What IS inside a golf ball? Ten are sliced open to solve the mystery - and the results are quite surprising

  • Video shows ten balls being sawn in half to reveal interesting insides
  • From feathers and rubber blends, the cores are diverse and colourful
  • The cores inside affect how quickly it spins and how far it can fly

It's a question many a golfer could ponder whilst walking around the course - what lies beneath the dimples of a golf ball?

And now a team from a golfing magazine thinks it's found the answer. 

Sheer curiosity lead to ten balls from over the years being clamped and sliced open on a video filmed for YouTube, with weird and wonderful insides being revealed. 

The creative team at Golf Digest sought to answer a question many a golfer could ponder whilst walking around the course - what lies beneath the dimples of a golf ball?

The creative team at Golf Digest sought to answer a question many a golfer could ponder whilst walking around the course - what lies beneath the dimples of a golf ball?

As the rubber Haskell ball circa 1898-1970s was sliced upon, brown wound rubber begins to pour out 

As the rubber Haskell ball circa 1898-1970s was sliced upon, brown wound rubber begins to pour out 

The point of the process is simply stated on the video: 'We cut them open so you don't have to.'

The video, made by Golf Digest, begins with an original feathery ball from 1600-1800s being sawn open on camera. 

As the name would suggest, as the ball is halved, tiny goose and duck feathers spill out, from the white-painted cowhide covering. 

Moving up the timeline, the next ball for the chop was the rubber Haskell ball circa 1898-1970s. 

This time brown wound rubber pours out from the inside of this golf ball. 

Several have solid interiors, including the Spalding ball from 1967. Inside the white, dimpled ball is a solid rubber core inside a low spin surlyn cover. 

The video proceeds to cover a range of balls and brands, including Nike, Wilson, Callaway, Bridgestone and Taylormade. 

WHAT IS INSIDE A GOLF BALL? 

Original feathery ball from 1600-1800s 

Tiny goose and duck feathers 

Rubber Haskell ball circa 1898-1970s 

Brown wound rubber 

Spalding ball from 1967 

Solid rubber core, inside a low spin surlyn cover 

Nike Rzn White

Resin Polymer inner core 

Srixon Q-Star 

Surlyn cover with molecular covering to increase friction 

WHAT IS INSIDE A GOLF BALL? 

Wilson Duo 

Soft rubber elements to enhance durability 

Calaway Speed Regime 1

Dual rubber core with thermoplastic urethane cover 

Bridgestone Tour 330 Series 

Water-infused Polybutadiene rubber 

Titleist NXT Tours

Polymer blend cover with a low compression core

Taylormade Tour Preferred X 

3 ionomer mantles with a cast urethane cover

Sheer curiosity lead to ten balls from over the years being clamped and sliced open on a video filmed for YouTube, with many weird and wonderful insides being uncovered

Sheer curiosity lead to ten balls from over the years being clamped and sliced open on a video filmed for YouTube, with many weird and wonderful insides being uncovered

The different cores inside the balls affect how quickly it spins and how far it can fly.

There are strict rules on how golf balls are made, set by the R&A, based at the world's oldest golf club in St Andrews, Scotland, and they must not be heavier than 1.62oz.

The dough, usually made from about a dozen raw ingredients, is colour-coded depending on its intended effects on a golfer's game.  

The Calaway Speed Regime 1 was cut open to reveal a bright pink core

The Calaway Speed Regime 1 was cut open to reveal a bright pink core

Exploding out of the Rubber Haskell ball circa 1898-1970s was brown wound rubber 

Exploding out of the Rubber Haskell ball circa 1898-1970s was brown wound rubber 

As the name suggests inside an Original Feathery Ball from the 1600-1800s was a collection of tiny goose and duck feathers

As the name suggests inside an Original Feathery Ball from the 1600-1800s was a collection of tiny goose and duck feathers

Before: The Titleist NXT Tours ball was also chopped down the middle with a saw, to see what lay inside

Before: The Titleist NXT Tours ball was also chopped down the middle with a saw, to see what lay inside

After: A bright green middle was revealed comprised of a polymer blend cover with a low compression core

After: A bright green middle was revealed comprised of a polymer blend cover with a low compression core

 

 

 

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