Callaway ERC Soft and Supersoft Golf Balls

Chrome is Callaway’s flagship golf ball franchise so I’m betting the brand new Chrome Tour Triple Diamond will obtain many of the consideration after the curtain comes down on all of their new golf ball releases.

However right here’s a phrase to the clever for these of us who don’t possess “Tour-level” swing velocity: Don’t sleep on the brand new variations of Callaway’s ERC Gentle and Supersoft.

The mid-level, three-piece ERC Gentle and entry-level two-piece Supersoft deserve their plaudits and stay integral to Callaway’s efforts within the ball class.

ERC Gentle

I’m betting Ely Reeves Callaway, the late founder and CEO of Callaway Golf, can be fairly proud to have his initials on the ERC Gentle golf ball.

Why? Nothing was extra intoxicating to him than the sensation of a well-struck golf shot.

Because it’s positioned as a “full efficiency” product, Mr. Callaway, who performed a good recreation himself, would have cherished the ERC Gentle.

A lot lengthy off the tee, this ball’s gentle really feel provides it a large demographic runway of low- to mid-handicap gamers who may need to save a couple of dollars however nonetheless get a few of those self same efficiency advantages as these top-of-the-pyramid Chrome merchandise.

A closeup of the Callaway ERC Soft Golf Ball

AI affect

Utilizing a brand new synthetic intelligence device, Callaway’s golf ball group started compiling information way back to 2008 to construct prototypes and a database for AI to begin iterating preliminary designs. And so they have taken full benefit of these tens of millions of design iterations.

The primary ERC Gentle ball was launched in 2019. Beginning its journey as a four-piece product, the ball had a twin core similar to Chrome Gentle X and was infused with a robust however versatile nanoparticle materials.

Bear in mind Graphene?

Added to the outer core, Graphene allowed Callaway to make the within core larger but additionally softer to generate extra velocity.

That authentic ERC Gentle was positioned as a low-spin, high-speed distance ball with one vital distinction: greenside spin that rivaled urethane merchandise.

Quick-forward to 2025

Six years later, Callaway is asking this fourth-generation mannequin “the perfect ERC Gentle ever.”

That’s hardly a revelation—however the product does profit from a mix of a Hyper Elastic SoftFast core, a high-speed mantle layer and a “Tour-level” development platform tipped decidedly towards the Chrome franchise.

The top recreation of all that: added distance and extra really feel and management across the inexperienced.

Options and advantages

Hyper Elastic SoftFast core

With the sequel to the primary Hyper Elastic SoftFast core from 2023, Callaway has gone barely softer to reinforce greenside really feel for these shorter contact pictures.

Hybrid cowl

Callaway prefers “hybrid” to “ionomer” for the quilt description however, by any label, this cowl is considerably softer than the earlier era.

How a lot softer? Strive 16 %.

That offered the group some latitude to assemble the ball for distinctive distance and gentle really feel whereas sustaining a excessive diploma of sturdiness.

Cowl coating

Sure, Callaway has a coating on that hybrid cowl.

Why? So as to add to the ERC Gentle’s spin management. It’s a high-elongation paint referred to as GRIP urethane. The coating’s predominant profit is elevated management on method and short-game pictures.

Excessive-speed mantle

This is likely to be essentially the most intriguing characteristic of this product. AI performed a key position, after all.

ERC Gentle has a brand new high-modulus mantle that’s 3 times stiffer than that on the 2023 model. When the ball is compressed, the mantle layer acts as a spring for sooner ball speeds and extra distance with the motive force and irons together with a excessive diploma of wedge spin across the inexperienced.

These qualities typically run counter to 1 one other.

Callaway ERC Soft golf ball triple track pattern

Triple Observe alignment

Callaway’s ERC Gentle comes with the corporate’s fashionable Triple Observe alignment. The blue/crimson/blue aspect stamp visible helps golfers concentrate on getting the proper alignment on the inexperienced.

Whoops! I virtually forgot: Truvis is again!

Pricing and availability

ERC Gentle will come out in 4 configurations:

White and yellow Triple Observe

White/Blue and Yellow/Black high-visibility Truvis

Retail is about for Jan. 31, 2025

Value: $39.99 per dozen

Callaway Supersoft

One of many points for the Callaway Supersoft franchise is identical one which plagues Titleist’s golf ball group relating to Professional V1 and Professional V1x.

Customers don’t need modifications.

Within the case of Supersoft, leisure golfers play it as a result of, properly, they prefer it. And so they prefer it loads.

For the reason that low-compression ball strikes a pleasant steadiness between inexpensive worth and reliable efficiency, loyal Supersoft customers would somewhat the Callaway golf ball group take a hands-off method.

Particularly because it’s a golf ball that works on a bunch of ranges.

An exceptionally artistic photo of the Callaway Supersoft golf ball

If Callaway had accomplished completely nothing apart from repackage Supersoft and add a shade or two or turned it right into a five-pack, Supersoft proponents in all probability wouldn’t have batted an eye fixed.

Concern not.

Not solely is the value of Supersoft being held in test, its followers are getting extra ball velocity and softer really feel from developments to the quilt, core and development.