Golf Balls -- The Science Behind The Dimples

The dynamics behind the flight of the golf ball offers a fascinating insight into the physical interworkings of air pressure, turbulence, and aerodynamics.

When golf was first played in Scotland, most players played using clumsy golf apparatus, with the first golf clubs and golf balls made of wood.

In 1618 the "Featherie" was introduced. It was a golf ball made of feather. This feather golf ball was handcrafted from goose feathers tightly pressed into a horse or cowhide sphere while still wet. After drying, the leather shrank and the feathers expanded, creating a hardened golf ball.

As this type of golf ball was specially handcrafted, it was usually more expensive than golf clubs, so that only a few privileged people could afford to play golf back then.

After the Featherie golf ball came the Guttie golf ball. This type of golf ball was made from the rubber-like sap of the Gutta tree found in the tropics, and was shaped into a sphere when hot and eventually into a golf ball. As it was made of rubber, the Guttie golf ball could be cheaply produced and easily repaired by reheating and reshaping.

Comparing the two types of golf balls, the Featherie golf ball was said to travel farther than the Guttie golf ball because the Guttie golf ball's smooth surface prevented it from covering more distance.

With this discovery, the developers of golf balls came up with the "dimpled" golf balls that are so predominant in modern golf nowadays.

The dimples on the golf balls help reduce the aerodynamic drag. Aerodynamic drag normally affects smooth golf balls and slows them down, because when they sail through the air, they leave a pocket of low-pressure air in its stir thus creating a drag.

By applying dimples to the golf ball surface, the pressure differential goes down and the drag force is reduced. These dimples create turbulence in the air surrounding the golf ball, which, in turn, forces the air to clasp the golf ball more closely. By doing so, the air trails the warp created by the golf ball towards the back instead of flowing past it. This results in a smaller wake and lesser drag.

Dimples were first added onto golf ball surfaces back during the gutta percha phase. Coburn Haskell introduced the one-piece rubber cored golf ball encased in a gutta percha sphere. Then in 1905 William Taylor applied the dimple pattern to a Haskell golf ball, thus giving rise to the modern golf ball as we know it today.

After its beginning, dimpled golf balls were officially used in every golf tournament. In 1921, the golf ball took its current form with standard size and weight. Nowadays there is a wide range of golf balls to fit every style, game and condition, with some golf balls offering control, and other golf balls offering distance.

Though a common sight nowadays, the dimpled golf ball is not just a mere element of the sports arena; it is a showcase of physics at work.

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Golf Ball Comparisons Skills You Need to Lower Your Score

Skills on golf ball comparisons are needed for you to effectively improve your game as a golfer. Even if you are not a golfer but selecting a golf ball for someone you know, these skills can prove handy as they will help you make a correct purchase.

Since the 1950s, golf balls have become more and more technologically advanced than ever. With rapid changing technology, methods of producing a golf ball tailored to individual golfers' needs is crucial.

With such technology backing the golf balls of today, they have become very much a factor in optimizing your golf game as compared to the mid 1500s. Hence, every golfer needs to be playing a golf ball that is optimizing his or her game for maximum performance.

As each golf ball is very much different from the other, there are some critical factors that need to be compared to suit your needs. For effective golf ball comparisons, these areas needs to be considered.

1. Materials of a golf ball - Golf ball composition differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. Majority of the golf balls used to be hard cover surlyn types but it is not necessary the case anymore. The materials vary to suit the different types of feel, distance, spin or trajectory that they are trying to achieve for certain categories of golfers.

The common type of materials are surlyn, ionomer, urethane and polybutadiene. Surlyn is normally used as the cover. There are however exceptional cases with Surlyn as a thin outer layer for enhanced velocity and trajectory while exhibiting control with Urethane. Urethane is the softest material used for the cover which encourages spin around the green. Ionomer works great with as a soft cover replacing Surlyn for more spin. Polybutadiene is generally rubber that forms the core of the golf ball.

2. The construction of a golf ball - Now golf ball comparisons can even mean comparing the pieces of a golf ball. Compared to the old balata golf ball, the pieces of a golf ball can vary from two to four pieces. Even the type of pieces vary from brand to brand. Callaway features a duo core four piece golf ball in their Tour I series. In comparison with Bridgestone B330 series double mantle layer four piece golf ball, both are four piece yet with different constructions.

The good news is, you do not need to bother about the various types of constructions. You only need to focus on the core, cover, the layer beneath the cover and the dimples.

For selection process, two piece are normally distance balls for the high handicapped golfers. Three piece would have a added control with a bit more spin on the green. However as engineers get better, this information is no longer that accurate but can only be used as a guide for golf ball comparisons.

3. Compression ratings - Golf ball ratings are mostly in the low compression ratings. Compression ratings range from 0 the softest to 200 the highest. A low compression means less velocity and less driver spin on initial impact off the tee and vice versa. A higher velocity on general means more distance and on some occasions, harder feel.

Note: Compression ratings are a largely over rated and debated issue on the net. For more clarification, check out my website for more details.

Most golf balls in the market are low compression ratings. These type of compression are suited for lower swing rate players to achieve a better distance.

4. Dimples - These are the small depressions on the golf balls which we so commonly see nowadays. These dimples improve the flight trajectory and enhances greater carry and distance. The difference between the dimples from one golf ball to another is the size and the depth. On a general guideline, a more shallow dimple from the appropriate depth will increase the height of trajectory and a deeper dimple will reduce the height trajectory. All affects the distance and type of ball roll you want to have after landing.

For a general guide, know the type of ball flight you currently have. If you have a low trajectory and you are playing a distance ball and wish to improve your distance, you might consider to change to a golf ball with shallower dimples for a improved distance performance.

With these information, you can equip yourself the skills in determine the feel, spin, distance, trajectory, tendency to side spin or hook, roll etc. These will aid you in selecting the golf balls best for you and your current level of skill.

For example, comparing golf ball A and B, you will know which one is harder on the outer casing when you read the technical specs. Surlyn cover compared with urethane cover will mean that the golf ball with surlyn cover is much faster in velocity on initial impact should all other factors remain constant.

However, there is still more into this than you think. Always think select the initial golf ball followed by optimize, tweak and upgrade to other golf balls as your game grows!

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Question by Chris Lee: How many pound coins can you sellotape to a golf ball?
It's a weird Christmas present idea I have. I want as many as possible to form one layer over the golf ball. I will give a total of £10 or one golf ball's worth, whichever is the greater.

This IS a serious question: I have to buy golf balls and go to the bank to get the relevant number of pound coins, so I don't have the resources to test it myself.

Best answer:

Answer by STS1SS
6

What do you think? Answer below!

Cheap Golf Balls Can Save You Money

Choosing cheap golf balls doesn't really say anything about the quality of the balls. Using them doesn't mean your performance will suffer. What it does mean is that you will save lots of money. Golf can be a pretty expensive sport even though the equipment is pretty basic: golf balls, golf clubs and a golf bag. The best way to save money as you begin learning the sport is to buy cheap balls since you won't have much control over your shots. You are bound to lose more than a few as you build your skill and patience.

Why buy cheap golf balls?

Cheap golf balls can help you get through those early learning stages without costing you an arm and a leg. When you shop for golf balls, you may notice extremes in pricing. Top quality golf balls come with some pretty hefty price tags. Cheap golf balls allow beginning golfers the chance to improve their game and hone their skills. Eventually you will want to move on to purchasing better quality balls.

Cheap golf balls are the best way to save money as you spend time learning the basics. You can even find cheap golf balls that are name brand like Titleist, Nike and Calloway. Cheap golf balls are a great alternative.

Used golf balls

The best cheap golf balls are used golf balls, and used golf balls are so accessible. You may routinely come across them lying around the course as you play. You may even be able to purchase them directly from the golf course. Many of these golf balls are in great condition - a used Nike golf ball performs just as well as a brand new Nike golf ball. If you're looking to improve your game and don't want to spend a fortune on golf balls, used balls are the way to go.

Logo golf balls

A great way to find cheap balls that are brand new and have never been used is to consider buying logo and overrun balls. Lots of companies and organizations will have their logo printed on the side. Every so often a printer makes an error with the logo design or misspells the company name. A company may also accidentally order too many golf balls with logos. Design mistakes and excess orders give you access to unused, cheap golf balls. These balls are sold at discounted prices since they are stamped and no one else can use them. So these balls could be some of the best cheap golf balls you may find.

Bulk golf balls

You can always find cheap golf balls when you purchase them in bulk. Because of the Internet, this is becoming much easier to do. Suppliers of bulk golf balls collect various quality rated golf balls - even some name brands like Titleist. Bulk golf balls make great practice balls. Because they are such cheap golf balls, losing them is not such an issue.

When you are looking for a way to cut spending while continuing to enjoy your regular games of golf, start with the golf balls you purchase. Cheap golf balls with a high quality rating perform just as well as the same balls purchased brand new.

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Question by Mike: What is the softest golf ball on the market?
I prefer a soft golf ball, so I wanted to know the softest golf ball there is.

Best answer:

Answer by Tinna Smith
I find the website nomulliganshop,they are selling ball. But I always buy clubs at the website. I never try to buy the ball on it.

Give your answer to this question below!
Tomball Chamber Golf Ball Drop offers 42-inch LCD HDTV
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Ask The Pro; What is Golf Ball Distance? by Knetgolf

Knetgolf.com is the world's largest online retailer of premium used and recycled golf balls. Carrying brands such as Titleist, Nike, Maxfli, Topflite, Callaway, and many more, people often come to Knetgolf looking for the perfect ball to suit their golf game.

In order to make it easier for you, Knetgolf has a handy built-in ball-finder for those looking to improve certain aspects of their game by matching you with the perfect ball by looking at what you need and what ball best suits you.

So what is golf ball distance?

Golf ball distance is the distance a golf ball will travel within a single shot.

But how do we achieve distance? There are three main factors which determine the distance a golf ball will travel. This does not take into consideration the effects of wind and air resistance.

Key Factors of Golf Ball Distance

The distance a golf ball will travel is determined by:

initial velocity which is the initial speed of the ball
initial angle of flight, which is the angle at which it is hit into the air
Spin that has been imparted on the ball by the club

These three factors are significantly affected by a number of other external factors, such as the percentage of full contact hits, golf clubhead speed, and swing path. The interrelationship of these external factors greatly influence the distance that a golf ball will carry upon impact.

Golf Club and Ball Interaction in Determining Distance

It is the interaction between the golf clubhead and golf ball that determines how far a golf ball will travel, as well as its direction of travel. Without the right combination of initial velocity, initial angle of flight, and golf ball spin, the maximum golf ball distance cannot be achieved.

Scientific analysis of a ball's flight shows that, at the moment of impact, certain characteristics of the club and ball interact with head speed, swing path and other factors to determine the three key elements of distance. The pertinent ball-related characteristics are the materials that go into its manufacture and structure. The pertinent golf club-related characteristics are the materials that go into its manufacture, head, loft and shape.

Once the ball is in flight, the shape and arrangement of its dimples will also affect distance traveled.

Three main keys to maximize golf ball distance:

Initial Velocity - This refers to the velocity of the ball leaving the clubhead at the moment of impact. Although initial velocity depends mostly on head speed, it is also affected by the materials used to manufacture the club head, loft, point of contact, swing path, the ball's restitution, among other factors.

Initial Angle of Flight - This refers to the angle at which the ball leaves the club head upon impact. Initial angle is determined by the loft of the club, the angle of incidence, the degree of ball deformation, and the friction generated between the club and the ball. A club with minimal loft will produce smaller initial angles of flight when the ball being used is a spin-type ball.

Golf Ball Spin - This refers to the ball's revolutions. Spin is determined by head speed, materials used in the manufacture of the club, club loft, and swing path, as well as materials that go into the manufacture of the ball. The lift created by back spin causes balls to travel along high trajectories, while poorly hit balls tend to spin sideways, which cause hooks and slices.

Golf Ball Back Spin

Backspin causes a golf ball to lift and as a result will yield a longer shot, while poor back spin may cause the ball to slice to the right or hook to the left.

It is pretty obvious that a greater initial velocity and larger initial angle of trajectory will produce a longer shot.  Once your angle gets too large, you enter the zone of diminishing returns.  This means your distance will start to decrease again. Simple physics dictates that the optimum angle to achieve maximum distance is 45 degrees. However, with golf, due to the spin on the ball, air and wind resistance, and other factors, the optimum angle of trajectory is generally less than 45 degrees for maximum distance, and will vary from one golf scenario to another.

Remember ball flight laws only apply when proper Alignment is observed.

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Ask The Pro; What is Golf Ball Spin? by knetgolf

Knetgolf.com is the world's largest online retailer of premium used and recycled golf balls. Carrying brands such as Titleist, Nike, Maxfli, Topflite, Callaway, and many more, people often come to Knetgolf looking for the perfect ball to suit their golfing style.

In order to make it easier for you, Knetgolf has a handy built-in ball-finder for those looking to improve certain aspects of their game by matching you with the perfect ball by looking at what you need and what ball best suits you.

So what exactly is golf ball spin?  What does it do, and how does one achieve it?

Golf Ball Spin

You can put spin on your golf ball to get distance. Applying the right amount of spin will also stop the ball. The ideal ball, is the one that carries for long distances and also stops.

A golf ball can rotate in a number of different directions:

Direction of flight

Against the direction of flight (back spin)
Sideways (side spin)
Distance of travel is significantly affected by back spin, while the direction is influenced by side spin.

Golf Ball Spin Rate

A golf ball's spin rate -- refers to the speed that it spins on its axis while in flight. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm). The spin rate off a driver generally ranges between 2,000 and 4,000 rpm, while the average, cleanly struck wedge shot spins at about 10,000 rpm.

The golf ball spin generates lift, thus a shot's spin rate directly influences how high the ball flies and how quickly it stops after landing.

Good golfers apply back spin to the golf ball in order to hold their approach shots on the green. We've all watched the pros on TV, in amazement, as they back spin their golf ball huge distances.

Golf ball back spin is a combination of four main factors. Keep the following in mind the next time you want to give the ball back spin with your wedge shot.

Golf Ball Density - Selecting the right golf ball is critical. If you do not play a soft-covered ball then it doesn't matter how hard you try -- you will not be able to give the golf ball back spin. Playing a soft covered ball used to mean using balata balls, which are expensive, less durable and balata golf balls generally don't go as far. Recent breakthroughs in golf ball technology has made it possible to play a ball that is soft covered, durable and good for distance.

Club Face Grooves - Even a golf professional would struggle to generate back spin using a wedge that had dirty, or worn grooves. Be sure the grooves on the clubface are clean. Consider replacing your wedge or having it re-grooved if it is worn.

Conditions - Golf professionals play shots from tightly mown fairways, on to relatively soft or watered greens. Long grass between the ball and the clubface is sure fire way to prevent any spin.

Technique - Pro golfers using their wedges, hit the ball with a square, slightly downward stroke. This puts their clean clubface onto their soft-covered ball and compresses it against the tightly mown fairway. This technique results in golf ball back spin. So long as the green has a certain amount of give, the golf ball will stop and spin back.

How to put Spin on a Golf Ball

Getting a golf ball to stop quickly or to even spin backward can be a real lifesaver when you're hitting onto firm greens or when the pin is placed directly behind a bunker or water hazard.

1. Stand with your feet closer together than when you normally swing.
2. Position yourself so that the ball is closer to your back foot.
3. Use a flop wedge, also known as a 60-degree wedge (sand wedge in an emergency).
4. Swing the club on a steeper plane (more upright).
5. Hit directly underneath the ball before taking a divot.
6. Take a divot that is long and shallow.
7. Follow through normally.

Effect of Spin on the Golf Ball

A golf ball advancing toward its target is spinning not in the direction of flight but away from it. This back spin rotation, and the effect of the ball's dimples, generates the power that lifts the ball high into the air and plays a significant role in the amount of distance traveled by the ball.

Ideal amount of Spin

For shots where length of carry is important, such as those hit with the driver or long irons, golfers can gain distance if their balls do not spin more than necessary, but rather are able to keep spin down to an appropriate level. Conversely, for approach and other control shots, the greater the spin, the easier it will be to stop the ball, which gives players the ability to aim for the pin.

So, the ideal golf ball spin, is spin that carries the ball for long distances and can also stop it.

Driver and Long Iron Shots

On driver and long iron shots, the ball itself is deformed (flattened). Large deformation means less spin and longer carries. However, if deformation exceeds a certain level, initial velocity will fall, causing a loss of distance. To hit for distance,  it is important to select a ball that will provide an appropriate amount of deformation for one's specific head speed.
 

Approach Shots

In approach shots, the ball as a whole is not greatly deformed, and the type of material used in the cover largely determines the amount of spin. Covers that are soft and have high friction coefficients facilitate the generation of spin, while those that are hard and have low friction coefficients make it difficult to apply spin.

Golf Ball Spin, Distance Travelled and Ball Trajectory
Golf Ball Spin Rate
Golf Ball Drop, Blow up, Carry and Run...
 

When it comes to the correlation between spin and golf ball trajectory, in driver shots, an excessive amount of spin will cause the golf ball to soar, resulting in a loss of distance. Too little spin will result in little or no lift and greatly reduced carry. Keeping the amount of spin at an appropriate level and hitting shots that trace ideal parabolic paths are the formula for maximizing distance.

Although there are many factors which have a direct impact on increased driving distance over the past 2 decades, one of the most important factors for increased driving distance is the golf ball.

There are more kinds of golf ball spins than just back spin. Golf ball flight is also greatly affected by side spin. Golf ball side spin can cause shots to veer off course, which is a real problem for less skilled golfers. Their shots tend to rotate sideways, a condition that results in hooking and slicing among amateurs.

 Looking for Spin?

A few balls that might work for you; Callaway HX Tour, Wilson PX3 Performance, Precept U-TRI Extra Spin, Nike One Gold, Titleist Pro V1X 2009 / 2010

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An Introduction to Golf Ball Dimples

Golf Ball Dimples

 Knetgolf is the world's largest internet retailer of premium used and recycled golf balls. Each of our golf balls are cleaned and hand sorted, selling you the top 10%. With over 200 different types of balls, Knetgolf has satisfied over 200,000 customers annually and has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. In order to help you better understand the science behind the ball, Knetgolf has written a short, in-depth article about dimples

So what is a golf ball dimple? Dimples are small indentations on the surface of the golf ball.

So, just How many Dimples are there on a Golf Ball?

Well, the number of dimples on a typical golf ball is generally 336 but, the number of dimples on a golf ball can range anywhere from 300 to 500 depending upon the golf ball, manufacturer and dimple design.

Golf Ball Dimple Shape, Alignment and the Dimple Effect

Though the swing of the golf club provides the impact, it's the design and construction of the golf ball that makes it go. Golf balls with a harder core (high compression ratio) travel further because they deform less upon impact and produce a greater transfer of energy. And then where the dimples come into play.

The dimples on a golf ball may vary in size, shape, depth and configuration, they all share a common purpose to provide longer and higher flight to the ball. A dimpled golf ball can travel two to three times as far as the same ball with no dimples. The dimples allow air to flow over the golf ball, providing less drag. Also, hitting a golf ball results in a rapid backspin, this forces airflow downward and creates an opposite upward force that provides lift.

Why do Golf Balls have Dimples?

Golf ball dimples refer to the depressions on the surface of the golf ball, which have a significant effect on golf ball lift and how far a golf ball travels. This fact has prompted a great deal of research on golf ball dimple shape and alignment. In recent years, golf ball manufacturers have even introduced "dimple plus" alignments, in which seam lines have been eliminated.

Dimples on a regulation golf ball differ greatly from one golf ball manufacturer to another, as well as the impact they have, depending on dimple alignment and the depth of the dimple depressions.

Dimple Configuration shown to the left, is an Octahedral 392 dimple configuration and an Icosahedral 432 dimple configuration respectively.
 

Golf Ball Dimples Increase Lift and Reduce Air Resistance

Dimples marked onto the surface of a golf ball are not simply for decorative purposes. Golf ball dimples play a major role in determining the distance traveled by the golf ball. Two of the principal effects of golf ball dimples are to increase lift and reduce air resistance, which results in longer distances traveled and greater stability in shot trajectory. Although golf ball dimples appear to be all alike to the untrained eye, they do in fact come in a variety of dimple patterns.

Their impacts differ depending on dimple alignment and the depth of depressions. The number of dimples on a ball is also a consequence of alignment and depth. The number of dimples generally range between 350 and 500 dimples per golf ball, their numbers do not significantly affect distance.

Ideally, dimples should be spread evenly across the surface of the ball in recurring combinations of one shallow and one deep dimple. If this cannot be done with precision, golfers will lose distance on their shots, or find them veering to the left or right -- even on shots where the ball has been hit squarely on center.
 

Effect of Dimples on Golf Ball Distance and Trajectory

The discovery of the effect of dimples on golf ball distance and trajectory was almost by accident back in the mid 1800's. It was discovered that golf balls with improperly smoothed surfaces often flew straighter and further than their smooth counterpart. Thus the "Hand Hammered Gutta- Ball" was formed. These golf balls were hammered by hand with a consistent pattern using a sharp edged hammer.

Dimples and the Boundary Layer

We have known since the mid 1800's that dimpled golf balls fly much further than smooth golf balls. The boundary layer is the thin layer of air surrounding a golf ball as it flies through the air. In the boundary layer, the speed of the air varies from where it contacts the air on the surface of the ball (which is not moving relative to the ball), to where it contacts the mainstream airflow, at the outer edge of the boundary layer.
 

Golf Ball Dimples Increases Lift

On a golf ball hit with back spin, dimples will cause currents of air moving above the ball to move faster, thus lowering air pressure and promoting lift.

Golf Ball Dimples Reduce Air Pressure

Dimples facilitate the movement of air to the back of the ball, preventing the reduction of air pressure behind the ball. This lessens the amount of air pressure pulling toward the rear of the golf ball.

Golf balls without dimples produce no lift, and fail to travel for any significant distance because they are unable to rise to any significant height in their shot trajectories. As dimples are made shallower, trajectories tend to rise, while the deeper the dimple the less the trajectory.

In order to make a typical golf ball travel up to three times the distance with dimples than without, there is an ideally appropriate dimple depth that must be provided.
 

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Question by 808State: What is the longest golf ball on the market?
I have this long drive contest thing coming up (for fun) and you can bring your own golf balls. I was just wondering what was the "hottest", longest flying ball out there now-a-days. It doesn't have to have "feel" cause were not hitting approach shots, chipping or putting with the same ball so I just need the longest ball you can think of, even if it's rock hard. Thanks.

Best answer:

Answer by Nick V
My dick

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Golf Ball Construction by Knetgolf

Golf Ball Construction

 Knetgolf is the world's largest internet retailer of premium used and recycled golf-balls, selling over 200 different types of golf balls and satisfying over 200,000 customers annually. In order to help you better understand the golf ball, Knetgolf has written an in-depth article answering some of the questions about golf-ball construction.

What's inside a golf ball?

If you are like most of the rest of us, then you've thought at some point of another about what's inside a golf ball. There was a time when it was an easy question to answer, for golf ball construction was relatively simple..

Evolution of Golf Ball Construction

With the first recognizable form of the game of golf being played in Scotland in the early 1400's, the common golf ball has had nearly 600 years to evolve. Golf ball construction has been through many upgrades and enhancements throughout the history of the game.    

Golf Balls Throughout the Ages
There are four distinct stages in the evolution of the golf ball.

Wooden Golf Balls...

With the game of golf getting its roots on the East Coast of Scotland, the first golf balls were made of wood. Wooden clubs were also often used in conjunction with these balls.

Wooden golf balls were used from the mid fifteenth century until the seventeenth century, when the feathery ball was invented.

Feather Stuffed Leather Covered Golf Balls...

In 1618 a new type of golf ball was created by handcrafting a cowhide sphere stuffed with goose feathers. The 'Featherie' golf balls were manufactured while the leather and feathers were wet.

The time-consuming processes involved in creating a Feathery golf ball ensured that the price was out of reach of the masses. Though expensive, this type of ball had great flight characteristics and made the wooden ball virtually obsolete. For over three centuries the Featherie was the standard, only to be replaced with the advent of the Gutta Percha ball.

Gutta Percha (Gutty) Golf Balls...

In 1848 Dr. Robert Adams began creating golf balls out of Gutta Percha "Gutty". The Gutty golf ball was derived from the dried sap of the Sapodilla tree. It had a rubber-like feel and was formed into ball shapes by heating it up and shaping it while hot.

Almost by accident, it was discovered that golf balls with improperly smoothed surfaces often flew straighter and further than their smooth counterpart. This gave birth to the hand Hammered Gutta Ball. These golf balls were hammered with a consistent pattern throughout with a sharp edged hammer. 

Rubber Core Golf Balls...

The advent of the rubber core golf ball changed the face of the game of golf as we knew it. This new design was invented in 1898 by Coburn Haskell in association with the BF Goodrich Company. This new and unique golf ball construction and design featured a solid rubber core, high tension rubber thread wrapped around the core, and a Gutta Percha cover.

This new breed of golf ball also featured a much larger variety of outer designs for improved airflow. The mesh, reverse mesh and Bramble designs gave way to the dimple pattern first used in 1908.

Modern Golf Ball Construction

The first automatic winding machine was patented in 1900 by John Gammeter. This allowed the rubber core golf ball to be economically mass produced. From the original wooden ball to the modern rubber-cored , the evolution of the golf ball has changed the way we play the game of golf. 

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A History of the Golf Ball, by Knetgolf

Knetgolf.com is the world's largest internet retailer of premium used and recycled golf balls, carrying over 200 different types of balls. But how did these balls come to be? What is their history?

The common golf ball has undergone many upgrades and enhancements throughout its long life. With the first recognizable form of the game of golf being played in Scotland in the early 1400's, the golf ball has had nearly 600 years to evolve.

The evolution of the golf ball highlights the major changes in the game of golf and depicts important golf landmarks during the long evolution of the game. The development of the golf club, the golf course, and the rules of the game were affected by the evolution of the golf ball itself. The balance (and debate) between technology and tradition is as old as the game of golf itself. One can even argue that when it comes to golf, yesterday's technologies are today's traditions.

Today, 50 million golfers worldwide play 900 million rounds on some 25,000 golf courses each and every year. Clearly, the game of golf has become incredibly popular, and the resulting industry is big business.

Four Stages in the Evolution of the Golf Ball

Although it is likely that the very first golf balls were nothing more than round rocks or pebbles, there are four distinctly recognizable stages in the evolution of the golf ball:
 
 
Wooden Golf Balls

There is no question that the first games of golf, as we know it today, were played using wooden golf balls. Wooden golf balls were the first man made golf balls, and although information is scant, it would be a pretty safe bet to assume that a wooden golf ball had some rather interesting playing characteristics.
 
 
Harboring their roots in the early 1400's on the Eastern Coast of Scotland, these original wooden golf balls were inefficient at best and likely made of hardwoods such as Beech or Boxroot. Wooden clubs were the golf club of choice, which in conjunction with the wood balls would have made your friendly game of golf a rather jarring experience.

Wooden golf balls were used up until the seventeenth century, when the feathery ball was invented.
 
 
Feathery Golf Balls (Feather Stuffed Leather Covered Golf Balls)

The first "real" golf ball was known as a "feathery"golf ball. Basically, the feathery was a leather sack filled with boiled goose feathers, then stitched up and painted. Feathery golf balls were expensive to make easily damaged and only the privileged few could afford to use them.
 
 
Although the era of the feathery golf ball may have started in the early 1400's and run until the late 1840's, it is believed that it was in 1618 that a new type of golf ball was created by handcrafting a cowhide sphere stuffed with goose feathers. The feathery golf balls were manufactured while the leather and feathers were still wet, and as the leather shrunk while drying, the feathers expanded to create a hardened, compact ball. The Feathery was then painted and sold, often for more than the price of a golf club.

The time-consuming processes involved in creating a Feathery golf ball ensured that the price was out of reach of the masses. Though expensive, this type of ball had great flight characteristics and made the wooden ball virtually obsolete. For some three centuries the Feathery was the standard, only to be replaced with the advent of the Gutta Percha ball.

Amazing longevity when you consider that:

It took a bucket of boiled goose feathers to make a single Feathery golf ball.
A skilled Feathery golf ball maker could only produce about four of them in a day.
It was virtually impossible to make a truly round Feathery golf ball.
A player may have gotten as few as 2 rounds out of a Feathery golf ball.
If gotten wet, the Feathery golf ball would come apart.
It's hard to imagine being able to keep any type of golf ball dry during a round of golf on the Scottish links.
 
 
Gutty Golf Balls

It wasn't until 1848 that Rev. Dr. Robert Adams began creating golf balls out of Gutta Percha "Gutty". The Gutty golf ball was created from the dried sap of the Sapodilla tree. It had a rubber-like feel and was formed into ball shapes by heating it up and shaping it while hot.
 
 
The arrival of the gutta percha ball or "gutty", as it was called, revolutionized the game of golf and allowed its spread to the masses. The gutty period lasted from 1848 until the late 1890's. A mere blink of an eye when compared to the feathery, but the Gutty had a much greater impact on the game of golf, due to its affordability, playability and durability.

The first Gutty golf balls were hand made, formed smooth and wore three coats of paint. But then it was discovered that brand new guttys had more of a tendency to duck than those gutties scuffed up from play. Hence the practice of nicking the balls with a hammer. That's right, almost by accident, it was discovered that golf balls with improperly smoothed surfaces often flew straighter and further than their smooth counterpart.

Thus the "Hand Hammered Gutta Ball" was formed. These golf balls were hammered with a consistent pattern throughout with a sharp edged hammer. Dimples were incorporated into the iron molds that followed. Less paint was also discovered to be beneficial, and paint application was reduced from three to two coats.

Learn more about Golf Ball Dimple Shape, Alignment and the Dimple Effect.

Handmade Gutty Balls soon gave way to metal presses which in turn made golf affordable for the lower income golfer. Golf truly became the sport for the masses. "The Bramble" design, with its minute bulges resembling a Brambleberry, became the most popular design of the Gutta Percha era golf ball. The Brambleberry pattern was even carried over into a few brands of the more recent rubber core golf balls.
 
 Rubber Core Golf Balls

The advent of the rubber core golf ball changed the face of the game of golf as we knew it. This new design was invented in 1898 by Coburn Haskell in association with the BF Goodrich Company. This new and unique golf ball construction and design featured a solid rubber core, high tension rubber thread wrapped around the core, and a Gutta Percha cover.
 
 
The more modern rubber core golf ball replaced the gutty in 1899. However, the rubber core golf ball of the day did not meet with immediate success. Golfers complained that while the rubber cored golf balls were longer off of the tee they were far too lively on and around the greens. Once Walter Travis won the U.S. amateur golf championship while playing with one, the gutty ball soon became obsolete.

This new breed of golf ball also featured a much larger variety of outer designs for improved airflow. The mesh, reverse mesh and Bramble designs gave way to the dimple pattern first used in 1908.

Exhaustive golf ball design testing has been done with a multitude of different cores. At one point, a small sac of water was substituted for the rubber core. Steal, lead and glycerin were tried to no avail. Eventually, most golf ball manufacturers settled on one form of rubber or another. The composition of the rubber used is a closely guarded trade secret. Rubber thread was wound around the rubber core, as tightly as possible and a cover of Balata was applied.

Continued Evolution of Golf Ball Design

Today, two piece solid Syrlin covered balls are more popular with amateur golfers, as they tend to be more durable than Balata. Syrilin golf balls are longer and straighter as well. Many pros however, are still devoted to the soft and lively Balata balls, since they can get the distance needed and prefer the added spin for control.

Currently golf ball technology has reached new levels of design. Still closely guarded, top golf ball manufacturers such as Callaway, Titleist, Pinnacle, Nike and others compete within a multi million dollar year industry for their due market share.

There is no question that the application of hi-tech science and technology has lead to the high-performance golf ball and the game of golf we play today.

Golf Ball Design and the USGA
The business of golf balls is not open ended, the characteristics of golf balls are strictly governed by rules. These rules determine such things as:

Golf ball weight
Golf ball size
Maximum initial velocity
Spherical integrity and symmetry
Combined carry and roll of the ball

These and other characteristics make up the framework that today's golf ball manufacturer's work within as they vie technologically with each other. The expression "a golf ball is a golf ball is a golf ball", simply does not apply. What appears to be just a small round object is in fact the product of many current leading-edge technologies.
 

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