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how does being in water effect a golf ball

by Jaquan Denesik Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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But if golf balls sit in the water for longer periods of time, permanent damage will be the result. While invisible from the outside, this damage will clearly affect the driving distance off of the tee. The further result is significant damage to the golf ball’s core, which is designed to be ball’s energy source.

Once water reaches the core of a golf ball, the water affects the compression of the golf ball, making it harder. With the golf ball getting harder, this means the golf ball receives less energy from the golf club at impact and has a harder time regaining its shape.Jan 6, 2022

Full Answer

Does water affect your golf ball performance?

Does Water Affect Golf Ball Performance? Theoretically, and anecdotally, yes. A layer of water inside the ball does it no favors. Since the ball isn’t able to compress as much, it will surely not be able to fly as far – especially if it’s been lying in water for months, or even years.

What happens to water when it enters a ball?

However, at the microstructural level, there are unavoidable gaps in the molecules. And these gaps are just big enough to allow water particles to squeeze their way through. Once the water breaches the outer shell, it essentially forms an extra layer within the ball, which in turn affects its mass and energy absorption.

Why do golf balls fly shorter in the water?

A ball being in the water typically makes it harder in terms of compression, and it also slows down the coefficient of restitution (the ability of the ball to regain its roundness after impact), and that makes it fly shorter.

What happens to a 2-piece golf ball in water?

For a 2-piece ball, being submerged in water typically makes it harder and slows down the coefficient of restitution, which is the ability of the ball to regain it’s roundness after impact. After 8 days in water, a 2-piece ball can lose almost 6 yards of carry and roll, and an additional 3 yards after 3 months (9 yards total).

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Does sitting in water affect a golf ball?

But if golf balls sit in the water for longer periods of time, permanent damage will be the result. While invisible from the outside, this damage will clearly affect the driving distance off of the tee. The further result is significant damage to the golf ball's core, which is designed to be ball's energy source.

What effect does water have on a golf ball?

This is due to the fact that water on the golf ball reduces friction on the club face. Thus, allowing the golf ball to slide up the club face slightly producing higher launch, less spin, and higher overall height. When the ball lands it will tend to run out more because of the lack of spin.

Can golf balls become waterlogged?

There are some scratches, some slight imperfections, but it is an otherwise suitable golf ball. When this type of golf ball heads into a pond or a lake, it gets waterlogged pretty quickly. In some studies, it only takes a few hours for the water to reach the inner core and start to impact the yardage on the golf ball.

Are golf balls found in water any good?

They basically found that there was almost no difference in the performance of all of the golf balls. Using Trackman to trackball flight, carry distance, and roll distance, their testing revealed that golf balls that had been submerged for as long as 5 months performed just as well as brand new golf balls.

Does water add spin to a golf ball?

I saw pretty consistent results across the board with wedge shots. On the whole, a wet clubface had the most impact on the spin rate. On a 50-yard shot, I saw an almost 20% drop in spin. Interestingly, dirt did not seem to have as much impact on spin rate as water, but there was still a noticeable drop.

Do waterlogged golf balls weigh more?

However, when water penetrates the ball, it will increase its weight. Fortunately, it could not happen during a game but only after an extended stay of the ball under the water.

Do PGA players use a new ball every hole?

Professional golfers will change golf balls every five to six holes. The modern golf ball technology can last for quite some time as the materials used to make these golf balls are more durable and resistant to cuts.

What is the lifespan of a golf ball?

The average life of a golf ball, when stored properly, is about 10 years. While golf balls do get old, the overall performance will generally be maintained with proper storage and care.

How long does it take for a golf ball to be waterlogged?

How Long Does It Take for a Golf Ball to Get Waterlogged? According to HJGT, the answer is about 12 hours,. Although golf balls can totally be waterlogged, the process happens quite slowly. To explain, golf ball materials may not be totally waterproof, but its water-resistant coat is protective enough for hours.

Are 20 year old golf balls still good?

The golf ball researchers at Titleist state, "Today's Titleist golf balls can be safely stored for five years or even more, as long as they are kept away from excessive heat. ... Normal indoor conditions should be fine for storage."

Do lake golf balls make a difference?

If you've a mid-level handicapper then you are unlikely to notice the minor differences between a brand new golf ball and a lake ball. The fact that they have been under water for a length of time will more than likely have zero impact on your game!

Can you microwave a golf ball?

0:543:30Microwave A Golf Ball (#101) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipEight minutes huh the golf balls go to explode I hope so it's going to be a long eight minutes soMoreEight minutes huh the golf balls go to explode I hope so it's going to be a long eight minutes so Tiger Woods what's your paw on the Lacey coulis.

What happens when you put an old golf ball in a pond?

There are some scratches, some slight imperfections, but it is an otherwise suitable golf ball. When this type of golf ball heads into a pond or a lake, it gets waterlogged pretty quickly.

How long does it take for a golf ball to lose distance?

For a golf ball that has been hit several times and has some tiny imperfections in the cover, it will only take several hours for the golf ball to lose distance. This is not that much time. If you hit a golf ball into the water off the tee and you can reach it with your ball retriever, that golf ball is more than fine to keep using without any differences.

Does The Quality Of The Golf Ball Really Matter?

The quality of the golf ball makes a huge difference as soon as you can see and feel that difference although admittedly it will matter more for experts and improvers more than complete beginners.

Are Lake Balls Any Good?

So that brings us to the next question, if we know that golf balls do get waterlogged, are these golf balls worth purchasing? Here are a few things to consider.

Should A Beginner Use Lake Balls?

A lake ball is more suited for the budget golfer than anything else. If you are a beginner looking for the best of the best, the lake golf balls would not be the best choice. If you are a beginner that is frustrated with losing golf balls continually and angry with how expensive this game is, then don’t hesitate to give those lake golf balls a shot.

What balls should a mid handicap player use?

When it comes to knocking some shots off of your short game, it is best to go with a three-piece golf ball. This type of golf ball will give the mid handicap player the spin and feel they need around the greens but also the distance from the tee.

What is a lower handicap golfer?

A lower handicap player usually has higher than average swing speed and the ability to launch and carry the ball as far as they need. Playing golf with a harder two-piece golf ball will not give this player the ability to stop and spin the ball the way they want to.

How long should you keep a fishing ball in the water?

To summarize, if you are fishing a ball from the water and know for sure that it has been in the water for less than 12 hours, go ahead and use it.

What is the best material to cover a golf ball?

The most common materials used to make a golf ball cover are either thermoplastic ionomers Iotek‚ Surlyn‚ or thermoset polyurethane (which is more durable). These materials can retain moisture during the manufacturing process and must be kept in humidity-controlled areas. Polymeric materials, depending upon their molecular structure, take up water in varying degrees. Molecular structure as well as temperature affects the way these materials react to moisture. The two final layers or coatings of a golf ball include a primer and a “protective” gloss coating. The primer, in most cases, is water-borne polyurethane and the final layer of protective gloss coat is generally a two-part solvent-based polyurethane. The protective coating is designed to be water permeable. When a golf ball is struck, it creates micro-cracks, allowing for increased passage of humidity/water. To prevent macro cracking , the coating must be designed to allow water to flow freely. The core or “engine” of a golf ball is made out of polybutadiene rubber with proprietary fillers. The rubber is then mixed with fillers, generally inorganic minerals, to increase the overall weight and strength of the core. Although the rubber is resistant to water, moisture will make its’ way to the filler-polymer interface. This moisture inhibits the ability of the filler and rubber to couple. In turn, the ball will not rebound properly, thus affecting distance immensely.

What happens if you submerge a golf ball in water?

Submersion in water will result in the permanent adverse effect on the performance of a golf ball.

How long does it take for a golf ball to absorb water?

When a golf ball is submerged in a lake or pond, it will begin to absorb water. It takes about 12 hours for water to penetrate the cover and find its way to the core.

Why does a golf ball fly shorter?

Being in the water typically makes the ball harder in terms of compression, and it also slows down the coefficient of restitution (the ability of the ball to regain its roundness after impact), which makes it fly shorter. In tests of a two-piece ball, the

What is compression rating in golf?

Some companies believe that the compression rating ( Golf ball compression is a term that applies to the density of a golf ball. What it really means for the average golfer is a form of measurement that tells the player how hard or soft the golf ball really is. The higher the number or compression the firmer the ball will feel.) makes a difference depending on a player's swing speed, other companies feel it's irrelevant. Some companies use a traditional method for manufacturing their product and others use modern methods.

How much performance is lost or what affect is has on the ball?

How much performance is lost or what affect is has on the ball will vary. It depends on the type of ball it is, how long it was submerged, and the temperature of the water. Several things to know:

How long does it take for water to penetrate a sandbox?

It takes about 12 hours for water to penetrate the cover and start finding it’s way to the core.

Does water make a golf ball harder?

For most models, being in the water typically makes the ball harder in terms of compression, and it

Why does a golf ball lose its elasticity?

With a ball waterlogged its elasticity gets disturbed because there is less inner space now available for the ball to compress into. The energy that went in, which was meant to increase the carry distance gets absorbed by the unwanted water molecule. These molecules release energy slowly and do not contribute to any form of loft or carry distance.

How many yards can you get from a golf ball that is underwater?

Picking a golf ball out from the water that remained underwater for years can take more than a dozen or two yards of carrying distance. So yes distance traveled is directly proportional to how much time the golf ball remained under water.

How are modern golf balls made?

HOW ARE MODERN BALLS MADE. Modern ball has layers, they can be two, three or four. The first layer is the plastic layer followed by inner layers. For a ball to get waterlogged, water has to seep through the outer hard plastic surface and get into the inner layers. Golf balls have a weight limit and before making ball companies decide how much each ...

Why don't they make outer shell impermeable?

Why Don’t They Make Outer Shell Impermeable. Simply because they want you to buy new balls. It is a business model. Also, there is a scientific reason for it as well. Harder balls affect the compression rating of the balls. Balls are designed to compress more or less at the time of impact.

Does water seep into golf balls?

Now that we know that water can seep in and create an extra layer inside the golf ball. This layer not only get intermixed with existing layer increasing the mass but also can form shells between each layer reducing the friction between each layer and acting as an energy absorber.

Can you play golf with a ball that is under water?

Absolutely yes, I would recommend playing with them if they remained under water for less than a few hours. Anything longer than that is serious damage for someone who takes this game passionately. Golf balls do not get waterlogged quickly, it takes months and years for a ball to have a massive decrease in its performance.

Is it important to measure your golf game?

It is important to measure your performance. Yes, it is fun to play the game but it is also important to be better at it the next time you are at the course. Invest in a mid-range golf ball set such as superhot bold that can offer both flight and distance .

What happens if you submerge a golf ball in water?

Submersion in water will result in the permanent adverse effect on the performance of a golf ball.

How long does it take for a golf ball to absorb water?

When a golf ball is submerged in a lake or pond, it will begin to absorb water. It takes about 12 hours for water to penetrate the cover and find its way to the core.

How much performance is lost or what affect is has on the ball?

How much performance is lost or what affect is has on the ball will vary. It depends on the type of ball it is, how long it was submerged and the temperature of the water. Several things to know:

How does water absorb?

There are certain variables that will affect how much water a ball absorbs: 1 The type of ball (2-piece, 3-piece, 4-piece) 2 The cover material (Surlyn or urethane) 3 The temperature of the water (warmer water will increase absorption) 4 How long it’s submerged 5 As the core absorbs water, it can expand and separate from the cover or mantle layers

How to get spin in golf?

So to get spin, you need friction, and a urethane cover. Hitting the “sweet spot”, loft, and being aggressive with the shot will also create spin.

Can a golf ball be submerged in water?

Yes, submer sion in water will result in the permanent adverse effect on the performance of a golf ball.

Does water make a golf ball harder?

For most models, being in the water typically makes the ball harder in terms of compression, and it

How long does it take for water to enter a golf ball?

After just twelve hours in the water, the outermost layer of the golf ball allows water to enter into the ball. This is mainly because modern layers of multi-layer golf balls (such as Urethane and UPC) are usually constructed to be extremely hydrophilic (moisture attracting) in order to prevent adverse affections due to weather.

What is refurbished golf ball?

A refurbished ball has very little in common with the original golf ball. Many lake ball packagers are just giving a facelift to the golf balls they find by sandblasting. Through this treatment, the outermost transparent sealing layer of the golf ball is completely removed.

Why does my ball head towards water when putting?

The only reason why a ball tend to head towards water while putting is because most greens are built to drain towards water (ie the greens are sloped towards water which is why a ball will break towards the water) 3. this is most likely your problem haha. cheers.

How many shots to a green in golf?

You have a 180 shot to a green. You hit a 5 iron and it lands 10 yards short and rolls to the middle of the green. You have a 180 shot to a green over water. You hit a 5 iron and it lands 10 yards short ... and splashes into the water.

What is the effect of surface tension on the air?

The surface tension of water and hydrogen bond interaction with the air molecules increase the density of the atmosphere above large bodies of water, thus increasing air resistance and lowering golf ball carry distance.

Does cooler water affect golf ball temperature?

Krt, Scientific explanation: the cooler water affects the temperature of the surrounding air, which drops the internal core temperature of your golf ball, thus sapping your ball of its stored energy. I could also blame the earth's gravitational pull, worm holes, the Illuminati, and mystical water fairies. Quote.

Is it hard to get nervous when you swing over water?

Standing overlooking water, it's not hard to get tense and nervous with your swing worried about dunking the ball. So you end up putting a tentative swing on the ball, make poor contact and lose distance ending up wet in the pond.#N#Not physics, just plain psychology.

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