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Bear Creek, Wis. If youre tackling the task of hosting a memorable Big Game party, try changing your traditional football food fare lineup to include a little Sauerkraut in your recipe playbook. Sauerkraut can score points with party guests by adding heartier flavor to grilled foods, finger food, appetizers, and even dips. And Sauerkraut juice can add a contemporary touch to mixed drink recipes for Dirty Martinis or Bloody Marys. We cant all make it to Miami for the big game, but we can all create a similar festive atmosphere at home, said Ryan Downs, co-owner of Great Lakes Kraut, the worlds largest Sauerkraut manufacturer. Part of that includes whipping up a few tasty, Sauerkraut-related recipes that will have your guests almost as excited about the food as they are about the game. Try a little home-based tailgating with grilled brats and hot dogs topped with Hot and Spicy Sauerkraut Topping. Party guests will delight in ever-popular, easy-to-make Sauerkraut Reuben Balls. Tropical Surprise Sauerkraut Salad, Reuben Pierogies, Country Ribs and Sauerkraut, and Sauerkraut Spaghetti Salad are other sure-fire recipes to delight football party guests. See these and other football party recipes at http://www.sauerkrautnews.com. SAUERKRAUT REUBEN BALLS 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese 2 tsp. dried onion flakes 1 package (2 lbs.) Silver Floss or Krrrrisp Kraut Sauerkraut, drained 16 oz. sliced deli corned beef, chopped 1 cup dry breadcrumbs or panko, divided
cup flour 2 eggs, beaten Vegetable oil for deep fryer Combine cream cheese and onion flakes; add Silver Floss/Krrrrisp Kraut or Silver Floss Sauerkraut, chopped corned beef, and cup breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly. Shape into golf-ball sized balls. Roll balls in flour, then dip in eggs, and roll in remaining breadcrumbs. Brown in 375F oil for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with Thousand Island dressing as dip. Servings: 24-30 Sauerkraut Reuben Balls Silver Floss and Krrrrisp Kraut Sauerkraut are manufactured by the worlds largest Sauerkraut producer, Great Lakes Kraut Co., LLC, Bear Creek, Wis. With processing facilities in Bear Creek and Shortsville, N.Y.the best cabbage growing regions in the worldthe company combines modern technology and four generations of Sauerkraut-making expertise to produce the countrys leading brands. Silver Floss canned and jarred Sauerkraut is found in the canned vegetable section of grocery stores in the East, South, and Midwest. Krrrrisp Kraut refrigerated Sauerkraut is located in the meat department at grocery stores nationwide. For more information about Great Lakes Kraut and its brands, visit http://www.sauerkrautnews.com. #### Related Articles – Sauerkraut, sauerkraut recipes, sauerkrautnews.com, Reuben balls, Email this Article to a Friend!Receive Articles like this one direct to your email box!Subscribe for free today!

Over the past few weeks, we have been bombarded with issues about NCAA football players violating a number of league rules on ethical conduct and preferential treatment.

North Carolina Tar Heels players Marvin Austin, Robert Quinn and Greg Little are among the latest casualties of the said controversy. NCAA has found them guilty and slapped them with the appropriate penalties. Austin was dismissed, while the other two were declared permanently ineligible.

The news brought disappointment not only to the UNC staff and fans, but also to the many betting enthusiasts who might need to review and update their College Football Odds.

To make things more interesting, an agent by the name of Josh Luchs has come out and confessed that he “paid college football players” in his early years in the business. He revealed that in a span of 6 years, between 1990 and 1996, he had given money to more than 30 players, including those that played for UCLA and USC, as reported on ESPN.

His story will appear on the October 18th issue of Sports Illustrated. He named names and gave detailed accounts of how things worked. It will also include the reactions and responses of the athletes involved. So if you are curious about the insights of Luchs and the people concerned, take some time to grab a copy and read it.

A List of the Highest Paid Football Players in the NFL

This article provides information about how players of the NFL are able to make millions of dollars per year.  What follows is a list of players and their salaries, a discussion about NFL player salaries including how they are able to sign multi-million dollar contracts, and finally NFL salary implications for both players and fans.

The main questions is, why do NFL players get paid millions of dollars per year? To answer this question, you need to understand the concepts of revenue stream within the NFL, and the term “salary cap”.
The salary cap is the amount of money an NFL team can spend on salaries for their players per year. The salary cap, imposed by the NFL commission, has progressively increased year by year since its inception back in 1994.
In essence the NFL salary cap, as negotiated by the players Union in the current collective bargaining agreement, is 62.24% of all football related revenue divided by 32 teams. For the 2009 season that figure is 128 million dollars. This means that each team has 128 million dollars it can spend on player salaries per year. But, as indicated by the data shown below, this salary cap continues to grow from year to year. Revenue mainly comes from ticket sales.
The following shows the steady increase in salary cap since 1999:
Salary Cap Per Team for NFL Player Salaries by Year

2008    $116 million
2007    $109 million
2006    $102 million
2005    $85.5 million
2004    $80.5 million
2003    $75 million
2002    $71 million
2001    $67.5 million
2000    $62.2 million
1999    $58.4 million

 
As the salary cap increases, so does the salary of players. The real question is how is the money distributed to players. There is a type of salary distribution model that teams use which is not  known to the general public. Lets look at a list of the highest paid NFL players for 2008.
The following table tells it all:
TOP 20 HIGHEST PAID PLAYERS IN 2008

1. QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh $ 27,701,920
2. DE Jared Allen, Minnesota $ 21,119,256
3. WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona $ 17,103,480
4. QB JaMarcus Russell, Oakland $ 16,872,400
5. RB Michael Turner, Atlanta $ 16,003,840
6. G Chris Snee, N.Y. Giants $ 14,890,000
7. CB Asante Samuel, Philadelphia $ 14,145,000
8. WR Randy Moss, New England $ 14,006,720
9. T Flozell Adams, Dallas $ 14,005,760
10 .DT Tommy Kelly, Oakland $ 13,978,480
11. WR Terrell Owens, Dallas $ 13,731,560
12. WR Bernard Berrian, Minnesota $ 13,705,000
13. T Michael Roos, Tennessee $ 13,505,520
14. C Jeff Faine, Tampa Bay $ 13,105,760
15. DE Will Smith, New Orleans $ 12,950,000
16. QB Tony Romo, Dallas $ 12,886,600
17. G Travelle Wharton, Carolina $ 12,850,000
18. DE Antwan Odom, Cincinnati $ 12,800,000
19. CB Terence Newman, Dallas $ 12,611,240
20. RB Marion Barber, Dallas $ 12,522,400

 
Lets examine the concept of salary in the NFL a little more closely. As previously stated, how teams pay their players and the value they place on them is known by only a few, including the player agent. It is interesting to note that having high salary players does not necessarily mean success to the team.
A case in point. One of the most successful NFL teams over the past ten years has been the New England Patriots. Yet only one player from the Patriots is in the top 20 for 2008.  That is wide receiver Randy Moss. Yet Oakland, over the past ten years, which has two players in the top 20, has not seen the success that the Patriots have had. As a mater of fact, they have not even come close.
Also, you can see five players from the Dallas Cowboys in the top 20 list for 2008, yet they have not been in the Super Bowl since 1995 (Super Bowl XXX). It appears that the New England Patriots like to spread their money around to their players, so that one or a few players do not get an enormous salary while the rest of the players make a fraction of that amount. Randy Moss may be an exception to this rule.
This team concept of salary distribution that the Patriots employ falls in line with the team concept they have set for their players when it comes to playing football. The Patriot’s organization believe that it requires a team effort to win football games, and not the superior effort of only a few players. Maybe that is one of the reasons the Patriots have been so successful over the past ten years. And lets not forget that the Patriots is one of the best managed teams in the NFL. Part of that management is proper salary distribution. Team owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick seem to know what they are doing.
In any case, NFL player salaries continue to increase year by year. Today the lowest rookie makes a bare minimum of $285,000.00 (at least for 2007). In terms of all professional sports, the NFL players are the highest paid. This is why so many college players seek to get into the NFL. But it should also be remembered that the average length of a career for a player in the NFL is only 4 years. So obviously a player needs to make all he can during that short career. The question is are the players worth these very high salaries.
A persons salary is dependent on one major factor. That is how many other people can do the job they are doing? The fewer the number of people that can perform a particular job, the higher the salary. Not to many people can play in the NFL. Also, the players do deserve most of the revenue that is produced simply because, without the players, you would not have any business entity. And since fans are willing to pay the high ticket prices, then I would have to answer the question that yes, the players do deserve the salaries they receive.
Football is a form of entertainment, but it is a form of entertainment Americans can not do without. Even in the Roman period, people had a need to see the gladiators fight in the Colosseums. The Romans had to pay to see their gladiators fight to the death. Sometimes all the seats were free, if a rich person had given money to pay for the show. Other times, you had to pay, and it cost more money for the good seats than for the bad seats, so the poor people had to sit way up top in the Colosseum where it was hard to see. Today rich people do not pay for all the seats at a football game. But at least today, NFL teams do not fight to the death! The point is, Romans were willing to pay to see the gladiator form of competition. This willingness to pay to see competition has existed throughout the history of mankind.
The bottom line is, fans really seem to not care to much about the player salaries. They just like to watch their teams with the hope that their team will reach the Super Bowl, or in some cases, simply a winning season. So how do NFL players make millions of dollars per year. Simply put, fans are willing to pay high ticket prices to see their team play. And as long as the demand for tickets remains high, players will continue to enjoy a high income.
Information sources for this article:
Source: PayScale ResourcesSource: USATODAY.comSource:  Roman Gladiators
About the author:
Thomas Sullivan, the author of this article, is a web developer and publisher who lives in the Boston, MA area. He is the creator and webmaster for NFL Merchandise, an online store for the NFL fan, located at the site New England Patriots.

For those couples that are big sports fans, a football themed wedding might be the perfect way to show your team spirit. Not only are themed weddings more original and unique than the average, they can also be less expensive and more personal. Here are some ideas to help you brainstorm about your football themed wedding.
Invitations can sometimes be tricky for a themed wedding. While you can find football themed invitations, they can be expensive and rather generic. If this becomes a problem for you, consider making your own invitations. Football themed stickers, ribbon, and scrapbook paper is readily available at most craft stores. Simply choose colors that reflect your team and you can put together inexpensive, personal, and memorable invitations for your special day.

Having your wedding at an actual football stadium is the obvious choice for a themed wedding. However, if this is not possible, consider a local park or other outdoor location. Even if you would like to have a more traditional indoor wedding, a football theme can still be accomplished if that is what you want. Some brides go all out and have their wedding dress designed around the jersey of their favorite team. Or you can wear a more traditional gown and have your bouquet reflect your team’s colors. Perhaps you could add a small football helmet or other football token to your bouquet as well. What about having your bridesmaids dressed as cheerleaders? They certainly wouldn’t complain about having ugly dresses that way. Or perhaps you could have your bridesmaids carry teddy bears dressed as football players instead of flowers. This would make a special thank you gift to them as well.

Decorations for a football themed wedding should be fairly simple and inexpensive to do. For the more elaborate decorator, what about an ice sculpture of the super bowl trophy? Silver or gold cup trophies can be filled with flowers and used as lovely table centerpieces. Or, one wedding planner suggests, “Use a white megaphone imprinted with your names and wedding date to support flowers for a centerpiece.” Food for a football themed wedding can be more casual and reminiscent of a tailgate party. Even your wedding cake can fit into the football theme, either subtly with a football cake topper or extravagantly in the shape of a football stadium. However you decide to demonstrate your team spirit, you and your guests will enjoy the memorable, unique football theme.

For more information about weddings and wedding planning please visit http://www.jointhewedding.com/

A Fantasy Football Diehards NFL Predictions for the 2009-2010 Season

It’s my favorite season of the year againNFL football season!!! Although I am a fantasy sports professional (a.k.a. fantasy addict) and play on a variety of fantasy web sites, my passion for fantasy sports all began with my love of football. The intensity, strategy and unexpected twists and turns that happen every season make each year unique and exciting. My love for the game has inspired me to observe trends and analyze stats over the years, so these days I like to throw my hat in the ring with the rest and make my own NFL predictions.

Jason McCoy’s Top 5 NFL Predictions

Feel free to agree or disagree with any of my predictions! As the season unfolds we will find out who REALLY had the best instincts and insight into the games.

Prediction 1. The NY Jets are going to win the AFC East.

Prediction 2. Adrian Peterson will score the most touchdowns in a season for a running back EVER.

Prediction 3. The San Francisco 49ers will win the NFC West.

Prediction 4. Drew Brees will break the NFL record for passing yards in a season this year.

Prediction 5. The San Diego Chargers will win the Super Bowl.

6 Important Observations from Week 1 of the 2009 NFL Season

Week one always provides some important insights into the rest of the season. Here are some week one details I noticed and consider valuable.

Observation 1: Brian Urlacher is out for the season. This is a serious blow to the Chicago Bears’ chances of winning the NFC North. I think Minnesota will win the NFC North, while Green Bay finishes 2nd with a chance to get a wild card spot.

Observation 2: Indianapolis Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez’s injury will seriously hurt the chances for the Colts to compete in the AFC South. Gonzalez was being counted on to be the 2nd WR for the Colts, a team that has a very “iffy” running game.

Observation 3: Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb’s rib injury inspired the team to sign Jeff Garcia. Garcia, I believe, gives the Eagles a better shot at winning than Michael Vick. That is if McNabb actually misses any time. Don’t count McNabb out yet, he is a tough competitor and will play if he thinks he can tough it out.

Observation 4: The Detroit Lions and St. Louis Rams really, really “stink” and they will be competing for the 1st pick in next year’s NFL Draft.

Observation 5: Tom Brady looked a little hesitant in the first half of the Buffalo game but in the 2nd half, he looked great and with every snap he takes, his confidence will grow. This is not good news for the rest of the NFL.

Observation 6: Tony Romo got better and better as the game against Tampa Bay went on. The Cowboys are poised to be a very dangerous team in the NFC if Romo continues to play like this and the Cowboys’ running game fires on all cylinders. The Cowboys Defense is a half-full/ half-empty situation. On the half-full side, the secondary looks much improved over last year’s unit. On the half-empty side, the Cowboys’ pass rush (other than DeMarcus Ware) was almost non-existent. If this continues, teams will double or triple team Ware and the Cowboys could find it hard to put any real pressure on opposing Quarterbacks.

Well, I’m ready for the upcoming games! I’ve just got to grab some food, get a comfortable spot on the couch and call some friends. The best part about football happens now. Let’s watch the NFL saga unfold.

After months of analysis and projections leading up to the April 25-26 NFL draft followed by days of draft recap and team grades, we focus on what really matters to us; how the draft affects our fantasy football leagues. Players may have been drafted higher or lower than projected, but that has no impact on where they will be drafted in our leagues. What matters most to us is if the player will play and if it will be this year or in upcoming years. Let’s take a quick spin through the AFC and look at each team’s new additions that could factor into our fantasy football drafts.

Baltimore – Baltimore’s best pick was on the offensive line with G Michael Oher. I cannot see this changing the draft position of any of the Ravens’ three-headed backfield. DE Paul Kruger was a nice addition to an aging defense.

Buffalo – Buffalo added players across the board, except for the offensive skill positions (Terrell Owens was added via free agency). DE Aaron Maybin will be a stud on defense, bumping the defense up a few positions. They did add TE Shawn Nelson who could have a sneaky year catching passes underneath. Hopefully, Owens won’t catch him conspiring with QB Trent Edwards on individual plays.

Cincinnati – The Bengals had a great overall draft, but their improvements on the offensive line OT Andre Smith and defense with LB Rey Maualuga and DE Michael Johnson does little to make their defense draftable or increase the draftability of any offensive players. I do love TE Chase Coffman and will take my chances on him with a late round pick.

Cleveland – Rookie wide receivers rarely do much in the NFL, but the Browns added two that I would recommend taking as a late round pick; Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi.

Denver – The Broncos addressed their biggest weakness; their defense. However, their defense should only be rostered when facing

Kansas City and Oakland. RB Knowshon Moreno is worth drafting, but I would not draft him too high as Denver signed 4 free agent RBs so I don’t see Moreno as their primary back.

Houston – The Texans added a few starters on defense to help out Mario Williams. The jury is out on whether or not it makes the position draftable or not cuz they were the 27th-ranked fantasy defense in 2008.

Indianapolis – DT Fili Moala helps the defense immediately, but the player to focus on is RB Donald Brown. Brown quietly lead the NCAA in rushing yards in 2008 and will step in right away for the Colts. Joseph Addai is still the number 1 running back, but has proven to be injury-prone, so Brown will get reps right away to minimize Addai’s touches. He should be selected in middle rounds and a few rounds higher in Keeper Leagues.

Jacksonville – The Jags grabbed a pair of offensive tackles to help restore their running game. This should keep Maurice Jones-Drew as a second round pick. WR Mike Thomas is worth a late-round flier.

Kansas City – The Chiefs signed a few good players on defense in DT Alex Magee and LB Tyson Jackson, but they will not make their defense worth drafting.

Miami – You will read a lot about how well QB Patrick White will fit into the Fins’ Wildcat offense, but how many touches can you realistically expect? They grabbed 6′ 5″ WR Patrick Thomas outta USC to help their passing game, but if their offense does not make Ted Ginn Jr an every week starter, Thomas has no chance.

New England – Much like Dallas, New England worked multiple trades to fill multiple holes, but none of them will help us in the fantasy world. No offensive players to note and their D will not change draft perception with the new additions.

New York Jets – The Jets were the most daring team during the draft and landed two draftable players out of their three picks in QB Mark Sanchez and RB Shonn Green. Many people questioned the Green pick, but I love this kid. He is as tough and powerful as they get. Thomas Jones is in his early 30s and threatening to hold out if he doesn’t get more cash and Leon Washington may become too expensive, so Green is not a bench warmer. Sanchez had a short starting career at USC, but excelled in a pro style offense and seems polished and ready to tackle the New York media. I would recommend Sanchez as a mid-round pick and can see taking Green as a double digit round pick. Bump Sanchez up considerably in Keeper leagues and bump Green up a few rounds in Keeper leagues as well.

Oakland – Oakland would receive much more ridicule for its draft choices if Detroit wasn’t in the league. However, in fantasy football, who cares if Oakland drafted a guy a round too early and bypassed a much better receiver to do it. WR Darius Heyward-Bey is a burner and can put up some serious numbers if JaMarcus Russell can get him the ball. A good mid-round pick.

Pittsburgh – The Steelers didn’t really do much to change fantasy football except add another solid DT to its defense in Evander Hood. They should still be the first or second defense drafted.

San Diego – The Chargers added DE Larry English, but will probably move him to LB, especially if Merriman is slowed from his knee surgery and Shaun Phillips can’t stay out of trouble. No impact on fantasy in the least.

Tennessee – WR Kenny Britt was their best pick, but he will be a third option in a run first, second and third offense. They replaced Albert Haynesworth with DT Sen’Derrick Marks (no misspelling on the name). He is a slight step back, but won’t change the location in the draft for the Tennessee D.

By Sean M. Cochran

www.BioForceGolf.com
 
Imagine every one of your shots in the middle of the fairway, every chip two feet from the hole, and every putt nailing the center of the cup. Well, maybe some of us dream of never having to ever putt and each approach shot goes into the hole, but I think you get the picture. A consistent swing is probably what many golfers dream of when our heads hit the pillow.
 
The majority of us are aware that golf is a game that requires consistent shot making to be successful (and have fun). If we are hooking, slicing, and hitting our wedges fat, it can really start to get frustrating. Consistency is key to hitting a low score and enjoying the game. So how do we get there?
 
First, let us do a little review of the golf swing. To hit the ball squarely on the center of the club head you must take the club through the proper swing path. A proper swing path will allow the club to align itself correctly with the ball to hit the shot you are trying to hit. For more advanced players this could be in the form of a draw, fade, cut, or some other variation. Higher handicappers will be happy with just plain old straight shots. Anyway, this process begins with your address, moves through your take away, into the back swing, onto the transition between back swing and down swing, into contact, and finishes with the follow through.
 
Quite a complex sequence of events for the body to perform! And we all know that if our timing is slightly off, or we are just a little off mechanically, disaster is the result.
 
Knowing that a consistent swing requires the execution of these complex moves over and over again is quite mind-blowing. But lets get back to our question: how do we develop a consistent golf swing? The answer is two-fold, and I imagine most golfers are aware of the first point but probably only a few are aware of the second. The keys to a consistent swing are: 1) efficient golf swing mechanics and 2) the body. Got it? Good, now I can stop writing this article and all of us can become scratch golfers, right? Well, not exactly, and I imagine some of you are saying, I already know all this stuff.” Others may be quite intrigued. Regardless of which category you fall into, let me expand on each of these topics a little.
 
Golf Swing Mechanics
 
Golf Swing mechanics is probably the easier of the two areas to understand. It is the reason why we take golf lessons and practice so much at the range. Beginning at address, moving through all the stages of the golf swing, and finishing with the follow through, the body is required to move through a specific sequence of movements to perform the golf swing correctly. If the body does not move through this sequence properly then the result will be a poor, inefficient and awkward looking swing.  Over time, a poor swing results in poor consistency (every once in awhile you hit a good shot regardless of your swing, thats what keeps us coming back for more).  An easy example of this is when you come over the top” with the club. This usually results in a slice (I know, easy thing to do and very hard to correct).
 
In addition to the body performing an intricate number of biomechanical movements in the golf swing, timing of these movements is critical for you to hit the ball successfully.  Each and every biomechanical movement within the golf swing has a certain sequence and timing. If they are not performed in the correct order or timing, then the golf swing will not be efficient. Poor timing results in those wonderful slices, snap hooks, chili dips and topping the ball that we know all too well.
 
Now, how do we improve on the mechanics of the golf swing? I would have to say it is through two things:
 
1) Proper instruction (Find a good teacher and stick with that teacher. Most of the pros do, why not you?) and
 
2) Practice, practice, practice. As they say practice makes perfect”, and I believe this is true when it comes to the golf swing.
 
Fix the Engine that Swings the Club
 
Now, on to the second point when it comes to consistency in golf. Again, this is probably the lesser known of the two points about consistency in the swing. It is also equally as important as the mechanics of your swing. One question might help you realize the importance of the body” when it comes to the golf swing. What swings the golf club?
 
Some of the answers I have heard are: my hands,” the swing,” my hips” and even the grip.” Well, these answers are in the ballpark and are close to being right, but let me simplify it for you. The answer is your body. Quite simple when you think about it: The club head is attached to the shaft, your hands grip the shaft, your arms are attached to your shoulders, your hips rotate through the swing, and on and on we go. It is the body that swings the club. So why is this so important to consistency in your golf game?
 
We know from our golf lessons, that there are certain positions the body is required to be in during the golf swing. For example, at address we know that the feet are slightly wider than shoulder width, knees slightly bent, back at a certain angle, head in a specific position, and our hands gripping the club a certain way. This is only the beginning of what the body has to do to swing the club correctly. Now, from the address position your body must move the club on the correct path and generate club head speed to hit the ball accurately and with power. Doing this over and over is what we define as consistency.
 
What most people do not understand is that for the body to perform the golf swing correctly, certain parameters need to be met by the body. The body must have certain levels of flexibility, strength, endurance, balance, stability, and power. If your body does not have the minimal levels of these factors in relation to the golf swing, then what do you think will happen? Well, let me tell you, it will be very difficult for the body to swing the club with the correct mechanics. And what will this result in over time? A large amount of time spent on the range with little improvement on the course and a swing that looks less than desirable.
 
So what does consistency in my golf swing really come down to?
 
It is vital to understand that improvements in your golf swing mechanics and improvements in your body specific to golf are equally important when it comes to creating a consistent golf swing. If you ignore either the body or the mechanics, it would be safe to say that your golf swing and game will suffer. Take some time on a routine basis to address both the mechanics of your swing and the body supporting it. I think you will find the benefits to be very rewarding.
 
If you are interested in more information on better golf swing mechanics and how to improve your level of golf fitness, please take a look at our web site www.bioforcegolf.com
 
Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. He has made many of his golf tips, golf instruction and golf swing improvement techniques available to amateur golfers on the website www.bioforcegolf.com.  Check out his manual and DVD, Your Body &amp Your Swing, at www.BioForceGolf.com. To contact Sean, email him at support@bioforcegolf.com.
 
 
 

Ever wondered why does a golf ball have dimples? Well, the reason behind it is to reduce the aerodynamic drag encountered by the ball during flight. A smooth surface creates a laminar flow, while a marked surface helps create a turbulent flow, which in turn lowers the drag.

History

The golf ball went through many different experiments and tests, before evolving into the form that we see today. Earlier, attempts were made to manufacture golf balls using leather and goose feathers. In order to make the ball hard, the practice of stuffing wet feathers, followed by stitching the leather, was followed. The ball however, had a short life, as it became useless when it came in contact with water. Gum obtained from the Sapodilla tree was used to manufacture golf balls in 1845. These balls were known as gutta-percha balls, because the gum used for the ball contained polyterpene, commonly known as gutta-percha. These balls had a smooth surface which resulted in a shorter drive than the feather-stuffed ball. However, it was observed that marked gutta-percha balls covered a longer distance than the smooth ones. The discovery led to many experiments in golf ball designing and finally the dimpled ball was accepted as the standard one in 1930.

Physics behind the Dimpled Ball

When any ball travels through air, it faces resistance in the form of friction and pressure drag. Friction being the negligible factor, the prime focus is to minimize the pressure drag experienced by the ball. If the surface of the golf ball is smooth, the air that separates behind the surface of the ball, flows in a laminar way. The ‘separation area’ that is formed behind the ball is large. In contrast to the smooth surface, the air flows in a turbulent manner when the surface is marked or rough. It reduces the separation area in size, since the air doesn’t separate earlier, as in the case of a smooth ball. The pressure drag is thus, reduced and the ball covers a longer distance.

The ‘Reynolds number’ is an indicator of the transition in the air flow from laminar to the turbulent one. When the Reynolds number, which is denoted by Recr, is low, the drag experienced by the ball is less and vice versa.

The dimples on the golf ball range from circular, rectangular, square to hexagonal. The round dimples are however, accepted as the standard ones. According to the experiments conducted on the golf ball, the hexagonal dimples are more efficient than the round ones, in reducing the drag. The balls manufactured in Britain possess 330 dimples, while the American golf balls display 336 dimples.

Getting a nice drive and flight for the ball is important in the sport of golf. The idea of dimpled balls was an innovative one and has worked wonders for the game.

In the physical world of air pressure, turbulence, and aerodynamics, structure of the surface is a critical design exercise. There are several historical events that have contributed the design and make-up of the golf ball. Eventually, after hundreds of years, the ultimate design and composition of the golf ball has been achieved, based on scientific research . The humble golf ball is a good example of the development of the history of aeronautical engineering.

When the game of golf started on the eastern coast of Scotland, nearly all of the players used antiquated golf clubs and balls in order to play the game of golf which was a more informal game than it is today. At that time, the first golf clubs and golf balls are made of wood.

It was in 1618 that the feather golf ball was first introduced and gained popularity. This form of the golf ball became known as the “Featherie”. This feather golf ball was a handcrafted golf ball made with goose feathers securely pressed into a horse or cowhide sphere. The whole process was carried out while the ball was still wet. As the ball dried out, the the leather would contract and the feathers expanded to create a hardened golf ball.

Because these types of golf balls were specially handcrafted, they usually cost more than the golf clubs. As a result, only the wealthy people had the money to play the game of golf during this early period.

After the ‘Featherie’ the next type of ball , to gain in popularity was the Guttie golf ball. This ancient type of golf ball was made from the rubber like sap from the Gutta Percha tree which comes from the tropics. These Guttie balls could be simply shaped into a sphere when hot. as they cooled, they kept their shape and could then be used as a golf ball. With its rubber nature, Guttie balls could be cheaply reproduced and could be simply quickly re-cycled by reheating and reshaping.

In a comparison between the two earliest forms of golf balls, the feather golf ball was said to travel much further than the rubber Guttie. This apparent paradox was eventually confirmed as being due to the difference in surfaces. The smooth surface of the Guttie reduces the capacity of the golf ball to travel over greater distance.

With this new knowledge, the makers of golf balls eventually designed with balls with the “dimples” that are found on modern golf balls in use today.

Dimples are put onto golf balls so as to get rid of the aerodynamic drag, which acts on the ball and is higher if it were totally smooth. The cause of this is because smooth balls, when flying through the air, leave a huge pocket of low-pressure air in its wake so creating drag. The drag performs as an anchor and the ball reduces in speed.

Alternatively, by having dimples on golf balls, the difference in pressure gets lowered and the drag is reduced. These dimples create turbulence in the air around the golf ball. This, in turn, makes the air clasp the golf ball more closely. By doing so, the air flows in to the wake created by the ball instead of traveling past it. This results in a smaller wake and less drag. Consequently, the ball travels further.

Dimples also help players to put backspin on a shot so making the golf ball break off on the putting green. The concept of putting dimples on golf balls can be traced back to the Gutta Percha phase of development. It was Coburn Haskell who came up with the one-piece rubber cored ball encased in a Gutta Percha cover. It was during this time that players first noticed how their shots became more and more predictable the longer that they played with the same ball. They noticed that the more the balls became scuffed the more precisely and further they could hit it.

When William Taylor applied the dimple pattern to a Haskell ball in 1905, golf balls finally took on their current shape. So the dimples were born. From that time on, dimpled golf balls were officially used in every golf tournament. In 1921, the dimpled golf balls took on a standard size and weight.

Nowadays, there is a large selection of golf balls suitable for different golf games and conditions. Some golf balls offer greater control, while some others offer greater length. However else these golf balls vary, they all have one attribute in common and that is the dimple. Golf balls are not just pieces of golf equipment; they are a paradigm of a physics concept!

To add to the slew of articles and forum on the invention of golf, here is another one being tossed at you! But on a serious note, this article will hopefully give what you want, about how was golf invented. Golf as we know is a thorough gentleman’s game and a game of the high and mighty, played with a golf ball and a golf club. To tell you more, golf has a very interesting history and a major part of it is the invention of the game itself. Well, I am teeing off to discover the invention of this sport, are you people joining me in knowing who invented golf?

The ‘Iron’ic Claims
Well, some of the Asians, Scots and Dutch as well as the Brits have laid strong claims and perhaps have presented evidence that golf originated there. Amongst Asians it is China and Laos and amongst other European countries are France and Belgium. All these countries have believed to have had games involving hitting a object supposedly at a target. Now this does not necessarily mean golf. Interesting part in this is that Holland gets the credit for the name the sport is called as, but apparently it was not the place where the modern version of golf is played. Let’s see what is this deal about golf in Holland.

Colf and Holland
Well, in 1200, there was a game called Colf which was played in Holland. It has been tracked back to December 1297, in a town called Loenen aan de Vecht. This game was played having four holes to mark the relieving of Kronenburg Castle exactly an year before. This is a proof that Colf was pretty much established by then. The name golf seems to be a Scottish alteration of the Dutch word colf.

The Brits Argue
One of the earliest proofs of golf being played are believed to go back to 1340′s. There, in a sketch from a stained glass window in the east window of the Gloucester Cathedral, England, were scenes from Battle of Crecy in France. This sketch further showed a man supposedly preparing to strike a ball somewhat as in Golf.

The Scot Trot
But, all the versions played before – colf and others did not have a very important aspect which contemporary golf has and which truly makes it the game as we know it. The country which is most commonly held as the first country for getting all the aspects together and start a rudimentary form of this fabulous game of golf is Scotland. Yes, Scotland it is! So the answer to who invented golf and when is the Scots around 15th century. It was a long time though, before the form of golf as we know it today came about, the 18 hole game and other variations. It was in the year 1750. The rules of the game were standardized and formalized much later, in 1774, by golfers in the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh. Read more on basic rules of golf.

Invention of Golf Equipment
Now that we know about the invention of this sport, a sneak peek into the origins of the golf equipment would be a good idea right? So we will first talk about the club. The first ever golf clubs were made by a bow maker working for King James IV of Scotland. The construction of golf clubs was time consuming and expensive, making it an expensive sport to play. The golf balls went through a lot of transitions on the other hand. Adam Paterson came up with a gutta-percha ball, made from Gutta tree sap. Ball with a rubber core by Coburn Haskell followed, which could travel 400 yards or more. Golfers slowly noticed that worn out balls work better, in 1905. The first version of dimpled ball used widely today was introduced by William Taylor in the same year. Read more on why does a golf ball have dimples.

This was how golf evolved through ages and that was all about who invented golf and what all was involved in the invention of golf. Whatever the claims by different countries, the fact widely accepted is that Scots and Scotland gets the due credit. Read more on history of Master’s Golf Tournament.

At the end, the contention about who invented golf is always going to be there! This is where I finish scoring on every hole!