USA Today Flash: Golf Ball Has Improved!

Jerry Potter does that informercial thing that only the USA Today has the cajones to try, this time with layering a monumental puff piece/suck up to advertisers with contributions from nearly everyone in the golf ball business. 

See if you can spot the theme here:

Garcia sealed the victory with a wedge shot on the par-3 17th island hole when the ball stopped 4 feet from the cup. Garcia's skill certainly was a factor, but all players are finding that the current generation of golf balls is far better than anything in the past.

Next...

Statistics can be misleading, but victories aren't. Titleist, which dominates the PGA Tour in players, has 11 wins this year; Nike has six, including Trevor Immelman's win at The Masters.

Callaway has two wins, but on the LPGA tour Lorena Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam have combined to give Callaway eight wins in 11 tournaments.

Clearly, the golf ball, whether a three-piece or a four-piece construction, is better than in past generations.

And finally...

As Nike's rep to the pro tours, Rick Nichols often pitches a new golf ball design to his father, Bobby Nichols, a former touring pro, who at 72 is all but retired from tournament golf.

"He always says, 'The ball is the same size as it used to be, isn't it? And, it's still round isn't it?' " Rick says.

The answer is yes to both questions, but today's golf ball is closer to perfect than at any time in the game's history.

And better than in past generations!

Come on Wally, even you had to find this one painful to read. 

Comments

[michael]

"They're a result of developments in synthetic rubber and plastics and improved manufacturing processes that allow companies to make solid-core balls with multiple layers that can be fine-tuned to get the optimum results for premier players."


how does this promote golf for the oh, other 97% of golfers out there? another example of why technology in the game should be further overseen, not courses being lengthened.

[RM]

"Lorena Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam have combined to give Callaway eight wins in 11 tournaments."

Annika and Lorena could combine for 8 wins playing Pinnacles.

[thusgone]

that piece sounds like a parody of those old industrial relations films they used to show when we had a substitute teacher in math or science class:

"america's golf ball manufacturers: our scientists are working night and day to bring to future to america's golfers today!"

[Brad Ford]

Statistics show 100% of golf tournaments are manufactured by someone.

What an amazing discovery he made!! Didn't he author the piece on how the Sun causes global warming.

[ReverendTMac]

Troy: Gettin' ready to play golf, Jimmy?

Jimmy: Uhh, Mr. McClure? I have a crazy friend who says its wrong to play a rolled-back ball. Is he crazy?

Troy: No - just ignorant! You see, your crazy friend never heard of the "ProV1". Just ask this scientician.

Scientician: [Looking up from a microscope.] Uhhh...

Troy: He'll tell you that, on the golf course, one player invariably outdrives another player to score better. Don't kid yourself, Jimmy. If a player ever got the chance, he'd outdrive you and everyone you care about!

Jimmy: Wow, Mr. McClure! I was a grade A moron to ever question the USGA.

Troy: [Laughs.] Yes you were, Jimmy...yes you were. [Briskly rubs his hand on Jimmy's head.]

Jimmy: [Timid] Uhh...you're hurting me...

[Jason]

Rev TMac:

Where do I sign up for Bovine University?

That was brilliant.

[thusgone]

RevTMac: spot on!

[sodface]

Before these amazing new golf balls, no one ever won golf tournaments. They'd just sort of play purposelessly until the TV cameras went away and then slouch off the course. It was all very depressing. I'm glad those days are behind us.

[CBS Sportz]

C'mon - tell us you don't enjoy watching that little orb through the sky. Or the 'Survivor' ad in the lower corner...

[dan]

Nice.

Do you remember that ball that would go straightish for about a 100 yards and take a violent turn to the left or right?

I miss the old ball.....

[Four-putt]

And what about the dozens of players using Titleist or Callaway who don't make the cut each week? The balls didn't help them? What?

4p

[Bench]

The question I have is, in proportion to how many of the players are playing that ball, how often does a particular ball win? If 131 out of 144 are playing Titleists every week, Titleist better be winning 91% of the time, you know? My guess is, it's lower than that, even accounting for the Tiger factor.