MATERIALS

Golf Ball Materials

There are many materials used in golf balls but the majority can be broken down into 3 categories: rubbers, ionomers and urethanes.

In the past, golf balls have been made of wood, leather wrapped around feathers, sap from a gutta tree and sap from balata trees. Over time these materials were replaced by the superior materials used today.

Urethane

Urethane is a polymer that is similar to many everyday plastics. Like plastics, many properties of urethane such as toughness and hardness can be controlled.

There are 2 types of urethane covers: thermoplastic and thermoset. Thermoplastics are urethanes that get soft when heated up. Thermosets use heat to cure/harden the material. Because they can be reheated and re-moulded, thermoplastic urethanes allow for more precision and design flexibility.

Golf ball manufacturers employ chemical engineers to design better urethane compounds. Srixon has proprietary chemicals and processes that can make the urethane softer for more spin without sacrificing durability.

Ionomer

Ionomer materials are very similar to plastics and are used for mid layers in premium golf balls and as a cover material for most 2 piece golf balls.

Unlike urethanes, ionomers do not maintain their strength as they are engineered softer. Srixon engineers are leading the way in developing new ionomers that can stay strong while being made softer.

Surlyn® is a particular kind of ionomer and is one of the most common ionomers used in golf ball covers.

Rubber

Polybutediene rubber is a synthetic rubber used to construct the core of every golf ball on the market.

One of the polybutediene’s first uses was on auto tyres, explaining why some golf ball manufacturers originated as tyre manufacturers.

The most useful property of rubber is its responsiveness. Due to this property the golf ball’s rubber core is where most of the ball speed comes from.

Rubbers are not all created equal. The core of the golf ball can be made to be firm, soft or some combination of the two.