Context: I have been playing golf for 6 months. I’ve taken a few lessons, practice chipping and irons at a grass range 2-3x/wk and have played about a dozen rounds of golf this summer. I’ve played Pro v1 and TP5 that I’ve found, Kirklands, Callaway Supersoft (and a Chromesoft I once found), and a few Vice Pro models (gifts). I play ZXi5 irons (side note, surprisingly approachable to learn on), Wilson Harmonized wedges (also good bang for your buck), a Cleveland HB Soft blade putter, and a TSi2 driver. I play regular flex shafts and hit my 7i around 155 yards on average.
Up front, this is a bang for your buck ball. If you’re not truly capable of shot shaping or added masses of spin with your irons (and I mean consistently, not just on a good day or from a perfect lie), this ball is a great value option and you should keep reading.
Appearance: the cover is surlyn and so it lacks any kind of tackiness or premium sheen in the hand. By contrast, a Callaway Supersoft manages to replicate some of the premium feel/tackiness in the hand that urethane covered balls do and seems like a top of the line ball when viewed side by side. This Wilson Chaos doesn’t look like much, and at least a couple of balls per box might have a small burr of plastic on them (likely left over from the manufacturing process).
Durability: it isn’t fantastic, but if you managed to play the same ball without losing it for 18 holes, it’d hold up even with a few cart path bounces. Let’s be honest, though. You’re reading this review because you lose balls left and right, and at $4-5 a pop for premium balls, you’re feeling the pain of losing 6-8 balls every time you hit the course. In fact, you might even stock your bag with nice balls, only to play mostly balls you find on the course. That, or you’re financially frugal but still want a ball that you won’t hate. So here’s my take on performance:
Spin: who cares? You’re still working on distance control. Doesn’t seem super spinny to me.
Does it hold a green? See above. I hold greens by virtue of being magically decent at approach shots 120 yards and in (seriously, it makes no sense).
Distance: it’s fine. Based on my 7i carry, I assume I have an average to very slightly above average swing speed (for a man). If I’m hitting a Callaway Supersoft (my other most used ball) more than 3 yards farther with my 7i, I’d be surprised. That said, I do think you lose distance with driver.
Trajectory: seems to get up there when I strike the ball well and flies about as straight as the Callaway.
Feel: it’s not the softest thing in the world, nor is it firm. If anything, I would say it feels a bit brittle and underweight when striking it well with an iron or on a full wedge shot. Almost like it’s a toy. That being said, it’s not going to make the game less enjoyable and it’s very much worth the trade off for the price. Hitting driver, even at a moderate swing speed, I feel like I’m overwhelming the ball slightly and I have a harder time with consistent distance. A lot of that is probably down to my skill, though. Carry ranges from 210 – 250 yards for me.
Verdict: be honest with yourself. If you’re working on distance control and can’t truly command the ball to fade, draw, or spin up loads, this ball isn’t going to ding your game and is a great value.
Who is this ball for?: this ball is for someone who is learning to golf and tends to lose 5 or more balls per round. If you have a fast swing speed (again, be honest with yourself), this ball is going to cost you real distance, so keep that mind. If you rarely lose balls, I would consider a more premium option. Just remember that a cheaper ball can actually result in better play for you when compared with a premium ball. It’s all about picking a ball that maximizes your skill set while mitigating your weaknesses. Don’t just get a Pro v1 because it’s the “best”. Maybe for a tour pro or a highly skilled golfer, sure. Most of us are not that.
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