Full Answer
How much did the first golf ball cost?
Since this golf ball was made by Dr. Haskell — the inventor of the rubber core golf ball — it’s not surprising that it sold for over $800. Haskell made several golf ball prototypes and versions, but this version features a pattern of small squares and a stamp that reads “Remade Patent April 1899.”
What is the value of a 1923 golf ball?
This golf ball was made in 1923 by the Worthington Golf Ball Company. The unique design makes this ball stand out and helped it fetch an incredible $496.80. Beyond being so old, this golf ball is notable for its unique square dimples. The alternating pattern isn’t commonly seen today, adding to the collectible allure.
How old are golf balls made?
This technological revolution in golf ball manufacture spanned nearly 400 years. If you were out for a round of golf in Scotland in 1550, you would have hit a wooden ball with a wooden-headed club. These early balls are thought to have been made from beech, box root or other hardwoods.
When did the size of the golf ball change?
From 1931 to 1990, their specifications for the dimensions of the golf ball were different: a smaller-diameter ball was often played in Scotland, a larger one in the United States. Since 1990, a uniform standard has been in place.
Are old golf balls worth any money?
Because of the age and the craftsmanship put into these balls they are among the ones that have the highest price tag of collectible golf balls. These balls are referred to as antique, and goes for sums upwards of +$5000! See example from eBay below.
What golf balls are worth money?
Best Value Golf BallsTitleist Tour Speed 2022 Golf Ball. Specifications. ... Srixon Distance Golf Ball. Our Pick. ... Callaway Supersoft golf ball. Best For Average Swing Speeds. ... Titleist TruFeel 2022 Golf Ball. ... TaylorMade Soft Response 2022 Golf Ball. ... Cut Golf Cut DC Golf Ball. ... Callaway Warbird golf ball. ... Srixon Soft Feel golf ball.More items...•
What were golf balls made of in 1920?
Guttie/Gutta Golf Balls The guttie was made by using dried sap from the Malaysian Sapodilla tree. The sap had a rubber-like quality to it and upon heating could be formed into a sphere.
How much is a dozen golf balls worth?
They come in a range of prices, from as little as $10 or $15 per dozen, on up to $50 per dozen and more. To make sure you purchase a box of balls that is a good fit for your game, it is important that you go to the store with a clear plan in mind.
What are the rarest golf balls?
Divers have begun a search in Donegal for what they believe could be some of the world's rarest golf balls. The gutta percha balls once belonged to golfing legend Old Tom Morris, who won the Open four times in the 1860s.
Are old golf balls still good?
Do Golf Balls Have a Shelf Life? AKA: Will an Unused Golf Ball Expire? You can usually get about 10 years out of an unused golf ball, again, provided that it is stored properly. The best temperature for golf ball storage is around 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit.
What is the oldest golf ball?
We know that the first record of a sold golf ball dates from 1452,18 while the first feather ball known as the featherie was introduced only in the early 17th century. In 1618, a golf ball maker James Melvill from St.
What did original golf balls look like?
Wooden golf balls were used up until the seventeenth century, when the feathery ball was invented. 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.
What makes a golf ball Illegal?
Legal golf balls can't be smaller than 1.68 inches in diameter. The Polara balls have a diameter of 1.68 inches (the same size as normal). If you have a smaller ball, you'll have less drag and that should give you more distance.
Are used golf balls worth anything?
If the golf balls you sell are in decent condition, good enough for the driving range, Golfweek says you can get “5 to 15 cents per ball.” Although this may seem low at first when you are selling hundreds or thousands of balls, that 5 to 15 cents really adds up!
What are the most expensive used golf balls?
Titleist AVX Golf Balls ($72) It's actually also one of the most expensive used golf balls.
How much is the average golf ball worth?
The average cost of a golf ball is around $2. Of course, the golf balls can go much higher in the $4 range, and sometimes you can find the balls for less than $2 as well. The average cost of the golf ball is going to depend greatly on the type of golf ball it is and how it was manufactured.
What was the first ball used in golf?
There are theories that wooden balls may have been used in a target version of golf in Scotland, but this is not golf proper and it is more likely than not that the ‘hairy’ colf ball was the first ball used for golf on the links in Scotland.
Who made featherie golf balls?
With Tom Morris as his apprentice, Allan Robertson made 1,021 featherie golf balls in 1840, 1,392 in 1841 and 2,456 in 1844. The work was hard, as shown recently by a review of autopsy reports of golf ball makers. Allan Robertson died at 44. Many of the Gourlay golf ball-makers at Bruntsfield also died young.
What is the most famous golf ball?
The feathery or featherie is the most famous of all golf balls, though it is not definitively known when or where it was developed. There is a reference in the Edinburgh Testaments (vol xlvii 123b) to 'fyve scoir twell flok goiff ballis' (112 flok golf balls) in a will in 1612.
When were gutties invented?
However, by 1860, gutties were good enough and popular enough to replace the feathery and a new era of golf was born. In 1871, Willie Dunn at Musselburgh created a mould to make gutties, which was a quicker and more consistent method of production.
How many metres can a hairy colf ball hit?
It is estimated that the ball could be hit 135-150 metres and it was more controllable than wooden colf balls, although it was prone to water damage.
What are the four types of golf balls?
In the first four hundred years of golf there were only four types of golf ball - the Hairy, the Feathery, the Gutty and the Haskell. Everyone refers to golf as a ‘stick and ball’ game, and this has over-emphasized the role of the clubs, ...
Where did feathery ball originate?
The first reference to a feathery is in the Netherlands in a poem in 1657, as a pennebal, in connection with a Scottish 'cleek', so it is possible that the ball was developed in Scotland and the concept re-exported to the Netherlands.
Who made the feather ball?
High-end collectibles. Feather ball made by Wm. Robertson. Before the invention of the gutta percha ball in 1848, balls were made of leather pouches stuffed with feathers that were soaked in brine. When the feathers dried, the ball was very hard and sturdy, at least for a time.
What are some of the most collectible names for feather balls?
Balls were generally stamped with the maker’s name and weight of the ball. Highly collectible names include Gourlay, McEwan, and Allan.
What was the surface pattern of the early 20s?
Surface patterns in the early 20s were just as inventive and unusual as the earlier decade. As time wore on, the golf ball market began to settle down as more consistent manufacturing processes took hold and key makers began to dominate.
What are some examples of Gutta Percha balls?
Examples of early gutta percha balls. Early rubber core – 1900-1920. St. Mungo, Arch Colonel, c. 1915. Around the turn of the 20th century, the golf ball took another leap forward with the invention of the wound, rubber core ball.
The early history of golf balls (from 1905)
The first golf balls were made of leather of untanned bull’s hide, two round pieces forming the ends, and a piece for the middle.
DUNLOP SCIENCE has again achieved the unbelievable (1927)
ANNOUNCING the finest golf-ball ever produced by the world’s largest maker of fine golf-balls
The history of golf balls: Where millions of golf balls go (1927)
United States, which furnished the modern rubber-core ball and newest type clubs, leads world in playing golf
DynaFlite golf ball (1967)
Take strokes off your score with the world’s first lifetime golf ball — the patented Space Age ball that CAN’T cut, CAN’T chip, CAN’T go out of round, CAN’T lose its distance … yet still meets every U.S.G.A. specification.
When was the golf ball invented?
The Haskell Innovation. Coburn Haskell created the next important golf ball innovation in 1898 when he introduced a ball made from a solid rubber core with rubber thread wrapped around it, and encased in sphere made of gutta percha. These balls were immediately popular because they added 20 yards to most players’ shots off the tee.
When was the dimpled pattern used in golf?
The dimpled pattern we see on golf the covers of balls today, which improves ball flight, was first used in 1905.
What is a Gutta Percha ball?
The Gutta Percha ball or “guttie” was introduced in 1848. This ball was made from the rubbery sap of a tropical tree, which could be formed into a sphere when heated. The guttie cost much less to make than the featherie.
What is a feather ball made of?
The featherie ball, introduced in 1618, was made of pieces of horse or cowhide tightly stuffed with goose feathers and then sewn together. Both the leather and feathers were wet during manufacturing. The leather shrank as it dried and the feathers expanded--forming a hard compacted ball.
Why are soft covers used in golf?
Soft-cover golf balls are thought to make it easier to put spin on the ball with wedge shots. This technological revolution in golf ball manufacture spanned nearly 400 years.
Why are featheries so expensive?
Making featheries was a time-consuming process and the balls were very expensive. Because the featherie was easily damaged when struck, golfers continued to prefer wooden-headed clubs instead of forged iron heads, because woods caused less damage to the golf balls.
Who invented the golf ball?
Enter: Coburn Haskell and his design partner Bertram G . Work. Together, the two developed a prototype for the Haskell golf ball, which used a rubber thread fastened around a hard rubber core. The result was better control, better contact and a better game.
When was golf invented?
Since its inception in the 15th century , golf has involved several iterations and improvements on the ball that have resulted in some rare collector’s items. Read below to learn about all the unique golf balls the sport has to offer.
How many Nike golf balls are platinum?
Stamped Nike One Platinum. As part of a contest, Nike produced 2,000 platinum golf balls that were then included in boxes of Nike One Black or Nike One Platinum golf ball sets. Of these balls, each with a unique serial number, 24 featured a stamp of Tiger Woods mid-swing.
Why did golf balls change to wood?
This change significantly reduced the ball’s functionality as the standard core helps stabilize the ball and manages its speed and distance. For the years that the war went on, though, golfers had to sacrifice rubber— one of the first items to be rationed —as the government used it to produce military equipment.
Where was the Martins golf ball made?
Martins Zodiac. Produced in England by Martins-Birmingham in the late 19 th century, this odd-looking golf ball is one of the earliest examples of mass production in golf. Notably, its puckered pattern demonstrates the experimentation and homegrown elements that existed even in factory-made golf products at the time.
Is Spalding still making golf balls?
A few companies produced triangle mesh balls, including Spalding—which still produces sports items today. Although these balls aren’t the rarest of golf collectibles, they remain an unexpected and unique part of any collection.
Is golf a sport?
Like any sport, golf has a broad range of enthusiasts who appreciate the intricacies of the game. They look at the best courses, irons and, of course, the golf balls. Although it appears simplistic, the golf ball is optimally designed for the best play results—accounting for various factors that affect its speed, accuracy and height during the game.
