Golf Balls

Golf balls are an essential part to the game of golf. Without them, the game could not be played. Some of the earliest golf balls of the late 1800's and the early 1900's were nothing like the golf balls today. Most were oddly shaped, didn't have a consistent flight once they were hit. Most would crack after a few holes. It is safe to say that the golf balls today are a lot more durable and aerodynamic than some of the earliest golf balls.

In the late 1800's and the early nineteen hundreds, a golf ball called the gutta-percha was used the most often. Even though they didn't go very far they were more accurate than any other golf ball used before. Then in 1900, Coburn Haskell produced a golf ball better than the gutta-percha called the Haskell. Even if you miss hit the Haskell it still went a hundred yards, and for a new sport with a lot of beginners to the game, a golf ball like this was very popular, but some people were against the revolutionary golf ball. One of those people was Harry Vardon the best player in the world at the time. Even though the Haskell was a way better golf ball than the gutta-percha, it still was considered a disgrace by many of the best golfers in the world. It was also about to be banned by the PGA in many of the worlds best tournaments.

Sources:
The Greatest Game ever played by Mark Frost- This is a book source that gave me a lot of information on Golf Balls. The book is not only about golf balls, but about the game of golf, and to describe the progression of golf, you need to describe the progression of golf ball technology.
http://www.golfeurope.com/almanac/history/golf_ball.htm- This source backed up my information, and verified the books information.