Facts About the Golf Ball
The game of golf is generally believed to be about 500 years old, but the equipment has evolved steadily during that time, and no piece of equipment has changed more than the golf ball. Though manufacturers tout how technological advances make clubs easier to hit, it is the changes to the ball itself that have truly changed the game. In times past, golfers picked clubs solely on feel; now, they often choose the ball and change the clubs to match.
Other People Are Reading
-
History
-
According to the Design Shop website, the earliest "ball" was called a feathery, and it was actually a leather pouch stuffed with boiled chicken or goose feathers. A more durable ball called the gutta-percha or "gutta" was introduced in the mid-1800s. It was made of latex rubber and was far more durable than the feathery. Patterns were added to the surface of the gutta, and they eventually evolved into mass-produced rubber balls at the turn of the 20th century. The U.S. Golf Association set standards for the ball in the 1930s, and the ball stayed pretty much the same until the "materials revolution" began in the 1980s.
Specifications
-
The USGA and the British Golf Association originally used different balls, with the British ball being smaller; now everyone uses the USGA standards. The basic standards determine the size and weight. According to the USGA Rules of Golf, Appendix III, the ball must measure no less than 1.680 inches (or 42.67 mm) in diameter, be round and symmetrical and weigh no more than 1.620 ounces (or 45.93 grams). There are other standards regulating performance, but these can be changed as new technologies evolve.
-
Dimples
-
"Dimpling" actually had its start when gutta players discovered their smooth-surfaced balls flew better after they got nicked and scratched up, according to the Design Shop website. This led to the design of dimpling patterns. Dimples affect the aerodynamics of the ball, causing it to perform somewhat like an airplane wing. While patterns can vary, there are usually between 300 and 500 dimples on the ball. The exact numbers vary because the patterns determine how many dimples are necessary to fulfill the "symmetrically round" specification. Dimple patterns can make the ball behave almost any way the manufacturer desires.
Construction
-
Up until the late 1980s, most good golf balls were made of a core wound tightly with rubber thread, then covered with either Surlyn (for durability) or balata (for control). The development of compounds such as urethane and other polymers first gave way to durable and inexpensive two-piece balls (of which the Spalding TopFlite was probably the most popular). However, manufacturers soon began to experiment with multiple layers to "tune" the ball. It is now common to find high-quality three- and four-piece balls, and in 2009 Golf.com reported TaylorMade's introduction of the first five-piece balls.
Choosing a Ball
-
Because of the variety of golf balls now available, most teachers (such as Golf Channel instructor Michael Breed) recommend choosing a ball "from the green to the tee." That is, find balls that perform the way you want for short shots around the green, then choose among them based on how they perform as you make longer shots from the fairway and, finally, from the tee. In this way, you will find the best match for your game.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit golf ball image by Franc Podgor...¡ek from Fotolia.com
