Balata balls

[boss playa]

Whats the liquid inside and is it poison

Whats the liquid inside and is it poison or is it an old wives tale. I know that when the put it in its frozen.

[The Derkness]

From what I remember with the old Professional 90/100 was that the liquid inside was corn seed oil.

Not 100% sure, but I do remember corn being involved at some point.

 

 

 

-Derk™

[mat562]

I think that's right. From what I recall it was some sort of corn or maize syrup/oil that was in Titleists.

 

I know the stuff in the Maxfli HTs was a blue paint-like substance that permanently stained white shirts too... :rolleyes:

 

Despite the urban myth I (thankfully) never heard of a dog having ended up doing a sort of John Hurt/Alien thing as a result of the elastic windings exploding in it's innards either.

[JDorfler]

Whatever you do, don't put it in the microwave. They blow with such force they can go through the microwave, through your skull, through your ceiling, and out of the rough. Oh so CNN said years ago about a young man in Australia.

[withdrew]

I was going to pose the same question a few weeks ago, but I knew I was going to get hit with the "WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICS" smiley and I was in no mood.

 

So I was in my mother-in-law's basement, and I stumble upon a really old Mizuno cart-bag, leather and all. So I go digging through it and I find some old Titleist balatas, and they're actually mis-shaped, almost egg shaped. I take a ball and put it in a vice and start drilling it with a Makita drill. I got bored to I then took a hacksaw to it. All of a sudden I hear a pop and I get hit with liquid. Thank god I was wearing glasses or I would have been hit in the eye. I'm semi-freaking out at this point but I figure if I'm not in any pain, the liquid should be relatively harmless. So I continue with my project, and get all the way through the cover.

 

These balatas are ALIVE. SERIOUSLY. I heard hissing, stretching, rubber-bands popping and breaking, I threw the cut ball in the trash and I swear, the ball was bouncing around like a jumping bean in the garbage pail. It was crazy.

I washed up and that's the end of my pointless story.

 

And NO, I don't have any pics. I'm sorry, I wish I actually video'd it.

[EJ Mac]

I remember unwrapping these things as a kid. It is amazing how much rubber band is actually stuffed into one of them.

[iyan7]

I remember unwrapping these things as a kid. It is amazing how much rubber band is actually stuffed into one of them.

 

I remember this too, it was fun!

[Bombn]

I was going to pose the same question a few weeks ago, but I knew I was going to get hit with the "WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICS" smiley and I was in no mood.

 

So I was in my mother-in-law's basement, and I stumble upon a really old Mizuno cart-bag, leather and all. So I go digging through it and I find some old Titleist balatas, and they're actually mis-shaped, almost egg shaped. I take a ball and put it in a vice and start drilling it with a Makita drill. I got bored to I then took a hacksaw to it. All of a sudden I hear a pop and I get hit with liquid. Thank god I was wearing glasses or I would have been hit in the eye. I'm semi-freaking out at this point but I figure if I'm not in any pain, the liquid should be relatively harmless. So I continue with my project, and get all the way through the cover.

 

These balatas are ALIVE. SERIOUSLY. I heard hissing, stretching, rubber-bands popping and breaking, I threw the cut ball in the trash and I swear, the ball was bouncing around like a jumping bean in the garbage pail. It was crazy.

I washed up and that's the end of my pointless story.

 

And NO, I don't have any pics. I'm sorry, I wish I actually video'd it.

 

 

Laughing so hard I crying :D I was HOPING that there was a spare old microwave in your mother-in-law's basement also so we could discuss the post-event issues that device would cause with the ball :yes: :rolleyes:

[withdrew]

I was going to pose the same question a few weeks ago, but I knew I was going to get hit with the "WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICS" smiley and I was in no mood.

 

So I was in my mother-in-law's basement, and I stumble upon a really old Mizuno cart-bag, leather and all. So I go digging through it and I find some old Titleist balatas, and they're actually mis-shaped, almost egg shaped. I take a ball and put it in a vice and start drilling it with a Makita drill. I got bored to I then took a hacksaw to it. All of a sudden I hear a pop and I get hit with liquid. Thank god I was wearing glasses or I would have been hit in the eye. I'm semi-freaking out at this point but I figure if I'm not in any pain, the liquid should be relatively harmless. So I continue with my project, and get all the way through the cover.

 

These balatas are ALIVE. SERIOUSLY. I heard hissing, stretching, rubber-bands popping and breaking, I threw the cut ball in the trash and I swear, the ball was bouncing around like a jumping bean in the garbage pail. It was crazy.

I washed up and that's the end of my pointless story.

 

And NO, I don't have any pics. I'm sorry, I wish I actually video'd it.

 

 

Laughing so hard I crying :D I was HOPING that there was a spare old microwave in your mother-in-law's basement also so we could discuss the post-event issues that device would cause with the ball :yes: :rolleyes:

I'm glad your amused! I could have been killed! LOL

[ScRambleOn]

Slightly off topic...

 

So I found an old titlest professional balata ball about a month ago and played it through my round. I fell back in love with the old devil. The feel on putts was nice and soft, touch around the greens amazing and length of the tee was comparable to the new balls (my swing speed is tops out at about 103).

 

I hit a shot from about 120 yards out that hit the back of the green and spun back a good 10 feet towards the pin. I've never been able to pull the ball back more than a yard using new tech balls.

 

So is all this ball talk a bunch of marketing hype... and is there any place to order real balatas?

[withdrew]

I can't imagine the older technology being any better than what's available now. There's no shortage of backspin out there.

There's a certain degree of hype with anything "new and improved" but if you look at what the pros are using, if the older balls were equal or better, they'd be using them.

 

An example of this would be all the PING Eye-2 wedges out there (I don't know how many exactly, but I know they're out there).

 

I guess it also matters what your (and my) game can actually take advantage of. Most weekend warriors (like myself sometimes) aren't exactly spinning shots off the greens, so they don't really take advantage of compression and what-not, so the going by what the pros use doesn't always hold water.

 

So I'm basically contradicting myself. Nice.

[PurePursuit]

Balata does feeling amazing though, I find a few from time to time and love to hit with them while practicing.

[harleypitbull1]

This may be totally wrong do assume,,, but I have played Titliest balls ever since I can remember. I too played the balatas when they were popular,,,, I still feel like it is the highest spinning ball that I have ever played. I do not feel like the pro v 1 spins as much as the balata but it is definately longer. I am sure someone can find robot spin numbers from both balls. Like I said,,,, it is just an assumption from playing both balls,,, no factual evidence to back it up.

[withdrew]

I suppose it's all a matter of trade-offs. Pros are content "losing" that extra spin because they hit such consistent downward strikes that spin isn't really an issue, so they'd rather have the extra yardage off the tee or with the long irons.

 

I played balatas when I was in grammar-school and early high-school but to be honest I don't have fond memories because I sucked so bad.

[ScRambleOn]

I definitely think there is something to the feel of the balata over new tech. They are remarkably softer feeling, especially on putts.

 

Just a guess, but I'm thinking that for guys like me (who don't have a super fast swing speed) there may not be any realizable distance penalty by playing balata's over Pro Vs or anything comparable. The feel and spin would be enough to make me convert... Time to do some eBay shopping and put it to the test.

 

If someone's got access to a launch monitor that could measure ball speed and spin between the two, might be worth taking a look at.

[Ronzo]

Don't mishit a balata ball. It may not be laughing at you, but it sure will be smiling at you.

[harold baines]

something NOT TO TRY

 

the cover of those balls is flammable, and when lit, it'll burn through the cover, then slowly through the rubber bands, then when it hits the core you get a nice fiery projectile that goes in a random direction

[larrybud]

Slightly off topic...

 

So I found an old titlest professional balata ball about a month ago and played it through my round. I fell back in love with the old devil. The feel on putts was nice and soft, touch around the greens amazing and length of the tee was comparable to the new balls (my swing speed is tops out at about 103).

 

I hit a shot from about 120 yards out that hit the back of the green and spun back a good 10 feet towards the pin. I've never been able to pull the ball back more than a yard using new tech balls.

 

So is all this ball talk a bunch of marketing hype... and is there any place to order real balatas?

A few years ago my bro-in-law gave me a dozen Titelist Balata. Brand new in the box. He suggested I only use them for short game practice. I decided to hit one during a round. I was VERY disheartening. A good drive for me is about 260. I couldn't hit this thing over 220. They just didn't go ANYWHERE.

[withdrew]

Slightly off topic...

 

So I found an old titlest professional balata ball about a month ago and played it through my round. I fell back in love with the old devil. The feel on putts was nice and soft, touch around the greens amazing and length of the tee was comparable to the new balls (my swing speed is tops out at about 103).

 

I hit a shot from about 120 yards out that hit the back of the green and spun back a good 10 feet towards the pin. I've never been able to pull the ball back more than a yard using new tech balls.

 

So is all this ball talk a bunch of marketing hype... and is there any place to order real balatas?

A few years ago my bro-in-law gave me a dozen Titelist Balata. Brand new in the box. He suggested I only use them for short game practice. I decided to hit one during a round. I was VERY disheartening. A good drive for me is about 260. I couldn't hit this thing over 220. They just didn't go ANYWHERE.

How was it greenside and putting-wise?

[larrybud]

They're super soft.

[gumpy]

Slightly off topic...

 

So I found an old titlest professional balata ball about a month ago and played it through my round. I fell back in love with the old devil. The feel on putts was nice and soft, touch around the greens amazing and length of the tee was comparable to the new balls (my swing speed is tops out at about 103).

 

I hit a shot from about 120 yards out that hit the back of the green and spun back a good 10 feet towards the pin. I've never been able to pull the ball back more than a yard using new tech balls.

 

So is all this ball talk a bunch of marketing hype... and is there any place to order real balatas?

A few years ago my bro-in-law gave me a dozen Titelist Balata. Brand new in the box. He suggested I only use them for short game practice. I decided to hit one during a round. I was VERY disheartening. A good drive for me is about 260. I couldn't hit this thing over 220. They just didn't go ANYWHERE.

 

 

But wasn't the feel off the planet? best feel ever....

[bsd230]

I was cleaning out my golf bag the other day and found a brand new sleeve of Titleist Professional Balata 100. I figured I might as well use them, they still hit good and putt great. You do lose a little distance off the tee but approach shots are like lawn darts. The feel off the putter is still the best.

[divot46]

I remember as a kid cutting a balata open (still have the scar from it ) and using the center as a super ball. That thing went miles high when you bounced it. I also remember putting a smile on a balata when I was just learning the game. Big ol' grins. If you didn't cut the cover , you got the egg-shaped ball.

[guenther]

I bet you haven't seen a picture of a new Titleist Low Trac in a LONG time. I found a sleeve of these about a year ago in an old box. I just love zipping them back 20-30 feet. These are at least 20 years old. I had a friend at a local golf course that would sell these to me for $10 per dozen in the late 80's (during high school golf) and Sta-soft gloves for $4 each. He said the pro would do the same thing for his friends so he could do it as well.

[bermuda]

When I was a kid, I bounced a golf ball through the kitchen and into an open pressure cooker my mom was filling up with something for supper. She didn't notice the ball and put the rest of the food in and the lid on. A while later, when supper was supposedly done cooking, she removed the lid and found a rubber-band stew. She wasn't too happy then but laughs about it today.

[xtremeinaz]

I bought some of those bags of used balls they sell at Golfsmith (100 balls for $30). There were alot of blatas. I left some in a bucket of balls I was hitting into my backyard here in AZ. It must have been about 118* that day. When I came back the next day, there were all these balls that exploded and there were rubber bands everywhere.

[SergioKSU]

When I used to play on the AJGA Tour as a kid we were in Columbus for the Rolex Championship and I blew one up in the microwave in the hotel. It had to wake up the entire hall. Thankfully it didn't damage anything or anyone lol.

[SJFP]

Don't balata's lose their effectiveness over several years? I believe they have an actual shelf live of only a couple of years. The rubber band starts deteriorating after a while and the elasticity goes away. That may be why some of you are experiencing the loss in distance.

 

I found some Strata's in the cellar a few weeks ago and man are they soft compared to a ProV1. The difference is almost like comparing one of those cheap "titanium distance" balls with a ProV1.

[ScRambleOn]

SJFP - I agree completely. Balatas make the ProV1s feel like titec or any other super cheap brand of balls (Cougar, Top Flite, etc..) Are there any companies that make these anymore??? I can only find the recycled ones online.