The Callaway Supersoft has been one of the best-selling balls for a number of years now. As the name suggests, it’s a low compression and soft feeling ball, aimed at the higher handicap player.
Just because it sells well doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for you. A lot of people use the wrong ball, which can actually hurt your game.
To figure out how the Supersoft performed, I used it for somewhere around 13 rounds of golf. I tried finding it’s strengths and weaknesses to see who it could be right for and who should avoid it.
You can see our favorite balls for the average player HERE.
Callaway Supersoft Specs
| Handicap | High |
| Layers | 2 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Swing Speed | < 90 MPH |
| Compression | 45 |
| Spin | Driver: Low Wedge: Low |
| Cover | Hybrid |
| Company Website | Callaway |
The Tech
The Supersoft is Callaway’s softest model and is actually the second softest ball on the market (currently). Throughout the years, the compression has ranged between 37-47, but the most recent models have been closer to 45.
Having a lower compression rating will help people with slower swing speeds, anything under 90 MPH. For one, you’ll probably be able to hit the ball higher. Two, it’s going to feel way better when you hit it.
Along with the lower compression, it uses a 2 piece design, which again, is what higher handicaps should be looking for. It’s going to be cheaper and will spin less, so they could be more forgiving.
The majority of balls like this use a Surlyn/Ionomer cover, which is firmer, more durable, and spins less. You can learn more about the different covers HERE.
The Supersoft uses a “hybrid” cover that mixes Ionomer with a different material. It’s supposed to improve spin around the greens, but we’ll talk about that later.
The Feel
Most people prefer a slightly softer ball compared to one that’s a little firmer. For the most part, you should find the Supersoft to feel pretty soft, obviously.
One of the main concerns people have with such a low compression ball is that it’ll feel squishy off the tee. Even though I could tell I was hitting a low compression ball, I didn’t really mind how it felt.
Off the tee, I couldn’t really notice a difference between the Supersoft and a premium ball. It felt a little softer on mishits, but on average, they were very close. The same with shots from the fairway.
Around the green is when you start to notice a difference. Wedge shots with the Supersoft are very soft. It does have a firmer cover, but the low compression rating really makes a difference. Compared to a high compression ball (premium or not), the feel is night and day (I like it).
Off the putter, the Supersoft gives you a somewhat muted sound and feel. Most balls sound a bit “clicky,” but that’s not the case here. The one thing I did notice was that it comes off the face a bit quicker than the Urethane ball I normally play.
The Long Game
Callaway’s goal with the Supersoft is to maximize distance while keeping the ball soft. Even though that’s the case, you do tend to lose some distance the softer you go.
My swing speed is around 100 MPH, which is a bit faster than what’s recommend. What I noticed was that, for total distance, the Supersoft was the shortest in the Callaway lineup.
I’m not saying it’ll be that way for you, but chances are, it’s not going to be as long as a higher compression ball. Distance is only one of the factors you should consider though.
I think the main reason was that the Supersoft flew pretty high, so I didn’t get as much rollout. Compared to my normal ball, the Supersoft was 8-10 yards shorter.
In saying that, if you have a slower swing speed, you might benefit from some more height. You might also benefit if you slice or hook the ball a lot.
While it wasn’t as long as other balls with similar specs, I hit a lot fairways with it. It’s one of the lowest-spinning balls off the tee, so it’ll fly straighter than a Urethane ball. This makes it a good choice for high handicappers.
The Short Game
The main knock with this type of ball is that they don’t spin much around the green. While Callaway tried to improve this with the new “hybrid” cover, spin rates are still pretty low around the green.
In saying that, it seemed to be slightly better than a pure Ionomer ball.
With full wedge shots, I was able to get some decent spin out of the ball. Not great, but on an average green, I could get the ball to stop within a few yards of its divot.
The greens weren’t soft, but they were definitely not firm. A really firm green wouldn’t stop the ball as well.
Shorter chips is where this type of ball falls short. I’m by no means a great chipper, so I had a tough time getting the Supersoft to check on the green.
The ball that’s closest to the Supersoft is the Wilson Duo Soft, and I’d say the Callaway was slightly better. Compared to a Urethane ball, the spin rates are a lot less.
From what I’ve seen, the majority of high handicappers aren’t able to spin their chip shots, regardless of the ball they’re using. That’s why I don’t think this is that big of a deal.
When it comes to chipping, I think people should hit more bump and runs. Chip the ball short of the hole and let it run.
Should You Use The Supersoft?
After using the Supersoft for 10+ rounds of golf, I can see why they sell a lot. Besides the fact that high handicappers lose a lot of balls and need to keep buying, the overall performance was pretty good.
You should consider the Supersoft if:
- You’re a high handicapper (shoot above 90)
- You like a soft-feeling golf ball
- Your swing speed is under 90 MPH
For me, I think my swing speed was a bit too fast, and because of that, I don’t think I’d use it. If I wanted a similar type of ball, I’d lean towards the Noodle Long and Soft.
I know you might be laughing, but have you actually tried them? In my experience, the Noodle is longer and straighter than the Supersoft. There isn’t a ball that’s hit more fairways for me.
They’re also a lot cheaper, which you may or may not care about.
The one benefit to the Supersoft is that it spins slightly more around the green, but everything else is very close (other than the price).
Obviously, the best thing to do is try them for yourself because everyone is different. But if you fit into the criteria above, I don’t think you could go wrong with either of them.
Have you tried the Supersoft balls? If you have, let us know what you thought of them in the comments below.
Cheapest Place We Could Find: On Amazon
Other Balls To Consider
The Supersoft may or may not be the best ball for you, it’s tough to tell until you actually try it. If you want to see what our current favorite balls are, check out one of the articles below:
