Should you play the Chrome Soft or the Pro V1?

The Callaway Chrome Soft and the Titleist Pro V1 are the two balls golfers compare most. Both are three-piece urethane tour balls with high greenside spin. Where they split is feel, launch and what happens off the driver.

At a glance

Choose the Chrome Soft if…

• You want a tour ball that feels soft without feeling mushy.
• Your swing speed is moderate and you want help getting the ball in the air.
• Your driver spins too much. Lower driver spin usually means less curve and more roll.

Choose the Pro V1 if…

• You like a more solid feel off the face.
• You want a penetrating flight that holds up in the wind.
• You have the speed to compress a slightly firmer ball.

Around the green, it's close

Both balls check up on chips and pitches, because both have urethane covers. Most golfers won't see a big difference inside 50 yards. They'll feel one: the Chrome Soft reads a little softer off the putter.

The rest of the families

Each brand has a firmer sibling. The Chrome Soft X launches higher with more spin, and the Pro V1x does the same for Titleist. Callaway's Chrome Tour and Chrome Tour X sit closer to tour-player specs, and the Chrome Tour X spins the most around the green in the Chrome family.

The easy way to decide

Buy a dozen of each and play nine holes with each one. Hit the same shots: a drive, a mid-iron, a chip and a few putts. Buying used makes that test cheap. Good-grade tour balls keep the same core and cover, scuffs and all.

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