Golf Balls Packed in a Sleeve of 3

Hi,

Not sure if this has been posted before. I am just curious why are golf balls packed in a sleeve of 3? Anyone know if there are any special reason or science in this?

It's probably gotta do with the fact that golf balls are often sold in box of 12 (1 dozen)
So packing in sleeves of 3 makes it easier

Or

It's got something to do with this story I came across:

A lady was vacuuming the bedroom one day when she hit something under the bed. When she pulled it out, she was amazed to find a shiny silver box with nine golf balls and $25,000 in cash inside. When her husband came home, she called him up to the bedroom. “Honey, what is with the box? There’s nine golf balls and $25,000 in here?”
The man looked at the floor and replied sheepishly, “Well, every time we have had bad sex, I put a golf ball in there.”
“That’s not bad,” the wife replied, “we’ve been married for 25 years and there’s only nine in there, but what’s with the money?”
“Well, every time I got a dozen, I sold them.”

Very good way to save extra pocket money.

mengteck71 wrote:

Hi,

Not sure if this has been posted before. I am just curious why are golf balls packed in a sleeve of 3? Anyone know if there are any special reason or science in this?

MT.. I also want to know for tennis balls too

Just heard someone told me that a typical golf ball can maintain its performance for 6 holes, hence a sleeve of 3 can used for 18 holes.

Maybe gotta do with Fibonacci's theory...
Chim hor but I'm sure u can google ant it...

mengteck71 wrote:

Just heard someone told me that a typical golf ball can maintain its performance for 6 holes, hence a sleeve of 3 can used for 18 holes.

Was it a playing pro who gets his balls for free that told you that?  

no lar.. just a "smart" friend who told me.. so I dunno if its true or there are some science to this..

mengteck71 wrote:

no lar.. just a "smart" friend who told me.. so I dunno if its true or there are some science to this..

I think science is responsible for making that old truth a modern myth.

Back when premium balls were made from wound rubber threads and had balata covers, that would hold true. The balls would go out of round and the cover shear quickly, making it necessary to change balls every few holes. Pros used to carry a metal ring to check the roundness of the ball, but that's not necessary any more.

Did a couple of searches and Golf Digest has the answer to your question as to how many holes a golf ball should last in play.

"In short, a lot longer than you can likely keep hitting it and finding it.

Ball cores are commonly designed to withstand at least 100 strikes at 125 miles per hour before cracking. That's seven rounds of Tiger-like drives.

Of course, the cover will often go first, especially if you have a steep angle of attack or fresh grooves or tend to rely on cartpaths for extra distance. But these minor scuffs won't affect performance. "As long as the cover is relatively smooth, maybe a little paint missing, you're fine to play it," says TaylorMade's Dean Snell. Still, our testing showed that a serious scuff could cost you six yards on a tee shot.

A urethane cover's durability comes from being soft with an elastic memory. Ionomer covers are more durable because they're firm.

TIP: To minimize scuffing, dry your irons and wedges with a towel. A wet clubface increases the shear force, causing the ball's cover to slide over the grooves and tear, instead of gripping and rolling like it would on a dry face."


The other modern myth is that golf balls don't last more than a year. Here's an FAQ extract off the Titleist website:

"How long do golf balls last? What conditions should they be stored under to maximize life span?

Today's Titleist golf balls can be safely stored for five years or even more, as long as they're kept away from excessive heat. Attics and cars, for example, can get very hot during the summer and can dramatically shorten a ball's life. Normal indoor conditions should be fine for storage.

You should also consider that golf ball technology is improving rapidly, so if you're playing balls that were made more than a couple of years ago, you may be missing out on improvements that have been made to that model, not to mention completely new models."

very informative. thanks

Still no answer on why balls come in sleeves of 3, hahaha.

Guys, i am necroing this thread just to put out a theory, because this is really an undiscussed aspect of golf.

Most of golfers are white collar upper management.

Lets assume you are a really good golfer, use a new ball every round, and never lose a ball.

Most people leave office early on a friday to play 18. Then on saturday, they play another 18, on sunday you play another 18.

So if a sleeve has 3 balls, you only need to put one sleeve in your bag every week.

4 weeks make a month, and ta-da! You get a box, of 4 sleeves, with 3 balls each.

Maybe the same theory why a family pack also comes in 12s.

It might be because balls used to be less durable and would get "knocked out of round" after a few holes, and they decided 3 was the number you'd likely need if you didn't lose one.

Honestly they probably just tried different numbers and then the market responded best to sleeves of 3