Balata: A worthwhile endeavor?

[zoso]

Do you guys think trying to manufacture balata golf balls would be profit-viable and worthwhile? I know we all love the old equipment, but you guys are also smart and I'm not asking would you like to see balatas on the shelves. We all would. Maybe just to beak even would even be worthwhile and an older gent in retirement could oversee the day to day.

 

I just found 3 sleeves of some of the last tour balata 90s at a thrift store. Yippie!

 

 

[Guia]

Manufacturing Balata golf balls is a losing proposition, its not cost effect. That is why no one makes them now.

[Hidalgo]

[quote name='Guia' date='12 March 2010 - 04:58 PM' timestamp='1268431130' post='2312113']
Manufacturing Balata golf balls is a losing proposition, its not cost effect. That is why no one makes them now.
[/quote]

Well ... that's not ENTIRELY accurate ...

Synthetic balata is not much more expensive to manufacture than urethane. The problems come when you try to put a balata cover on a solid core. Balata is extremely soft (you knew that ... right?) and is even more prone to breakage and splitting on the solid core ball than it is on a wound core. Coupled with the fact that just how many people are going to pay for a ball that will have to be taken out of play after 4-5 holes ... then YES, it is more expensive. But it's not simply because of the manufacturing costs involved.

[Socrates]

[quote name='zoso' date='12 March 2010 - 03:49 PM' timestamp='1268430545' post='2312099']
Do you guys think trying to manufacture balata golf balls would be profit-viable and worthwhile? I know we all love the old equipment, but you guys are also smart and I'm not asking would you like to see balatas on the shelves. We all would. Maybe just to beak even would even be worthwhile and an older gent in retirement could oversee the day to day.

I just found 3 sleeves of some of the last tour balata 90s at a thrift store. Yippie!


[/quote]

Not a chance it would even come close to being viable. Wound, liquid center balata balls are incredibly difficult to produce and the start up costs would be astronomical. As soon as Titleist found a better way to make Tour quality golf balls, they abandoned balata faster than a politician spending stimulus money. Other than a few people who like to go back in time for the sake of nostalgia, there is no market for them. Old equipment, like old girlfriends, are only nice to remember.

[Atyler]

Old equipment, like old girlfriends, are only nice to remember.



Amen

[freddiec]

When I play an old shorter course I love playing Balata wound balls. I have about 3 dozen Tour Balata 100s in Mint condition, that I use with my persimmon woods. The market for such a ball would probably be almost non existent except for players like us who like to play vintage equipment and experience golf the way it was 15 to 20 years ago. Would it be worth while and profitable? Thats a tough question, probably not right now, you'd have to charge a lot of money to turn a profit probably.

[zoso]

So there is no "boutique" viability? What do you think the maximum price-point per sleeve would be? I'm thinking demand could first arise with putting. I use old balatas to putt. Thats it.

Also keep in mind maybe the market across the pond would be more apt to use balata.

[stage1350]

There's no need. Premium solid core urethane balls will spin enough and will not kill the persimmon.

Balata sucked because it cut and wound balls sucked because they went out of round.

Elastomer covers like Titleist Professional were the next step before urethane. Solid core and urethane give as good or better performance in a more durable package.

[astamm8]

I was looking at a hickory club website, and apparently someone started remanufacturing a couple of old 20s type balls just so that the hickory crowd would have something authentic to play. So I guess I'm saying that there might be a small market.

Now what I'd like to get my mitts on are some of the old British small balls.

[OneBowTie]

For me, nothing has even come close to the feel off the club and putter as a balata golf ball.

I'd buy them today if they were still being made, and for $10 more then the going rate.

I wish they were still being made, but like many things, we can't always have what we want.

[Socrates]

Yeah, putting with a balata ball was a nice feel, but I also liked missing putts because the ball wasn't even close to balanced and a perfectly struck putt missed the hole from 4 ft. That and looking down at a ball with only a couple of hits on it and realizing that windings and/or cover had shifted and the ball looked like an egg. Good times!