Quick Answer
No, you can’t use golf ball for playing foosball. It will ruin both the table and the golf ball. But if you wanna know why the keep reading.
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The “Long” Explanation
Foosball is an interesting game, no doubt. Every now and then, we must have played the game with our friends over a weekend together, or simply watched it being played in the international arenas either in-person or through the online channels.
As a game, foosball provides everything that one could ask for: fun and excitement. As a sport, too, it does not disappoint; foosball needs some serious training skills especially for the upper body due to which one needs to practice for the same and perhaps for months or years even if they want to enter the professional arena where the games are played at their height of competitiveness.
For the more casual foosball enthusiast, however, it is not all that necessary to play the game as their lifestyle; such individuals may simply play foosball because they would like to relieve their stress due to which reason they would be considering it nothing more than a game to be played. While the casual foosball enthusiasts still appreciate the fast-paced nature of the game, they would not be playing it as a sport because their needs from foosball would be different.
It is certainly possible that foosball is played or can be played competitively, but that is only if the person is looking to make a living out of it, which may not always be the case. For the rest of them, it is just a way to enjoy some time away from work or to get some time out of their daily activities and destress themselves.
Sometimes, it is possible that casual foosball enthusiasts may have questions with regards to the game. This article, for example, is about finding out can you use golf balls for foosball?
There could be any number of reasons for you thinking of taking up a golf ball and trying to play foosball with it; maybe it’s just curiosity? Maybe you lost your foosball? Maybe your foosball is damaged?
No matter whatever the reason, let’s clear up the confusion about the suitability of golf balls for a game of foosball once and for all. Interested to know more? Read on!
Anatomy of Foosballs
Before answering the question that might have occurred to several of us about using golf balls instead of foosballs for playing the game, it is necessary to understand what or how foosballs are made up of.
Foosballs are usually single structured by their design; in short, it means that they do not have multiple layers or coatings of various substances that other balls like footballs or basketballs have; this is primarily due to the fact that foosballs do not need to bounce as much and they can simply be shot away with a foosball man, so their structure is simpler.
There are different kinds of foosballs; some of the foosballs are made out of cork, others are made out of hard plastic (which are faster but make more sound), and so on. Then there are textured foosballs, too.
At the end of the day, all those balls have one thing in common, which is that they are specifically made for the foosball table surface.
For the same reason, they are not too heavy-duty or dense.
Now, coming to the anatomy of golf balls.
Anatomy of Golf Balls
Golf balls are much denser compared to foosballs in many ways; firstly, a golf ball has multiple layers of substances that are packed densely one after another. The outermost layer of the balls is comprised of a hard-plastic sphere, underneath which, there is a rubber core, and there are about 3-4 layers of rubber in total before the rubber center can be seen or reached.
Golf is an outdoor sport; therefore, the golf balls have to be strong enough or durable and sturdy enough to ensure that they can be used outdoors. For this reason, the balls have to be much more heavy-duty to ensure that they can withstand the harsh elements that they would encounter when they are played outdoors.
Foosball Men vs. Golf Clubs
The next consideration here would be to understand the difference between a ball, which could either be a foosball or a golf ball, being hit.
Foosballs are hit by the foosball men while golf balls are hit by the golf clubs. It is no doubt that compared to foosball, the golf clubs are created to be much heavier and harder.
Therefore, when you see a golf ball being hit by a golf club, only then it can travel such a far distance because the golf ball, as previously mentioned, is quite heavy. So, it needs a much harder object to hit it before an impact can be created that will be forceful enough to move it.
Foosballs, on the other hand, are much simpler, like table tennis balls, which have just one layer or substance and are not meant to be hit with very hard surfaces or objects like golf clubs.
Foosballs are made out of hard plastic, and those would simply crack if they were to be hit by golf clubs or something as similar.
On the other hand, the golf balls would need to be hit with the clubs, or their heavyweights would ensure that they would not travel a long distance, which would make the game unplayable and uninteresting to play.
Therefore, it is necessary to understand that both foosballs, as well as golf balls, were created specifically to be hit by a specific object which would make them move the most.
Using Golf Balls in Foosball
Hence, in cases such as this, if you think of using a golf ball in place of your foosball for the game, then you would not be able to move the ball in the first place because the amount of force generated by the foosball men in the table would not be enough to make the golf ball roll over a big distance.
You must understand that for any game that includes a ball to be played enjoyably, the ball must have fast travel across the whole gaming scene – whether that be football, or basketball, or tennis, or anything else.
So, naturally, the biggest concern here, if you were to use a golf ball instead of a foosball, is: would you trying to hit the golf ball with your foosball men generate the same kind or level of force as a golf club hitting a golf ball would?
Definitely not. Compared to a golf club, foosball men are much lighter, and hence they will not be able to generate as much force as the former.
So, not only will you suffer a very difficult game of foosball trying to hit the golf ball reasonably fast to make it advance, but at the same time, you will also not be able to make the golf ball fit in the foosball area underneath the foosball mean because of its large size.
Golf balls are bigger than foosballs even if by a small margin, but when it comes to playing foosball, this small margin could decide how fun or frustrating your next game of foosball may turn out to be.
Disadvantages of Golf Balls
Furthermore, golf balls may tend to be extremely hard compared to foosballs which are just soft or hard but not the dense kind of hard like golf balls.
Golf balls were created or designed with the idea of having them being played outdoors, and hence, they are more rugged and sturdy than foosballs.
However, a common argument, in this case, would be that “since the golf balls are sturdier and rugged compared to the foosballs, they will last longer, right?”
Unfortunately, no.
Golf balls were created for natural surfaces like grass, and hard surfaces like foosball tables will just wear them out really fast.
Additionally, let’s say even if you were to hit the golf ball really hard and it would move a fair distance in the foosball table, what’s stopping it from hitting one corner or edge of the foosball table and damaging the same due to its extremely hard nature and high speed?
Nothing.
There is a specific reason that foosball games only prefer to use foosball matches; using any kind of outdoor specific ball like a golf ball is like asking for a death wish for your foosball table.
Moreover, golf balls would need to be hit with a much harder object such as a golf club, so hitting them with your foosball men will not generate as much motion, and you could have a lot of dead games with the ball being stuck out of motion which will only add to the frustration of the players, including yourself.
Hence, no matter what you do, do NOT use any golf balls instead of foosballs for playing your matches.
Can Golf Balls Be Used Instead of Foosballs for a Different Type of Game?
Golf balls can be used instead of foosballs for a different type of game. In golf ball soccer, players use their feet to kick the golf ball into the opposing team’s goal. However, make the goalie shot worth more to increase the level of skill and strategy needed to win the game.
What Can I Then Do?
The best solution, in this case, would be to head out to your nearest sports equipment outlet and buy foosballs in packs of 4, 6, 8, or 12. This way, even if you lose a foosball or get it damaged or just cannot play with it for whatever reason, you can always take up a replacement foosball and continue the game.
Additionally, using any other ball instead of foosball could damage the table as well. Hence, if you are thinking of trying a golf ball, just order a pack of foosballs online right now! It will ensure that your table remains in good condition and will certainly save you several hours of irritation and frustration that you might have run into, otherwise.
