What if we go back to the ballata ball days?

[tourblade]

Re: new groove rule.

With the new groove rule in effect next year, will the ball manufacturers rework the balls to spin more? And if they do will the driver technology change drastically again to handle the high spin balls?

On a side note:
Maybe we should go back to the ballata days.
Wouldnt it be great if they banned anything higher than a 56 degree wedge?
Get us back to the old days when you had to create shots not just play-golf but be a "player" of golf.

just a thought.

[obsessedgolfer]

Not really, most average players are already plying "V" groves the only change you might see is on tour where balls like the One Platnum will become more popular.

[Sean2]

once in a blue moon i find a balata and play it. i love those golf balls, especially off the putter. i wish they still made them.

[wolfpackblack]

Wouldnt it be great if they banned anything higher than a 56 degree wedge?

 

At the rate the USGA is going, I wouldn't be surprised to see hardwood woods, mashies, and niblcks in our near future.

[Buzzkill]

I'm for going back to balata balls unfortunely they only last 3 holes and today's prices would make them crazy expensive. Now if we could get them for like 10 bucks a dozen I'd might do it.

[130R]

Ive still got 2 boxes of the Titleist Tour Balata 90 in the wardrobe, I remember the days when you had to bin these babys after a poor shot

[SevenatoR]

Mmmmmmm.....balata....I found a Titleist balata a few weeks ago on the course and played the dimples off of it. I had forgotten how much I loved those things. Of course, hit 'em thin and it's over.

[HeadonaStick]

With the new groove rule in effect next year, will the ball manufacturers rework the balls to spin more? And if they do will the driver technology change drastically again to handle the high spin balls?

 

On a side note:

Maybe we should go back to the ballata days.

Wouldnt it be great if they banned anything higher than a 56 degree wedge?

Get us back to the old days when you had to create shots not just play-golf but be a "player" of golf.

 

just a thought.

Maybe we should go back to hickory shafts and guttas :rolleyes:

 

This points gets kinda' old - times change and the game evolves. We don't have to let it evolve uncontrolled, but there is no reason to go back to the "good old days." You are always welcome to play ballatas and unless I'm mistaken there are wedges available less the 56° if that is what you want to play.

[Tmiller72]

I think I read where TaylorMade is working on a 5 piece ball for next year.

[HeadonaStick]

Not really, most average players are already plying "V" groves the only change you might see is on tour where balls like the One Platnum will become more popular.

Actually, most players are playing illegal grooves. Many manufacturer's current iron and wedge lines will be illegal if not changed by January 1.

 

I am sure that manufacturers of both clubs and balls have a few tricks up their sleeves.

[psygolf]

Wouldnt it be great if they banned anything higher than a 56 degree wedge?

 

At the rate the USGA is going, I wouldn't be surprised to see hardwood woods, mashies, and niblcks in our near future.

I think wimbledon should force the players wield wood rackets in their tournament, so we can have the "never-ending" surgical skill rallies again.

[harold baines]

i doubt you'll ever see a wound ball again

 

the costs/time to manufacture one would seem to be more expensive than simply molding them like they do with solid core balls

[wolfpackblack]

Not really, most average players are already plying "V" groves the only change you might see is on tour where balls like the One Platnum will become more popular.

Actually, most players are playing illegal grooves. Many manufacturer's current iron and wedge lines will be illegal if not changed by January 1.

 

I am sure that manufacturers of both clubs and balls have a few tricks up their sleeves.

 

I imagine so. This article does well to describe some of the prepwork that titleist is doing, since the spin mill wedge has become one of their biggest earners.

 

http://www.titleist.com/news/newsdetail.as...ory=&bhcp=1

 

 

Hopefully if the USGA doesn't like some of these developments and sees fit to roll back the clocks and ban something again, they won't wait until 95% of the golfing community owns it.

[HeadonaStick]

I find this part interesting:

 

"* On 12/4/09, USGA/R&A issue clarification regarding clubs made prior to 1/1/10

* Now means club heads finished before 1/1/10 and club assembled and shipped by manufacturer before 1/1/11

* On 2/25/09, USGA/R&A send request to reconsider 12/04/09 decision

Request to remove requirement that heads be finished by 1/1/10

Based on some manufacturers citing inventory planning concerns in current economic climate

*On 3/24/09, USGA/R&A issue notice removing “heads finished before 1/1/10” requirement. Now all clubs are required to be finished, assembled and sold before 1/1/11"

 

I don't know about the pros, but ams will be able to buy clubs manufactured (sort of) next year. I wonder if Titliest is making Spin Milled heads as fast as possible?

[amerza18]

Mmmmmmm.....balata....I found a Titleist balata a few weeks ago on the course and played the dimples off of it. I had forgotten how much I loved those things. Of course, hit 'em thin and it's over.

SMILE, you're on candid camera! :lol:

 

I loved hitting the balata, but the smile that you put on the ball after a thinned shot really got under my skin. You definitely went through balls faster back then. If ball manuafacturers go back to that type of cover, I'm going to play ROCK-Flites. :russian_roulette:

[Onebulldogs]

With the new groove rule in effect next year, will the ball manufacturers rework the balls to spin more? And if they do will the driver technology change drastically again to handle the high spin balls?

 

On a side note:

Maybe we should go back to the ballata days.

Wouldnt it be great if they banned anything higher than a 56 degree wedge?

Get us back to the old days when you had to create shots not just play-golf but be a "player" of golf.

 

just a thought.

 

I am not positive, but I don't think "Balata" is a viable material anymore. I read it was extremely expensive.

 

 

If I was the golf god, my next rules would be:

 

1. All dimples on a golf ball shall be the same size, depth, and shall have a uniform shape. The dimple pattern shall be uniform with the possible exception of an allowance for a "seam" for manufacturing reasons.

 

2. Golf balls may be "solid" or "wound". A "Solid" shall consist of a ball made of a core material of the uniform density and composition and cover. A "wound" ball must consist of a liquid or solid core, a wound layer, and a cover. A "wound" ball shall not be made of more than three materials.

 

These rules would allow for inexpensive 2-piece balls for most of us and a "spin" ball for really talented players.

[DEGOINS]

Wow, the new grooves look worse than the old V grooves! I can understand slowing down technology but not completely going in reverse! The edges on the new grooves are completely gone, basically worse than a completely worn out wedge.

[Onebulldogs]

Wow, the new grooves look worse than the old V grooves! I can understand slowing down technology but not completely going in reverse! The edges on the new grooves are completely gone, basically worse than a completely worn out wedge.

 

My Titleist irons have conforming (new rule) grooves. I do not have a problem putting backspin on the ball from the fairway. From the rought, not so much - as it should be.

[anthonykim3]

hit the fairway

[wolfpackblack]

hit the fairway

 

[img=http://www.gearfuse.com/wp-content/uploads/andrew/4_mar07/captainobvious.jpg]

[stage1350]

With the new groove rule in effect next year, will the ball manufacturers rework the balls to spin more? And if they do will the driver technology change drastically again to handle the high spin balls?

 

On a side note:

Maybe we should go back to the ballata days.

Wouldnt it be great if they banned anything higher than a 56 degree wedge?

Get us back to the old days when you had to create shots not just play-golf but be a "player" of golf.

 

just a thought.

 

Balata rubber is a natural resource and therefore in short supply. If you think current premium balls are expensive, you don't want to know what balata would cost nowadays.

 

That's why Titleist got most of their staff to switch to the Professional with the elastomer cover. Same performance with better resistance to wear. Unfortunately, they still went out of round because they were a wound ball.

 

Part of what makes modern balls better is that you can get 18 holes out of a golf ball like a rock-flite and still be able to spin it like a balata. Personally, I don't want to have to go through two sleeves a round because they cut or go out of round again. It sucked in the 80s.

 

As for banning higher lofts, no thanks. It's bad enough that the USGA is making currently legal equipment illegal for tournament play. The last thing we need is more illegal clubs on the market.

 

The "good old days" included a 60° wedge for me. :rolleyes:

[EJ Mac]

It's kinda crazy that the USGA states their mission is to grow the game. If they continue to roll back technology I feel they will lose a lot of casual players who feel a sense of duty to play by the same rules the pros do. This rollback really comes at a bad time, but hopefully they stop here.

[jhoffman27]

What are people's thoughts on stocking up on the current groove technology wedge's befoe they disapper? If I read this correctly, they will still be selling these wedges through 2010 instead of just to the end of 2009. Correct?

[wreyes]

Couldn't have said it better myself. I am going to keep playing my current clubs because my money is no longer disposable, but i am not going to feel good about it. I will never be mistaken for a pro, but I think equipment should be uniform for all golfers and I don't want anyone questioning my scores due to my sticks.