“Strong enough for a man. But made for a woman.” The classic slogan for Secret deodorant may also apply to the new HX Pearl golf balls from Callaway Golf. The company has a long history of making clubs for women under the Ladies’ Gems umbrella, and recently marketed the ultra-game improvement GES set toward women.
Now Callaway is turning their design attention toward what women want in a golf ball. I’m certainly no expert on what women want (I still can’t believe my wife didn’t like the table saw I bought her for Mother’s Day), but I’m pretty sure they’re looking for more distance off the tee just like us fellas are. Is the HX Pearl going to be a gem for ladies who dig the longball?
In the mid-90s, a curious phenomenon started. The word spread that a man had won a state golf tournament using a ladies’ golf ball. Not a pink “Flying Lady,” but Precept’s MC Lady golf ball. That ball was a two-piece distance ball with a low-compression core meant to feel softer than the typical distance rock. What male golfers discovered, however, was that the low-compression core compressed quite a bit when hit with a higher swing speed. The extra compression meant more distance off the driver and more spin off irons – and a grassroots movement that culminated in a Precept ad asking, “Are you man enough to play a Lady?” (For those who weren’t, Precept re-labled the ball as the “Laddie” in some packaging.) The trend toward low-compression distance balls, like the Maxfli Noodle and Titleist DT So/Lo, was born.
A HX Tour (left) and a HX Pearl (right). The HX Pearl is slightly less white and has small bits of glitter mixed into its “pearlized” cover.
The HX Pearl could be a ball that follows in the footsteps of the MC Lady. The design and look of the ball are clearly intended for a more feminine golfer, but many male golfers will appreciate the fact that the HX Pearl is really a softer, modified version of the successful HX Hot distance ball that premiered last year. I heard plenty of good things about the HX Pearl ball earlier this year – and all of it came from men. I recently decided to get in touch with my feminine side and give the HX Pearl a trial run.
Design and Technology
Like the HX Hot, the HX Pearl is a three-piece distance ball. It is similar to tour-level balls like Callaway’s HX Tour and the Titleist Pro V1 in that the design consists of a large core, a mantle layer (or inner cover) and the outer cover. Both types of balls have synthetic rubber cores. But where a tour ball has a firm ionomer mantle layer and a soft urethane cover, the HX Pearl uses a different material mix. The mantle layer is made of DuPont HPF material – a resilient compound engineered to feel and act like rubber. Meanwhile, the ionomer (a soft type of plastic) cover is firm and designed to increase distance off the driver and provide durability on iron shots.
The cover of the HX Pearl sports some interesting twists. Of course, the ball has Callaway’s distinctive HEX aerodynamics – a virtually seamless network of hexagon-shaped indentations. The HEX pattern is designed to reduce drag compared with conventional round dimples, and in my experience it performs very well in windy conditions. The HX Pearl does not have the newer version of the HEX pattern that’s used on this year’s “Improved” versions of the HX Tour and HX Tour 56 balls with the six deeper indentations that help center the core during the production process.
This cutaway shows the three layers of the HX Pearl, including the ionomer cover, DuPont HPF mantle layer and synthetic rubber core.
The cover also has what Callaway calls a “lustrous pearlized finish.” At first glance, the HX Pearl simply looks a little less white than the HX Hot. But in sunlight, you can see abundant little bits of glitter in the cover of the ball. The effect is pretty cool looking, and it is much more subtle than the bright colors of the “crystal balls” companies like Volvik and Maxfli have this year. While the glittery cover won’t help you find the ball any easier when it’s hiding in the rough, it does give the HX Pearl a singular look.
Esthetically, the HX Pearl follows the design of all other Callaway balls currently on the market. The Callaway golf logo is on both poles of the ball in black, with a number (1-4) and the Callaway chevron logo in a slate blue. The simple side stamp reads <HX PEARL>. The packaging carries the same slate blue/off-white color scheme, and the HX Pearl is available in 3-ball sleeves and 12-ball boxes.
Feel and Spin
The only performance difference I could discern between the HX Hot and the HX Pearl is in the feel category. Thanks to a different core chemistry and the soft boundary layer, the HX Pearl feels and sounds notably softer than the HX Hot. You’re not going to confuse it with an old Tour Balata, but the HX Pearl feels every bit as soft as a Noodle or any other soft two-piece distance ball. It felt and sounded particularly good off the putter, even when I was using a steel putter.
The HX Pearl sidestamp follows the style used on other Callaway balls, which can be used as an alignment aid when putting.
The softer sound led me to expect a bit more spin, but the HX Pearl was essentially identical to the HX Hot in this regard. I find that both spin more for me off irons and wedges than two-piece distance balls, but considerably less than urethane-covered balls. Full 9-irons released an average of seven feet after they hit the green in my experience with the HX Pearl and HX Hot. Hardly the stop-and-drop performance you expect from a urethane ball, but certainly a manageable amount. I also thought the HX Pearl was very good for hitting chip shots that you want to run out instead of checking up. I found myself playing to leave the ball just short of the hole on short-game shots, and the HX Pearl would hit and release nicely.
Distance and Durability
As for spin off the driver, the HX Pearl must be very low. I found myself a bit longer and straighter with the HX Pearl than I usually am with my regular ball, the HX Tour. I’d say the extra distance is attributable to less backspin, and the accuracy comes from generating less sidespin. The HX Pearl ball flight off the driver was very strong and a little lower than I get with the HX Tour. While I think I lost a bit of carry distance, I definitely picked up roll after the ball landed. This was especially obvious on my less-successful swings, as the ball rolled out farther than I was used to seeing the HX Tour going.
On my best swings, the HX Pearl (and HX Hot) gave me nearly the same overall distance as the HX Tour. But the HX Pearl was more forgiving both distance- and direction-wise than the HX Tour or any other premium golf ball I’ve played. That makes it an excellent choice for golfers who struggle with hitting the ball well on a consistent basis.
The HX Pearl packaging matches the slate blue and off-white color scheme of the balls themselves, playing up the HEX aerodynamics.
In terms of durability, the HX Pearl was very good. They did shear a little on full shots with my X-Tour lob wedge (with the aggressive “Mack Daddy” grooves), but not on regular wedge shots. I hit a couple of cart paths with the balls (strictly for testing purposes, I swear) and the HX Pearl survived with only slight scuffs and was still very playable.
Conclusion
The HX Pearl was a solid performer for me from tee to green. Its playing characteristics – high launch, low spin – are ideal for players looking for more distance and forgiveness off the tee, and I would think there are a lot of women who fall into that group. I can’t say that the HX Pearl performs better for women than other golf balls, but I hit plenty of man-sized drives with it. And the pleasing sound and feel of the HX Pearl around the greens give it an advantage over the HX Hot in my book. The HX Hot has been my early/late season and bad-weather ball since last year, but I think the HX Pearl has just taken its place. If that makes me any less of a man, so be it.
The HX Pearl has a suggested retail price of $32 for a box of 12 (four three-ball sleeves), but expect to pay a street price of $24.99 at most golf shops.
Hi Donald,
Thank you for the informative article. I am a lady who is new to golf. I’m a bit overwhelmed by the choices I need to make concerning equipment. I’m looking at the the Callaway HX Pearl balls and the Big Bertha Fusion clubs. I will try to rent clubs before I buy them so I might end up with something else. This article was very helpful concerning my ball choice.
Thanks again.
Don,
I alwways look forward to any of YOUR reviews, they are the best! Thanks for the review of the Callaway XH pearl, how do you think it compares to the Noodle ICE?
Thanks.
Thanks for the great review. I would have liked to hear your comparison to the Callaway HX Tour 56, which are supposed to be a little softer and more forgiving than the HX Tours and therefore closer to the description of the Pearl.
Thanks for the nice comments. I’ll try to respond to the two above questions:
Bill: I haven’t tried the Noodle ICE, so I can’t say for sure how the two balls compare. I can say that the HX Pearl/HX Hot both feel softer than nearly any two-piece balls I’ve ever hit.
Bob: The HX Pearl is softer than the HX Hot, but nowhere near the softness of either the HX Tour or HX Tour 56. The HX Tour balls (both models) are softer and spin much more off irons and wedges than the harder-covered HX Pearl/Hot balls. The HX Tour 56 is the softest ball Callaway makes, though it isn’t any more forgiving than the HX Tour. The HX Pearl/Hot balls are more forgiving than either HX Tour ball, since the Pearl/Hot balls spin less off every club (less sidespin=straighter).
Hope this helps. Thanks for reading.
I “caddie” for my 16 year old daughter who is 5’4″ and 120 lb. She has a strong swing and averages about 250 with her G2 Ping driver. We had run out of her usual Volvik Crystal balls (which have been great-and never confused with anyone else’s ball!). She was playing a par 283 (red tees) par 4 when I opened a sleeve of Pearls and gave her one to try. Now this particular tee has the red 283 marker in stone so I know it was accurate. This final hole has a decent rise to it so I figured she would hit it 230-240 in that there was a twosome 20 yards in front of the green. I gave her the green light to hit and she said ” Dad it is going on the green!” Well we all know that the only time you ever hit a ball like that is when golfers are in front of you. Anyway we drove up to the green as they were finishing up to apologize. The problem is there was no ball. The golfer sheepishly admitted that he thought it was a stray or practice ball and had picked it up assuring us it was exactly 4 yards in front of the green, making for a 270+ uphill drive with the Pearl (no wind and fairways very green)
So that is my testimonial to the new Pearl ball. On the way home I stopped at Dick’s to buy a few dozen and of course they were sold out. I can’t wait to find out whether it was a freak shot or we found ourselves a ball with 20-30 extra yards!
Duff
I agree. I started playing the HX Pearl in 2006 and was surprised how the ball jumped off the clubface from driver to lob wedge. When you it the HX Pearl pure with the driver, it feels like you it a ping pong ball but with a different sound. By the way, I hope you are enjoying Florida and getting some good golf in.
No idea why but I picked one of these Pearls up from a pond on Saturday and hit 12 of 13 fairways 260-290 down the middle on Sunday before flailing it out of bounds on number 18 (my hook swing).
If nothing else it looked cool and traveled similarly to other premium balls.
I’m off to buy more.
I’m a new golfer, been playing 6 mos. I started out playing the Lady Precept S III and then updated to the Lady Precept iQ180. Liked both of those very much in the beginning. As I improved, however, the ball started to feel “sloppy” to me. I picked up a sleeve of the Callaway HX Pearl and instantly became hooked. All stated in this review is wonderful and true. From my newbie perspective, it also helped me better understand what a solid and true shot, especially with my irons, should feel like. That sound provides excellent feedback and understanding of the shot you just made. I also find that it’s much better getting out of the rough than the other very soft lady’s balls. Whe hit cleanly in deep rough, it rockets out.
For Bill: I played the Noodle ICE a while and still do if I need a good orange-visibility ball. In my experience the ICE is softer, with less accurate control and feel around the greens. ICE usually gets more roll, but I find the HX Pearl gets more carry. I can place my approach shot on the green much better with congruent expectations using the HX Pearl than I can with the Noodle. However, I still love the Noodle when it’s dusk/dark, when I’m teeing over water and don’t mind if I lose a ball (I HATE losing the HX Pearl) or if I’m in a course where the fairway has those little white flowers that make it tough to find a white ball.
Hope that helps.
I’m a 16 y/o male with 15 handicap, I’ve never bought any HX Pearl balls, but living in a small town with a not bad course its regular to find golf balls in fields or in the rough, I found that these did give a few more yards and have the soft feel as well
Just bought two dozen of these puppies at a closeout store. Can’t wait to try them out. I needed a nice cold-weather ball, thanks for the great article. I really enjoyed reading it. I’m a 15 handicapper trying to break 80 on my homecourse, maybe this will be just the thing!
I am a male golfer at the age of 23. I’ve used the HX Pearl for the last 2 years. I catch grief from fellow golfers but when i out shoot them with a ball made for the ladies they shut up pretty quickly. I love these balls. I’ve tried the Pro v1, v1x, srixon zurs, soft feel, ect. and none of them performed for me and my set up the way the HX Pearl does. I will continue playing the HX Pearl. A thing or two about the pearl that I really like is when I’m 100 yards and in I can feel the difference between many of the competitors. When I go for the flag stick the ball does exactly what I want it to. It usually rolls for a few feet and stops dead on. The other thing I like is the workability of the ball, I can take it left, right and definitely straight when ever I feel I need to. I may have lost about 3 to 5 yards off my driver but when your hitting the ball 300 + it usually doesn’t matter much. Thanks for the review. I know it was 3 years ago, but I will be using the ball for the next 3 until they come out with something comprable for men.
Purchased Ladies pearl hx at walmart for $11 dollars a dozen..I wasnt expectin much but i was pleasantly surprised..a solid performer
where can I purchase the Callaway HX Pearl? I love this ball and can not find them any more. Is there another ball that takes it’s place?