What do the numbers on golf balls mean? I’ll bet you had no idea they meant anything, just like me.
The numbers actually mean a lot, they can give you loads of information about your golf ball. Knowing your golf ball can make you play better in the long run too.
In this article, we will cover the meaning of golf ball numbers from head to toe. Feel free to use the table of contents to navigate to the certain section that applies to you.
Table Of Contents
- The Quick Answer
- FAQ’s About Golf Ball Numbers
- Single Digit Numbers
- Double Digit Numbers
- Triple Digit Numbers
- Final Word
READ THIS IF YOU ARE IN A RUSH
Quick Answer:
what do the numbers on golf balls mean?
The numbers on the golf ball can serve as identification purposes, compression ratings, and the number of dimples are on your ball.
why is it important?
The information provided by the number will give you some insight as to what is important to you as the golfer.
For example, lets say you had a triple digit number, 336. This number represents the dimples on your ball, this is important because you now can understand the level of spin and air resistance it might have.
FAQs On this topic
Does the color of the number on a golf ball mean anything?
Yes it does, it is used for identification purposes. In the 1990’s, it was used to tell the compression and number of dimples on the golf ball.
Can you customize the number on the golf ball?
You can! PGA tour pros do it all the time, and all of the major golf manufacturers offer custom numbered golf balls.
When were numbers first put on the golf ball?
In 1945, golf balls started stamping golf balls with numbers.
What does your number mean? lets talk about it.
SINGLE DIGIT NUMBERS
Single digit numbered golf balls are the most common you will see out on the golf course.
The sole purpose of this number system is purely for identification purposes.
Let’s say you and your buddy are out on the links and you are both playing Titleist Pro V1’s, your ball is labeled with a 1, and your buddy is playing a ball labeled with a 8. You will be able to identify your golf ball even though you are playing the same kind of ball.
Out of the box you will most commonly see your balls numbered 1-4.
Making sure you can identify your golf ball is important, especially if you play golf at a competitive level.
double digit numbers
Double digit numbers on the golf ball will most often mean 2 things,
- You chose to customize your golf ball with a personal number between 00-99
- The number represents the compression of the golf ball
The compression rating on a golf ball is a thing of the past. Most commonly, manufactures would represent compression through a double digit number in the 1990’s.
Very few do it today. If you happen to be playing a refurbished golf ball, you might be able to see this today.
Nowadays, you will typically see double digit golf balls as a form of identification, especially if you go down the customization route. Titleist only charges $1 extra to customize a dozen golf balls.
Summing up
Golf is a game of superstition, if you feel like a double digit number might suit you better, go for it!
To wrap up, the double digit number in todays golf world represents nothing but personalization. However in the 1990’s, it represented the compression of the golf ball.
The slower your swing speed, the lower the compression of the golf ball would be.
Triple digit numbers
Triple digit numbered golf balls most often represent the number of dimples on your ball. This number will typically be between 300-500 because that is the normal number of dimples on a golf ball.
If you see a golf ball with 3 digits on it, there is a big chance that the golf ball is older, manufacturers used to label the number of dimples often. In the game of golf today, you will not see triple digits on the golf ball.
If the number of dimples are important to you, you can find it on the box.
Triple digit golf balls are rare…
If you end up playing a golf ball with 3 digits on it, you should replace that golf ball, due to the age.
Why?
Final Word
So, what do the numbers on golf balls mean? at the end of the day, it is just a form of identification so you avoid getting your golf ball mixed up with your playing partners.
However, if we traveled back 30 years,
Double digits would refer to the compression rating of the golf ball
Triple digits would refer to the number of dimples on the cover of the golf ball
Bottom Line
The numbers mean nothing, unless you favor a number or find one to be lucky.
For example, Rory Mcilory chose to put the number 22 on his golf ball to represent his wedding anniversary.
Golf ball manufacturers will print custom double digit numbers on your golf ball at an extra cost, if this is something you think would be valuable to your game, then go invest in some!
You might just play better golf.
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