How to Be an Expert on Golf Balls

During the infancy of golf in the 16th century, the first golf balls were made of wood. A leather casing stuffed with feathers was introduced in the early 1600s and remained the standard golf ball for nearly 250 years. "Featheries" were used at St. Andrews Golf Course in Scotland, which opened in 1754. Golf balls evolved constantly for the next 150 years, though current golf balls are usually made of just two types of material in the core.

Instructions

    • 1

      Learn the history of golf through books like "The World Atlas of Golf" or articles on websites for "Golf Digest" or "Golf Magazine." The first soft golf balls, made before 1840, consisted of feathers stuffed into a casing of two pieces of leather sewn together. In 1845, the first ball using gutta-percha, a rubber-like substance obtained from a Malaysian tree, was made by rolling and hand-scoring of lines to affect the flight. The machined gutta was introduced in the late 19th century. In 1898, Coburn Haskell invented the rubber-core golf ball, and that basic design has changed little since then. The modern ball may also contain a core of water or even steel.

    • 2

      Study the current types of golf balls through equipment surveys in "Golf Digest," "Golf Magazine" or "Golf World." The publications annually compare types of golf balls and provide a panel of expert opinion on the performance of each. "Golf Digest" publishes a "Hot List" each year with opinions from professional golfers, testing data, specifications from golf ball manufacturers and analysis by a panel of scientists. In 2009, "Golf Magazine" published results of its robot testing of both two- and three-piece golf balls using several clubs and various speeds.

    • 3

      Visit the Golf Laboratories testing site in Escondido, California. The firm, which conducts equipment testing for the golf industry, uses a robot designed to produce a repetitive swing in order to test golf clubs and balls. Different woods and irons can be used to test a golf ball for launch angle, launch speed and spin rate. The robot can test balls at speeds from 10 to 115 miles per hour.

    • 4

      Conduct your own tests by trying different types of golf balls and recording your results. Note the flight angle, feel and travel distance of each ball, and watch what the ball does when it hits the green. Some golf balls are designed for more spin than others. Some are constructed to fly higher or roll farther after hitting the ground.