What Are Golf Balls Made Of?

I’m not sure if you know this, but golf balls are made of a variety of different materials!  

Some golf balls are made of plastic, some are made of rubber, and others are made of metal.  

So what are golf balls made of?

It really depends on what you’re looking for. Some golf balls are made for softer fairway conditions, others are made for harder courses where you can hit the ball a longer distance.

Some are made more for playing on the green, others are made for the rough. Some golfers prefer harder balls, and others much softer. 

What golf balls are made of:

To make a golf ball, you first start with rubber. The balls are then usually covered in either plastic, a type of thermoplastic resin called Surlyn, or urethane – it’s both artificial and used to make pesticides.  

Due to the size of the golf ball, the amount of time that Surlyn can take to set properly is very limited. It’s the same process used to make plastic car bumpers or fishing bobbers – the resin hardens with the aid of heat.

What exact ingredients are used in making golf balls

The raw materials used to make golf balls are usually synthetic rubber, polyurethane, and a metal alloy.  The raw materials used to make golf balls are usually synthetic rubber, polyurethane, and a metal alloy. What makes the golf ball’s cover durable is the use of carbon-carbon and ceramic layers. After all the materials are used, the ball is then molded. A mold is made up of two halves. 

The halves are pressed together, which produces the dimple patterns on the ball. After all the materials are used, the ball is then molded. A mold is where the rubber is inserted into the polyester casing. 

A worker usually has to hand-pump the ball as it is being molded to ensure that the ball will be tight once it is finished. After the ball is molded, it is tested for its air retention, water resistance, shape, weight and size.

The manufacturing process of golf balls

The manufacturing process of golf balls is a long process. It starts with the raw materials of polyester, rubber, and water. The raw materials are mixed together in a large tank until they are thoroughly blended. 

The material is then forced through an extruder that creates a sphere. Another machine cuts, stamps, and imprints the initial markings on the ball. The spheres are then cleaned and dried in automatic ovens. After clean-up, the golf ball is painted, sanded, and buffed to a high sheen.

The final step before packaging is quality control. Two finished balls are inserted into an airtight chamber, and the chamber is then inverted. Any balls that fall out are rejected for future use. The golf ball is finally packaged in boxes of 12, 24, or 36 and ready for hitting on the golf course.

What could the future of golf balls look like?

The next innovation of golf balls could be a ball that can be tracked on a smart phone.  Imagine a ball that has a chip in it that is able to be tracked with a smart phone. The chip would be able to tell you how far you hit the ball and if you hit it in the fairway. This will be the next big thing in golf. While the chip will be able to tell every person exactly how far they hit the ball it could be a curse for some. 

Golfers who play to a handicap will have a hard time keeping their handicap because of knowing how far they hit the ball.

They will be able to find the distance of every shot they hit and see the gap between each club in their bag. It will not be long before an entire golf course is equipped with these bollards and the range balls that they use in these systems. 

Conclusion

Next time you are hitting the ball too far, maybe it’s because of where your ball is designed. The more you know about golf balls, the more likely your buddies won’t notice that you just went over par! In addition to the interesting info above, you can find more details about the golf balls and general golfing tips on our blog right here.

 Are there other golf ball facts that you think we missed? We would love to hear about them in the comments below…