable. Not only will it give you a little bit more spin, it should make Supersoft feel a touch softer than the previous version as well.
That’s no small feat considering that, with an average compression of 41 on our gauges, it’s already the softest ball in our database.
With that in mind, it should go without saying that the Callaway Supersoft is also for the golfer who wants a really soft golf ball.
Callaway Supersoft – Colors, Pricing and Availability
The Callaway Supersoft is available in standard white and yellow along with green, pink, red and Orange Bold in a matte finish.
Retail price is $22.99. Availability begins Feb. 4.
Callaway Supersoft MAX Golf Ball
The Callaway Supersoft MAX replaces the Magna in the Supersoft line. The idea is to play off the industry’s use of MAX to describe oversized, more forgiving products.
The target audience is slower swing speed golfers, players who struggle to make good contact and anyone else who needs a little bit of extra help to get the ball in the air.
That can mean juniors, seniors or beginning golfers.
A Bigger Golf Ball
Like the Magna, the Supersoft is an oversized golf ball. The target diameter is 1.73 inches which, if you’re keeping score at home, is .05 of an inch above the USGA minimum size that most manufacturers target for their golf balls. That’s not a huge number. Callaway believes most golfers won’t notice much of a size difference but for those who need it, the benefits should be appreciable.
That added bit of size serves to help elevate the center of gravity which in turn makes it easier to get the Supersoft MAX in the air (relative to other golf balls).
Unlike the standard Supersoft, you don’t get a PARALOID Hybrid cover. Tri-blend Ionomer will have to do though I suspect the target golfer doesn’t care.
For what it’s worth, in Callaway player testing, 40 percent of testers thought Supersoft MAX flew noticeably higher than their regular ball. As we’ve discussed, perception isn’t always reality but it’s often all that matters. Besides, the design of the ball, on paper anyway, supports the testers’ conclusions.
Finer points aside, the ultimate objective behind the Callaway Supersoft MAX is for golfers to have more fun playing the game. If an oversized golf ball can do that, why not?
Callaway Supersoft MAX Colors, Pricing and Availability
The Callaway Supersoft MAX golf ball is available in white and yellow. Retail price is $22.99. Availability begins Feb. 4.
For more information, visit Callawaygolf.com.
Richard
1 year agoGreat to have a ball for majority of players with slower swing speed.
Well done.
Dennis Beach
1 year agoI love this ball!! Been playing it the last 2 seasons. Gets off the driver very nicely. I have a swing speed of about 80 mph, and have been looking for the right ball for my game(20+hdcp), and this ball fills the bill for me. I play the red or green matte finish ones. Around the green these work great for me, as if they stick to the wedges just a touch longer with the matte finish. And they do not turn into marshmallows on a hot day. Not recommended for high swing speeds!! This is my ball!!
MG
1 year agoI use MYGOLFSPY to research equipment. Your articles on the quality and manufacturing of golf balls is the best resource for us golfers. Golf balls are like every other piece of golf equipment …..you have to find what works for you. I am 61, female, 5 hcp and hit my drives 230 on trackman. My home course is tight with big undulating greens, fast. It plays to a 131 slope ……I use a Calloway Superhot 70! I’ll be recommending these new Calloway balls to the 25 and higher hcp members at my club hoping they player better and faster. Thanks.
I miss, I miss, I make
1 year agoThey are inexpensive. Probably feel good to those with slower swing speed. If the bigger ball is easier to get airborne great. I don’t know what the marketing will look like but hopefully it will be aimed at those that could use such a ball. Of course that means admitting that to yourself..
P.J.
1 year agoI was expecting to see one cut open and the “standard” MGS run-down on the quality. Inquiring minds want to know….
Though, other than winter conditions – don’t think I’d ever play one of these.
RT
1 year agoI wouldn’t play callaway ball due to all the poor quality and mfg problems that caused them to shut down their ball mfg plant .
Mike
1 year agoGood review Tony, thanks. I can say that they find TONS of these balls at the courses I play at. TONS. Probably more than any other ball that’s under $25 a dozen. And coming in a variety of colors doesn’t hurt either. Calloway has a financial winner on their hand here.
Carolyn
1 year agoCome on just take the Iron Bayron type machine, grab two dozen of an assortment of under $25 non-urethane golf balls. Set machine at 75 miles and hour with a 12 degree women’s or senior shafted driver and record all the tracked distance and disbursement…and do not to forget to use some top flite and other cheap women’s balls…..those numbers will tell what the average women golfer wants to know…..is there really a longest ball for the old slow swinging center of fairway hitting lady?
Dan Cohen
1 week agoAmen, Carolyn. It’ll never happen, though. As Tony says here, “Perception isn’t always reality but it’s often all that matters.” They perceive ionomer balls as not even worthy of being tested. And that’s all that matters to them.