If you golf, chances are you’ve gone through your share of balls.  They seem to get lost all the time, and the costs mount quickly.  Even the best golfers routinely lose balls, and for the average duffer, these “misplaced” golf balls can quickly become an expensive addition to the golf outing.

Used golf balls that are in great condition and ready to play can be purchased in bulk over the internet.  There are many companies that sell used balls, usually in dozens.  Different companies have different grading systems but they are all relatively similar.

Most sites describe some sort of quality assurance sorting, so that the balls are graded.  Balls are sorted into various categories and sold by the dozen.

Top grade used golf balls are often called Grade A or Grade 1, one or two sites listed them as Grade AAA.  They are usually described as like new.  Many customers have commented that these balls are often indistinguishable from the new ones, and can be subsequently lost just as quickly as those right out of the sleeve.  These are usually described as near perfect with a slight blemish or mark.

Slightly less perfect balls are Grade B or Grade 2.  These have more than one mark, but play like new.  Accordingly, the price is a bit less than the near perfect ones.

Finally, there is a third grade called Grade C or 3.  Occasionally the site will go ahead and call them range balls.  These balls are more used, with several marks and blemishes, but would be suitable for range play or practice rounds.  These are even less expensive than the others.

Make sure that your site specifies that there are no “X out” or manufacturer rejects.  You should be receiving slightly used, but good balls.  Also, you may want to inquire if the site you have chosen allows water balls.  I’d avoid these if possible.

Check with your local golf club as well.  Sometimes local clubs hold sales of used balls to clear their inventories as well.  You may be able to buy back some of the balls you lost last season!

Finally, compare price and shipping costs on your used golf balls.  Most shipping charges seem to run between $5.95 per dozen and $7.95 per dozen, but verify in advance.  You should also be able to get a significant shipping discount for orders of more than one dozen.

Shopping for used golf balls can be a great way to cut the expenses of your golfing habit.  Before you hit the links, try purchasing some practice balls you won’t mind losing!

Article Tags: Golf Balls, Used Golf

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Around the mid-1800′s a new generation of golf ball was invented from the dried sap of a Sapodilla Tree. The rubbery sap was heated and molded into a round shape. It was discovered by accident that certain indentations caused the ball to have a more consistent flight. After that discovery golf balls were intentionally designed with textured surfaces and known as Gutties. Before long Gutties became the golf ball of choice and the Featherie lost popularity.

In 1908, dimples were first patented and had a better flight pattern compared to others types of patterns being tried at the time. Modern golf balls have approximately 250 – 450 dimples but some have been designed with over 500 dimples. Most golf balls have an even number of dimples.

At the turn of the 20th century multi-layer balls were developed by accident. While Coburn Haskell of Cleveland Ohio was waiting to go play a round of golf with Bertram Work, the superintendent of B.F. Goodrich, he played with a long strip of rubber, winding it into a ball. After he bounced it on the ground and saw it quickly rebound toward the ceiling he had an idea. He suggested placing a cover over the rubber and another popular golf ball was invented.

New technology, materials and better understanding of aerodynamics have resulted in different types of golf balls designed for: distance and durability; control and maneuverability; distance and control and slow club head speed. Modern day golfers have many models of golf balls to choose from, but thankfully, wood isn’t one of them. One can only wonder what it must have been like to play with a wood golf ball but thanks to modern innovation no one has to.

At the moment in my shop I have 36 different balls to choose from and there are plenty more types I could stock. This being the case it is difficult for a golfer to choose which is the right ball for them especially when they all claim to be the best thing since the couch potato was given the remote control.

The Number one

Titleist golf balls have been known for many years as ‘The Number 1 Ball in Golf’ and it is true that more tour players across the world use a Titleist ball. Some golfers think that if Ernie Els is playing with a Titleist then they should play with a Titleist as well, however, that is not necessarily the case. Believe it or not in amongst this huge selection there is the right ball for you and the ball you choose to play with needs to suit your requirements and level of skill.

In my opinion the huge range of golf balls on the market can be broken down into 5 categories.

1. Budget
2. Hard
3. Medium
4. Soft
5. Swing speed

If you are a beginner, or lose a lot of golf balls, then buying budget balls is the best thing to do. These are often packaged in 15 ball boxes and are a hard durable ball that will generally go further when you hit them. The draw back of this ball is that it is very lively off of the club face and when it comes to chipping and putting can lack some of the soft feel that some golfers prefer.

The harder golf balls such as Topflite XL 3000, or Callaway CB1 are perfect for the golfer who doesn’t lose too many balls but could do with more distance off the tee. These balls are not as hard as the budget type, but are durable and offer some feel around the green although they still won’t stop very quickly on landing.

If you want the combination of distance, feel and durability then balls such as the Titleist NXT Tour, the Callaway Hex 2 or the Strata Tour Straight are ideal. These are all what I call a medium ball giving the golfer consistent performance in all areas.

The top players in the world all use soft golf balls. Up until about 4 years ago the cover of the ball was actually soft enough to mark with your finger nail and marked very easily when miss hit. This meant that only the best ball strikers, or golfers with more money than sense, would use them. These days the covers on these balls are very durable and the ball will spin and stop very quickly on and around the greens.

The leading balls in this category are Titleist Pro V1, Callaway Hex, Strata Tour Ace, Hogen Apex Tour and the Maxfli M3. These balls are manufactured to the highest specification and quality and every golfer could play and enjoy them. They are however very expensive at about £10 for 3 balls if you are a bit wayward with your shots then it could cost a fortune in golf balls.

When it comes to swing speed some players just cannot swing the golf club very quickly. If this is the case some manufacturers are now making balls specifically for those of you who struggle to get any distance because you just can’t hit it hard enough! The Maxfli Noodle ball is perfect for anyone who has a slow swing and they are durable and affordable.

Whichever ball you choose, try to stick with that ball every time you play. You will get used to the feel and performances of the ball, which in turn will help, play more consistent golf.

About The Author :Clay Morris

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Golf goes back hundreds of years and is widely thought to of originated in Scotland. The first golf balls and clubs were made from wood, and there is a record dating back to 1550 referring to a John Daly playing with a wooden golf ball.

Feather golf balls

From wood, the featherie’ came along. These golf balls were made with tightly packed goose feathers with a cow hide lining. It sounds soft, but by packing the ball together when wet, as it dried the leather shrank and feathers expanded to create hard golf balls. As they were handcrafted the quality of golf balls varied and they were expensive to buy. In the 1600s golf ball makers such as Dickson, Henry Mills and Leith became well known in St Andrews, the home of golf.

The Guttie

St Andrews remained an exciting place for golf and so naturally a place where developments in golf balls and golf clubs originated. By 1848 Rev Adam Paterson introduced the Guttie’. The Gutta Percha golf ball played a big part in the popularization of the game. Made out of a rubber like sap from the Gutta tree, it was relatively cheap to make.

Patterns on golf balls

By 1880, the smooth surface of the Guttie meant it didn’t travel as far a pattern was introduced to try and help the golf balls travel further. As the industrial revolution took place, the Gutties were made in moulds, became cheaper, more accessible and better quality. Major factories and rubber companies began to mass produce golf balls.

Rubber cored golf balls

Coburn Haskell brought in the next major development in golf balls in 1898 with his rubber cored ball. It added roughly 20 yards to the distance golf balls flew and was widely considered to be the ball to use by 1901, especially after its success in the British and US Open. Haskell balls were also mass produced thanks to the industrial revolution in Britain and the advent of a thread winding machine made the golf clubs and balls affordable.

Collectors of golf balls

The early 1900s is a key period for collectors of golf balls and memorabilia thanks to the experimentation with patterning. The dimple pattern appeared in 1905 and was introduced by William Taylor the birth of the modern golf ball had arrived.

Technological advances

Developments and experiments continued but since 1921 the regulators of the sport the R & A and USGA added rules and constraints to try and refrain technology advancing golf balls too much to keep the game competitive and maintain a level playing field. However, today you can buy a vast array of golf balls designed specifically for ladies, men, seniors, or to suit individual games.

About the Author : Neil Bennett

Neil Bennett with Golfballs provides you best information to choosing printed golf balls.

Any golfer knows the role of the golf balls in their plays. No matter how good a golfer is, if he is without golf balls then his skills have no value. Every golfer knows these facts. This is why golf balls had become the primary commodities among golfers.

There is no general way to determine which golf ball is best for individual players. This factor is almost entirely dependent on the golfer’s own preference, what he may do with the ball and how much will his pockets allow him.

For some, a single brand of golf ball says it all. They would stick to them for as long as they would want and most would never play if not playing with their particular brand of golf balls. Some people may call this insanity but this is an individual preference.

While a number of golfers may be practicing this, it is not thoroughly advisable to adopt this same attitude towards golf balls. The most ideal way of choosing balls is to use common sense, especially for beginning golfers.

A beginning golfer must never keep in mind what other people has to say about golf ball brands, may it be positive or negative. It must be pointed out that loosing balls for beginners is natural and this would mean that he need not focus yet on the quality or the brand name. What he needs is the low cost value the golf balls offer.

The best option for beginners is to buy golf balls sold in bulk, around 50 balls or so in a single bargain. These normally are balls that have been gathered from the greens and have been “recycled”. What’s good with these used balls is that they are commonly branded (but that doesn’t matter actually) and one need not grieve for having lost any of such balls. On the average, losing a golf ball is around a hundred percent for most beginners through sessions of hit practicing.

With upgrades in the skills come the upgrades on the ball qualities. But this still don’t suggest that intermediate players should rush to nearby golfing supplies and buy the most expensive balls from there. The golfer must not compromise price for his level of skill.

The golf balls he buys next will depend on his skill level. If he has great tendencies on failing on hits, he still needs to stay put with cheap balls. But this is not to the extent of using the same used balls. This time buy new inexpensive balls.

If for instance the golfer usually miss-hit the balls, then the balata-covered balls is nor the most appropriate ball to choose. Scratch players on the other hand would most likely prefer the golf balls that would offer lesser spin and more control.

As the basic theories for golfing, and most sports in that case explain, the skill improves with the frequency of playing. With improvements on the golfer’s skills, he may result to trying new golf ball brands. Through this, he may determine what golf ball brands will suit him best. But this doesn’t end here nor this factor decides what type of games the golfer may produce. He still have to reconsider other golfing components such as the golf clubs, the golf courses and other golfing accessories.

About The Author : Robert Thatcher

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides golf ball resources on http://www.about-golf-balls.info.

Golf is an old sport. It was played in a primitive form in Scotland way back in 1432. It is known that King James IV in 1491 decreed that playing of golf be cut down as it led to the neglect of archery- vital in the warfare of the times. Golf’s roots can be traced back to the game of “Pagamia” of the Roman period that was played with a feather stuffed ball and bent sticks. Owing to the historicity of golf, much antique equipment is available today. These portray the various developments that took place in the manufacture of clubs and balls over different periods of time. Most of these antique pieces are not in a very good shape today with only a few exceptions which are very hard to come by.

With the game gaining huge popularity and a veritable fan-following, such antique items have become much sought after. Among them antique golf balls have especially seen a great surge in demand. Besides collectors, serious golfers too indulge themselves in collection of antique golf balls and other memorabilia. For them, it’s a piece of history of a sport they truly love. The prospect of owning antique golf balls related to the roots and development of the game definitely sounds exciting to these golfers.

It is true that golf balls have evolved much since their origin. The first golf balls and clubs were made of wood. These were replaced by the “Featheries” (balls made of leather skin stuffed with feathers.). The featheries were followed by the gutta -perch balls which featured lower costs and high durability. Textured gutta balls further improved the flight of these balls. Today, each of these is valued as antiques and collected avidly. These balls range between $1000 and $12,000 or sometimes even more, depending on their age and condition.

3,000 Golf Balls

It’s not the usual profile of a golf club member hairy, likes bones, sniffing smelly things and running after its tail. But Deuce, a mongrel terrier was granted life membership of a British golf club in Wales after collecting 3,000 golf balls.

Fetch!

The owner of Deuce, Mr Phillis told the golf clubs local paper that it all began with tennis balls: It just started as a bit of fun, throwing a tennis ball for him to retrieve it, he explained. Then the thought came to me, would he pick up golf balls?

And collecting the golf balls can be a real challenge when the grass is longer and the ferns have grown you need the nose of a blood hound to track the golf balls down.

Woof Woof!

The golf balls belong to the Monmouthshire club, which is close to where Mr Phillis and Deuce live, and where he walks his dog every evening. Deuce finds the golf balls in the rough areas at the side of the course, but thankfully the dog leaves moving golf balls untouched: He just doesn’t bother, he isn’t trained to do that, Mr Phillis said, which must be a huge relief for the club’s members.

Barking mad

Deuce is awarded his favourite treats for retrieving the golf balls from the club’s members � every year they make a collection for a slush fund for the dog. And of course, he is an honorary member although Deuce is not allowed in the club house.

Wolfing them down

Another British dog proved she was barking mad when she swallowed 28 golf balls. Libby, the German shepherd, bewildered vets who had to operate on the dog after it fell sick after swallowing the golf balls. Libby began to cough up blood a few weeks after collecting balls at the Manchester golf course where his owner, Mike Wardrop, worked. The vets didn’t even do an X-ray of Libby’s stomach as they could hear the golf balls rattling around.

New balls please

Even the vets were shocked about the number of golf balls that came out of Libby’s stomach. They had betted around 11, not 28. The golf balls weighted six pounds altogether and it took two and half hours to remove them along with 30 stitches. Mr Wardrop was amazed his dog could swallow them whole without choking.

About The Author Neil Bennett

Neil Bennett with http://Golfballs.co.uk provides you best information to choosing golf balls and personalised golf bags. He also provides you details on personalised golf towels.

About the Author : sumitgurg

Sumit Gurg provides information about golfing community,Golf Courses and golf news. for more details, visit at: http://www.4moles.com

Have a good golf ball to improve quality game.

The king and his courtiers used a small round ball made of leather stuffed with feathers. The feather ball remained the same for nearly four centuries. All equipment for golf was originally made by hand, an expensive and time consuming process. The best ball makers could only produce about 4 balls a day, and they were quite expensive, a dozen balls was the equivalent to a weeks wages for the working man. Each ball required a bucket of boiled goose feathers and a master craftsman to prepare the leather, stitch and stuff these balls. After the ball was stuffed to the point it could hold no more feathers, it was stitched shut hammered round and coated with three coats of paint.

A perfectly round ball (“featherie”) was a rarity, and even the few that were perfectly round were soon knocked out of shape and torn by the impact of the clubs. Wet weather would cause the balls to become soggy and fly apart and at best a ball was good for two rounds.

During the reign of James VI, Scots balls were purchased from Holland; this caused the king to invoke an exorbitant tariff. In 1618 he gave James Melvill exclusive rights to make golfe balls at 4 shillings each.

In 1845 the first gutta percha ball was introduced, it was made of a concrete juice from various trees. It become malleable at the boiling point of water and held its shape when cooled. These balls were much easier to produce and a great deal less expensive. Dimples were introduced when it was found that smooth balls ducked in flight, the dimples have never been abandoned.

In 1932 the United States decided the perfect ratio for a golf ball was no more than 1.62 ounces and 1.68 inches in diameter. This created a problem as the English ball was smaller by 6/100s of an inch. One bizarre twist was that as rules were written the English ball was illegal in America, but the American ball was acceptable in all countries.