Nike Receives Patent for Recyclable Golf Ball

If the outer layer can be removed, I would question its longevity.  Would an outer layer be able to make it through a whole round?  Also, how would the performance change between a ball with 2 outer layers vs. 1?

I misunderstood the nature of the recycling.

Is the size of the ball dictated by the governing bodies, or does it just have an upper limit? Stripping off a cover would inherently make it smaller than what we consider standard right now.

Also, Jeez, this whole concept is a solution in search of a problem. I think I've worn out maaaybe three or four balls in my lifetime on the course to the point where I take it out of play? And I think that number is being generous. Even then, they just go into the shag bag and I use them for bunker practice until they get completely worn out from the sand.

I think we're interpreting the recycling happening differently. I think the article implies that the golfer takes the cover off himself and continues using the rest of the ball. I don't think it's aimed at changing the ultimate end of life of the ball, which is ultimately trash. Recycling in the sense the article is using it is more accurately "extending useful life". I don't think Nike ever gets the ball back in this scenario. The chemical process they mention is the process of making the outer layer removable from the inner layer.

Yeah, I agree, the word recyclable was ill advised or probably "clickbait." I'm basically picturing it as meaning that the outer skin is a tearoff and there's an inner skin for when you decide to ditch the outer layer. At least based on how the article framed it. I concur, the idea seems crazy, which is why I think it's a solution in search of a problem. And realistically it's probably just a patent that covers stuff that'll never see the market in case that patent becomes useful down the line in some other application / blocking another patent.

Probably a good thing to be able recycle range balls. Also a cost saving measure for the driving range being able to buy recycled (repaired) balls instead of brand new ones.

I don't know. Range balls have to have extremely durable covers because the balls take so much abuse, so designing it to be recyclable would be tough without compromising durability And since they're sold in huge quantities for relatively cheap, I don't know if it'd make sense economically to go through the effort of stripping the old balls, checking the cores for being intact, and recovering them. Refinishing today with just repainting and lacquering only makes economic sense for the most expensive / high end models, and that doesn't do anything with the actual cover. I dunno, I'm just spit-balling the idea.

I'm thinking that if the course recycles their used range balls, the balls do not need to be durable for a longer period of time. Since the balls are recycled, buying the replacements in larger quantities could be a cost saving measure for the golf course. They have to be cheaper in large quantities than the new balls. Of course the golf course would be stuck with the Nike distributor, but that's not a bad thing either.

I know I have yet to purchase a bucket of balls at any driving range, that did not have more than a few worn out balls in the mix. Perhaps changing out balls sooner would give the golfer more for their practice dollars.

As mentioned above by tmac20 I don't see this helping "Joe Golfer".  I wouldn't buy a recycled golf ball for use with a handicap score. Maybe if not used with range balls, they might dredge ponds and recycle those. Who knows.......film at 11:00

I would think they maybe attempting to recover the balls from divers.

Those guys pull tons every year from courses, possibly starting a "buy back" deal.

Then rework the ball at the Nike facility.

Maybe it's cost effective?

Just a guess.

Club Rat