Albus Golf, a company located in the Spanish city of Barcelona, had a mission: to design innovative and unique products with ecological and biodegradable features that improve the sustainability and biodiversity of marine life, in order to satisfy the sporting and leisure requirements of our customers and improve their environmental awareness. I’d say they achieved that mission with the invention of the biodegradable golf ball! Anyone who plays golf will know that hitting golf balls into the sea, rivers, reservoirs, and lakes is prohibited. This is because regular balls are manufactured using plastic materials which are highly polluting, they can cause the death of fish and other marine animals if ingested. What is more, because golf balls do not biodegrade, they will inevitably accumulate on the sea bed. Not any more thanks to the biodegradable eco-friendly golf ball!
According to the Albus Golf website:
“ECOBIOBALL is a single-use ball with a unique and exclusive design for practicing golf close to marine environments (sea, ocean, rivers, lakes and ponds).ECOBIOBALL is the first and only golf ball in the world which, after being used and subsequently biodegrading releases fish food.This is why we have defined it as ecological and biodegradable. Thanks to its innovative formulation, it starts to biodegrade immediately on being submerged in water. In less than 24 hours, its external coating starts to open, and in 36 to 48 hours the internal core, comprised of 100% fish food, is
released into the water, where it can be eaten by fish.”
The following photo from the Albus Golf features the Ecobioball 48 hours after submersion in water, as you can see the external layer has begun to be broken down releasing the fish food core into the surrounding water.
As I understand it these balls aren’t meant to be used on driving ranges, or golf courses where regular balls can be retrieved but to have the opportunity to practice close to marine environments without polluting them, and to bring an added value to such environments. Whilst I don’t play golf myself, I do know some golfers and they’ll be very pleased to know that now they can practice close to the water and be eco-friendly at the same time!