If the Callaway Hex Black Tour Ball can help me (and Phil Mickelson), it can help you, too

I put the new Callaway Hex Black Tour Ball through a serious 24-hour test, one that spanned two world-class golf courses thousands of miles apart.

As luck would have it, I teed up the ball on Sunday at the Ocean course at Cabo del Sol – a course in Mexico’s Baja Peninsula regularly ranked among the top 100 courses in the world. The next day, still jet-lagged from the long flight home to Michigan, I teed it up again, this time at the North course at Oakland Hills Country Club. The North tends to be overshadowed by the more famous South course, home to major championships and a Ryder Cup, but the par-70 layout still rates among the top 25 courses in the state with its never-ending palate of slick, elevated greens.

The ball’s performance was nothing short of incredible. I can almost say the same for my game. I bettered my handicap at Cabo del Sol and would have at Oakland Hills if not for two loose shots that added up to five or six extra swings (I’m blaming the jet-lag for the lack of focus).

I had two of the best ball-striking rounds of the year, at least off the tee. The flight of the ball seems so effortless. I sank a 35-foot putt on the first hole at Cabo del Sol, so the ball reacted well on the greens, too.

Phil Mickelson used the ball for his beat-down of Tiger Woods at the AT&T National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

“I’ve had more fun working on my game with the new HEX Black Tour ball than I have in years because I’ve been able to hit shots around the green that I haven’t been able to hit since the ’90s with wound balls,” said four-time Major Champion and Callaway Golf staff professional Phil Mickelson in a statement. “The amazing thing to me is the spin separation; how this ball spins so much from 40 yards in, and yet spins so little off the driver and goes so far. I’ve never seen a ball with that combination of short-range control and distance.”

The ball’s unique makeup allows for a higher spin separation between tee shots and short-game shots. The i-Core Technology features an extremely soft inner core that helps reduce spin off the tee for more distance, while the high compression outer core creates higher spin closer to the green for more control with irons and wedges. The inner and outer mantles are comprised of ionomer blends in different ratios to affect the hardness and resilience of each mantle layer.

The DuraSpin Cover was developed using a unique thermoplastic urethane (TPU) blend, which greatly increased the ball’s durability to prevent scratches and scuff marks. Callaway’s patented HEX Aerodynamics produce 100 percent surface area coverage on a golf ball whereas traditional round dimples typically cover only 88 percent of the surface. This highly engineered pattern produces better aerodynamics, reducing drag and promoting a stable, penetrating ball flight.

I’ve written in the past that I’m mostly a Titleist Pro-V1 guy who also likes Srixon and Bridgestone. These new Callaways have opened my eyes to a whole new way of shooting lower scores. For more visit Callaway’s web site here.