After seeing Tiffany’s silver tees, 24-karat gold golf balls could not be missed. Just as in the case of tees, we are talking about objects born more for living rooms at home than for the green. Nevertheless, there is nothing to stop you from taking a gold golf ball to the course and seeing what happens.
When it comes to gold golf balls, you might think of a ball made really all in gold. Not so: all such items sold in series or nearly so are only gold-plated. In fact, a gold ball would be too unnecessarily heavy and too expensive for most buyers.
Nothing prohibits you from commissioning your own custom version at the jewelry store if you want a golf ball that is truly all gold. However, if you prefer to go for ready-made items, you will have to settle for simple 24-karat gold plating. The price varies according to both the thickness of the gold layer and the quality of the workmanship. The more valuable and decorative the item, the higher the cost.
The most famous entity offering such services is Goldgenie, based in London and-not coincidentally-in Dubai. Another is Leronza, also based in Dubai. Both companies specialize in items plated with 24-karat gold or even platinum, including even golf balls. The second even boasts of having clients who have used their balls at Cypress Point.
At your own risk, that is.
Joys and sorrows of a golden golf ball
As mentioned at the beginning, gold golf balls are design objects. They are usually sold with the matching tee and are designed primarily as original gifts, perhaps to be given in the corporate sphere or for a special occasion. Using them on the green might be a bad idea.
Shot after shot, it is likely that the gold layer will slowly spoil and deteriorate. Not to mention the ongoing risks of losing a ball that costs between $300 and $800. Taking for example the exclusive Cypress Point mentioned above, who knows how many balls were lost in the handkerchief of ocean flanking the 16th hole. And who knows how many of these were gold.
To be fair, gold plating also has its advantages. Some manufacturers point out that a gold golf ball is all in all quite easy to keep track of. You can hit it as far as you want, drive it into a bunker or into tall grass. In all these cases, you can always count on a reflection or glint to reveal where the ball went.
The makeup is there, but you can’t see it (more or less)
It may be that $300 for a gold ball that will be lost and of questionable performance remains a bit too much. Perhaps it is best to continue using balls and gold tees for what they are, i.e., golf addict design objects, and move toward alternatives designed specifically for the game.
Golf balls with gold finishes, both metallic and nonmetallic, are commercially available. Much has been said about the limited edition offered by Vice Golf, the Vice Pro Plus Gold, of which fewer than 1,000 pieces were available. However, new alternatives of varying price and quality are coming out every day.
Net of the mechanical characteristics of the individual ball, gilding can actually become a whim of more. It can be useful for you to find the ball at a glance, it is true. Above all, it can become a symbol of your love for luxury and the whole golf-related lifestyle
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