CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb 13, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Callaway Golf Company (NYSE:ELY) today announced the rollout of improved versions of its flagship HX(R) Tour and HX Tour 56 Golf Balls. The HX Tour and HX Tour 56, which have more than 70 worldwide wins to date, including half the Major Championships played on the men's and women's pro tours in 2005, are now even better.

How do you improve on that kind of amazing performance? First, you upgrade the manufacturing process. Both the HX Tour and HX Tour 56 are now manufactured using the Company's proprietary RIM (Reaction Injection Molding) Technology. This key step in the manufacturing process locks in the core and mantle layers to ensure maximum concentricity while injecting an ultra-thin, exceptionally soft cover for high-speed drives and iron shots with plenty of spin.

Finally, Callaway Golf engineers devised a new finishing system that creates better adhesion and improved gloss retention so the balls will keep their whiter, brighter finish longer and will better resist scuffing and groove-shear for longer life.

The performance differences in the HX Tour and HX Tour 56 Golf Balls are a function of the thinness of their covers. The cover of the HX Tour Golf Ball is just 0.018" thick, while the HX Tour 56 is 0.021" -- a tiny variation of just three-thousandths of an inch, but significant enough so that highly-skilled players will notice.

The thinner cover of the HX Tour Golf Ball gives it a bit more speed off the driver and, as a result, the ball flies farther down the fairway and still maintains Tour-caliber spin around the greens. The HX Tour 56 Golf Ball, with its slightly thicker cover, has more spin and softer feel around the greens and still travels Tour-level distance off the tee.

The two HX Tour Golf Balls also share the revolutionary HEX Aerodynamic pattern, which replaces conventional dimples, virtually eliminating the ball's seam and thereby enhancing shot-to-shot consistency. HEX Aerodynamics cover 100 percent of the ball's surface, creating reduced drag at impact and increased lift in flight for longer, more stable shots, even in the windiest conditions.

The improved versions of the HX Tour and HX Tour 56 Golf Balls will be available at retail beginning February 17. The manufacturer's suggested retail price will remain the same at $50 per dozen.

Through an unwavering commitment to innovation, Callaway Golf creates products and services designed to make every golfer a better golfer. Callaway Golf Company manufactures and sells golf clubs and golf balls, and sells golf accessories, under the Callaway Golf(R), Top-Flite(R), Odyssey(R) and Ben Hogan(R) brands. For more information visit www.callawaygolf.com.

SOURCE: Callaway Golf Company

Callaway Golf Company
Larry Dorman, 760-931-1771