In the event that you collect antique golf clubs, consider adding some antique golf balls to enhance your collection.
Just like when you find yourself investing in vintage golf clubs, there are some guiding principles for assessing your investment.
History of the golf ball
Golf began during the later part of the Fourteenth century and attained enormous popularity in Scotland. Famous individuals, kings and ranking nobles played the game during their relaxation time. The golf balls as well as other golf products which were produced in those times were totally different from the current version. With the help of the remaining vintage bags, golf clubs and golf balls we are able to collect a great deal of info relating to the style and design of the equipment which was used in periods gone bye.
True value of antique golf balls
The passionate collection of antique golf balls, clubs, bags in addition to other accessories began on a significant scale close to Thirty or 40 years ago. Back then, these kinds of items were only acquired by serious antique collectors, however today, the entire situation has evolved and the items are collected by both the recreational golf lover and pro players(that are fascinated with owning a piece of the history of the sport). One can find antique equipment at garage sales and flea markets however they are getting increasingly rare, and as such a lot more hard to come by.
Some antique golf balls that are truly authentic
The Feather Ball
The feather ball period was the longest period of stability in the history of the golf ball. The feathery ball period lasted from as early as the 14th Century to as late as the 16th Century and was produced until the early 1850’s. In its beginnings the leather golf balls were likely to have been filled with wool or hair. These balls quickly lost their resilience and ultimately it was discovered that the use of feathers produced a livelier and longer lasting ball.
The Gutty Ball
Modern times can be said to have started during this time period, once the featherie golf ball was supplanted with the gutta-percha golf ball. As the industrial revolution gathered momentum in the united kingdom and businesses started to develop increasingly more products with rubber…it was inevitable that somebody would likely make an effort to replace the feathery with a much more durable material.
The Bramble
Lovingly called the bramble period, as the balls resembled the fruit found on brambles in the countryside, with a raised dimple pattern on the golf ball. In the beginning bramble balls were entirely made of gutty-percha and then covered with a bramble pattern cover. The bramble soon overtook the gutty as the preferred choice of the then pro golfers. This was the beginning of the dimpled ball as we know it today.
The Mesh
During the latter part of the first decade in the twentieth century, golf ball manufacturers were springing up all over the country, and each company was experimenting with rubber core mesh balls. It was at the beginning of this period that the modern day golf balls as we know them came about. Early dimple balls created during the early 1900’s were proving to offer players greater spin and feel.
The Dimple
The Dimple Period truly started back during the early 1900\’s with the launch of inverted Dimple balls. These earlier dimple balls were produced at the same time period as the bramble phase and symbolize the best link to present day golf balls. The Dimple Design was found to assist with the control over ball trajectories with aerodynamic spin, it made it possible for players to get backspin on a shot, almost stopping the ball dead on the green.
Anyone can see that antique golf balls provide an additional intriguing choice to the antique golf collector, so think about adding a few to your collection.
Andrew Shea has been involved in Antique Golf, both on a personal level, and in a professional capacity for many years. If you have a question or are interested in vintage golf clubs generally, you are always welcome at his site.