Did you know that Titleist golf balls weren't always stamped with numeric play numbers so that you could distinguish your ball from others on the golf course?

That's right. The first numerals weren't stamped on Titleist and Acushnet golf balls until 1945. Prior to that, we used colored paint as a means for identification, marking a few dimples around the nameplate (the location on the ball where the brand name is stamped) .

Do you think the current practice of marking our golf balls with colored dots has its roots in those early models?

In the slideshow below you'll see some examples of Titleist balls from the 1930's that feature these different paint fills. Back then, we stamped "Titleist" on one side of the ball and "Acushnet" on the other. That evolved to a large "Titleist" and smaller "Acushnet", as you see in the 1947 example above. Golf balls would include "Acushnet" (in addition to "Titleist" and the play number) until the Titleist name stood on its own in 1952.

BONUS QUESTION: Can you name a golf ball manufactured by the Acushnet Company that still had "Acushnet" stamped on the cover after 1952?

For more great stories from the rich history of Titleist and The Acushnet Company, visit our History Page.

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Answer: The Acushnet Club Special.