Fast & Fascinating Facts: The Biggest Balls and an Ace in the Pack

golf balls

Today’s golfing fast and fascinating facts. Who had the biggest golf balls before sizes were restricted and what’s the odds of scoring a hole-in-one?

Who Had the Biggest Balls?

Up until 1990, the actual size of the golf ball was not enshrined in the Rules of Golf, when the R&A and the USGA eventually agreed on the universal golf ball diameter being 1.68-inches, or 4.26cm anywhere in the world.

Prior to then, in areas under the R&A’s jurisdiction, the ‘British ball’ was of 1.62-inches (41.148mm) but under USGA rules, the standard golf ball size was slightly bigger, at 1.68-inches (42.67 mm), although both parties had always agreed on an identical weight, 1.62-ounces (45.93g).

Ace in the Pack

The odds of an average club golfer achieving the ‘Holy Grail’ of golf, namely, a hole-in-one are said to be 12,500/1, or, in other words, very remote.

But, move up to the professional ranks and the odds fall quite dramatically, down to 2,500/1.

Advertisement Sign up to our NZ Golf Updates