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Brief History of Golf Balls.

Golf has actually been around for quite some time. The technology has gotten better and improved, however the game of golf has been around since the early 1500's. The golf ball itself has gone through many changes and upgrades to improve a player’s game and chances at making the renowned hole in one. Science has taken part in this development and has taken the golf ball to an entirely different level.

Looking back at the Scottish, they would use wooden golf balls and clubs. The game was not as organized and it was much more informal and laid back originally. However, by 1618 a new golf ball was designed called the feather golf ball or feathery. This was a handmade golf ball that had goose feathers secured to the horse or cowhide ball. The feathers are attached while the ball is wet, as it dries it shrinks and the feathers expand making a very hard ball. These balls were extremely expensive because of being handmade and usually cost a lot more than the clubs did. Very few people could get these or afford to play golf.

After the Feather came the Guttie all. This was made from a sap that was rubbery and came from the Gutta tree, which can only be found in tropical parts of the world. Guttie balls are a somewhat outdated and prehistoric ball; they are easily shaped into a sphere once they have been heated. This are cheap and easy to make, they are also easily fixed when they become misshapen, just by reheating them.

Feather golf balls were preferred however since they travelled farther and thus players could play a better game. Gutties were to smooth and could not cover as much distance when hit as a Feather ball.

Currently, dimpled balls are used. The dimples are actually intentionally made onto the balls. These dimples will lessen the amount of drag on the ball, making them travel farther. Air drag slows the ball down, that is why the smooth Guttie balls did not travel as far. Smooth balls have a pocket of air around them that is of low pressure and this creates the drag on the ball. The dimples on the ball reduce the amount of drag that can occur. The dimples make turbulence around the ball when sailing through the air or rolling along the ground. When this turbulence happens the air actually closes in on the ball and heads to the back of the ball instead of just going past it. There is less of a wake left from the air and then less drag also. Along with reducing drag, the dimples also improve a golfer’s backspin when shooting on the putting green.

Creating golf balls with dimples was introduced by Coburn Haskell. He had made a rubber cored ball and had it encased in gutta percha. As the balls became rougher from playing, the shots actually become more and more predictable. Then William Taylor to the ball in 1905 and applied the dimples to it. That is when the golf ball became the way we now know it today. However, it was not until 1921 that the size and weight of the ball to on the dimensions we currently use.

There are many golf balls now available for a variety of uses. Depending on the game and the conditions, there are golf balls that can be matched to give you a better game. From control to distance, there is a golf ball to fit everyone's needs.