Wooden Golf Ball c1450
Historical records suggest that the earliest golf ball was likely a wooden ball, predating the well-known Featherie ball of the 1500s. This makes sense, as early golf was a simple game of ball and stick, with players using easily available materials like shaped wood or stones. The first wooden golf balls were crafted from beech wood by local carpenters and could be seen on the links along Scotland's East Coast from the 15th century. Rudimentary in design yet integral to the game’s early history, these wooden balls represent the humble origins of golf. Today, we continue this tradition by handcrafting authentic wooden balls at our factory in St Andrews, allowing you to experience the game as it was played centuries ago.
There is documentary evidence that the earliest ball played with would have been a Wooden Ball pre-dating the Featherie ball of the 1500s. This seems reasonable as early golf was basically a ball and stick game, and pieces of shaped wood or stones would be materials readily to hand. Local carpenters made the earliest example of the golf ball from the beech tree. From the 15th century, these balls would have been seen on the links of the East Coast of Scotland. They were rudimentary in style and would have been produced by local carpenters. These wooden balls are made at our factory in St Andrews.