Where did 1.68" ball size come from?

[trickyputt]

1-17/25" seems a very strange number to arrive at for a minimum ball size, as it fits poorly into common metric or english units of measurement. I thought perhaps it came about because of some common thinking relevant at that point in history when the decision was made, but it escapes me as to what the thoughts were or metrics used by those who chose to use 1.68" for the minimum diameter of a golf ball. What gives?

[mvmac]

Some info here

http://www.golfball-guide.de/history.htm

[trickyputt]

Thank you, that corresponds with info I have read along the lines of the larger ball sitting up better. I am sure the shots into the green were improved for those dominating US players. I was interested in reading elsewhere that the 1.62" ball at 1.62 ounces also was utilizing a math relationship called the golden ratio. That sounds very european to me, and could be something they did because it was a natural harmonic asthetically and physically according to some.

[joekelly]

I read that info, Mike, thanks.  But the info did not tell us WHY the arbiters of golf,  R&A; and USGA, chose that size of ball only that the 'small ball' was in place first.  Then the USGA wanted to use the 'big ball' and eventually, now, only the big ball remains in use.

From 1920, on to 1988 the size progression was: 1.62", then 1.66" finally 1.68".  I wonder is there some relationship between the ball size and the cup size.  Well, i'll let the engineers work that out.

I read some time ago that the cup size was gotten from an old drainage pipe stuck in the sand at St. Andrew's, which happened to serve well. So that pipe (size) was spread throughout the world.

[trickyputt]

It is interesting that you would say that about a pipe, because the inside diameter of some stainless and aluminum pipe I ran across allows for a go-no go sizing for ball size. Being a game, it would not shock me in the least that the right person could have looked around their barn and come up with these numbers, since a century ago there was nowhere near the financial pressure or social involvment with golf that the game enjoys today.