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Golfers are always looking for ways to improve their game and one of the best ways to do that is by buying new equipment. One of the most popular products on the market today is golf balls. Golf balls come in all shapes, sizes and colors but there’s one thing they all have in common – a number. Why? What does it mean? And what’s so special about it anyway? Those are just some of the questions we will answer in this blog post.
Why do golf balls have numbers on them ?
In short, it’s because golf balls without numbers are plain ugly! (OK, maybe not that technical but let’s stick with the easy answer for now). To better understand why modern day golf balls have numbers on them and what those numbers signify, you have to be familiar with how the golf ball has evolved throughout the years.
In the old days, balls didn’t have numbers on them so there was no standard for size or weight. Players would use any type of ball they could find and by time you found out it wasn’t worth much, it was too late. These days there are dozens of different companies manufacturing golf balls, each one with their own standards. Some balls are meant for more aggressive players and find their way into the black holes of the course while others are meant to fly further but remain in playable distance.
This is why these balls have different characteristics – so you can choose the one that’s best suited for your game.
What does the number mean ?
The numbers on a golf ball usually range from 1 to as high as 20 and it refers the velocity at which the ball will travel. The higher the number, the faster it will go. This means that if you’re off-center while hitting the ball, it will still speed up towards its target even if your swing isn’t perfect.
As a rule of thumb, the lower numbered golf balls are used by beginner players while more advanced ones tend to play with balls in the mid and higher range numbers. This is also why professional players tend to opt for larger ball sizes since they’re able to play with less spin on their shots and can afford to lose a few yards in exchange for straighter strikes.
By knowing what the number on your golf ball means, you will have an idea of what to expect when you hit it and which one is best suited for your game.
How to find your ball's spin rate and trajectory
If you want to find your golf ball's trajectory and spin rate, there are several things you need to consider.
First of all, the type of club you used during the game is important. For instance, if you used a driver (longer) versus a wedge or iron (shorter), this will affect the overall distance of your shot. In addition, the weight of the club head and shaft will affect how far you hit it. Now, when you know these things, you can take a look at your golf ball trajectory.
The most common type is that which travels in an arc. When this happens, you need to get used to its movement so that you can predict where it will fall.
Lastly, you can also use the spin rate of your golf ball to figure out how far it will go, too. This is a factor that you will want to consider on the next time you are playing a game or hitting practice shots.
If your golf ball usually spins at about 1,000 to 1,100 rpms with about 12 degrees of backspin and 2 degrees of topspin, then it’s likely that your golf bags have plenty of space for you to fit other things in it. But if your ball spins between 3,000 to 4,000 rpms with 50 degrees of topspin and 20 degrees of backspin, then you may notice that the club head is not balanced correctly when making a full swing.
Over time, any golfer will likely understand how important it is to check the spin and trajectory of his golf ball. This will help you predict where it’s going even if your club swing isn’t that great.
Other numbers on a golf ball
The ball's compression rate may be indicated by a number with two digits. This lets golfers know if it’s softer and more spongy or firmer and tougher to hit through the air and into their target. It may also be used to indicate how far a ball will travel for every 100 yards that you hit – so a number of 200 would mean that at 100 yards, the golf ball will fly twice as far than a ball with 100 rating.
If you’re looking for something that’s more personalized, there are golf balls available in the market that come with your name printed on it – or even pictures. It can be a great collector’s item for avid golfers and offer them something to remember their favorite game even if they’ve already retired from the sport.
A three-digit number on a golf ball indicates how many dimples are on its surface. In general, the more dimples there are, the better the golf ball will spin. This is because it mimics characteristics of a real golf swing and flies in an arc shape. The more spinning a ball would have, the farther it can go.
Another feature to look for on a golf ball is whether it’s one with a solid core or one with an inner shell. The former features layers of rubber coated by soft plastic while the latter has several layers that are sandwiched between fiber-glass.
The number at the end makes reference as to how many plies the golf ball has. If you see something like a “3-piece golf ball”, then this means that it has three layers of rubber coating and three inner layers for maximum impact protection and durability.
The letter ‘S’ often indicates whether the ball is made from Surlyn or Urethane layer. The former works well in cold weather as it’s more flexible whereas the latter resists wear and tear on firm grounds.
A golf ball’s feel, spin and durability are often determined by how many dimples it has. The higher this number is, the better its performance will be during a game or when being used for practice shots. Also, it gives you more options to choose from, too.
You may have heard of golf balls with three digits and even more than that. This is usually done for marketing purposes – the higher the number is, the better your chances of getting a good deal on it.
Conclusion
Today, there are so many different types of golf balls, it is not a surprise that each of them has their own characteristics and numbers assigned to them. Even if you are not playing the sport, it is important that you know how to identify numbers on golf balls so that you will know what type of ball is best suited for your game.
