Difference in Golf Ball Deterioratioin

[Chile Guy]

How fast do golf balls remain "fresh"

I had read that golf balls do lose some of their "freshness" when they remain on the shelf too long. Some say as much as 1 percent loss of distance per year due to some fractional absorbtioin of moisture an small amounts of material deterioration. Is this true? Second, is this true for all golf balls, three piece and 2 piece alke? Sometimes I notice that older Titleist don't go as far as new ones but 2 piece balls like the Bridgestone E5 seems to retain its punch no matter how old they are. I get a lot of golf balls as gifts and sometimes they sit around for a while before I use them. I prefer the BB330S so I only either keep really expensive balls until I use them or really inexpensive balls as a last resort. Just wanted to know.

[mat562]

As far as i'm aware, the detrimental effect of time on a golf ball isn't half as pronounced as some people may think. I discussed this years ago in the days of the wound balata with a bloke from Titleist. At the time I was lucky enough to be blagging some free balls so I took what he was telling me as being true - given that I had no motive to go out and buy loads of new balls. I was a curious sort as a teenager and always asked lots of questions.

 

His take was that that type of ball would remain totally fresh for at least a year or two. After that time, there would be a very small effect upon performance principally due to the elastic windings slackening with age and a very slight degradation of the cover. Provided the balls weren't left in a red hot car boot or submerged in water, the effect was 'negligible' according to him, and, even after several years' of sitting in a box, it would only amount to a couple of yards or so in terms of reduced flight according to their testing.

 

From what I've heard, the modern ball degrades less than a wound balata ball did/does since the construction is less susceptible to aging effects due to the solid cores and more resilient cover materials.

 

It's hardly scientific, but I've got perhaps 30 balata balls in my practice bag that are 20 years old or thereabouts and, with the irons, they fly pretty much exactly as I remember them doing when they were new. The new balls in there do go further, but they all do that anyway if we're honest.

[Hathstauwk]

after one hit, they are no longer fresh. However, due to rules of the game, you cannot switch out every shot so I use a new ball for every hole.

 

Good thing I own 5 oil wells on my property so my income from that covers all my balls. Titelist sends a truck to my home every 3 months witha new shipment.

 

:)

 

:good: :vava: :cheesy:

 

:good:

[LP28]

after one hit, they are no longer fresh. However, due to rules of the game, you cannot switch out every shot so I use a new ball for every hole.

 

Good thing I own 5 oil wells on my property so my income from that covers all my balls. Titelist sends a truck to my home every 3 months witha new shipment.

 

:)

 

:good: :vava: :cheesy:

 

:good:

 

Oil wells..............Black Gold is one of favorite shows on TV!! Let me know of you have an extra "well" laying around I can have!!