Golf Balls,Golf balls throughout history by Frank Sanders There are many stories online about the history of golf balls but let me tell you some we think are just made up. If you can believe it, there are even stories that the first golf ball was made of wood. We know that is hard to believe. We believe that the first golf balls was made out feathers, yes we said feathers. Back in the early 1600's these balls were used in Scotland. These golf balls were called Featherie's and they were made with a combination of goose feathers, horse hairs, and cow hides. These balls hardened when they were wet and then dried out and we hear they were quite expensive for their time.
Around 1850 a new ball was developed called the Guttie it was made out of rubber from sap trees that were found in the tropics. These balls cost a lot less to make than the Featherie so they became wildly popular. They were also very easy to repair if one was to break. around 1880 the company Dunlop started to produce these balls in mass production and killed off the homemade golf ball business. We also believe these were the first golf balls to have dimples.
Around 1900 companies started to use a solid rubber core in their golf balls. These golf balls were better than the Guttie as they flew farther.
In the 1920's the golf industry standardized the shape and weight of the golf ball. Golf balls have retained their current shape and form until now.
Today there is a large variety of golf balls to fit the individual game and circumstance. Some offer better control, some offer distance while others are suitable for practice only. Even major companies like Nike make golf balls. Nike golf clubs are popular Tiger Woods and other professional golf players use these. You can even buy antique golf balls. Some of them are quite valuable. A dimple patterned Guttie in good condition is worth about $500. You can always get your favorite golfer a new box of golf balls as a sports gift. They don't have to be a Guttie they can be a box of personalized golf balls with their name on it. These golf balls come in handy for telling whose golf balls are who's when playing golf. Visit our Golf Page for more information. For more information about other golf services and products choose from one of the following pages:
About The Author Frank Sanders is a successful author and publisher of golf tips. http://www.sports-gift.com. A source for info and tips for the sports fan and reviews of the latest sports equipment. | 
