Featherie Golf Ball c1600

    FEATH1
    7 Items
    ¥6300
    Japan; 3-5 Days Global; 5-10 Days

    The Featherie Golf Ball, dating back to the early 1500s, was a remarkable innovation in the evolution of the game. Handcrafted from cowhide and stuffed with feathers, these balls were finished with lead paint for added weight. Creating a high-quality "Featherie" was a precise and skilled process, with each ball costing nearly two weeks' wages. A master craftsman could only produce about four balls per day due to the meticulous work involved. The Featherie achieved impressive feats on the course, such as in 1836, when Samuel Messieux drove one 360 yards at St. Andrews. Our replica stays true to the original design, though we are unable to include real feathers for export purposes. 

    However, this Featherie ball can be used in play and offers performance characteristics very similar to the originals used centuries ago. Experience a piece of golf history with our Featherie Golf Ball replica, designed for both collectors and players who appreciate the craftsmanship and heritage of the game.

    In the early 1600s, a leather ball stuffed with feathers was invented
    They were hand made from cowhide and goose feathers
    The making of a first-class "Featherie" was almost a science
    In 1836, Samuel Messieux drove a feather ball 360 yards in St Andrews
    The first feather balls cost almost as much as a set of golf clubs
    This hand made authentic Featherie ball can be used to play golf

    Harbouring its roots on the Eastern Coast in Scotland, the first golf balls were made of wood. In 1618 a new type of golf ball was created by handcrafting a cowhide sphere stuffed with goose feathers. Thus, the 'Featherie' golf ball was invented. The artisans made the balls while the leather and feathers were wet. As the leather dried, the feathers expanded to create a hardened, compact ball. Once coated with paint, these balls were sold, often for more than the price of a club. The time-consuming processes involved in creating a Featherie ball ensured that the price was out of reach of the masses. Though expensive, this type of ball had excellent flight characteristics and almost immediately made the wooden ball obsolete. For over two centuries, the Featherie was the standard. This ball closely resembles the authentic Featherie ball and can be hit. Due to worldwide constraints on exporting bird feathers, we have had to use a different material inside but with similar characteristics. Handmade in St Andrews, Scotland

    7 Items

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