The golf ball market is worth around $550 million in annual sales, with over 850 million golf balls being manufactured and shipped every year. Currently, balls are made in two or three parts. A two-piece ball is made of rubber and plastic, and is mostly used by the casual golfer. These balls last a lot longer than the three-piece balls the pros use and hence make up 70% of all golf ball production. A three-piece ball consists of a plastic cover, windings of rubber thread, and a core that contains a gel or liquid (sugar and water) or is solid. A dimple pattern on the surface results in good flight performance.
The most common dimple patterns are the icosahedral, the dodecahedral, and the octahedral. The icosahedral pattern is based on a polyhedral with 20 identical triangular faces, much like a 20-sided die. Similarly, a dodecahedral is based on a polyhedral with 12 identical faces in the shape of pentagons. The octahedral is based on an eight-sided polyhedral with triangular faces. Some balls are based on the icosahedral with 500 dimples. As a general rule, the more dimples a ball has the better it flies, provided those dimples are about 0.15 in (0.38 cm) in diameter.
The size and depth of the dimples also affect performance. Shallow dimples generate more spin on a golf ball than deep dimples, which increases lift and causes the ball to rise and stay in the air longer and roll less. Deep dimples generate less spin on a golf ball than shallow dimples, which decrease lift and causes the ball to stay on a low trajectory, with less air time and greater roll. Small dimples generally give the ball a lower trajectory and good control in the wind, where as large dimples give the ball a higher trajectory and longer flight time.
Technological advances in materials and aerodynamics now allow the manufacturer to custom-fit a golf ball for a players' particular game, for weather conditions, and even for specific course conditions. Golf balls can be separated into four basic performance categories: distance and durability; control and maneuverability; distance and control; and slow club head speed. Within these categories there are more than 80 different balls of varying construction materials and design.
The United States Golf Association (USGA) has established rules for the ball in regard to maximum weight, minimum size, spherical symmetry, initial velocity, and overall distance. The weight of the ball must not be greater than 1.62 oz (45.93 g) and must be spherically symmetrical. The velocity shall not be greater than 250 feet (75 m) per second (255 feet [76.5 m] per second maximum) when measured on apparatus approved by the USGA. The overall distance standard states that the ball shall not cover an average distance in carry and roll exceeding 280 yards (84 m) (296.8 yards [89 m] maximum). These rules are updated every year.
Currently, there are around 850 models of balls that conform to these standards. Recently, balls that are about 2% larger than ordinary balls have been introduced that still conform to USGA rules. These balls have softer cores and thicker, harder covers, which leads to a straighter, longer shot.
The Manufacturing Process
Three-piece golf balls are more difficult to make and can require more than 80 different manufacturing steps and 32 inspections, taking up to 30 days to make one ball. Two-piece balls require about half of these steps and can be produced in as little as one day.
Forming the center
The center of the two-piece ball is a molded core. It is a blend of several different ingredients, all of which are chemically reactive to give a rubber type compound. After heat and pressure is applied, a core of about 1.5 inches (3.75 cm) is formed.
Forming the cover and dimples
•Injection molding or compression molding is used to form the cover and dimples on a two-piece ball using a two-piece mold. In injection molding, the core is centered within a mold cavity by pins, and molten thermoplastic is injected into the dimpled cavity surrounding the core. Heat and pressure cause the cover material to flow to join with the center forming the dimpled shape and size of the finished ball. As the plastic cools and hardens, the pins are retracted and the finished balls are removed.
•With compression molding, the cover is first injection molded into two hollow hemispheres. These are positioned around the core, heated and then pressed together, using a mold which fuses the cover to the core and also forms the dimples. Three-piece balls are all compression molded since the hot plastic flowing through would distort and probably cause breaks in the rubber threads.
Polishing, painting, and final coating
"Flash" or rough spots and the seam on the molded cover are removed. Two coats of paint are applied to the ball. Each ball sits on two posts, which spins so that the paint is applied uniformly. Spray guns that are automatically controlled are used to apply the paint. Next, the ball is stamped with the logo. The final step is the application of a clear coat for high sheen and scuff resistance.
Drying and packaging
After the paint is applied, the balls are loaded into containers and placed in large dryers. After drying, the balls are ready for packaging in boxes and other containers.
Quality Control
In addition to monitoring the manufacturing process using computers and monitors, three-piece balls are x-rayed to make sure the centers are perfectly round. Compression ratings are also used to measure compression-molded, wound golf balls. These ratings have no meaning when applied to two-piece balls, however. Instead, these balls are measured by a co efficiency rating, which is the ratio of initial speed to return speed after the ball has struck a metal plate. This procedure measures the coefficient of restitution.
Information provided by answers.com
Quote:
"It's good sportsmanship to not pick up lost golf balls while they are still rolling." ~ Mark Twain
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