Leather Golf Ball

The modern version of golf can be traced back to Scotland in the 1500s, and the first known Rules of Golf were formulated in 1744 in Edinburgh.

Leather golf balls sewn from three leather pieces and stuffed with feathers were known as ‘feathery’ or ‘featherie’ and were popular between the 1600s and 1850. The one shown here most probably comes from the early 1800s. Only the richest players could afford featheries as they were quite time-consuming to make. Beginning in 1848, golf balls made of gutta-percha gum, called ‘gutties’, gradually replaced featheries.