Do Golf Balls Have a Shelf Life?

[mikejohnchapman]

Just found a box of new Pro V1s which must be at least 5 years old.

Any idea if they go off over time?

 

[jusme]

Not a thread I have seen before, hence my interest. If you said they where in water for X amount of years then I would have my doubts, however sitting in a box I am certain they will perform as intended today. Be interested to hear anything to the contrary and why if so

 

[JohnnyDee]

Interesting topic.

I have a mate and regular PP (Steve Srixon) who is convinced that they do have a shelf-life and can "go off".

We had this very discussion at an awayday back in the Summer when his Srixon Z Star, despite being new and just out of its sleeve, "Wasn't feeling quite right off the club face". He put this down to it being having been bought over a year earlier.

Personally I have my doubts about his theory - but I am open to be proven wrong.

 

[srixon 1]

Unless they have been at the bottom of a lake for a long time I would think that the modern golf ball has the same half life as plutonium. I have dozens of pro v 1s in the cupboard and they work just fine when I use them after a couple of years or so of storage.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Unless they were stored in extreme conditions I'd think they would be fine.

 

[snell]

Here is a quote from Bryson Dechambeau....it's all you need to now when it comes to testing balls :lol:

“I put them in Epsom salt combined with water, mixing it up,” revealed DeChambeau of a process he will be undertaking as normal before tomorrow’s opening foursomes session at the Open Championship venue in Lancashire. “It floats the golf ball in the middle of the water and I spin it. If it wobbles to where there’s a heavy point in the ball, that’s when I know that gravity isn’t in the middle of the ball so is out of balance. On average, I would say that I won’t play four balls out of a dozen.”

 

[Lord Tyrion]

If anyone thinks their packs of balls are too old, please feel free to send them to me. I'm not that precious about these things 😁

 

[HowlingGale]

I'm sure I heard somewhere that Rory's stockpiled a 3 year supply of Nike balls as they don't make hem anymore.

If it's ok for him it's fine for me.

 

[Imurg]

I'm sure the man from Titleist said in the magazine that they virtually last forever these days.

 

[Robster59]

Here is a quote from Bryson Dechambeau....it's all you need to now when it comes to testing balls :lol:

“I put them in Epsom salt combined with water, mixing it up,” revealed DeChambeau of a process he will be undertaking as normal before tomorrow’s opening foursomes session at the Open Championship venue in Lancashire. “It floats the golf ball in the middle of the water and I spin it. If it wobbles to where there’s a heavy point in the ball, that’s when I know that gravity isn’t in the middle of the ball so is out of balance. On average, I would say that I won’t play four balls out of a dozen.”

Isn't what Wilson tried to do with their "True" range of golf balls some years ago?

In terms of longevity, I've played with balls of various vintage without issue, but I do draw the line at Lake Balls as there is just knowing how long they've been under water and how that has affected them.

 

[palindromicbob]

Just found a box of new Pro V1s which must be at least 5 years old.

Any idea if they go off over time?

Put them in water. If they float they are bad and if lay on their side they are good. Best to cook them hard boiled if you aren't quiet sure and if there is a sulphur smell then throw them away.

In all seriousness as long as they've not been subject to lots of extreme changes in temperature over those 5 years then performance of the ball should be the same as if you'd teeed it up 5 years ago. Your performance may have changed though.

 

[Capella]

Actually, I am pretty sure they do have a shelf life. The softeners in the polyurethane or Surlyn of the outer layer will diffuse out eventually, leaving the ball harder and more brittle. As long as the balls are not exposed to high temperatures or direct sunlight, it is gonna take a while, though. Decades, probably. So I would say after five years in the original box, they should still play as good as new. After another 25 to 50 years I would say you should start to worry ...

 

[snell]

Just give them a try when you next go out....worst case scenario they don't perform?

 

[Trojan615]

Here is a quote from Bryson Dechambeau....it's all you need to now when it comes to testing balls :lol:

“I put them in Epsom salt combined with water, mixing it up,” revealed DeChambeau of a process he will be undertaking as normal before tomorrow’s opening foursomes session at the Open Championship venue in Lancashire. “It floats the golf ball in the middle of the water and I spin it. If it wobbles to where there’s a heavy point in the ball, that’s when I know that gravity isn’t in the middle of the ball so is out of balance. On average, I would say that I won’t play four balls out of a dozen.”

I bet his ball sponsors are thrilled with that quote 🙀

 

[Hacker Khan]

I'm sure I heard somewhere that Rory's stockpiled a 3 year supply of Nike balls as they don't make hem anymore.

If it's ok for him it's fine for me.

On the No laying Up podcast he intimated that he may look to change his ball over this winter. Not because the old ones go off but I suspect he'll be looking to get any small marginal gain he can which you would expect will come form the latest and greatest version of a ball.

 

[hovis]

the technology in the ball will be obsolete before the balls starts to perish

 

[jusme]

Here is a quote from Bryson Dechambeau....it's all you need to now when it comes to testing balls :lol:

“I put them in Epsom salt combined with water, mixing it up,” revealed DeChambeau of a process he will be undertaking as normal before tomorrow’s opening foursomes session at the Open Championship venue in Lancashire. “It floats the golf ball in the middle of the water and I spin it. If it wobbles to where there’s a heavy point in the ball, that’s when I know that gravity isn’t in the middle of the ball so is out of balance. On average, I would say that I won’t play four balls out of a dozen.”

I've seen this debate many times. Multiple people went out and tested the same, some even went as far as marking the ball and placing such a mark in a specific place on the tee peg to reduce side spin. Has to be said most that experimented with it thought it was nonsense. I sure hope it is. This game is tough enough without having to wonder whether that ball that moved unintended of to the right/left was down to a poorly balanced ball!

 

[Crazyface]

I've seen this debate many times. Multiple people went out and tested the same, some even went as far as marking the ball and placing such a mark in a specific place on the tee peg to reduce side spin. Has to be said most that experimented with it thought it was nonsense. I sure hope it is. This game is tough enough without having to wonder whether that ball that moved unintended of to the right/left was down to a poorly balanced ball!

Shut up shut up, I've just added another reason to my ever increasing repertoire of why it appears I'm playing badly.

 

[GolfReviewsORG]

Generally speaking, no considering they’re stored in a room-temperature location. Unless you leave your golf balls exposed to high heat or extremely cold temperatures they should last forever.
Whether you are an avid golfer or just picking up the sport, the golf ball is the most important tool in your bag. For this reason, it is important for you to know when to switch for an old ball for a new one.

Golf balls in 2020 consist of a three-piece solid core. These balls are typically geared towards intermediate/advanced golfers. This is reflected in the price as well as the technical aspect.
Unless you know how the control a golf ball while playing, it will never matter which one you buy. After you find the right ball, you are happy to spend the money knowing you’ll obtain your desired results (i.e. lowering your handicap).
The golf ball is made up of a solid rubber center (sometimes liquid-center) that is intertwined by elastic bands. Most avid golfers claim a golf ball (when they’re not on tour) can last a few weeks.

Unless they appear to be nicked, scratched, or waterlogged than you should be okay. If you think your golf ball has gone bad try juggling it on an iron (like Tiger) a few times. You should get a good sense of its quality from the noise and bounces.

 

[ScienceBoy]

the technology in the ball will be obsolete before the balls starts to perish

I your thinking is like mine 100% agree, otherwise I couldn’t disagree more.