Earlier I reported that Spalding produced golf balls with 332 dimples arranged in the Acushnet icosahedron dimple pattern from 1975 to 1979.1 Then Spalding introduced a new icosahedron pattern with 320 regular size and 12 smaller dimples from 1979 until 1987.2 Spalding obtained their first patent for a golf ball with 332 dimples in 1988.3 Now I report on the Spalding golf balls with 422 and 410 dimples. These dimple patterns dominated the Spalding dimple landscape all the way through the 1990’s.
US 5,018,741 Dimple Pattern
In May 1991 Spalding obtained a US patent4 for a golf ball with 422 dimples. The dimples were arranged in a modified icosahedron pattern. There were 40 dimples with a diameter of 0.165 inches, 20 with a diameter of 0.153 inches, and 362 with a diameter of 0.142 inches. Testing showed that this ball flew ten yards farther than the Spalding golf ball with 492 dimples5 (271.2 yards versus 261.1 yards).
The US patent for this invention was filed July 24, 1989. Since a patent must be filed within one year of the invention, the earliest date for introduction of a golf ball with this dimple pattern must be around August 1,1988. This can help us to determine when this golf ball with 422 dimples first appeared on the USGA list.
US 5,044,638 Dimple Pattern
In September 3, 1991 Spalding obtained another patent6 for a golf ball with 422 dimples. The dimples were all one size with dimple diameter of 0.140 inches. 73% of the surface was covered with dimples. There was one dimple at each pole (labeled P), and six identical dimple sections of 35 dimples (labeled 1 or 2) on each side of the equator (E) of the golf ball. The main purpose of this invention was to design a new dimple pattern that was not a modified icosahedron and gave good symmetrical flight performance. This ball, hit with a driver at 160 ft/sec, drove a golf ball a carry distance of 254.0 yards, a roll distance of 22.7 yards for a total of 276.7 yards. This was within the USGA standard of 280 total yards. This patent was filed June 12, 1990 which establishes that the earliest date for introduction of this golf ball is July 1989.
US 5,060,953 Dimple Pattern
Spalding obtained a patent7 for a golf ball with 410 dimples on Oct. 29,1991. This new dimple pattern had three sizes of dimple diameter: D1=0.165 inch, D2= 0.140 inch, and D3=0.110 inch. The % surface coverage was 73%. Here is the dimple pattern.
This dimple pattern was designed so that the ball would have aerodynamic symmetry in flight regardless of its position on the tee or the ground. Since this patent was filed Jan. 18, 1991, the earliest date for introduction of this golf ball was February 1990.
Next time I will report in more detail about these new Spalding dimple patterns.
References
- The Spalding DOT Mystery, January 6, 2022, Discussion, Golf Ball Cover Story.com.
- Spalding Icosahedron Pattern, April 29, 2022, Discussion, Golf Ball Cover Story.com.
- Spalding’s New Dimple Pattern, March 7, 2023, Discussion, Golf Ball Cover Story.com
- Joseph F. Stiefel, R. D. Nesbitt, Terence Melvin, US 5,018,741, May 28, 1991, filed Jul. 24,1989.
- Terence Melvin, Dennis Nesbitt, US 4,925,193, May 15, 1990, filed Apr. 10, 1989, priority date Jan. 14, 1986.
- R. Dennis Nesbitt, Joseph F. Stiefel, US 5,044,638, Sep. 3, 1991, filed Jun. 12, 1990.
- Donald J. Bunger, Joseph F. Stiefel, US 5,060,953, Oct. 29, 1991, filed Jan. 18, 1991.