Keeping Golf Balls in a Thermos During Cold Weather?

[curlydastooge]

Here's the scenario. 

Cold weather (40-50° F) in California. I'm thinking of ways to keep golf balls warm that will be within the Rules of Golf. I've tried a "Hot Biscuits" plug-in ball warmer. Not happy with the results. I understand that keeping a hand warmer in your pocket with the balls is against the rules. So I've come up with this idea. How about putting the balls in a thermos that is filled with warm water overnight and then keeping them in the thermos (without the water) during the round. It seems like that would not be "actively warming" the balls during the round. Don't know if it would be effective in adding distance or not, but it seems like it would keep the balls warm without violating any rules.  Please comment and let me know what you think. 

Curlydastooge

[Piz]

I keep two balls, in the pocket left of my other two balls, and don't think about it beyond that.

[onthehunt526]

4 hours ago, curlydastooge said:

Here's the scenario. 

Cold weather (40-50° F) in California. I'm thinking of ways to keep golf balls warm that will be within the Rules of Golf. I've tried a "Hot Biscuits" plug-in ball warmer. Not happy with the results. I understand that keeping a hand warmer in your pocket with the balls is against the rules. So I've come up with this idea. How about putting the balls in a thermos that is filled with warm water overnight and then keeping them in the thermos (without the water) during the round. It seems like that would not be "actively warming" the balls during the round. Don't know if it would be effective in adding distance or not, but it seems like it would keep the balls warm without violating any rules.  Please comment and let me know what you think. 

Curlydastooge

I believe that would be okay. You could even put them in say 120° F water for a 10-15 minutes. Dry them off and keep them in an insulated coffee mug or thermos during your round... I don't think you are purposely changing the playing characteristics.

[Rulesman]

Once you have started the round and taken a ball out of the hot water, you wouldn't be able to put it back in the hot water. 

http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!decision-14,d14-3-13.5

[billchao]

17 minutes ago, Rulesman said:

Once you have started the round and taken a ball out of the hot water, you wouldn't be able to put it back in the hot water. 

http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!decision-14,d14-3-13.5

Wouldn't the rest of the balls in the container be in breach?

If @curlydastooge starts the round with three balls in a heated insulated container and pulls one out on the first hole, once he tees off, aren't the remaining two balls in the container being warmed with an artificial device during a stipulated round?

If he loses his first ball on say the 6th hole, he shouldn't be allowed to use another ball from the container. The container was heated up before the round but the balls inside it have been warmed throughout the round.

[Patch]

I just keep my gamers indoors the night before....at room temp.

Once on the course, they reside in my golf bag. 

In really cold temps, (in the 30s) I will rotate them in and out of play every 3, or 4 holes.

I am of the opinion that golf balls, once at room temp, will not cool off that fast to cause much grief. I believe they retain their heat longer than folks think.

 

[billchao]

5 minutes ago, Patch said:

I am of the opinion that golf balls, once at room temp, will not cool off that fast to cause much grief. I believe they retain their heat longer than folks think.

It's quite the opposite as I understand it. Even if you keep your ball in a pocket with a hand warmer, it's only going to be warm for basically one shot. You get the advantage for the tee shot and that's it since you can't pick up the ball in play.

[iacas]

21 minutes ago, billchao said:

It's quite the opposite as I understand it. Even if you keep your ball in a pocket with a hand warmer, it's only going to be warm for basically one shot. You get the advantage for the tee shot and that's it since you can't pick up the ball in play.

I think you're wrong.

Golf balls take a long time to cool down.

Quote

Dean Snell, senior director of R&D, golf balls for TaylorMade, thinks Thomas' figures are about right. "When the golf ball gets colder, it can lose a few miles per hour in ball speed, which can mean distance loss due to speed," said Snell. "[The] optimum temperature range is 70 to 90 degrees. At 40-degree temps the ball can slow down and be shorter by 5 to 10 yards. But the balls are not 40 degrees when played. It takes a while for them to completely get to 40."

 

[billchao]

3 minutes ago, iacas said:

I think you're wrong.

Golf balls take a long time to cool down.

Good to know. I think I read it somewhere a long time ago and it just stuck in my head.

[iacas]

1 minute ago, billchao said:

Good to know. I think I read it somewhere a long time ago and it just stuck in my head.

Just rotate two balls in and out every hole or two.

[MuniGrit]

How about when golf balls are 40 degrees C.

[onthehunt526]

---

I has something to do with the materials holding in heat. So if you warm up your golf balls at home, if you rotate them every hole or two for a "warm" ball you should be able to get through the round. You can use an insulated lunch bag, it will hold in the heat.

@Rulesman is correct once you remove a "ball from hot water" you can't return it to the hot water. But you sure as hell can put it in an insulated lunch bag or empty insulated coffee cup or something of the like.

[boogielicious]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

I think you're wrong.

Golf balls take a long time to cool down.

 

I would check with Snell or Titleist.  The heat transfer coefficient for plastics is relatively low (they are somewhat insulators), but when you spin one at 5000 rpm, heat transfer will increase. I know for a fact that Titleist hires Chemical Engineers, so they most likely have the data. I would guess that it holds some heat, but not more more than one hole or two depending on the temperature difference between your pocket and the outside air or ground. If it hits water, it will accelerate cooling. 

And reheating them in your pocket would have the same limitations. 

[iacas]

4 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

I would check with Snell or Titleist.

That's what I based my response on.

[boogielicious]

Just now, iacas said:

That's what I based my response on.

I figured as much! 

[iacas]

2 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

I figured as much! 

I can't cite specifics but my memory is that:

• Golf balls cool or warm very slowly. Like, several holes for a 10° F change.
• Golf ball performance doesn't change much. From 80° F to 30° F is less yardage difference than people think.

So… I've never really worried about having super warm golf balls. Just keep one in your pocket and cycle it out every hole or two. About the best you can do. Or two balls in each pocket and one in play, if you prefer.

[Patch]

If the ambient temperature is so low, that it changes the charactoristics of the ball, you are most likely playing with 20 layers of clothing , or already dead from exposure 

[onthehunt526]

38 minutes ago, iacas said:

I can't cite specifics but my memory is that:

• Golf balls cool or warm very slowly. Like, several holes for a 10° F change.
• Golf ball performance doesn't change much. From 80° F to 30° F is less yardage difference than people think.

So… I've never really worried about having super warm golf balls. Just keep one in your pocket and cycle it out every hole or two. About the best you can do. Or two balls in each pocket and one in play, if you prefer.

Isn't it like a foot per 10 degrees under 70° F?