Golf Balls
All About Golf Tees and Divot Tools
Golf tees have come a long way in the last twenty years or so. The only type of golf tees that were available prior to this era were wooden and later plastic tees. Since a golf tee is such a basic part of the game, have you ever wonder when they first began this role?
History tells us that golf was first played in 15th century Scotland. It was tradition to build a small mound of sand and balance the ball on top before teeing off. A pail full of wet sand was made available at each hole’s teeing area, just for this purpose. This was a messy proposition, and broke the flow of the game for many. A few innovative golfers grew so tired of the hassle that they experimented with making tees. The very first tee was patented in 1889, and it was made from a small rubber plate that had a raised ball support atop it. The tees that followed this first one all shared one feature. None of them broke through to the ground, but sat on top of it.
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The History of Golf Balls
Any golfer who gets heavily into the game will soon realize that the sport of golf is one that possesses a uniquely in-depth and rich history that is ripe for study and contemplation. While it might not directly improve your game, knowing a thing or two about the history of the game can increase your appreciation for where the game came from and even give you some insights in how best to approach it in the modern day.
Of all the elements used in golf, the one that has changed the most over the ages is undoubtedly the golf ball itself. When golf first began to be played in Scotland, solid wooden balls were used. Somewhat brittle and apt to changing shape when struck with a club, these balls were quickly found to be unsuitable and were replaced with what were known as “featheries”, a golf ball made from goose feathers tightly packed together into a ball and sewn up inside a skin of leather. These balls, once dried, were much harder than one might expect and as such, were less prone to warping and flew much further than the previous wooden balls. Learn more »
The Handy Golf Ball Retriever
When one thinks of the indispensable tools of the golfing trade, a number of items immediately come to mind. For instance, everyone knows that a good quality set of golf clubs is required to play golf well, as well as the right golf ball, the right shoes, and the right gloves. However, there is one other tool that every golfer either owns or will soon find him or herself wishing they did – the handy golf ball retriever.
What exactly is a golf ball retriever? Simply put, it’s a stick with a loop-like cup on the end, which is used for retrieving golf balls that have gone astray on the course. There are a number of uses for this most handy tool, and it’s hard to imagine any golfer who hasn’t found a need for it at some point or another.
Selecting Golf Balls
Any golfer worth his or her salt knows that the quality of their game is heavily dependent upon their equipment. This is why so much effort is spent on selecting the right clubs for each and every shot. However, despite this emphasis on clubs, selecting the right golf balls is also an essential ingredient to shaving those last few points off of your score. That said, how does one go about choosing the right ball? Much like a club, it ultimate depends upon the individual golfer.
Is There A Difference Between Golf Balls
A golf ball by any other name…would it still get the distance and performance needed? What is the point of golf if there is no golf ball; not much of a point at all really. Many know that there is a difference in clubs but what about the golf balls that we so merciless knock around all afternoon?
The United State Golf Association has set forth a standard for golf balls, though for non professional play these standards can vary. The golf ball must weigh less than 1.62 ounces with a diameter of at least 1.69 inches and an initial velocity of 250 feet. These standards apply to any golf ball used in a USGA venue and create the appearance of a conforming construction, though that is not the case.