Wrapped golf balls re-launched

Penfold unveils wrapped DualiD balls

Bob Warters's picture
Thu, 29 Apr 2010
Wrapped golf balls re-launched

I can remember when I first started playing golf in the 1970s that golf balls were not only the means of playing but also the currency of competition.

Roll-up for a game with your pals in a singles or fourball betterball matchplay (or even a group of you playing in threes) and the losers would automatically dip into their bag and hand over an unwrapped golf ball as the prize to their opponent. Produce the best stableford score of your group of 10 or more and you could end up with nearly a dozen pristine balls which could last you all summer.

Dunlop 65, Slazenger B51, Spalding Dot, Dunlop Warwick, GBD and Commando were the names I remember but the Penfold Ace - used by legends like Gary Player, Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus - was the Titleist ProV1 of its day and with the highest exchangeable value. If you won one of these you know you'd either played well or your opponent had more money than sense!

These thoughts came flooding back with the announcement that the Birmingham-based Penfold Golf company is re-introducing hand-wrapped golf balls, first launched in the 1930s.

Its new 4-layer, dual core Penfold Dual iD ball (£35 per dozen) claims to deliver greater distance, control and feel. The balls also display the company's trademark diamond, club, spade or heart, synonymous with the Penfold Heart played by James Bond in the 1964 Goldfinger movie, are wrapped in biodegradeable film.

"Mr Penfold was famous for his innovative golf ball designs, markings and packaging," says William Baird, chief executive of Penfold Golf. "Today we are continueing that philosophy by bringing back our famous, individually wrapped golf ball.

"We're sure golfers will love the unique feel of unwrapping a brand new golf ball on the first tee, knowing that our'Green to green' policy enables the wrapping to be disposed of in a responsible manner.

The new Penfold Dual iD balls are available only from the www.penfoldgolf.com website.