Have you ever wondered if your golf ball can go bad from repeated use? That’s what Ian T. was wondering when he asked us this:
How many strikes of the golf ball until it doesn’t perform the same as new? I’ve played 2.5 rounds (9 holes) with the same ball (kinda proud of that one) and is it still performing the same as a brand-new ball?
Hey, Ian T., yes, it’s probably still performing like new.
A lot of the thinking behind golf balls going bad, losing performance, whatever, is likely a remnant of the balata days where balls would eventually go out of round after repeated use.
With modern solid core construction that doesn’t really happen. If your golf ball isn’t round, chances are it came out of the factory that way.
Repeatedly hitting the ball (within reason) isn’t likely to alter performance. Where degradation can occur is with damage to the cover. If you’ve got a scuff or a scrape significant enough to disrupt the aerodynamics of the ball, then all bets are off.
Generally, that kind of damage is noticeable and when you do see meaningful cover damage, it’s best to toss the ball (or slip it into a buddy’s bag when they’re not looking).
When good balls go bad
A footnote in this conversation is that manufacturers rigorously test their golf balls for durability using a ball cannon. They literally fire the balls at a clubhead at high speed to see how many impacts it takes to crack the ball.
For most manufacturers, the target is somewhere north of 100 impacts and, in some cases, it exceeds 200. To put that in context: over your 2.5 rounds you’re probably at around 35 collisions between ball and driver.
No disrespect, man, but I doubt you’ve got another 65-plus whacks in you before you lose the ball (or shred the cover).
While iron and wedge play can damage covers (putting the blade into the meaty part of the ball aside), that’s going to be a glancing blow that puts less stress on the ball.
Indoor golf is a different story
Having said that, golfers who play a fair amount of golf on a simulator may have experienced golf balls cracking and breaking with greater frequency.
That’s typically the result of a golf ball coming to an abrupt stop (hitting a screen) while in a deformed state. Golf balls deform a bit at impact before returning to their normal, ideally round, shape. The extra stress of hitting a solid surface while deformed can cause premature breakage.
But so long as you’re not smashing the ball into a relatively solid object just a few feet off the tee, you should be fine.
So, yeah, keep that ball in play as long as you can. It’s a safe bet you’ll damage the cover or lose the ball before you need to worry about its internal performance deteriorating.
Got a question of your own?
Email us at [email protected] and we might just answer it in a future piece.
Ernest Hirneisen
1 year ago
I played a callaway super soft about 7 rounds until I hit a drive about 50 yards and then a second shot about 50 yards then saw the ball was almost broke in half