How Do You Store Golf Balls?

[Medic]

I love finding golf ball bargains but the one thing that concerns me is the potential that the way I store them might cause them to somehow lack the original distance and control. I store them in a closet in my spare bedroom and at any given time I try to keep around 6 dozen or so in there. I buy whenever I can get a really good deal on the brands that I like or whenever I get the opportunity to try some new ones.

 

I play once or twice a week and don't ramble through a lot of balls in a round. This means that I am probably storing some of them for upwards of a year.

 

So...

 

Does this somehow cause them to lose anything?

 

An older guy I know who buys and then hoards golf balls puts them in his fridge in his garage. He swears that this helps to keep the liquid center core fresh. (What????)

 

One of my closest golf buddies has a bunch of boxes of balls in his garage. Somewhere in that mix he has some of the old Ping colored balls that are probably collectables. But whenever he needs to he goes out to the boxes, grabs some, loads them into the bag, and off we go.

 

Finally there is my friend who only buys them when he needs them. "They don't keep fresh, Jim. I don't want to buy them until I am ready to use them."

 

How do you store your extra golf balls? I personally like my closet storage method - it keeps them all straight, I know right where they are, they aren't in my wife's way, and it is where I keep all of my other extra golf stuff.

 

While I am at it, how many dozen(s) do you generally keep on hand?

 

Thanks in advance as usual! I cannot wait to read some of the responses to this one.

[MarkFromTheUK]

You have some strange friends with even stranger views. Good to see one of them still hoarding and using balatas though!

As long as you don't store them in antarctica or in the Sahara desert, they'll have exactly the same properties on day 5000 as they had on day 1. The only thing that will change is that the technology might be slightly outdated, so may not go as far as modern balls.

[Guia]

I store mine in the lake at number 9.

[storm319]

Sounds like you have older friends that are referring to the shortcomings of wound balata balls (which have not been produced in over 10 years). Modern solid core balls are much more durable and aren't as susceptible to the climate/environmental changes as wound balls were. Most balls you "hoard" nowadays will probably become obsolete due to advancements in technology before they will go "bad" or "expire". My only recommendation is to keep them dry and avoid extreme temperatures.

[BPinNC]

The fridge? Com'on lol! Any climate controlled place in the house is fine, just no car trunk during the summer or winter.
My on hand hoard:
7 dz 09 Z-star
4 dz 2011 Z-star
4 dz Trispeed Tour
1 dz Gamer V2
2 dz original Penta
2 dz Precept U-Tri Tour

The Precepts are the oldest and still work just fine.

[Chris92009]

I keep them in my workshop which is climate controlled...i agree no temp extremes and all will be ok

[joekelli]

In my underwear drawer!












I am not kidding!

[cmrl1986]

In the garage? With the rest of the golf stuff.

[QEight]

What?! They should start producing ball "winding" machines. Similar to one used for mechanical watches. Maybe these could be modified [url="http://www.eggincubator.biz/chicken-egg-incubator.html"]Golf Ball storage[/url].

[Kadin 25]

I use those small shoe box size plastic bins with lids. I store them on a small shelving unit that is in my utility room. I take the balls out of their packaging and dump them in the bins. It's easier for me to grab and reload my bag that way, also I don't have to deal with the sleeves on the course. My wife calls it the candy store she says it looks like bins of giant gumballs.

I keep about 4-6 dozen on hand. Not too much of a hoarder...though, I could easily become one.

[Medic]

[quote name='joekelli' timestamp='1328529497' post='4222767']
In my underwear drawer!












I am not kidding!
[/quote]


+ 1 Joe! Thanks for the laugh. And you also would win (hands down) any competition centered on creativity.

[Sean2]

In my home office. I wouldn't leave them "outside", i.e., garage.

[jabrch]

I have about 75 dozen in my basement. I wouldn't store them in heat or cold - but at room temperature, they won't lose their characteristics for a long long time.

[GolfRich3]

I had read somewhere the maximum performance is within the first two weeks after manufacturing. After that, drops 2-3% performance in the first year and maxes out 6-8% loss of performance total after several years. (for a modern solid-core golf ball) I need to find that reference!


Update: The Bridgestone site acknowledges loss of performance over time.

[storm319]

[quote name='GolfRich3' timestamp='1328629987' post='4230345']
Update: The Bridgestone site acknowledges loss of performance over time.
[/quote]

No surprise, that acknowledgement will help them sell more balls. I would be interested to see a legitimate study from a 3rd party that has no stake or incentive in the results.

[tesuquegolfer]

[quote name='Guia' timestamp='1328488996' post='4220615']
I store mine in the lake at number 9.
[/quote]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tesuquegolfer]

Garage: 4-5 dozen. However, I take 3-4 balls out the night before I play in the winter and store them in the house. I believe that sub 50 temps might affect the balls core and I don't know if it will compress as well as a 70 degree ball (?).

[mdgboxx]

[quote name='GolfRich3' timestamp='1328629987' post='4230345']
I had read somewhere the maximum performance is within the first two weeks after manufacturing. After that, drops 2-3% performance in the first year and maxes out 6-8% loss of performance total after several years. (for a modern solid-core golf ball) I need to find that reference!


Update: The Bridgestone site acknowledges loss of performance over time.
[/quote]


I love it when people use % instead of facts. Are we talking about a TopFlite XL or a ProV 1x. Maybe a Srixon XV [i]vs [/i]a Made in China Watchimmakick?


The norm that I've read is a 5 yr shelf life for any of the solid-core ball. I've gamed 7 yr/o ProV 1x that didn't do any worse (or better) than a new Bridgestone B300 whatever.

[dustyshelf]

[Medic]

Dusty, I have to ask. How did you end up with so many?

[jabrch]

[quote name='GolfRich3' timestamp='1328629987' post='4230345']
I had read somewhere the maximum performance is within the first two weeks after manufacturing. After that, drops 2-3% performance in the first year and maxes out 6-8% loss of performance total after several years. (for a modern solid-core golf ball) I need to find that reference!


[b]Update: The Bridgestone site acknowledges loss of performance over time.[/b]
[/quote]

Of course they do...

[Neo1]

currently i have 9 dozen 11 prov1x stored in my bedroom closet. whenever i find a good deal i will stock up, but won't keep more than 10 dozen at a time...for the people who think hoarding balls is a bad idea because of shelf life, how long has the ball been sitting in the shop? or how long has it been sitting in a warehouse waiting to be shipped?

[dustyshelf]

[quote name='Medic' timestamp='1328672541' post='4235653']
Dusty, I have to ask. How did you end up with so many?
[/quote]

These were all picked up this last year, mostly from ebay or LGB.com during their holiday sale.

During the LGB.com sale alone, I picked up a dozen - E6s, HX Diablo Tours, Tour i(s), Pentas, Vapor Speeds, and AD333s. And I find 2-3 usable balls during my rounds. So I have a nice variety stored up for this coming season.

I'm an 18 HDCP and the ball makes little difference in my scoring at this point, so I'm not too picky about the ball I play. Just grab and go.

[GolfRich3]

[quote name='mdgboxx' timestamp='1328657038' post='4233651']
[quote name='GolfRich3' timestamp='1328629987' post='4230345']
I had read somewhere the maximum performance is within the first two weeks after manufacturing. After that, drops 2-3% performance in the first year and maxes out 6-8% loss of performance total after several years. (for a modern solid-core golf ball) I need to find that reference!


Update: The Bridgestone site acknowledges loss of performance over time.
[/quote]


I love it when people use % instead of facts. Are we talking about a TopFlite XL or a ProV 1x. Maybe a Srixon XV [i]vs [/i]a Made in China Watchimmakick?


The norm that I've read is a 5 yr shelf life for any of the solid-core ball. I've gamed 7 yr/o ProV 1x that didn't do any worse (or better) than a new Bridgestone B300 whatever.
[/quote]




http://www.physicaleducationupdate.com/public/EquipmentGolf_Golf_Ball_Age_Affects_Hitting_Distance.cfm
http://www.andrewricegolf.com/2011/08/evolution-of-a-golf-ball/

Only thing I could find was the 1-yard-per-year loss. Since the reference I was trying to remember was about modern balls and what tour pros play I can only assume it was solid cores in general. Another guess would be that "total performance" was considered and not just distance. 

I've been previously stocking up on the i(z) / iZ on clearance, so I haven't drank the kool-aid........

[onetime19]

My balls are usually handled by my girlfriend, she really likes to fondle them

[TJCDAS]

Makes for a long winter but it protects the balls.

[techo]

I have close to 500 balls. When I first started.....I lost a lot of balls. I typically only lose one or two now. I bought a couple of boxes from LGB then a guy gave me a big milk crate sized box of them. I store them in my spare bedroom/golf room. I should keep notes as you can really tell and feel the difference in different balls.

[dageman]

10 dozen max at a time or else it seems insane (actually 10 dozen seems a little insane to me but probably not to most on this board lol)
Stored in a shelving unit in the basement
No more than a dozen at a time in the bag or its too heavy to carry around!

[mdgboxx]

I remember the first time I played virtual golf. I was surprised by how much hotter to the touch the ball was when I retrieved it. Cannot not have some kind of effect on the overall performance, IMO

[SadTrombone]

As a kid, I would receive several dozen Professional 90 (all numbers 3 with my name on the side) for Christmas. I'd vacuum seal them and store them in my room and only cut them open when I needed to use them, resealing the remainder when I returned from my tournament. Today I'm much more casual. They are on a shelf in a cupboard in the basement above my bags.

My shag balls are in the shag bag by the golf bags and I have two buckets full of balls that I use if I'm going somewhere with a range allowing you to pick your own, but that I won't have time or opportunity to pick after hitting. Those are generally balls I find on the course, so they're extra cheap to me.