Found/Waterlogged Balls

[ShakerDane26]

It seems that most Pro V1s weigh 46 grams. If a Pro V1 is found on the course and still weighs 46g, is it safe to assume that it’s not waterlogged or otherwise damaged internally?

[Colonel_Steelhead]

If I handed you a ball I found in a pond and didn't tell you where I found it, would you know any different?

[ShakerDane26]

If I handed you a ball I found in a pond and didn't tell you where I found it, would you know any different?

 

Yes, if all of my approach shots were consistently coming up 5-7 yards short, I’d be wondering if there was something off in my ball-striking or if the ball was damaged.

 

Those of you who order used golf balls, do you ever wonder if they are damaged despite appearing to be in good shape?

[TsarBomba]

A sort of weak test I used to do:

 

I took a ProV 1x that I found in a pond when the water was down. It was discolored. Did a drop test on concrete and the peak height was noticeably different after a series of drops (10 or so). The peak height on the bounce of around 5 ft was different by about 3 inches. I'm guessing this translates to real distance when we're are talking 2 or 3 hundred yards.

 

This became my keep/reject method on found balls.

 

However, never did the weight check. Kind of silly in retrospect that I neglected this.

[Ghostwedge]

The ol bounce it off concrete floor test doesn't really work. You're not working with enough distance to compress anything.

You can tell if a found ball is abused or not, a pond ball ? not so much. Golf or Golf Digest had an article about this stuff a few yrs ago, if i remember right a pond ball loses signicant distance after just 2 days of submersion.

 

[ShakerDane26]

My question here is more about found balls in the woods, in OB locations or otherwise off the beaten path, not so much pond balls. As a northeastern golfer, when I find balls now I'm wondering if they were lost last week, last month or last fall.

[Showtime9]

My rule of thumb is that I generally play with ProV1s straight from the sleeve just to make sure. Balls found in bushes or a pond are great for practicing but unless it looks fresh out of the package. I aint playing it

[TsarBomba]

The ol bounce it off concrete floor test doesn't really work. You're not working with enough distance to compress anything.

You can tell if a found ball is abused or not, a pond ball ? not so much. Golf or Golf Digest had an article about this stuff a few yrs ago, if i remember right a pond ball loses signicant distance after just 2 days of submersion.

 

It may not reveal a satisfactory ball as the distance is insufficient.

 

However, if there is a loss of bounce in 5 ft...there definitely will be a loss if extrapolated to full swing distance. So it can reveal a bad one.

 

A venn diagram comes to mind, and would be usefull to illustrate my point, but I'm feeling lazy.

[Need2golfalot]

If I handed you a ball I found in a pond and didn't tell you where I found it, would you know any different?

 

Yes, if all of my approach shots were consistently coming up 5-7 yards short, I’d be wondering if there was something off in my ball-striking or if the ball was damaged.

 

Those of you who order used golf balls, do you ever wonder if they are damaged despite appearing to be in good shape?

 

Exactly why I don't buy used. Some (most?) may be good as new, but always a chance to get a waterlogged dud or two.

[farmer]

Is it even possible for a urethane covered ball with a solid core to absorb water? Given that the cover is undamaged. The old wound balls with a different cover, absolutely.

[healthyscratch]

Is it even possible for a urethane covered ball with a solid core to absorb water? Given that the cover is undamaged. The old wound balls with a different cover, absolutely.

 

This is my question as well. I’m no scientist, but my assumption was that urethane is not water permeable.

[Troutfly]

Acushnet Co. among others have several patents related to paints or coatings that prevent moisture penetration of golf balls. So yea, balls will absorb and gain weight.

BACKGROUND & SUMMARY(selected)

• [0006] Modern golf balls generally comprise either a one-piece construction or several layers including an outer cover surrounding a core. Some golf ball layers include thermoplastic urethane (TPU) type materials. A problem experienced with thermoplastic urethane type layer materials is high Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR.) The problem arises when moisture penetrates the ball over time and will harden the ball's rubber core, or any other rubber layer. This will change the ball's performance and durability.
  

[zebra2955]

Acushnet Co. among others have several patents related to paints or coatings that prevent moisture penetration of golf balls. So yea, balls will absorb and gain weight.

BACKGROUND & SUMMARY(selected)

• [0006] Modern golf balls generally comprise either a one-piece construction or several layers including an outer cover surrounding a core. Some golf ball layers include thermoplastic urethane (TPU) type materials. A problem experienced with thermoplastic urethane type layer materials is high Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR.) The problem arises when moisture penetrates the ball over time and will harden the ball's rubber core, or any other rubber layer. This will change the ball's performance and durability.
  

 

After reading this it got me thinking. What about non urethane covered balls ? Do they absorb water too?

[larciel]

How about cast urethane cover?