Did you know that golf is one of the country’s most popular sports? Every year more than 24 million Americans play 455 million-plus rounds of golf. That equates to roughly 20 rounds per golfer annually. Did you also know that golfers lose more than two golf balls per round on average? It’s ok to admit; we’ve all been there waiving sadly as our golf ball takes a hard right turn and splashes down in the pond just off the 18th green. Losing a golf ball can be an emotional experience. You may have had your first birdie with that golf ball. You might have used it to shoot your best round ever. Heck, people even frame their hole-in-one golf balls if they don’t lose it first.

Bryson DeChambeau was all the rage during the first three rounds at Augusta National. One of only five golfers to win the U.S. Amateur and NCAA individual title in the same year – joining Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ryan Moore (pretty solid company) – DeChambeau captivated audiences with his unique approach to the game. The physics major is a disciple of Homer Kelly’s “The Golfing Machine,” uses irons and wedges all the same length, and relies on science to score well. So when he turned pro shortly after The Masters it wasn’t much of a shock when he signed with Bridgestone. After all, Bridgestone’s golf balls are designed using so much science it’d make Bill Nye jealous.

It’s the one piece of equipment we use on every shot, yet most don’t give it a whole lot of thought. Golf balls seem so simple, but have you ever wondered how they actually work? Now, before we get into the science of flight, let’s take a quick peek into the history of golf balls. After all, you have to understand where you’ve been to appreciate where you’re going.

It’s here. The tradition unlike any other is finally upon us. Dubbed the unofficial start of spring, the Masters began in 1934. A year later, Gene Sarazen put Augusta National on the map with his notorious “shot heard ‘round the world” – a double-eagle on the par-5 15th that propelled him into the 36-hole playoff he would eventually win. Let’s pause for a moment and let the familiar tune of Masters week raise the hairs on your arms. Yes, the Masters and all its azalea-filled beauty is set to bloom on our television screens in a few short days. So in honor of this masterful week, the team here at LostGolfBalls put together our list of top-five Masters moments.

We’re officially nine days into spring and golfers everywhere are waking from their winter slumber eager to hit the links. To get you ready for the upcoming golf season, the LostGolfBalls team has put together some home DIY tips. No, we’re not talking about backsplashes. The drills we’re referring to are going to help you improve your putting all from the comfort of your living room. After all, it’s drive for show and putt for dough. So grab your putter, change out of those pajamas (or don’t, they’re probably pretty comfy) and prepare to bake up a more consistent putting stroke.

The best players in the world are heading to Austin, TX this week to compete in golf’s version of March Madness … the WGC-Dell Match Play. This format is perhaps the purest form of competitive golf. It’s a one vs. one, hole-by-hole competition that can be wildly entertaining and instantaneously heart-breaking. It also requires a bit more strategy than stroke play and demands you pay close attention to your competitor’s situation. To help you excel at match play the team here at LostGolfBalls has put together “two sleeves” of helpful hints and thoughtful tactics that will have you going 1-up on the competition in no-time.

There’s a special relationship between a golf ball and your golf club. Without getting too technical, golf balls are designed to react to club heads traveling at certain speeds. Manufacturers engineer a wide variety of golf balls and picking the right one can be a challenge. Rest easy, the LostGolfBalls team is here to help. First and foremost, all golf balls aren’t created equal. The key to picking the right one begins with knowing the speed limit – your swing speed limit that is. Doing our best Neil deGrasse Tyson impersonation, let’s dig a little deeper into the science of the swing to tell you why.

With temperature gauges rising, golfers across America are starting to come out of hibernation. While getting your gear ready to go is a top priority, equally important is prepping your body. Many teachers will tell you the golf swing actually starts well before you get to the course. Swinging a golf club is a very physical and violent action. To get your body firing properly you have to produce powerful movements, rotate strenuously around your spine, and put amazing amounts of pressure on joints, ligaments and tendons.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/selina0403 We put the top-selling, pro-favorite balls to the test and are happy to report that both 2016 models uphold the exceptionally high-quality standard that the Titleist brand has become synonymous with over its 83-year reign. Equally impressive in terms of overall superiority, the 2016 Pro V1 and V1x golf balls vary significantly in terms of design, technology and core attributes—just as each 2016 model boasts considerable distinguishing features when compared to their respective 2013 and 2011 predecessors.