I tested every 2024 golf ball and this was the clear winner
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The Today’s Golfer robot test revealed what might just be the perfect golf ball…
Imagine, if you will, the perfect golf ball. It would be long with the driver. Easy to launch. Generate loads of spin with irons and wedges. Help approach shots stop quickly on the green. It would be accurate. Consistent. Reliable.
The recent Today’s Golfer robot golf ball test identified a ball that does all this: the new Callaway Chrome Tour X. I’ll explain why the data shows that the ball used by Jon Rahm is as close as it comes to a perfect golf ball – but also why it does have two problems. We’ll get to those shortly.
The aim of the Callaway Chrome Tour X
Launched in 2024, the Callaway Chrome Tour X was designed to be a direct alternative to the Titleist Pro V1x. Callaway claim it outperforms the Titleist ball for ball speed and distance. The TG robot golf ball test found that it certainly did that, plus a whole lot more…
Driver distance
The robot test included hitting driver at 85mph, 100mph, and 115mph, so you can see how balls perform at the clubhead speed that most closely matches your own.
Of the 24 models tested, the Callaway Chrome Tour X was the only ball to rank in the top-three for carry distance across all three swing speeds.
It ranked third at 85mph with a carry distance of 192.1 yards, which was 2.4 yards longer than the test average and only 1.5 yards shorter than the longest ball at this swing speed.
At a 100mph swing speed, the Callaway Chrome Tour X ranked second for carry distance. Its 245.1-yard total put it 4.1 yards ahead of the average and just 0.3 yards shorter than the Wilson Staff Model X, which was the longest at this speed.
At 115mph, the Chrome Tour X led the field with a carry distance of 283.2 yards, which was 5.4 yards longer than the test average.
Iron spin
The Callaway Chrome Tour X generated a test-leading 6,193 RPM of spin with a 7-iron, a substantial 793 RPM higher than the test average.
For comparison, here are the 7-iron spin numbers of some other leading tour balls:
| Ball | Backspin (RPM) |
| Callaway Chrome Tour X | 6,193 |
| Titleist Pro V1x | 5,835 |
| TaylorMade TP5 | 5,672 |
| Titleist Pro V1 | 5,594 |
| TaylorMade TP5x | 5,468 |
| Callaway Chrome Tour | 5,384 |
| Callaway Chrome Soft | 5,173 |
Pitching wedge spin
With a pitching wedge, the Chrome Tour X again generated more backspin than any other ball in the test. Its 8,080 RPM total was 645 RPM higher than the test average.
| Ball | Backspin (RPM) |
| Callaway Chrome Tour X | 8,080 |
| Titleist Pro V1x | 8,046 |
| Titleist Pro V1 | 7,691 |
| TaylorMade TP5 | 7,617 |
| TaylorMade TP5x | 7,606 |
| Callaway Chrome Tour | 7,481 |
| Callaway Chrome Soft | 7,040 |
What our equipment editor says about the Callaway Chrome Tour X
“In many instances, a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ranking for carry distance across our three driver speeds would say everything you need to know about the Callaway Chrome Tour X,” says Today’s Golfer Equipment Editor Simon Daddow, a man with 30 years’ experience designing and testing golf equipment. “But this golf ball is so much more than just a firm, fast, and long driver model.
“The X was either highest or tied highest for shot height across the three driver speeds while also producing more iron spin and wedge stopping power than any other ball in this test. That’s some serious across-the-board performance, but the model wasn’t quite finished there.
“Callaway golf balls have taken some stick for manufacturing inconsistencies in the past, but by posting the third smallest shot area (averaged across five test situations) as well as a minuscule 2 square yards shot area (the smallest on test) with a wedge, our data is a ringing endorsement that the company is now making some seriously impressive and consistent tour-level golf balls.”
The downsides
Iron and wedge distance
When it comes to physics and performance, everything comes at a cost. You can have the fastest and most powerful engine in the world, but it’s not going to win any awards for fuel economy. The same compromises apply to golf balls.
The exceptional iron and wedge spin rates delivered by the Callaway Chrome Tour X come at the expense of distance with those clubs.
With a 7-iron, the Chrome Tour X had an average carry distance of 150.5 yards, which was the second shortest on test, 3.1 yards behind the average and 6 yards shorter than the longest (the Srixon Q-Star Tour and Vice Pro Air both carried 156.5 yards).
With a pitching wedge, the Chrome Tour X carried 104.9 yards, 0.4 yards shorter than average and 1.6 yards shorter than the longest.
But, if you’re buying a premium golf ball, iron distance is probably (and rightly) a long way down your list of priorities, and giving up a few yards is well worth it for the other benefits the Chrome Tour X offers.
The price
At $54.99 or £54 per dozen, the Callaway Chrome Tour X (and the standard Chrome Tour) are the most expensive golf balls in the entire test and cost more than any other mass-market golf ball. Whether the performance justifies the cost is of course a personal choice, but we’d recommend shopping around and keeping an eye out for good deals which sometimes crop up.
Price per ball $6.11 / 0.30c per yard
The Chrome Tour X has a compression of 98 and the company reports seeing ball speed gains of 1.5 – 3mph during internal testing with this model. Interestingly the speed gains don’t come from a firmer compression, as this model is the same compression as the previous Chrome Soft X.
Golfers should expect 300 RPM more backspin up to 50 yards from the surface of the green, the all-important scoring zone for the very good players.
Read our full Callaway Chrome Tour X (2024) golf ball review.
Pros
- Long off the driver
- High spin with the irons and wedges
- Produced our third smallest shot area average
Cons
- In 2024 Callaway is an expensive tour ball option
| Construction | 4-Piece |
| Cover | Urethane |
| Cost per ball | $6.11 |
Want an alternative?
If the above hasn’t convinced you that the Callaway Chrome Tour X is the ball for you, Simon Daddow has got an alternative option…
“If I was spending my own money in 2024 on premium tour balls, the choice would come down to the TaylorMade TP5x or the Callaway Chrome Tour X,” he says. “The Callaway is fractionally longer with the driver and higher spinning with 7-iron and wedge, but the TP5x still performs brilliantly and is a little less pricey. Both can do an excellent job for you.”
Price per ball $4.16 / 0.22c per yard
The 2024 TP5x reduces driver and long iron spin (over the previous model) so there’s a focus on distance while maintaining greenside control. This would be the perfect ball choice for golfers seeking less driver spin and wanting to hit shots a fraction higher through the bag.
Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Rickie Fowler, and Nelly Korda all play this ball out on tour.
Read our full TaylorMade TP5x golf ball review.
Pros
- Low spin and long at higher speeds
- Less expensive than most tour-level balls
- Good iron and wedge spin
- A favorite on tour
Cons
- The Callaway Chrome Tour X is slightly longer with the driver and higher spin with an iron and wedge. It's also more pricey.
| Construction | 5-Piece |
| Cover | Urethane |
| Cost per ball | $4.16 |
- Check out our pick of the best golf balls here.
About the author
Rob McGarr – Contributing Editor
Rob has been a writer and editor for over 15 years, covering all manner of subjects for leading magazines and websites.
He has previously been Features Editor of Today’s Golfer magazine and Digital Editor of todays-golfer.com, and held roles at FHM, Men’s Running, Golf World, and MAN Magazine.
You can follow him on YouTube where – depending on what day of the week it is – he’ll either be trying his best to get his handicap down to scratch or shoving his clubs in a cupboard, never to be seen again.
Rob is a member at Royal North Devon, England’s oldest golf course, where he plays off a three-handicap.
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Is this the perfect golf ball?
