Book Description

This book is about the golf ball and how it has affected the game, especially club development and the rules. From the feather ball era in the 17th and 18th centuries, and the gutty ball era of the 1850s to the rubber-cored (modern) ball era this book literally takes you "inside" the ball with fascinating details of all aspects of the golf ball. It covers the development of rules pertaining to weight and size--details that were contested in America and Britain for nearly 50 years, and how ball makers sought to make the ball travel further, move straighter and stand up to the most punishing strokes. Until 1920 there was no size or weight restrictions to the ball. Thereafter maufacturors had to conform to the specifications, otherwise the ball was deemed illegal. The American and British golfing authorities could not agree on dimensions so for nearly 50 years there were 2 'legal' balls played either side of the Atlantic. Ball makers have long sought to make the ball travel further, move straighter and to provide protection to the ball from poorly executed shots. This book shows how manfucaturing techniques have evolved from stuffing feathers into a leather sack in the seventeenth century to hydraulic presses and spraying booths in the early twentieth century. The balls' cover patterns were designed to improve their flight characteristics and these ranged from stars, diamonds and pimples to the round dimple (today's standard) that was patented in the early twentieth century. The author has made extensive use of the data recorded at the many golf memorabilia sales since the early 1980s. He also records many of the prices paid at auction for golf balls.