What is a gutta percha ball made of?
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 is gutta percha?
In Australia, gutta-percha is a common name specifically used for the euphorbiaceous tree Excoecaria parvifolia, which yields an aromatic, heavy, dark-brown timber. Chemically, gutta-percha is a polyterpene, a polymer of isoprene, or polyisoprene, specifically ( trans -1,4-polyisoprene).
How do you rate gutta percha balls?
Thus began decades of exploration in surface manipulation with grooves, dimples, pimples (called brambles), mesh, and any number of other patterns. Collectors of gutta percha balls rate them according to patterns, age, and, of course, condition.
What is a guttie golf ball?
The " guttie " golf ball (which had a solid gutta-percha core) revolutionized the game. Gutta-percha was used to make "mourning" jewelry, because it was dark in color and could be easily molded into beads or other shapes.
What was the gutta percha golf ball made of?
Malaysian Sapodilla treeIn 1848 Dr. Robert Adams Paterson invented the Gutta-Percha ball, or Guttie. 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 do you make a gutta percha golf ball?
0:054:33gutta percha ball manufacture - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHere's our workbench that. We make the gutta-percha. So with this particular. Device is the canisterMoreHere's our workbench that. We make the gutta-percha. So with this particular. Device is the canister container that holds the mold. You see inside of here. So here's a here's actually a bramble mold.
When were gutta percha golf balls used?
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.
What were old golf balls made of?
During the early “featherie era”, the best balls were made by the Dutch and their featheries were extremely popular in Scotland as well. Until the mid-19th century, the featherie was the standard golf ball. It was made of cow or horsehide which was stuffed with feathers; most often goose feather.
When did they stop making wound golf balls?
Remember, wound golf balls were popular prior to the 2000s and they were constructed with thread windings that wrapped around their cores.
Are old golf balls worth anything?
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 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.
How far would a gutta percha ball go?
225 yardsIn 1848, the Gutta Percha ball or 'Guttie' ball was invented, and could be hit no further than a Featherie, a maximum distance of 225 yards. The Guttie was made from the rubber-like sap of the Gutta tree, which when heated the rubber could easily be moulded into a sphere.
What is the number one golf ball on tour?
Pro V1Titleist likes to remind us that that the Pro V1 is the No 1 ball used by professionals on worldwide golf tours, but that it's a great ball for non-superstars as well. The ball is manufactured to perfectly balance short game control without sacrificing good yardage from the tee.
What are the dimples on a golf ball for?
Dimples on a golf ball create a thin turbulent boundary layer of air that clings to the ball's surface. This allows the smoothly flowing air to follow the ball's surface a little farther around the back side of the ball, thereby decreasing the size of the wake.
What are the dimples on a golf ball called?
What Are Dimples On A Golf Ball Called? What is this? In most cases, golf ball dimples are simply referred to as dimples. However, there are some instances when they will be called indentations or more thoroughly referred to as the golf ball dimples pattern.
Why is golf called golf?
The word 'golf' is not an acronym for anything. Rather, it derives linguistically from the Dutch word 'kolf' or 'kolve,' meaning quite simply 'club. ' In the Scottish dialect of the late 14th or early 15th century, the Dutch term became 'goff' or 'gouff,' and only later in the 16th century 'golf.
Who was the author of the Gutty Golf Ball?
Gutty Golf Ball which sold at Christie's for £180 2006. Rev John Kerr, writing in 1896, does not mention this story but provides three other tales ascribing the origin of gutties to Dr Montgomery in 1842, Campbell of Saddell in North Berwick in 1848, and Mr H T Peter at Innerleven in 1848.
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.
Why are gutties painted red?
Gutties were painted white or red for winter play, for the same reason as featheries, as protection and to be able to find them. The cost of gutties was 1/- one shilling, much cheaper than featheries, and a main factor in bringing golf to the masses. The gutty lasted until 1900.
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 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.
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, ...
When did gutta percha come into use?
The dentist and gutta percha came together in 1847, when it was introduced as a filling material. However, it was in 1867 it began to be used for root canal work. By and large, it was an excellent material. Nevertheless, there have been failures when using the polymer. Consider the following video on methods considered likely to result in a successful outcome.
Is Gutta Percha thermoplastic?
Since gutta percha is thermoplastic and it is an elastomer 2 and it is impervious to water, it was a natural choice to protect the Trans-Atlantic underwater cable. Events were favorable for its use, as well. The newly formed Gutta Percha Company was established in 1845. Perfect timing.
Is Gutta Percha good for root canals?
There is ongoing research in the improvement of gutta percha for dental root canal work. Most interestingly, one of those improvements involves the combining of the polymer with amoxicillin and nano diamonds. See the relevant reference, below.
What are gutty golf balls made of?
They were made from the rubber-like sap of the gutta percha tree, and gutty (or guttie) golf balls could be made from molds, made much faster and much cheaper than featheries. After the invention of gutties, featheries faded from golf very quickly.
What was the first purpose built golf ball?
The "feathery" was the first purpose-built golf ball. Prior to featheries (the singular is also frequently spelled "featherie"), people playing golf or its antecedents used wooden spheres. But such wooden balls were also used in other stick-and-ball games; the same balls, in other words, were used by people to play different games.
How much does a feathery golf ball cost?
According to the book Golf: The Science and the Art, the price of a single feathery ball from a reputable maker could range from $10 to $20 in today's terms.
When did the feathery golf ball come out?
The feathery arrived on the scene probably by the mid-1500s, although the first definitive reference to featheries comes from the early 1600s. The feathery was the first true golf ball, in that it was created specifically for golfers. Featheries remained the standard golf ball until the mid-1800s. It was time-consuming to create a feathery ball, ...
When did golf balls become feathery?
Featheries remained the standard golf ball until the mid-1800s. It was time-consuming to create a feathery ball, which meant they were expensive in their own time. Today, featheries are highly sought and very valuable as collectibles.
Who blasted the feathery golf ball?
It was blasted by a golfer named Samuel Messieux in 1836. There's a catch: The ground was frozen, helping the ball slide and skid for a very long distance. The average driving distance of top golfers with featheries, however, was little more than half that record distance. The most commonly cited range for feathery driving distance is ...
Why did golf balls soften?
The seams busting open was another issue. And so was wet weather — common in Scotland and England where almost all featheries were in use — that caused the balls to soften and fly shorter distances. Then there was the cost, which limited the number of people who could afford to play golf.
Who discovered the gutty percha?
In the end it was a golf mad Reverend called Rev. James Patterson of Dundee who whilst on missionary work in Malaysia discovered the gutty percha which is a rubber like material that comes from the dried sap of sapodilla trees of East Asia.
What are the qualities of a gutty?
Perhaps one of the finest qualities of the gutty was its ability to be remolded when it had become heavily scarred. Several manufacturers offered a trade in service where the old guttys were taken in part exchange against new. The old gutty.s were then remolded and resold.
What did James use to make a golf ball?
James sent a statue back to Scotland, which he used the gutta percha as protective packaging for. On his return home he was idly fiddling with this elastic substance which in turn gave him the idea to attempt to create a golf ball from this substance.
How long did Robert Gutty last?
This was known as the hand hammered gutty and this period lasted 20 years until markings where then applied in the molds.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
