Callaway tour iS and iZ balls

[CMAC]

Anyone playing the tour iS or I(s) or iZ or I(z) balls?

Currently I'm prov1 all the way but the courses ar so soft up here that even 6 and 7 iron shots are sucking back far too far, 3 days ago one sucked back from pin high to in a green side bunker

I've heard the callaways have great feel but slightly less spin

 

[USER1999]

They are topflight rocks in disguise.

 

[CMAC]

They are topflight rocks in disguise.

Interesting, have you played them?

Quite a few pro's playing them I believe or are they playing a different model

 

[chris661]

I bought a dozen as I needed balls and that was the only make they had, I would have gladly thrown them away and used pinnacles. The z star is a better ball but the best for feel (IMO) is the pro v

 

[Imurg]

i(s) has as much spin as a ProV1, i(z) much the same as the ProV1x.
They do tend to feel a bit clicky of irons and the putter but reviews state the i(s) as being the softest ball out there. I use them from time to time and have no issues with them.
If you want a soft ball with less spin then the Srixon Trispeed is a good one. Or apparently the new Cally Diablo Tour is good as well.

 

[pokerjoke]

A few of us tested these balls when they first came out.
Straight away i was impressed with the i great around the greens.
The i[z] i just couldnt get on with as it was very hard.
As been said there are better balls out there for your money.

 

[Crawfy]

I use the Tour iS and love them. I feel they dont spin as much a ProV's (and are cheaper) Sports Central do a dozen for £30, but I found a dozen on Ebay for £20 last week ( that's next season sorted)
Everyone is different, but I get backspin on wedges, a nice soft stop on mid irons and a hop and stop when required. No crazy "spin off the green" stuff...just enough to have confidence in throwing it at the pin.

I recommend them ( have not tried Z's)

 

[CMAC]

I use the Tour iS and love them. I feel they dont spin as much a ProV's (and are cheaper) Sports Central do a dozen for £30, but I found a dozen on Ebay for £20 last week ( that's next season sorted)
Everyone is different, but I get backspin on wedges, a nice soft stop on mid irons and a hop and stop when required. No crazy "spin off the green" stuff...just enough to have confidence in throwing it at the pin.

I recommend them ( have not tried Z's)

thanks, sounds ideal, do they still look white after 9 holes? the prov1's look gubbed after 9..............well mine do anyway

 

[Crawfy]

I use the Tour iS and love them. I feel they dont spin as much a ProV's (and are cheaper) Sports Central do a dozen for £30, but I found a dozen on Ebay for £20 last week ( that's next season sorted)
Everyone is different, but I get backspin on wedges, a nice soft stop on mid irons and a hop and stop when required. No crazy "spin off the green" stuff...just enough to have confidence in throwing it at the pin.

I recommend them ( have not tried Z's)

thanks, sounds ideal, do they still look white after 9 holes? the prov1's look gubbed after 9..............well mine do anyway

Don't get me wrong, they scuff like any other tour ball, but they keep their colour and dont go that ProV Magnolia shade.

Grab a sleeve of 3 and give them a try.. worth it !

 

[thecraw]

I like both and used the i(z) round Machrihanish Dunes lasy week and thought it performed well enough.

No issues with either.

 

[Swinger]

Seem to come off Clicky as mentioned before.

Both models.

Seem really nice on full shots but just seem to jump off the face for chips and putts. It might just be the sound but it's got in my head now with them so I'm out.

 

[CMAC]

Seem to come off Clicky as mentioned before.

Both models.

Seem really nice on full shots but just seem to jump off the face for chips and putts. It might just be the sound but it's got in my head now with them so I'm out.

Would you be using cast clubs by any chance?

 

[Swinger]

Seem to come off Clicky as mentioned before.

Both models.

Seem really nice on full shots but just seem to jump off the face for chips and putts. It might just be the sound but it's got in my head now with them so I'm out.

Would you be using cast clubs by any chance?

Mizuno MP68's

Wedges are cast Vokeys

Putter is Scotty or Kia Ma.

Other premium balls don't make the same sound but like I said the sound has put me off them now so don't trust them.

 

[thecraw]

Please don't take this the wrong way as everyone is entitled to their opinion and has a favourite etc, but I question why a 14 handicapper can dismiss a premium ball used by Phil etc as being too "clicky" thus not trusting them.

 

[Swinger]

Please don't take this the wrong way as everyone is entitled to their opinion and has a favourite etc, but I question why a 14 handicapper can dismiss a premium ball used by Phil etc as being too "clicky" thus not trusting them.

I guess that comment is aimed at me and I understand where you are coming from.

My comments are however not made after one or two shots on course from a 14 handicapper. In reality the fact I play off 3 or 4 depending on which day of the week it is doesn't make much odds either when comparing to Phil. My opinion is given after trying one dozen of the balls myself (both types) over several rounds and the view was also shared with the bulk of the league and county players I play with who may have tried one or two or several for all I know.
Not all of them felt the same granted.

I used to love Callaway balls and brought them with the mind of deciding which ones to use as a regular ball. I doubt they are any harder or come off any quicker but due to the different sound I percieved when struck I lost confidence in the ball.

As a side note I am a qualified sound engineer which on the outset might not seem like anything important but while studiying your hearing sense does begin to pick up differences that you wouldn't do before. Maybe that has something to do with it or I just had some funny crack one morning!

 

[Smiffy]

Please don't take this the wrong way as everyone is entitled to their opinion and has a favourite etc, but I question why a 14 handicapper can dismiss a premium ball used by Phil etc as being too "clicky" thus not trusting them.

Hate to say it Craw but I have a dozen iS balls and used one on Wednesday for the first time. I too found it "clicky" compared to my usual DX3 softs or Srixon balls.
I'm not going to dismiss them, but didn't feel as comfortable playing with it and ditched it after 4 or 5 holes.
I have purchased a couple of dozen Nike PD softs as they were on offer in our local Sports Direct and am going to give one of those a try next time out.
But the Callaway iS do certainly feel a bit harder than what I'm used to.

 

[CMAC]

All good comments, best way I suppose is to buy and try myself this weekend. I hate the magnolia colour the prov.'s seem to go quite quickly, slightly harder........hmmmm maybe I'll stop leaving these putts short and get that h/cap down, clicky........looking forward to a satisfying solid click rather than the putty thud of some balls.
Key is getting one you like and trust, and if it's colour that puts you off(like me) or sound then sobeit, if we all played the same ball it would be a nightmare out there lol

 

[USER1999]

How do we know that the ball phil plays has any thing in common with the balls on sale?

 

[thecraw]

How do we know that the ball phil plays has any thing in common with the balls on sale?

Jesus, here we go again, maybe Titleist make it and stamp it Callaway, no its actually a Bridgestone, or maybe Miura actually make balls as well!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I also find they are clicky off the putter and the wedges but they perform great so I use them when I have them (got 6 at Blackmoor which have been serving me well)