Autumn in Korea can be a rainy season, and the past two weekends were no exception.
Because golf is played outdoors, equipment makers build their products with technologies designed to keep distance, trajectory and spin consistent even in poor weather.
That is also the main purpose of grooves, the horizontal lines cut across iron and wedge faces, which help maintain steady spin when the ball is wet. They work much like the tread on a car tire that prevents hydroplaning.
More recently, similar engineering has made its way into golf balls. Bridgestone is one of the leading examples. A close look at the company's Tour B X ball, widely known as the "Tiger Woods ball," reveals smaller dimples set inside the dimples. The dual-dimple design combines the advantages of shallow and deep dimples to deliver a stable trajectory, and the company says its technical value stands out most in strong winds.
The surface of the Tour B X is treated with a Slipless Bite coating, a technology that increases friction between the ball and the clubface to support precise spin control. It helps players keep their short game steady when the ball is wet or sitting in thick rough.
Ma Seo-young, who won her first career title two weeks ago at the Iceberg Golf and Seoul Shinmun Open on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, plays the Tour B X. She secured the victory on the second playoff hole by landing a shot from the rough on the green and making par. "The ball was wet, but I got about the same spin as usual," Ma said.