ABSTRACT
The golf ball is considered the best-selling sporting good of the world. “Few sport items of such apparent simplicity have undergone more study and analysis than the golf ball” (Penner, 2003). Apart from aerodynamical properties, like drag and lift, related to roughness and dimple pattern, structural mechanical properties are confined to a single value, the PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association) or Atti compression number, which is still determined by a device patented in 1942 (Atti, 1942). Golf ball compression is a measurement that defines how much a golf ball deforms under load. The amount of compression gives a player the desired feel. If a player wants a softer feel, he goes for a softer compression ball. Typical compression ratings are between 60 and 100, with most players using a 90-compression ball as a compromise.
