The ball was made from resinous excretion from Malaysia, which is called gutta-percha. Golfers all over the world, of course, were excited about the invention. Gutta-percha could be softened in warm water, to give it the shape of a ball — first manually, and later in steel form and then give it to harden at a lower temperature.
What was the first golf ball made of?
· Golf balls were first made of wood. A golf ball is a small, hard ball used in the game of golf to hit into an empty hole (or “hole”) on a course, with the goal of scoring points by getting the ball closer to the hole than other players’ balls. The game has been played for centuries and today there are many different types of golf balls ...
How long have golf balls been used?
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 throughout history, as today, the development of the golf ball has been more important. Wooden Hairy Feathery Gutty Haskell.
When were hairy golf balls invented?
· Step 3: Coating. The next step is coating the golf ball with resin, which is a synthetic rubber. Resin adheres to the core and covers it completely. This part of the process is done by a machine called an injection press. The resin is heated and then shot into a metal mold that is lined with the slug from step one.
When was the golf ball standardized?
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 …
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.
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.
What was the first golf ball made of wood?
The first golf balls from the 14th Century were made out of wood, specifically beech, by carpenters using hand tools. They weren't perfectly round and it's safe to assume that they sucked. The 17th Century saw the slight design improvement of the featherie, a leather ball stuffed with bird feathers and stitched shut.
When was the first golf ball made?
In 1848, the Rev. Dr. Robert Adams Paterson (sometimes spelled Patterson) invented the gutta-percha ball (or guttie, gutty). The guttie was made from dried sap of the Malaysian sapodilla tree.
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.
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.
Why are some golf balls filled with honey?
Honey for Golf Balls April 1 1935 According to Arthur M. Maas, in Chemistry and You, honey is hygroscopic, or has a natural affinity for water, and so will not dry out. It is not explosive—some golf-ball centres have been. It is noncorrosive—a centre filling that bums if the covering breaks is distinctly not nice.
Do old golf balls have any value?
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.
How did they make golf balls?
A golf ball is made up of mostly plastic and rubber materials. A two-piece ball consists of a solid rubber core with a durable thermoplastic (ionomer resin) cover. The rubber starts out as a hard block, which must be heated and pressed to form a sphere.
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. You'll also notice that illegal balls are slightly heavier.
What is the liquid inside a golf ball?
Contrary to golf folklore, the liquid cores aren't dangerous. Titleist, for example, has used a salt water and corn syrup blend. Today's core is generally made from synthetic rubber -- which may be mixed with bits of metal, such as tungsten or titanium -- or a plastic-like material such as acrylate.
What is inside of a golf ball?
At its core, a golf ball is made from rubber. It is then covered with either plastic, a thermoplastic resin called Surlyn, or urethane, which is an artificial crystalline compound that's also used in pesticides. Ultimately, the golf ball's design will vary.
The first golf balls were made of leather and stuffed with feathers
Golf balls have been around for a very long time. In fact, the first golf balls were made of leather and stuffed with feathers. It wasn’t until much later when the modern day golf ball was invented that we started to see changes in material and design. If you want to know more about how your favorite type of golf ball is created then keep reading!
Golf balls are now made out of rubber and other synthetic materials
Golf balls are now made out of rubber and other synthetic materials. They typically have a cover, which is usually white or brightly colored, that can be crushed to produce the distinctive “ping” sound from hitting it with a club. The golf ball has been used for centuries as one of the most important pieces in playing this ancient Scottish game.
There is an average distance for a hole in golf that is 5,500 yards long
Golf is a game of precision. It requires skill, stamina and patience to play well. One of the most important aspects of golf is the ball. Golf balls are usually made from rubber or plastic materials that allow for better grip on the course.
First golf balls were made of wood
Golf balls were first made of wood. A golf ball is a small, hard ball used in the game of golf to hit into an empty hole (or “hole”) on a course, with the goal of scoring points by getting the ball closer to the hole than other players’ balls.
From many materials over the years including gutta percha, ivory, rubber, plastic and even metal
Golf balls have been made from many materials over the years including gutta percha, ivory, rubber, and plastic. These days they are most commonly made of a hard plastic resin or ionomer. One thing that has not changed is golfers’ preference for dimples on the ball as it flies through the air.
Modern day golf balls are typically made of polyurethane covered by dimpled hard acrylic
Golf is a sport that has been around for hundreds of years and even today, it continues to grow in popularity. One aspect of the game is its equipment which includes clubs, balls, and other gear.
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.
Where were leather golf balls made?
It came into its own on the Scottish Links. Leather stitched golf balls were been being made in Scotland from at least 1554, when there was a recorded dispute between the cordiners (leather workers) of the Cannongate in Edinburgh and the 'cordiners and gouff ball makers of North Leith' .
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 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, ...
What are the different materials used in golf balls?
What Are The Different Golf Ball Materials? Golf balls are made from different materials from synthetic rubbers for the core to thermoplastic polymer for the mantle to Surlyn for the cover are used to construct a golf ball. All of these different components play a key role of the make up of a golf ball.
What is the mantle of a golf ball made of?
Golf ball mantle is made from different materials within their respective layers. A strong, rigid thermoplastic is found on the outer layer of the mantle. Whereas a thermoplastic polymer would be found in the middle section and a rubber is used in the mantle’s inside layer which is much softer. Before plastics and other synthetic rubbers were used, ...
How to wash golf balls?
Step 1: Washing. The first step, washing involves the use of a machine that washes the golf balls in order to prepare them for the imprinting process . The washing machine is a washer and dryer hybrid that uses high pressure to remove unwanted material, such as oil, from the ball surface.
What are the main components of a golf ball?
A golf ball comprises of three main elements. The cover, the mantle and the solid rubber core. These three areas combine to allow golf balls to offer spin rate, compression and initial velocity.
Why are golf balls elasticity?
By having elasticity the golf ball is able to quickly reverse to its natural state after the club has had impact with the golf ball.
What are the three main areas of golf ball performance?
In golf speak, they are referred to as the spin rate, compression and initial velocity respectively. source: intheholegolf.com.
What is the process of making golf balls?
The process for golf ball manufacturing include: washing, imprinting, coating, pressing and packaging the golf balls. Every step must be done in a specific order and there are many different machines involved in order to produce a golf ball from concept to completion.
How were feathery golf balls made?
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.
Who invented the Gutty golf ball?
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.
What is a feathery golf ball?
Basically, the feathery was a leather sack filled with boiled goose feathers, then stitched up and painted.
What is the evolution of the golf ball?
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 ...
When did rubber core golf balls replace gutty golf balls?
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.
When was the Brambleberry golf ball invented?
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.
What was the first game of golf?
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.
What is a golf ball?
A golf ball is a special ball designed to be used in the game of golf .
How big is a golf ball?
The Rules of Golf, jointly governed by the R&A and the USGA, state in Appendix III that the diameter of a "conforming" golf ball cannot be any smaller than 1.680 inches (42.67 mm), and the weight of the ball may not exceed 1.620 ounces (45.93 g). The ball must also have the basic properties of a spherically symmetrical ball, generally meaning that the ball itself must be spherical and must have a symmetrical arrangement of dimples on its surface. Additional rules direct players and manufacturers to other technical documents published by the R&A and USGA with additional restrictions, such as radius and depth of dimples, maximum launch speed from test apparatus (generally defining the coefficient of restitution) and maximum total distance when launched from the test equipment.
How do dimples work in golf?
Lastly, the pattern of dimples plays a role. By regulation, the arrangement of the dimples on the ball must be as symmetrical as possible. However, the dimples don't all have to be the same size, nor be in a uniform distribution. This allows designers to arrange the dimple patterns in such a way that the resistance to spinning is lower along certain axes of rotation and higher along others. This causes the ball to "settle" into one of these low-resistance axes that (golfers hope) is close to parallel with the ground and perpendicular to the direction of travel, thereby eliminating "sidespin" induced by a slight mishit, which will cause the ball to curve off its intended flight path. A badly mishit ball will still curve, as the ball will settle into a spin axis that is not parallel with the ground which, much like an aircraft's wings, will cause the shot to bank either to the left or to the right.
What is a high spin golf ball?
Another consideration is "spin", affected by compression and by the cover material - a "high-spin" ball allows more of the ball's surface to contact the clubface at impact, allowing the grooves of the clubface to "grip" the ball and induce more backspin at launch. Backspin creates lift that can increase carry distance, and also provides "bite" which allows a ball to arrest its forward motion at the initial point of impact, bouncing straight up or even backwards, allowing for precision placement of the ball on the green with an approach shot. However, high-spin cover materials, typically being softer, are less durable which shortens the useful life of the ball, and backspin is not desirable on most long-distance shots, such as with the driver, as it causes the shot to "balloon" and then to bite on the fairway, when additional rolling distance is usually desired.
Why does a golf ball backspin?
Backspin is imparted in almost every shot due to the golf club's loft (i.e., angle between the clubface and a vertical plane). A backspinning ball experiences an upward lift force which makes it fly higher and longer than a ball without spin.
What causes a golf ball to travel further?
The turbulent boundary layer is able to remain attached to the surface of the ball much longer than a laminar boundary with less eddies and so creates a narrower low-pressure wake and hence less pressure drag. The reduction in pressure drag causes the ball to travel further.
How does impact affect golf ball?
When a golf ball is hit, the impact, which lasts less than a millisecond, determines the ball's velocity, launch angle and spin rate, all of which influence its trajectory and its behavior when it hits the ground.
When did golf balls start to get molds?
Towards the late 1800s , designers of the Gutty golf ball began experimenting with different shapes on the golf with the help of a mold in their quest to improve the aerodynamics of the golf ball.
Who invented the Featherie golf ball?
Golf’s first professional, Allan Roberston perfected the design of the Featherie golf ball in the early 1800s. Robertson mentored the great Tom Morris from the age of 14 and together the pair revolutionized the golf equipment industry at that time.
What golf ball has concave dimples?
The first rubber golf balls feature a similar outer pattern to that of the Gutty golf ball but engineers quickly discovered that inward, concave dimples would be much more efficient from an aerodynamics perspective. The Haskell Golf Ball. Source.
When was golf invented?
By many accounts it is presumed that the earliest games of golf were played with a wooden ball in the 14th century. It’s been refuted that wooden balls were never used in links golf in Scotland, but instead they were used in early games that were similar to golf.
Where did the hairy golf ball come from?
Hairy Golf Balls. From 1486 through 1618, the Scottish received and used the hairy golf ball imported from the Netherlands. The hairy golf ball was a hand-sewn round leather ball filled with cows’ hair or straw. In 1554 the hairy golf ball was being produced in Scotland by the “cordiners and gouff ball makers of North Leith.”.
What sap is used to make Haskel golf balls?
Thus bringing the modern look of the golf ball that we’ve become accustom to. The balata sap initially used to make Haskel golf balls had a tendency to get indents on it as it was relatively soft.
Why is a featherie golf ball harder to fly?
Since the featherie golf ball was filled with feathers it was able to be stuffed more full than the hairy, making it harder thus able to fly farther. To make a featherie, the feathers and leather would be shaped while wet. Upon drying the leather shrank and feathers expanded creating the desired hardness for the ball.
When was the rubber core discovered?
Rubber Core Golf Balls – Haskel. In 1898 Coburn Haskell made a discovery while awaiting Bertram Work, of the B.F. Goodrich Company, when he wound a rubber thread into a ball and bounced it. Haskell discovered it had a lot of bounce and upon Bertram Work’s suggestion to put a cover over it, the rubber Haskell golf ball was born.
Who invented the Gutta Percha ball?
In 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.
Who was the first golfer?
Golf’s first professional, Allan Robertson, was considered the premier ball and club maker of his time, in the early 1800s. In 1835, at age 14, Tom Morris (later known as Old Tom Morris & the Grandfather of Golf) began working under Robertson at St. Andrews.
How many dimples are there in a golf ball?
There may be a different number, depending on the decision of a particular manufacturer, from 324 to 428 dimples and even more. The presence of these hollows improves the aerodynamic characteristics of the ball: reducing air resistance, airflow during the flight. Thus, the ball can fly further, higher and clearly on a given trajectory without deviation. This allows producing a more accurate swing, giving it the maximum possible strength and faster throwing it in the hole. Modern technology continues to improve the Golf ball, as a result of innovations, roll and flights of the ball are becoming more stable.
Is golf a democratic sport?
Even Golf is rather a democratic kind of sport; it has its own number of rules and requirements. And not many players, who deftly swiping the ball, think about the fact that Golf ball has been made in accordance with clearly established standards that define its characteristics and movements in the game.
When was the golf ball standard set?
The modern standardization of the golf ball as we know it today came to be on January 1, 1932 when the USGA (United States Golf Association) set the standard weight and size for a golf ball. The USGA was following the standard set in 1930 by the British Golf Association but for a slightly smaller ball. The USGA Standard was set at a maximum weight of 1.620 oz. and a diameter not to be less than 1.680 inches. Once Equipment to measure velocity was developed, the maximum velocity of a golf ball was set at 250 feet per second, and was added by the USGA to the acceptable set of standards for a golf ball.
Who were the two ball makers of the 1600s?
Two Notable ball-makers of the 1600s were Andrew Dickson, Leith and Henry Mills, St Andrews.
