Original Haskell Bramble Golf Ball (North Berwick Collection)

        Like the gutta percha did to the featherie many years before, the Haskell golf ball revolutionized the game of golf when a seemingly simple invention. In 1898, Coburn Haskell introduced the first rubber cored golf ball. This golf ball was universally adopted by 1901 due to players' outstanding success with the ball at all major tournaments, including during its use at the U.S. Open and British Open. The balls didn't look much different than the gutta percha ball, but the rubber core enabled the golfer an extra 20 yards or so off the tee. The dimple pattern was applied to the Haskell golf ball in 1905, at which point the modern golf ball began to take form. Golf ball manufacturers continued to make changes to the golf ball over the next few decades, but it is important to understand that all of these changes were really just manipulations of the Haskell golf ball.

        Presented here is great example of the historically significant Haskell bramble golf ball. This ball helped usher golf from the gutta percha era to the modern era. Significantly, this original Haskell was obtained from the James Watt of North Berwick collection. Watt was the assist pro to Willie Park, Jr., and collected some fascinating golf balls during his time at North Berwick. This Haskell ball comes with a signed letter of authenticity from James Watt's granddaughter Rosemary Watt, who explains collected this ball at his golf shop in North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland.