Golf Ball Materials- The ABCs Of A Golf Ball!

Although the golf balls normally used nowadays look no better than hardened plastic balls, the materials used to manufacture them comprise of various things. The benefits of all such various components come together to create the best golf balls which are far superior and travel much better than their counterparts in play a hundred years ago.

Golf started as a medium to pass time in an enjoyable manner. However, it has outdone its expectations by emerging as the most loved sport in many countries over the years. It has a huge fan following world over and the golf professionals nowadays are able to get the golf balls customized as per their needs. This is nevertheless done adhering to the regulations set by the governing bodies. Following are the things that must be kept in mind while getting your golf balls designed:

- The Golf balls weight must be a per specifications

- The Golf balls size also must adhere to the specifications

- There is a maximum permissible initial velocity which must not be exceeded

- The shape of the golf ball should be spherically symmetric

- There must be consistency in the golf balls lift, carry and drag

The make of the golf ball comprises of the core, followed by the intermediate layer and then the cover at top. The core has always been made in solid rubber. It can also be produced in titanium or the same kind of hybrid materials.

Nowadays, owing to its strength and longevity, many golfers use the twin layered golf balls made up of single solid core. This core can be either resin or hard plastic acrylate. Thereafter, these are covered with a hard man made plastic material called surlyn. Surlyn due to its hardness prevents the golf ball from scratches or nicks. However, this comes at the cost of lacking decent spin on the ball. Overall, these golf balls are inexpensive and durable, and thus are a big hit with many golfers.

On the other hand, the three layered golf balls which are better known by the name wound balls come with either a liquid or a solid rubber core. This is further covered by long stretches of elastic windings forming the second layer. The third upper layer of the cover can be either made in balata or surlyn. Balata covered golf balls offer more spin and thus better control.

However, these are relatively expensive and are not as durable as the surlyn covered golf balls. Hence, we can infer that the materials which go into making golf balls have significant impact on the durability, efficiency and the price of the golf balls.

Besides the two layered and three layered golf balls, there is also a third variety available in the market. These are known as one-piece balls. Such balls are made up of only one solid layer of surlyn with dimpled exterior and are normally used for practicing on the driving range. They are softer compared to the other types of golf balls and cannot be used to hit long distance shots.

Considering the variety of golf balls available in the market, one must pay good attention to ones requirements. Thus, having good knowledge about the golf ball material comes handy while making the purchase.