There is, or use to be, a golf course very close to Bright HQ. It had been in use for almost 30years then one morning when arriving in, I noticed a bunch of cows on the course. I thought either cows had become the dominant species on earth over us humans or golf wasn’t as popular as previously! Luckily it turned out that neither scenario was true and branded golf items are still extremely popular. Golf balls are predictably the most popular and here are answers to some of the most frequent questions we get asked about branding them.
Q: What is the smallest text able to be printed on to golf balls?
A: This is dependent upon the text font or style that you require and so it is not possible to suggest a universal minimum font size. Pad printing is very sharp and small sizes of text can be printed. As a starting point though, if you print out the logo to a maximum print size of 24mm diameter on your own good quality laser printer and the text is too small to read then it will not be any easier to read when it is printed on to a golf ball!
Q: Can you print full colour process on to golf balls?
A: Yes, but we don’t recommend this on some full colour logos. We always like to view the full colour logo before confirming that the commercially acceptable, desired results can be achieved on a pad print on to a golf ball. Basically, full colour process logos are made up of a series of dots, combinations of which result in the appearance if tints and shading to make up the logo.
Due to the pad print process and the limited print area, when certain full colour process logos are printed, the resultant print can appear “dotty” and therefore unacceptable. Text printed full colour is never as “sharp” as when it is printed in spot colour because it is made up of a series of dots as opposed to a solid print.
This can cause problems when for example a full colour logo has text within the logo.
Best to show us the full colour logo first and upon our advice to then manage your own customer’s expectations.
Q: Can you print more than one logo on golf balls?
A: Yes we can print in two positions on golf balls, this is traditionally called a two pole print.
Q: Can you print photos on golf balls?
A: This is the same answer as with full colour process printing. Usually, the best way of doing this is to have the photo redrawn to a one colour version and then print it.
Q: How are the balls packaged?
A: Logo golf balls are always packed into card sleeves of three golf balls. The outer boxes are mainly in dozen outers, so four sleeves of three balls in the outer. Certain budget golf balls are packed into fifteen ball packs as below.
Q: Why can’t golf balls be shipped out the same day immediately upon being printed?
A: Golf balls are printed with a two part ink and so take around one day for the ink to cure.
Q: What is the minimum order?
A: The most economic quantity is 12 dozen minimum order on logo golf balls but on most brands we offer minimum order 3 dozen balls.
Q: What is the difference between personalised and logo golf balls?
A: Personalised golf balls are text only in one standard colour and logo golf balls carry a corporate logo in the customer’s specific pantone colours.
Q: How do I submit my logo and what are the preferred logo formats?
A: We need to receive the logo by e-mail and the artwork needs to be a vector file. The format can be : eps, ai, corel draw, vector saved as pdf, we accept most formats as long as is a vector file.
Q: Why is the maximum print area on a golf ball only 24mm diameter?
A: Basically because a golf ball is round and the print method is pad print. When the silicon pad contacts the golf ball the rounded end of the pad compresses over the part of the golf ball that is being printed. Because the golf ball is round and the pad is compressing over a round surface, distortion of the print would occur if the attempted print area was too large. For example if you tried to print a square that is larger than the maximum print area of 24mm diameter then the logo would “bow” i.e. the sides of the square would appear curved instead of straight.
Q: How are the logos positioned on the golf balls?
A: This varies dependent upon the position of and the size of the existing manufacturer’s identification markings on the golf ball. The printer will position the logo at their digression. This is never a problem.
Q: Can I ask for the logo to be position exactly to the millimetre in line with the manufacturer’s marking on a golf ball?
A: No not really. Whilst the print position of the logos is accurate enough to be commercially acceptable, please do understand that the positioning of the golf ball in the jig or holder, in preparation of applying the print, is done by human hand and is reliant upon the operator’s accuracy of eye.
Q: What is the imprint quality?
A: Pad printing on to golf balls achieves a great quality imprint.
Q: What is the maximum colour of print on to golf balls?
A: Five Colours.
