Could there be Sustainable Golf Balls in Design?
Written by bethany on June 30th, 2009
We all see the poor golfer looking through the mass pile of golf balls in a barrel at a golf club. They are looking for the brand name of Callaway, Nike and the #1 golf ball Titleist. Will they find a deal? Maybe and probably not. I am an amateur and I mean AMATEUR golfer. I love to play and if I saw my ball at the edge of muggy dark and slimy pond, I would muddy up the shoes and pull it from the muck. Then I would wash it off , give it a little, “you can do better than that” talk and place it in my pocket.
Photos from washed-out Augusta
In Architecture, you hear the word “green”, “LEED”, and “sustainable”. There are products made of recycled material, grown sustainable and these products are better on the environment and can lead to LEED certified buildings. Amazing! Anything to help this wonderful environment should be done. The Innovations section of the magazine Eco-Structure is an fabulous resource for these materials. They have things like textiles made of bamboo, colored glass that saves energy and urinals made of soybean resin!
But, my question goes back to the golf ball. I haven’t played a course where the ball did not find water. I’m thinking there are plenty of customers looking at the used golf balls for sale at the course. There are mixed opinions about the golf balls performing well after being emerged in water….3 months they are still performing well?…well then, how long have the actually been there?
The “LEED” movement in architecture and design has pushed building materials to have recycled content, be recyclable and safe for the environment. I think golf balls could play a part in this movement. Could there be recycled golf balls for architecture? Sure, maybe countertops, walls of Plexiglas with balls filled between studs at golf shops. The very first golf ball in the 17th century was made of wood! Today, they are made of a variety synthetic materials. Could they be melted into a flooring product like tires into gym flooring? I’m not sure. But, as many balls that are played surely we can recycle them and turn them into something spectacular…..but, this is just a thought from a designer who loves design and loves to hit balls into the water.