Jump to content
TESTERS WANTED! ×

Golf ball nostalgia


doctorgriffo

Recommended Posts

I just watched Rick Shiels' video on Top Flight balls, and he reminisced on the balls he used "back in the day" as a junior. It made me think back to my early years playing golf as a junior in the UK in the mid-80's. Our club had a strong junior program (25GBP a year for membership!) and we would hunt for balls when not allowed on the course at busy times. The gems we all wanted to find were Spalding Tour Editions, Titleist Tour Balata (or any Titleist we found). Wilson Ultras, Pinnacles and Top Flites would hurt your hands if you caught then the slightest bit thin, and were rocks. You were always gutted to spot a ball and discover it was a Penfold or Slazenger.

Which balls from your early days of playing do you remember loving/hating?

On a related note - we used to love doing this with a balata ball in front of a brick like an ultra, and you could spin it back into the bunker from the green. It destroyed the ball, though....

 

Edited by doctorgriffo

Callaway Epic Flash SZ 9deg, 15 deg tensei av blue x flex

Cobra F9 hybrid 17deg, 24 deg

Mizuno MP20 (6,7,8 MMC, 9,PW MB)

Callaway MD4 50, 54, 58

Scotty Cameron Select Squareback 2

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, doctorgriffo said:

I just watched Rick Shiels' video on Top Flight balls, and he reminisced on the balls he used "back in the day" as a junior. It made me think back to my early years playing golf as a junior in the UK in the mid-80's. Our club had a strong junior program (25GBP a year for membership!) and we would hunt for balls when not allowed on the course at busy times. The gems we all wanted to find were Spalding Tour Editions, Titleist Tour Balata (or any Titleist we found). Wilson Ultras, Pinnacles and Top Flites would hurt your hands if you caught then the slightest bit thin, and were rocks. You were always gutted to spot a ball and discover it was a Penfold or Slazenger.

Which balls from your early days of playing do you remember loving/hating?

On a related note - we used to love doing this with a balata ball in front of a brick like an ultra, and you could spin it back into the bunker from the green. It destroyed the ball, though....

 

I missed the old logo from the Top Flite balls from the 90s/00s until I played them in the Hard Rock Challenge this year.  I quickly remembered why they were so awful feeling.  But the ball I really miss is the old Nike One. I had one as a kid and was so disappointed when I caught it thin and lost it for all eternity.  
 

Curious as to why you were gutted to find Penfolds and Slazengers? 

Gameday
Vessel Sunday 2.0/ Ogio Silencer
Wilsonlogo20Clemson.png.eee77a65568179cdcfb783c9a3e68f4b.png Dynapwr Carbon | Hzrdus Smoke Black
:callaway-small:  Mavrik 3w | Evenflow Riptide
Wilsonlogo20Clemson.png.eee77a65568179cdcfb783c9a3e68f4b.png FG Tour F5 Hybrid(20,23) | MCA Fubuki

Wilsonlogo20Clemson.png.eee77a65568179cdcfb783c9a3e68f4b.png Staff Model CB 5-PW |  DG 120
:titleist-small: Vokey SM7 (50, 54, 58) | DG 120
bettinardilogo2MGS.png.3b311f05930da73872d3b638ef39f51c.png Studio Stock 15
:titleist-small:-ProV1x (left dash)

Romans 10:9


Classic Bag
Jones Collegiate Clemson Stand Bag

pinglogo_clemson_MGS.png.f64aa10b6e73d4f55a61d78f590addca.pngEye 2 Laminate
:wilson_staff_small: 1973 Staff Dynapower 4-PW

pinglogo_clemson_MGS.png.f64aa10b6e73d4f55a61d78f590addca.pngAnser

:wilson_staff_small: DUO

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, JohnSmalls said:

Curious as to why you were gutted to find Penfolds and Slazengers? 

They were always the weird small old balls that had gone yellow in some old guy’s bag  (acknowledging that to us, old guy was anyone over 40, like my dad), and they had weird dimples (you can add the Dunlop 65 to that list). We used to try and hit them hard and thin with a wedge, to cut them open to see what looked like a mass of elastic bands inside.

Callaway Epic Flash SZ 9deg, 15 deg tensei av blue x flex

Cobra F9 hybrid 17deg, 24 deg

Mizuno MP20 (6,7,8 MMC, 9,PW MB)

Callaway MD4 50, 54, 58

Scotty Cameron Select Squareback 2

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a few dozen Titleist balata balls stashed away.  I use these when hitting one of my persimmon drivers on the course.

Persimmon collection Oct2020.jpg

Balatas.jpg

Driver:  TaylorMade 300 Mini 11.5° (10.2°), Fujikura Ventus Blue 5S Velocore

3W:  TaylorMade M4 15°, Graphite Design Tour AD DI 7S

Hybrid:  TaylorMade Sim2 2 Iron Hybrid 17°, Mitsubishi Tensai AV Raw Blue 80 stiff

Irons:  Mizuno 223 4-PW, Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 stiff

GW / LW:  Scratch Golf 1018 forged 50°/ 58° DS, Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 stiff

SW:  Callaway MD5 Jaws 54°, TT DG Tour Issue S200 115g wedge shaft

Putter: Byron Morgan DH89 GSS custom, Salty MidPlus cork grip

Grips: BestGrips Augusta Microperf leather slip on

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...