What is Wrong with Lake Golf Balls? [Lost Distance]

Here’s what’s wrong with Lake golf balls:

• Golf balls can be affected by water if they’re submerged for a long time
• For a new golf ball, this usually doesn’t happen until it’s been wet for weeks or months
• However, an old golf ball with scratches and imperfections will get waterlogged pretty quickly, in a couple of hours
• When this happens, the golf ball loses distance it can travel
• Lake balls are cheaper than regular golf balls, but may not be as effective- so they’re OK for budget golfers, but not if you’re a serious player

I have a friend who likes to use Lake golf balls because he’s really cheap.

He thinks that since they’re basically the same as regular golf balls, there’s no reason to spend more money on something that isn’t going to make a difference. But the thing is, using Lake golf balls does negatively affect his game.

The main issue is that Lake golf balls get waterlogged really quickly. My friend has lost at least 10-20 yards every time he’s played with them because the water affects the core of the ball and makes it fly less effectively.

And considering how competitive golf can be, losing even a few yards can mean the difference between winning and losing.

At first, I tried to convince my friend to stop using Lake golf balls, but he just wouldn’t listen. He said it wasn’t worth spending more money on something that wouldn’t make a difference.

But eventually, I managed to convince him to switch to new golf balls and see how much of a difference it made. And sure enough, after switching to new golf balls, he started winning more games.

A budget option?

If you want to purchase new golf balls, some of the best brands will bring them to you at around $50 for every dozen.

People who play golf for recreational purposes might prefer other sources. Some still opt for new balls from brands that are not so famous or even browse through online stores looking for used balls.

Another better option is the purchase of lake balls. These are available for a slice of what the new balls and the used ones go for, but not everyone fully understands them.

Golfers are yet to be confident of how good they are or whether they lose distance.

What are they?

Lake golf balls are the balls that get submerged in the water hazards found on golf courses. It is common when playing on a course with lakes or dangers for some of your balls to go into the water, independent of how careful you might be.

After some time, the golf course‘s manager will hire a diver to get into the lake and retrieve the balls from the bottom of the hazard. It is most likely that after he has searched for some hours, he will emerge with hundreds or even thousands of balls.

These are then inspected for any damages and then cleaned. They can then get packed and sold either online or in the clubhouse. These will vary in quality since some were brand new and others used and old when they got into the water hazard.

It is thus important that you don’t find it odd if you receive a bag of mixed balls when you buy lake balls. Some online retailers and even clubs sell the lake balls for as low as $1 for every ball, making it a nice option for cutting your spending on golfing equipment.

However, lake golf balls are not without their shortcomings.

So, what is wrong with lake golf balls?

Some of the disadvantages of using them

They will most likely decrease their driving distance when they stay too long in the water.

Scientific tests have shown that the outer layer of a golf ball can allow water in just after 12 hours when in the water.

This can be attributed to the fact that most common multi-layered golf balls (like UPC and Urethane) nowadays are very hydrophilic (meaning they attract moisture), which protects them from being adversely affected by weather conditions.

If they remain in the water for too long, the damage will be permanent; this might not be visible to the outside, but its effect on the tee’s driving distance will be pronounced.

In addition, the golf ball’s core, specifically designed to act as the energy source of the ball, might have significant damage.

Studies have shown that the balls will lose about 5 to 10 yards of the tee’s driving distance when they have stayed in the water for just one week, extending to 20 to 30 yards when it has been in there for more than three months.

They have very few qualities that are common to what you might get in the original ball.

Most of the packagers give the balls a sandblasting facelift. This treatment completely removes the ball’s outermost sealing layer, which is transparent, which mostly causes an alteration of the sensitive dimple structure of the ball.

When the treatment is done, the outer layer that also includes the manufacturer’s logo is applied afresh from scratch. Some of the paints that are used for this have nothing in common with the elaborate seals that were used in the original ball.

Since the surface structure of the ball has been interfered with substantially, coupled with the changes to its weight, there is a very significant impact on the flight stability and the aerodynamics of the balls, on a negative side.

Conclusion

Golf lake balls can be a great way of cutting your expenditure on golf equipment. Online retailers have grading systems that enable customers to choose equipment that lies within their budget and suits their game.

These balls are a perfect choice for recreational golfers; the only thing is to look into their conditions before ordering and separate them for use on the course and the range after they have been delivered to you.