Guide to Cleaning Golf Balls
The life of a golf ball is filled with a lot of ups and downs; literally, so it is no surprise they easily become dirty. Golf balls are spherical with a diameter of about 1.680 inches and have small dents or ‘dimples’ uniformly arranged on them. Because of the dimples they have and the nature of the courses in the game of golf, the balls get dirty and it makes them look unattractive.
Clumps of mud hinder the way a golf ball is designed to move and that can affect the entire game’s progression. Golf balls yellow and lose their shine as they are used more often and grow older.
If you often find your balls in those conditions, the good news is, there are a lot of methods you can use to clean your golf balls that gives off a shine making them look brand new; here are a few:
DISHWASHING SOAP
Liquid dish washing soap doesn’t contain harsh chemicals; it is mild and very effective in removing mud and grass stains from your golf balls. You can use a brush with soft bristles or a cloth to gently wash away stains and dirt that have accumulated on the ball. It’s preferable to use warm or hot water so it can soften the dirt, making it easier to wipe them off.
If you don’t want to get your hands wet, you can use your dishwasher to wash the balls; golf balls won’t spoil your dishwasher so you have nothing to worry about.
AMMONIA, BLEACH OR VINEGAR
Sometimes, golfers don’t have the time to wash their balls regularly after playing a course so they ignore them for a while. Soon enough, the dirty balls are stained permanently because they haven’t been washed. The day you decide to eventually wash them, they may not look very clean because of the permanent dirt stains on them.
However, this is not a problem; those permanent stains won’t remain permanent when you soak your golf balls in ammonia, vinegar or concentrated bleach. Get a bucket of water and pour in some bleach, vinegar or ammonia, then let the golf balls soak in it for about 10 to 15 minutes then rinse them. Your golf balls will emerge from the water looking whiter than before. Put on gloves to avoid these chemicals from contacting your skin.
WHAT IF I WANT TO GET RID OF THE BALL’S LOGO?
Some balls come with a brand name imprinted on them and you may not like the look of it; the ball belongs to you now so you can erase the logo. Your regular liquid soap can do nothing about the imprinted ink, you will need something stronger. Nail polish removers, especially the ones that have acetone can remove permanent marks.
Clearing logos and brand names, however, will not be easily done; logos and prints on golf balls were not imprinted with the intention that they may be one day removed so it is difficult to remove them without damaging the dents.
Another reason it may be hard to remove company imprints on your golf balls is because the ink used on the balls may have seeped into the balls coating, making it almost part of the ball itself.
If you don’t want marked balls, the best solution is to buy plain golf balls.
Scenarios requiring Cleaning
GETTING RID OF ALGAE OR FUNGUS
Some balls have algae or fungi derived from the ponds on the course or from damp grass. Bleach acts as a sanitizer and gets rid of algae and fungi at the same time whitening the balls. Hydrogen peroxide is also an efficient chemical that acts as an antiseptic and bleaching agent.
Get a bucket of water and add hydrogen peroxide into it, then soak your balls in them for about 15 minutes; the chemical acts on the dirts so that you don’t need to thoroughly scrub the balls after soaking them, they will wipe off easily.
SCUFF MARKS
Scuff marks are scratches on golf balls and noting them is important because they sometimes affect the mobility of the ball; small scuff marks may not affect the ball but large ones can.
First thing you need to do is wash your balls (the ones with the scuff marks) and use them to play a course or two to see if the scuffs affect the balls’ flight and roll. If they do, it is time to replace those balls, but if it doesn’t, you can use a magic eraser sponge on the scratched areas of the ball.
NAIL POLISH REMOVER
Nail polish remover is useful in removing permanent marker stains fast; all you need is a to dip cotton wool or a clean cloth in nail polish remover and dab it on the golf ball, gently rub off the marks. An alternative in the absence of nail polish remover is carburetor cleaner.
It is important to note that it is not advisable to mix different chemicals when washing or cleaning your golf balls because the mixture could damage the surface of the ball.
PORTABLE GOLF BALL WASHER
Portable golf ball washers are used especially when you are at the golf course. There are majorly two types of these easy to move washers: the pocket types and the container types.
Pocket golf ball washers are the most rampantly used washers. They have small pockets made from a cloth and are wet to a certain extent so that a ball can be slipped into a pocket and wiped clean.
Container golf ball washers are a bit bigger than the pocket types. They contain cup-like containers that have brushes installed in them so when you have a dirty ball, all you need to do is place the ball in the container, close the lid, and clean off the dirt.
CONCLUSION
Golf balls are easy to maintain and take care of, especially when you use the tips and suggestions above to wash them and keep them looking brand new. For best results and longevity, wash your golf balls after every game of golf you play to avoid stains and unattractive balls.