How Composites Changed

the Face of Golf...no thanks to Tiger WoodsDavid Di Tommaso

Adrian SpallacciMike GoddenRobert Bozzo

What properties are we looking for?

DistanceFeel

Spin ControlStopping

Aerodynamics

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ElasticityHigh Compression Low Compression

Feel and ControlStopping

DistanceSpin Resistance

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3

20121600 1800 1840 19401900

Wood

Feathery Cube

Gutta Percha

Rubber Balls

Modern Balls

Wood Ball

- Hard wood coming from beech trees or boxroot trees

- Unreliable as they were never perfectly round

- High drag creating surface- Unpredictable trajectory- Travelled 100 yards on average 4

Feathery Cube

- Leather and feather construction- Very expensive, time consuming to make - Excellent flight characteristics, due to rough leather surface,

drag resistance- Approximately same size and weight as modern day ball- Leather/feather construction allowed compression on

impact for more control- Travel distances up to ~175 yards on average5

Gutta Ball

- Made of Gutta Percha, a gum tapped from a tree indigenous to Malaysia

- Malleable when boiled in water, becomes harder on cooling- Cheaper than Feathery Cube and therefore more popular- Prone to mid-air fragmentation- First ball with dimpled surface for improved flight path- Bramble design was first mass produced ball with dimples- Same properties as Feathery Cube 6

Rubber Ball

- Invented in 1898, mass produced 1901- High tension rubber thread wrapped around solid

rubber core- Gutta Percha cover (first multi-layer composite ball)- Became most widely used ball due to improved ball

control and distance7

Modern Balls

• Combines multilayer technology• 3/4 vs 2• Expensive (Tour Balls) vs Range balls• Composite layer properties combine• Workability (Tour Balls) with Distance• Distance and Forgiveness

• Specific properties tailoring8

Titleist Pro-V1 and Pro-V1x•Combines multilayer (3) technology

• Polybutadiene SINGLE core• Moderate Compression (v1)

• Ionomer casing• Higher compression thin layer (v1)

• Urethane cover• Durable, moderate compression 9

Titleist Pro-V1 and Pro-V1x•Combines multilayer (4) technology

• Polybutadiene DUAL core• Soft, High Compression centre (v1x)• Low-Moderate Compression outer

• Ionomer casing• Higher compression thin layer (v1x)

• Urethane cover• Durable • Moderate compression (v1x)

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Future Ideas and Monetizing

• More diverse composites and layers

• Better manufacturing techniques

**Build a ball for your gameplay and style**

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