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The feathery enjoyed such dominance not so much through any specific
virtues it possessed as the fact that there was no viable
alternative. This ball consisted of a spherical outer shell
which was stuffed with a large quantity of feathers that had been
boiled to soften them and make them more compactable. The
amount used was traditionally a "top hatful," which was
about a half gallon. The hole through which the feathers were
rammed was sewn up, and the ball was then hammered into a sphere.
The process was time-consuming and very expensive, since even a
skilled worker could only make three or four balls a day.
The resultant ball was beset with problems. It was rarely spherical
and so would fly erratically and roll unreliably. On wet days
it would soak up water, making it inconsistent in weight and so
difficult to play. The
water would also rot the stitching, causing the ball to split open
on stony ground.
All in all, the feathery was less than ideal for playing consistent
golf. So when, around 1850, the properties of a Malaysian gum
called gutta percha were discovered, golfers abandoned the feathery
with no reluctance.
Gutta percha could be softened in hot water, rolled into a
sphere - first by hand and later in steel molds - and then hardened
by cooling. The result was a perfect sphere that rolled
true for the first time in the history of the game.
These balls were cheap and quick to make and, although not as
pleasant to hit as the feathery, were clearly an improvement.
They occasionally shattered, but could be remolded.
There was initially, however, a problem. The smooth balls
would not fly any distance. This at first irritated the users
of the so-called gutties and raised a glimmer of hope for the makers
of feathery balls who were understandably concerned at this
innovation.
Eventually it was noticed that if a ball was dented during play, it
then flew better. Thus the gutty users began hammering dents
into their balls - inadvertently establishing the principle of the modern
dimpled ball. The gutty now flew perfectly and became the
standard ball for the next 50 years.
At the turn of the century, a man named Coburn Haskell introduced
the soft-cored elastic wound ball from which the modern version
evolved. Initially wrapped in gutta percha, this ball was
livelier and more resilient. But, despite these qualities, it
was regarded with suspicion, and the authorities seriously discussed
banning it.
This changed, however, during a practice round at the 1902 British
Open between the professional Alexander Herd and the gifted amateur
John Ball. Herd should have won easily, but found himself consistently
outplayed, both on the fairway and the green.
Ball was using one of the new balls. Herd was invited to try
one and remarkably went on to win the championship. Naturally
the ball became an overnight success.
Since then, the rubber-cored ball has become the standard for all
golfers. Despite wrangles over the weight and size that began
after World War I, a decision was finally reached in 1968 that in
any PGA competition worldwide: only the American standard of 1.68
inches diameter would be admissible.
Modern technology continues to play its part in the development of
the golf ball, making it increasingly more consistent both in flight
and roll. Other refinements have included polymer coatings and
the introduction of solid and semi-solid balls. Also the
pattern and number of dimples has been changed together with variations
in the compression to suit individual players and playing
conditions.
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