The rare Black Level Golf Balls from South Korea have a durable jet black ionomer cover that provides increased visibility in various light conditions compared to traditional white balls. With unique colors and dimple patterns, their specialized polymer material and stylish alternative design have gained the attention of golfers who have discovered their intriguing mystery on courses.
When I first found the Black Level Typhoon Eye golf ball, I was puzzled, like others who had found one. Where did it come from? I was impressed by its long and straight flight after hitting it on the range a few times. I researched it to learn more about its origins and performance characteristics.
That’s when I saw forum posts from others who had also found this mysterious ball. One user in Korea led me to a website selling Black Level balls. After comparing its construction and specifications to those of more mainstream brands, I can see why it outperforms others despite its obscure origins.
Golfers seeking improved visibility and performance in all weather conditions will want to keep reading. This article explores how black golf balls’ jet-black covers enhance contrast on the course. You’ll discover their advantages and tips for maximizing benefits based on your game.
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Black-Level Golf Balls: Why They Are Rare
The Black Level brand in South Korea produces distinctive Black Level golf balls. The brand produces not only golf balls but also artistic golf gloves sold in Asia. Their golf balls come in a variety of colors, including white, black, yellow, and pink, and different models are marked with names like “Typhoon Eye.”
However, Black Level does not have a strong online presence or distribution in most countries.
Some golfers have encountered Black Level balls on courses in mysterious circumstances. A few forum posts from golfers discuss finding these balls during play but being unable to locate information about the brand online.
One user even purchased used clubs that came with pink and white Black Level balls included. The lack of marketing and limited availability have made Black Level balls a rare sight for most.
The unique design features of Black Level balls set them apart from more mainstream brands. Their dimple patterns are said to provide better grip, and the balls come with an attractive font reading the brand and model names.
Some user reports have indicated the balls may glow faintly in the dark as well. However, without a global marketing push, the brand remains relatively unknown. Even finding suppliers that carry Black Level products proves difficult for interested golfers.
Advantages of Black-Level Golf Balls
Here are some of the most common advantages of Black-Level Golf Balls:
Increased Visibility
One of the main advantages of black golf balls is their improved visibility, especially in low-light conditions, compared to traditional white balls. Some golfers have observed that black balls seem to create a subtle glow-in-the-dark effect, helping players to more easily spot their ball at dusk or in the shade of trees.
The high-contrast black and white design makes the ball stand out against grass or the sky from greater distances at dawn and dusk. This increased visibility can allow golfers to continue playing later in the day or start earlier in the morning, improving the pace of play.
It may even help golfers avoid penalties if they can clearly see their ball come to rest in a hazard or off the fairway. Black balls’ improved visibility in low light conditions enables play in a wider range of lighting and can have a big impact on gameplay.
Contrast on the green
The dark colour of Black Level golf balls provides a high contrast against the green grass putting surface. This enhanced definition and contrast helps golfers with alignment both when addressing the ball for their stroke as well as when observing the ball’s movement during the putt.
Some golfers feel that seeing the ball “pop” more against the green background due to the contrast aids their ability to judge the direction and speed of the ball’s roll. The contrast allows for more confident strokes without potential misses from misjudging green conditions, especially on overcast or foggy days when discerning traditional white ball and grass colours can be difficult. Accurate alignment is important for precision and lowering scores.
Best Alternatives to Black Golf Balls
Titleist Pro V1 Golf Balls
The Titleist Pro V1 is one of the most popular golf balls on the market and comes in alternative colours like lime green and yellow that provide strong visibility. While still white, these brighter shades make the Pro V1 easy to see against the grass. Titleist’s urethane cover also gives the ball a soft matte finish that reduces glare compared to a glossy white.
Callaway Chrome Soft Golf Balls
Callaway offers their top-selling Chrome Soft ball in a high-visibility yellow option. Like the Pro V1, this yellow Chrome Soft stands out on grass but still maintains the ball’s feel and performance traits. The yellow colorway meets regulations while providing enhanced visibility over white.
TaylorMade TP5 Golf Balls
For those wanting a darker ball alternative, TaylorMade’s TP5 comes in a dark grey colour that contrasts sharply with greens. The grey shade meets the rules but provides a definition close to that of a black ball. It gives golfers a stealthy-looking option that still allows them to play their preferred ball.
Bridgestone e6 golf balls
Bridgestone’s e6 is available in a bright yellow that really stands out against grass. Its vibrant shade allows clear views of the ball’s position and flight. Like the white e6, the yellow version features Bridgestone’s renowned urethane cover and core for a soft feel and distance. The yellow e6 lets golfers maintain their preferred ball in a highly visible colour.
Srixon Q-Star Tour golf balls
Srixon’s renowned Q-Star Tour comes in a lime green that makes the ball easy to spot from all areas of the course. Srixon’s technologies still deliver the Q-Star Tour’s signature performance, regardless of colour. Amateur and touring pros alike choose the lime version to take advantage of its playability while maintaining strong visibility on the course.
Manufacturing and Design
The Black Level brand produces Black Level golf balls in South Korea. The balls are produced using a combination of durable plastics and elastomers in their construction. The inner core of the golf ball is made from compressed rubber or plastic materials to provide it with bounce and resilience. Surrounding the core is a layer of winding made from elastic thread that helps improve feel and control.
The outer cover of the Black Level golf balls is made from a specialized dimpled plastic material. Careful consideration goes into designing the dimple pattern on the ball’s surface. The unique arrangement of evenly spaced dimples helps optimize aerodynamics to increase ball flight distance. It also provides a better grip and feel during shots.
Black Level balls come in various colours, like white, black, yellow, and pink, through pigments added to the plastic cover.
The surface of the ball is printed with the words “Black Level 1” or “Typhoon Eye” in an attractive font design. This printing process allows for customized identification and branding for each ball model.
Some Black Level balls have been observed to exhibit a faint glow-in-the-dark effect, though it is unclear if this is an intentional design feature or not. The dim luminescence could result from phosphorescent pigments added during manufacturing.
Player Preferences and Trends
The following are the preferences for ball colour, according to a Golf Digest survey of 1,596 golfers in 2021
Ball Colour | Percentage of Golfers Who Prefer |
White | 67% |
Yellow | 23% |
Other (black, pink, etc.) | 10% |
This data shows that while the majority of golfers (67%) still prefer traditional white balls, 23% choose to play yellow balls. This means Black Ball’s popularity stands at about 10%.
This shows that white balls are still the most popular choice among golfers, followed by yellow balls. Black balls are not mentioned in the survey, so their popularity may be lower than 10% together with other colour balls.
Black balls may have improved visibility over white balls in some conditions, such as bright sunlight or sparse rough. However, white balls may be easier to see in other situations, such as cloudy days or thick grass. Some studies have also found that yellow balls have the best visibility overall, especially in the air.
Unfortunately, the performance benefits of black balls over white balls are not well established in these studies. Some golfers may perceive black balls as more accurate or easier to judge distances, but this may be subjective or influenced by other factors, such as ball quality, swing speed, or even just personal preferences.
Tips for Using Black-Level Golf Balls
Here are some tips for using black-level golf balls for the first time:
Start with shorter games as you adjust to the different visibility.
Black balls can be harder to spot once they land, so play practice holes initially instead of a full 18. This allows you to get used to the ball’s appearance in various lighting and landscape conditions.
Focus more on the ball’s landing spot at the address
Without the bright colour to help track its flight, concentrate extra hard on watching the ball’s descent toward the green. Take your time reading putts and make sure the ball is clearly visible before you stroke. It may take a few putts to get used to aligning with a black ball.
Consider playing when there’s less sun glare.
The lower sun angles of morning and evening can improve your ability to see a black ball come to rest versus the mid-day sun directly overhead. Adjusting your tee times is a small change that can make spotting the ball easier.
Be aware that black balls may blend into shadows on the green more than white balls.
Scan the entire vicinity around where you think it landed, as it could be harder to spot among shadows or foliage. Having an extra ball or two on the green helps if you lose sight of your original ball.
Conclusion: All About Black Level Golf Balls
We’ve discussed the unique attributes and origins of Black Level golf balls from South Korea and how their covers provide increased visibility in low-light conditions compared to traditional white balls.
Although not widely available worldwide, some golfers have come across these uncommon balls and been impressed with their performance.
Whether seeking improved visibility or intrigued by these balls’ obscure mystery, golfers now have more information to consider the pros and cons of black golf balls.
I read your article on Black Level golf balls but you never gave the supplier in South Korea that the ball could be obtained from. I found one of these balls and would like more. Please give us the site we can order from. Thank you, good article.
Hi Gary, the closest i came to finding them was to visit black level’s website https://blacklevel.co.kr/ and they dont have the golf balls on the site. even on their Instagram page. i think it was a one time thing to test the water