Isn't the design of a golf ball pretty amazing?! Did you ever consider the effort the scientists put in to testing golf balls for maximize distance, direction and to reduce friction and drag. The placement of each dimple is just perfectly positioned to ensure the perfect shot.  Well, perfect in their lab at least. 😄
 
The Truth: Having a bag full of dirty golf balls can drastically affect performance during your game. Yes, it's true you can always blame the equipment but cleaning your golf balls is an important part of ensuring that every piece of your equipment is performing at an optimal level during each and every round of golf that you play.
 
Golf balls experience a lot during an 18-hole round; they take a beating from clubfaces.  They collide with the odd tree, visit the beach getting covered in sand and generally just seem to have a knack for finding dirt even with the beautiful course conditions found at Picton Golf & Country Club. It doesn't take long for golf balls to accumulate enough grime and dirt to need a good cleaning.

How to Clean Your Golf Balls

Despite all this information, many golfers still don't take cleaning their golf balls seriously. They believe that just a quick swipe with a towel or rub on the leg of their pants is enough to knock off the worst, and that's all that matters. BUT could it also be true that these are the same players that are baffled by the way their golf balls occasionally react strangely after a perfect stroke?

Here's some of the best ways to clean a golf ball, so when you pull a ball from your golf bag at our gorgeous #1 tee overlooking Picton Bay, it's a clean one. Let's examine and gather some tools.  We suggest:
 
1.       Cleaner - A mild dish soap will suffice for most basic washes. If your golf balls are in need of a deep cleaning, then use a diluted bleach or vinegar to cut that grease and grim. Do not mix any chemicals together as this can harm the coating on your golf balls.
2.       Cleaning bucket - Add plenty of warm water to a cleaning bucket. Fill it up about halfway and remember to account for the displacement the balls will add before adding cleaning solution. Once you've mixed up the cleaner with warm water, place your golf balls into the bucket and let them soak for 15 to 20 minutes. This will save on scrubbing time later.
3.       Scrubbing tools - Depending on how dirty your golf balls are, there are a variety of different scrubbing tools that can help you get the job done right. Cleaner-looking golf balls can always benefit from a soapy towel or sponge to clean the outer surface. Dirtier golf balls may need something gentler but more abrasive. An old toothbrush is a great option for scrubbing. A long bristle scrub brush found in most dollar stores for cleaning dishes is another perfect cleaning tool to clean your golf balls.
4.       Dish Washing Machine - Hopefully everyone in your family golfs so they can appreciate the importance and relationship that a golfer has with their golf balls. If you've got a dishwasher and you're concerned with all the effort involved in all that we've described above, then you may want to try loading your golf balls into the top rack and cleaning them the easy way! Golf balls will not harm your dishwasher.  More importantly your dishwasher will not harm your golf balls. We didn't list this option first because with this one, you won't even have to get your hands wet. Results will vary using this method especially for golf balls that could probably benefit from a little elbow grease.
5.       Drying/polishing Towel - With the hard work behind you, it's time to take your golf balls and give them a final dry with a towel before putting them back in your 'clean' bag. Make sure your bag is clean (we may do another blog post on that!). Now is also a good opportunity to inspect each golf ball, looking closely at the dimples and making sure that no debris remains.
 
It's not just about the perfect, clean golf ball. Practicing how to clean golf balls the right way and taking this extra time to prepare will give you confidence in your equipment during your next round. Clean golf balls are better. They feel better to hit, they fly longer, they fly straighter and provide the consistency and accuracy that they were designed to provide golfers with from the start. Whether you’re a Leafs fan or a Habs fan. We hope this BLOG post provides you with some golf ball cleaning ideas will eliminate the excuse for any golfer to play with a dirty golf ball.

 
Check back with us often and be sure to read our Blog at https://pictongolf.ca/blog