It’s estimated that 840 million golf balls are produced each year. That’s a lot of golf balls!
While most of these balls end up in the bottom of the ocean, or in golfer’s closets, many seem to vanish into thin air! Americans lose on average 300,000 golf balls each year; where they go, we will never know.
While it’s hard to envision such large quantities of golf balls, it does help to break down this number into small packet sizes.
Once manufactured, all golf balls begin on the store shelves, course shops and at other retailers. The balls are displayed in various packets, cases, sleeves and even large buckets.
While shopping around for golf balls, you’ll come across many different packages on sale.
I still remember how intimidating and confusing my first time shopping for golf balls was. I don’t want you to have to go through the same trouble I did.
The reason I’m writing this article is to help you understand clearly how many golf balls come inside a complete box.
How many golf balls are in a box, sleeve or packet? The average pack of golf balls contains a total of 12 balls. Inside a box of 12, you’ll find 3 inner boxes (sleeves), each containing 4 golf balls.
How Many Golf Balls in a Sleeve
When it comes to the packaging of golf balls, the term “sleeve” is commonly used. While everyday folk would think of a sleeve as being plastic, things are different in the golfing world.
A golf ball sleeve refers to a long rectangular box or a cylindrical tube used to store golf balls. Each sleeve generally holds up to 4 golf balls.
In most cases you’ll find 3 sleeves inside 1 golf ball pack for sale; giving you a grand total of 1 dozen (12 golf balls).
How Many Golf Balls in a Box
On average a golf box contains a total of 12 golf balls inside. The balls are separated into 3 sleeves, which protect and keep the balls in fresh condition.
When looking at most golf balls for sale buy the major brands like Titleist, Callaway, Nitro, Wilson and Oncore, their standard pack size is 12 balls.
This quantity was chosen as the standard number of balls in a box decades ago, and has stuck to this day.
A high quality set of 12 balls will have a shipping weight around 1.4 pounds.
The dimensions of the box will be around 6” (width) x 7” (length) x 2” (depth).
How Many Golf Balls in a Case
If you’re after a much larger amount of golf balls, you can enjoy a large discount buy purchasing a case of golf balls. An average case of golf balls will contain 6 dozens (a total of 72 golf balls).
Such a large quantity golf balls is ideal for golfers who tend to use a large amount of balls throughout the year.
I find splitting the cost on a case between friends is the best way to save even more money.
All major brands will offer a case of golf balls. 6 dozen is the most common size I have found, however you can also find 2, and 3 dozen cases.
The largest case I have found is the Callaway Hex Diablo case which contains 144 golf balls!
Choosing the Best Grade Case of Golf Balls
Remember to carefully read what golf balls you’re buying. Some of the budget brands will offer larger sized cases than the better known brands, but these budget cases tend to be lower grade balls.
I found companies such as Bridgestone, Callaway, Titleist and Taylormade all offer high quality cases under the $200 mark.
Golf Ball Grades Explained
To spot budget graded balls, look for markings on the box that show grade AA, B, C, D or “practice, balls”.
These grades indicate a lower quality golf ball. While they may be fine to hit around on a driving range, or local course, they’re not recommended for players serious about their performance.
AAAAA/Mint:
AAAAA (also known as mint balls) are the best used golf balls you can buy. While not in brand new condition, it’ll be hard for the average golfer to notice any difference.
These balls will show very little wear and tear, and can look as good as a new ball. You may find corporate logos or pen markings on them, but otherwise they should look good.
AAAA/Near Mint:
These balls are in near mind condition and should not be passed upon. These balls offer the best value for money as they are much cheaper than mint balls.
AAAA balls will certainly show some discoloring or light scuff marks, but otherwise will perform just as well as AAAAA graded balls.
You can relax in knowing that these balls will have minor cosmetic marks, but nothing that will comprise the flight of the ball.
If you’re on a tight budget, I recommend you choose this grade and then clean them. I find using water and white vinegar cleans my balls very effectively.
AAA/B Grade:
Similar to the near mint grades, grade B balls are still highly playable. These balls won’t have any cuts or damage to them. These balls may have a greater amount of surface blemishes, markings and logos. AAA grade balls will have been used for several holes of play but will need a deeper clean to get them looking shiny.
AA/C Grade:
AA otherwise known as C grade balls are wear the quality of the ball begins to slip into a lower level of quality. Not only do these balls suffer from a decent amount of cosmetic damage, they clearly look used. You can expect to see discoloring, worn dimples and other signs of a used ball.
However that’s not to say they are unusable. These make perfect practice balls and are perfect to use at driving ranges.
Grade D/Practice Grade:
Grade D golf balls are the lowest quality ball you’ll find for sale. The surface of these balls may contain cuts, logos, pen markings, discoloring and major signs of damage.
Most grade D balls are useable and you’ll enjoy smacking them high into the sky. If you don’t mind losing your golf ball, you can have some real fun with this grade of golf ball!
How Much Can You Save Buying a Case
You can certainly save some money buying golf balls in bulk amounts.
A good example of this is looking at the Bridgestone e6 Straight Golf Balls. A 2 dozen pack can cost up to $25.99, while 6 dozen costs 64.99. This equals a saving of $13 (18% difference).
How Many Golf Balls Fit in a Bucket
How many golf balls fit inside a bucket? On average you can fit 40 golf balls inside a standard sized bucket.
Anytime you visit a golfing range you’ll be expected to pay for a bucket full of golf balls. Depending on the range you’re playing at, you’ll be given a small bucket containing 40 golf balls to use.
You may also need to know the number of balls that you can carry inside a bucket when you’re playing on a course.
Many players prefer to carry around a bucket full of golf balls hole to hole. This isn’t a bad idea art all, and allows you to take multiple practice swings from the same location.
A 3 dozen case of balls and 1 bucket will certainly last you a full day’s game of 18 holes.
Conclusion
Having a deeper understanding of golf ball quantity and package sizes can help you make wiser buying decisions.
Knowing how many balls come packaged in a pack versus a case can save you hundreds of dollars in the long run.
Aside from quantity, other measurements are also useful when shopping around for golf balls. Read my full guide on golf ball size and weight here.
Also, remember that it’s almost never worth buying a single golf ball. At the very least, purchase 1 dozen balls. I feel 12 balls is an ideal amount to get started as a beginner in golf.
If you plan on hitting the fairway more than once per month, I recommend selecting a case of balls. A case of golf balls come in a set of 3 dozen (36 balls), and is enough to last at least a few months of play.