How long does a golf ball last -

Ever pull out an old golf ball and wonder if it will fly just as far as the brand new golf ball?

Will an old golf ball with a little scuff found in the woods perform just as good as a new or slightly used one in your bag?

A modern golf ball will perform as good as new as long as the scuff is smaller than a dime and hasn’t cut up a dimple, hasn’t been stored in temperatures below freezing or above 100 F, and hasn’t been submerged in water for more than 48 hours.

How long does a golf ball last if I don’t lose it?

According to Dean Snell, owner of Snell Golf, says most modern golf balls will last 250 hits before any deterioration of the cover is noticed.

You are more likely to lose a golf ball than to notice a drop in performance as long as the ball doesn’t have a moderately big scuff on it and it is stored in your house (ideally between 60-80 F).

How much does a scuff affect a golf ball?

You won’t notice any performance issues as long as the scuff is pretty light, smaller than a dime, and hasn’t cut up any dimples.

According to MyGolfSpy robot testing, here are the results from a small scuff versus a brand new ball when hit by a driver at 100 MPH swing speed.

Increased Carry distance with small scuff (248.7 yds vs 248.0 yds)
Decreased Peak Height by 13.5% (71.7 ft vs 82.9 ft)
Increased total distance by 3% (291.5 vs 281.6 yds)
Hit offline 9.7 yards

What is fascinating is that the slightly scuffed golf ball flew about the same carry distance as a brand new golf ball but went 10 yards farther due to more roll because of the lower ball flight.

Golf Ball performance greatly declines with a moderately scuffed golf ball.

Here are the results from a moderately scuffed golf ball when hit by a driver at 100 MPH swing speed.

Decreased carry distance by 18% (205.2 yds vs 248.0 yds)
Decreased total distance by 11% (252.4 yds vs 281.6 yds)
Hit offline by 46.4 yards
Decreased Peak Height by 33% (55.4 ft vs 82.9 ft)

It truly is fascinating how a minor scuff will not affect golf ball performance by much besides the apex height of the shot. However, a moderate scuff greatly affects the golf ball performance and should not be used except to hit into a net.

When should you stop using a golf ball with a scuff?

A good rule of thumb is to stop using the ball if the scuff is larger than a dime and/or you can feel the scuff when rubbing it with your finger.

How much does water affect a golf ball?

Water and Temperature also play a huge factor in golf ball performance and how long they last.

In this study by Thomas Raffel, Ph.D. of Oakland University, A brand new golf ball and a brand new golf ball sat in a cage in a pond for 1, 3, & 5 months and performed almost identically (within 1% every time!).

This study would have been really helpful if it took golf balls with small scuffs and moderate scuffs and also hit them after 1, 3, & 5 months of being submerged in a pond.

It has been shown that water can seep through into the core from microfractures and microtears of the golf ball cover, greatly slowing the ball velocity down.

Most golf balls hit into the water are not brand new and have been hit several times, so I’m not sure how much weight this study holds.

Here is the exact opposite argument from Dean Snell (owner of Snell Golf) in the same article cited earlier.

Dean Snell said that “Water can seep into the core, and that costs you distance and speed,” Snell says. “Velocity slows after 48 hours in the water, but the ball really loses speed after two to three weeks in the water.”

So who to trust from the 2 differing opinions above?

I honestly try to avoid playing golf balls found in ponds or lakes if at all possible due to the possibility of decreased performance.

I have noticed about 3-5 yards difference on wedges and short irons and up to 10 yards on my fairway woods and driver with used balls found in the water.

It all depends on your circumstance and skill level too.

If you don’t make consistent enough contact to notice that 3-5 yards and are okay with playing a ball with decreased performance because you are saving money, go for it!

How much does temperature affect a golf ball?

Temperature definitely affects golf ball performance. The average 6 iron goes about 8 yards farther in 100 F vs 40 F.

The air humidity also plays a big factor in this, as golf balls fly farther in hot, humid air versus cold, dry air.

You should try to store your golf balls in a climate-controlled location like your house.

When golf balls get below freezing or above 100F, the polymers in the layers of the golf ball start to soften or stiffen, greatly affecting spin rate and ball speed.

So be wary of golf balls you find in very cold or hot climates because the golf ball may not perform like you want it to.

Conclusion:

So how long a golf ball lasts definitely depends on many variables such as ball condition, temperature it is stored in, and if it has sat in water for more than 48 hours.

Depending on your skill level or how frugal you want to be, it may not matter on the condition of a golf ball. Here is what we do know:

A lightly scuffed golf ball performs almost as good as a new ball
A moderately scuffed ball performance decreases greatly
Golf balls found in ponds will most likely not fly as far
Store golf balls in a climate controlled environment, as extreme temps affect golf balls

Golf Ball Life Span FAQS

What is the lifespan of golf balls?

It all depends on a number of variables such as number of times hit, condition of the golf ball, temperature stored in, etc. But if a golf ball is kept in good shape (no large scuffs or scratches), stored between 60-80F and not been submerged in water over 48 hours, it should maintain its performance for about 5-7 years.

How often should you replace a golf ball?

Most golf balls can withstand 100 driver swings at Tour speed before the cover becomes damaged with a slight scuff or tear. As long as there are no cuts on the dimples and a scuff is smaller than a dime and you can’t feel it with your finger, keep playing the golf ball!