Floating Golf Balls

[Kiwi]

It's not what you think. I am working my way through Pelz's Putting Bible and he writes about floating a ball in salt water - epsom salts and Jet Dry - to find the balance of the ball - theory is heavy end will sink and you mark the top.

I read Covenant's "Floaters" thread from 2004 but my question is... Is this for real? I note that many of the pros use the line on their ball but it is not around the whole ball, as the Check-Go device would do. I don't see how knowing that the "heavy" side is down would help - me - with my alighment. It may insure a straight putt, but I rely on the line - both on the tee and on the green - to help me align my club face and my feet. Are the high end balls - Pro V I, ect - perfectly balanced and we need to worry about balance only in the low end balls - Top Flight - Distance, etc?

[big mac]

Kiwi--I think the principal here is--if you hit it right--the ball will fly like a dart--heavy end first

[Kiwi]

bm good to hear from you. I get what you are saying, BUT that is the point of my question. Are there really golf balls on the market that do not have the centre of gravity in the core/middle of the golf ball, thus making them roll/wobble off line? Being the eternal skeptic I find it hard to believe that there are balls out there that are off centre. Is this just not some "theory" to justify marketing some gizmo to counter this "problem"? Sure there may be the odd manufacturing flaw that causes the ball to roll off line but to say that any successful manufacturer knowingly had a process whereby the centre is not the centre is hard to accept.

[big mac]

Hi Kiwi, sure there are--just like tires--you would figure with all of todays technology there would be a way to manufacture a balanced rim or tire; or a golf ball for that matter. You would figure that after you balance your tires on a rim you could mount the tire on another identical rim---but no they are still out--is it the tire or the rim--it is both of them. They wont fix the problem because then they will loose 15$ balancing fee per tire--or is it per rim? I cant play with the guys so I will just theorize--how am I doing?

[Started2k3]

The theory is that with a spinning ball the heavy side will try to re-align itself with the direction of spin. For example, if the heavy side of the planet earth was located at Ottawa then the earth would realign so that Ottawa was on the equator.

I believe that this would be at the cost of rotational energy so the overall spin would decline.

[Kiwi]

Sold! Got the theory & the fact that manufacturers are sloppy. Next stop, Golf Town to by the Check & Go. Good job Santa gave me a gift card.

[big mac]

I figured there was an after market tool to go along with the ball--how much?

[Kiwi]

$32-35.00