What Is a Golf Ball Made Of?

The two-piece golf ball

The most common popular golf ball on the market to day is the two piece golf ball. The inside of the golf ball is made out of rubber and the outside of the golf ball is made out of plastic. This ball accounts of 70 percent of all golf ball sales on an annual basis. This ball is not as sophisiticated as the three-piece ball, but it is easier to compress and drive for the low- and medium handicap golfer.

The three-piece golf ball

This is the ball to use if you can shoot 90 or better on a consistent basis. The three-piece golf ball consists a core of gel, tightly wound rubber threads and hard plastic on the outside. This ball is a bit harder to compress, but it will get the most distance for a golfer who has a faster swing speed. A three-piece ball is more likely to cut than a two-piece ball

Dimple-covered shell

All golf balls are covered with a hard plastic shell. The shell is covered with small indentations called "dimples" that help the ball fly. Generally speaking, the more dimples on the plastic shell, the better and further it will fly. A golf ball may have as many as 500 dimples. Any more than that would be against the rules.