WHAT'S IN A GOLF BALL?

In the chemistry of air pressure, turbulence, and aerodynamics, surface structures are vital physical element. History has it that there are things that seem to be peculiar on their make-up hundreds of years ago which eventually came up with a better composition based on scientific research. And a golf ball is the best paradigm of this theoretical stand in history.

During the earliest days of golf on the eastern coast of Scotland, most players used ancient apparatus in order to play the game in a more disorganized and informal way. Here, the first clubs and golf balls are made up of wood.

It was on 1618 that the feather golf ball was finally introduced. This was commonly known as the "Featherie". This feather golf ball was a handcrafted ball made with goose feathers securely pressed into a horse or cowhide sphere. This is being done while the ball is still wet. After drying, the leather shrank and the feathers expanded creating a hardened ball.

But because these kinds of golf balls are specially handcrafted, they usually cost higher than the clubs. In doing so, only a few privileged people could afford to play golf during those times.

Next came the Guttie golf ball. This prehistoric kind of golf ball was made from the rubber like sap of the Gutta tree that can be found in the tropics. Normally, these Guttie balls can be easily shaped into a sphere when hot and eventually used as a golf ball. With its rubber nature, guttie balls can be cheaply reproduced and can be easily repaired by reheating and reshaping.

However, between the two earliest forms of golf balls, the feather golf ball was said to travel farther than the gutties. This is due to the smooth surface of the gutties that limits the capacity of the golf ball to cover more distance.

With this new scientific analysis, the developers of golf ball finally came up with balls with the "dimples" that are predominant in modern golf balls nowadays.

Dimples are crafted into golf balls so as to reduce the aerodynamic drag, which will be acting on the ball if it were totally smooth. This is because smooth balls, when sailing through the air, leave a huge pocket of low-pressure air in its stir therefore creating a drag. With the application of drag, the ball slows down.

Hence, by having dimples on golf balls, the pressure differential goes down and the drag force is reduced. These dimples create turbulence in the air surrounding the golf ball. This, in turn, forces the air to clasp the golf ball more closely. By doing so, the air trails the warp created by the ball towards the back instead of flowing past it. This results to a smaller wake and lesser drag.

Dimples also help players to put backspin on a shot making the golf ball break off on the putting green.

The idea of putting dimples on golf balls can be traced back during the gutta percha phase. Coburn Haskell introduced the one-piece rubber cored ball encased in a gutta percha sphere. It was during this time when the players observed how their shots become more and more predictable as their balls turned rough from play.

When William Taylor applied the dimple pattern to a Haskell ball in 1905, golf balls finally took their modern form.

From then on, dimpled golf balls were officially used in every golf tournament. In 1921, the golf balls took its form with standard size and weight.

Today, there is an abundant selection of golf balls to fit different golf game and condition. There are golf balls that offer control, while some offer distance. In whatever ways golf balls vary, only one thing is common and known. Golf balls are not just elements of the sports arena; they are more than ever paradigm of a concept in physics.

Recent Golfing News

Luxury Hotel on La Manga Club Resort in Spain - The 5 star La Manga Hotel at La Manga Club is a luxury golf and tennis resort hotel near Cartagena in Murcia, Spain. The La Manga Hotel is built in Andalucian style, in a great central location at the heart of La Manga Club Europes leading golf and tennis resort. The La Manga Hotel is regularly used as a training resort for professional gol [Read More...]

Mike Ditka Look-a-Like Contest - Mike Ditka offers one lucky fan the chance to win a golf outting with him and over night accomodations at The Mike Ditka Resorts Runaway Beach Club [Read More...]

Spring Golf! How to find great tee times at winter rates. - A weekly email from TeeTimes.net. This week features a look at some great spring golf, including golf at Furry Creek Golf Club (Vancouver, BC), Atlantic City Country Club (Atlantic City, NJ), and La Quinta Resort - Dunes Course (Palm Springs, CA). [Read More...]

To all yee golfers! Golf packages in New Orleans - A blast of course expansion and renovation has made New Orleans a real urban resort. From private clubs with shared arrangements to several high-end public and resort tracks, golf in New Orleans is trouble-free, affordable and accessible. Find some of the finest golf courses in this city. [Read More...]

Four Magic Moves - Nick Faldo Interview - This week I caught up with 6 time major winner Nick Faldo at the Faldo Golf Institute By Marriott in Orlando, Florida. Undoubtively Marriott?s Grande Vista Resort is one of Marriott Vacation Club?s most luxurious resorts, offering one, two and three bed villas... [Read More...]

Ryder Cup venue launches new membership - The Celtic Manor Resort is offering a new Country Membership, complete with Ryder Cup tickets for 2010 Ryder Cup event. Get the latest info on golf club membership and the Ryder Cup venue at Golf Monthly [Read More...]