Very cold pool balls

measureman

measureman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A friend of mine got a set of balls for Xmas.
This saturday he forgot to bring them to the room.So the question is can he leave them in the car 24/7 with temperatures here in Colorado getting down well below freezing at times.
Will very cold balls shatter when hit hard?
 
No idea, but I’d let them get to approximately room temperature before use personally. Seeing your post brought back a Denver golf memory. I played a lot at the public course East of Felt at Colorado and Hampden. Playing in the winter and a guy had some of the mail order balls - I think the ones that advertised they were non conforming under USGA rules. Old golfers might remember the print ads. They were solid balls, and golf ball technology 40 or so years ago wasn’t what it is today, but even then the mail order ones weren’t as good as a Top Flite I don’t think. After two or three cracked into several pieces like glass in the cold weather he was sad.
 
JPB2 said:
No idea, but I’d let them get to approximately room temperature before use personally. Seeing your post brought back a Denver golf memory. I played a lot at the public course East of Felt at Colorado and Hampden. Playing in the winter and a guy had some of the mail order balls - I think the ones that advertised they were non conforming under USGA rules. Old golfers might remember the print ads. They were solid balls, and golf ball technology 40 or so years ago wasn’t what it is today, but even then the mail order ones weren’t as good as a Top Flite I don’t think. After two or three cracked into several pieces like glass in the cold weather he was sad.
Click to expand...
I've seen quite a few old-tech solid golf balls break in cold weather. BTW, if one splits in flight you play your next from same spot without penalty.
 
ive been keeping some centennials in the car lately here in colorado and havent had a problem yet.

over break we played on my nephews new table in the garage with a broken window. It was cold as hell and it didnt make a difference.

could they break? maybe, but i doubt it
 
garczar said:
I've seen quite a few old-tech solid golf balls break in cold weather. BTW, if one splits in flight you play your next from same spot without penalty.
Click to expand...

Was the ancient rule with gutta percha or featheries that you played from the longest piece? Not going to research it, but the modern rule is better I think. 😁
 
JPB2 said:
Was the ancient rule with gutta percha or featheries that you played from the longest piece? Not going to research it, but the modern rule is better I think. 😁
Click to expand...
At one time way back i think that was the rule. If the ball cracks/splits but doesn't come apart the shot counts and you pull out a new rock. No penalty.
 
Poolhall60561 said:
I have a friend who likes to shoot with his own balls at the pool hall.
On cold days when he brings them in from his car it takes them a few minutes to warm up. At first they seem to sweat a bit. After 10-15 minutes they are fine.
Click to expand...
no one likes sweaty balls. ;) i got bored and did a lil digging and from what i could find phenolic resin material is extremely resistant to cold/hot extremes. maybe long-term sub-zero 'might' affect it a tad but in normal usage its not an issue.
 
Last edited:
1767555053753.jpeg

Are those chair seats wet?
 
Last edited:
nataddrho said:
I play in my garage with Duramith balls and the temperature is currently 35 degrees F. I just put on a hat. I’ve never been worried about the balls.
Click to expand...
My wife and her friend complain that I have our lower level in floor heat set too low at 68 deg. When her friend was coming over to shoot all the time, my wife would tell me to turn it up to 70, keep in mind it takes about two hrs to change the temp where the in floor heat runs non stop. I finally put a stop to that, 68 or nothing. Now when her friend comes over, she wears her heated vest, sort of funny actually.
I'm the King of the house, ha ha
 
Last edited:
measureman said:
A friend of mine got a set of balls for Xmas.
This saturday he forgot to bring them to the room.So the question is can he leave them in the car 24/7 with temperatures here in Colorado getting down well below freezing at times.
Will very cold balls shatter when hit hard?
Click to expand...
Going to be harder to hit -- I'd try at least 13 mm just to locate them.
 
measureman said:
A friend of mine got a set of balls for Xmas.
This saturday he forgot to bring them to the room.So the question is can he leave them in the car 24/7 with temperatures here in Colorado getting down well below freezing at times.
Will very cold balls shatter when hit hard?
Click to expand...
Seriously, like most things left in cold temps, I'd want to be sure they were at room temp before using them just in case.
 
muskyed said:
My wife and her friend complain that I have our lower level in floor heat set too low at 68 deg. When her friend was coming over to shoot all the time, my wife would tell me to turn it up to 70, keep in mind it takes about two hrs to change the temp where the in floor heat runs non stop. I finally put a stop to that, 68 or nothing. Now when her friend comes over, she wears her heated vest, sort of funny actually.
I'm the King of the house, ha ha
Click to expand...
I keep my place at 61
 
I spent many years working as a mold tech for an injection molding company.
One thing I can tell you is that temperature affects the size of any Phenolic resin item.
Objects made from phenolic resin expand as they heat up.
Billiard balls are made using a thermosetting process that minimizes the contraction and expansion of billiard balls but does not totally eliminate it.
It is best to keep billiard balls at a controlled temperature for consistency.
Also, bringing balls in from cold temperatures will cause them to sweat which creates moisture on the surface.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top