If you are a struggling golfer practicing daily to improve your swing and drive skills, you must know that even a slight change in your equipment can turn the table on the course. A golf ball is an important piece of equipment whose proper manufacturing can help you hit the perfect swing and make the ball cover the maximum distance. For this, golf balls are specially checked for their right weight to make the maximum trajectory. However, not all golf balls share the same weight and vary minimally in grams according to their type and the purpose to be served.
So, how heavy is a golf ball?
How can the golf ball weight change the game?
Golf ball weight plays a significant role in playing a good stroke. A golf ball made according to the standards of R&A will assist the ball in covering the maximum distance and hitting the right spot. If the ball is not manufactured according to the standard weight and gets extra heavier, the speed of the ball after swinging will be greatly affected by the air friction and will decrease down. The standardized ball hence is of the appropriate weight and does not require to put in extra force to swing, and does not slows down as the heavier one gets.
Factors affecting the golf ball weight
Underneath are the most prominent factors that I feel you must be aware of.
1) Golf Ball Condition
Do you know how heavy is a golf ball when it is brand new and after getting damaged and is no longer good to be used?
The golf ball’s weight is affected by its condition and thus affects the performance on the golf course. The heavier the weight from its standard, the more a golfer loses their energy to swing the ball.
Below I have categorized the ball’s condition to help you better understand how heavy is a golf ball in the perfect condition to play and how a ball’s condition affects the performance.
– Poor quality:
If your ball is no longer in good condition to play and has got multiple cuts or has lost many of its sections, the dust can accumulate in it, making it weigh heavier than the standard. Golf balls in poor state usually weigh around 47 grams, approximately, and make them unfit to offer outstanding performance on the course.
– Average to good condition:
An average condition ball is the one you have been playing with for quite a time, but the ball shows minor signs of wear and tear, like a little scratch. The damage, in this case, is to the extent that it does not affect the golfer’s performance. And if your golf ball has no visible damage, it falls in the category of good condition.
According to tests, an average-condition golf ball shows a variance of about 0.23 grams from the standardized weight. In comparison, a good condition ball accounts for a net weight of 45.8 grams, which is a minor variance and negligible in most cases.
– Brand new condition:
If you have not played a single swing with your golf ball, your ball would be weighing very nearly around the standard weight, i.e., 45.93 grams, according to the R&A rules for golf.
Other than the condition of the ball, the golf ball weight shows variance respective to its manufactured brand. For this reason, the golf balls are weighed before any competition, so no player gets an advantage or performs poorly due to the ball’s weight.
2) Manufacturing Material and layers
The material used in the production of the ball impacts its weight. The denser the material, the higher the weight. Golf balls are usually made of polymer or dual core, and only this different core design shows a great variance.
In the case of layering, each golf ball is provided with up to 1 to 5 layers depending on the demands of the golfer to meet their need.
3) Golf ball type
When it comes to a beginner and a pro golfer playing on the course, the golf ball type matters significantly. For novice players, golf balls are designed with a different compression speed since they need a hard time getting their hand to play with fast swing speed.
Soft or hard balls, compression level, dimples, layers, and core, in short, every aspect that is considered while manufacturing the golf ball for players affects the golf ball weight and performance of the player.
If you’re curious to know more about the nitty-gritty of golf balls and different layerings, do check out the best type of golf ball for beginners’ guide by Bryan.
️⛳️ Next Recommended Read: How much does one golf ball cost
Conclusion
As a beginner or a pro golf player, you must have an idea about how much the golf ball’s weight matters in offering good permanence on the course. If your ball weighs heavier or lesser than the average standard value, it’s time to get it changed and play with the standard one to keep swinging the ball the right way and win the game with the least net strokes.
Jabez is the guy who started this blog with Bryan. He’s been playing golf since a young age and has a lot of experience to share. But more importantly, Jabez is someone who is always looking to help others out. He’s got a great sense of humor and is always up for a good laugh. But most importantly, Jabez is someone who cares about his followers and always wants to help them improve their game. For any queries reach out to him at Jabez@iamlearninghowtogolf.com.
