Balata balls

Definitely not play that box. The winding construction rubber bands would be deteriorating so to make these unpredictable/unplayable.
Even with a fresh new box, nope. I catch enough thin to keep many balls smiling at me during the round. Hopefully the equipment doing the windings are only suitable as museum exhibits. Not all nostalgia needs to come back. Like my ‘69 roadster - in its time it was joyful.

Balata golf balls are good for about three years and these are way past their prime. Me, I would not play them. Nice souvenir. =)

Nope. Current solid balls change very little over time. Balata balls shrink is size as the wound enter bands get old and brittle. They loose significant distance. If the ball rollback created new ones, yes, they were fun and challenging to play but between tearing ups the soft covers (leaving "smiles" on thin shots) and exaggerated hooks and slices, there was a lot of skill required to play them. Enjoy your Tour 100's but I would keep them on the shelf.

No thanks, I have enough smiles on my face when I play, don't need them on the golf ball as well. We used to get a sleeve a round in high school. You were lucky if that lasted 18 holes without thinning one, or heaven forbid, scooting one across a macadam cart path.

No way. After 20 yrs. of sitting, the windings are shot. A nice collectors item especially since you have all 4 sleeves intact in the box.

Play those… nope. But I would love to get a couple sleeves of newly mfg would balata balls to compare to current technology.

When I was hitting them well, (read no smileys) I found that they had to be swapped out about every 3 holes cuz they would be out of round or get a bulge/ripple in the cover.

Or get a “smile” that would render it to water all status.

No,I wouldn't play them.

I surely remember those and the 90's which I also hit. I would use them. I really liked the feel of them off the clubs especially the irons. Are you selling them?

Adding another view point to this discussion, the current golf clubs (especially drivers) would not be a good pairing with the 'lower launch, higher spin' performance of balata, regardless of the age of them. A friend told me he tried to bring out his older 3-iron and current golf balls don't work - he hits low runners now! Maybe a good 'stinger'?!

Another point here regarding balata balls and current ball prices. I think balata would have cost about $40 per dz back in the day. I can remember using these with the first 'square groove' irons ('88 Hogan Apex in my case) and after a few wedges, I would have strings of balata coming off the cover. It was similar to what I'd expect from running a cheese grater across the cover. So, even if I didn't mishit the ball often (and, my mishit was 'heavy', not 'thin'), I'd need to replace the ball during the round. Once, I noticed the ball drifting in flight, and when I looked at the ball at the green, I noted that I had multiple 'scuff' patches on the cover. At that point, I understood the concept of 'scuffed fastball'!

Given how much more durable the current generation of premium ball is, I'd say the price is not that much different from a lifetime standpoint! I just wish I could keep the balls in places where I can find them to hit again!