Can new technologies enhance player recruitment, even if some advances are outside rules in place for centuries? Wooden golf clubs have certainly moved with technology up to carbon fibres, so why shouldn't the ball develop. It has already come a long way from the feathery affairs of the 14th-16th centuries, which were put out of business by introduction of gutta percha ball in the 19th century.

The New York Times reports that the Polara, a new aerodynamic golf ball first entered the competitive but lucrative golf ball market  in 1977  from a company named Polara Enterprises. But the United States Golf Association (USGA) officials decided the self  correcting Polara violated the spirit of the game and banned it in their rules.

Polara then filed an antitrust suit in 1978, charging USGA  with conspiring with the Golf Ball Manufacturers Association to restrict Polara's sales. A California Federal jury awarded Polara $1.5m in 1984, but it was overuled by the judge who issued in favor of the USGA. Polera appealed last January, both sides have spent the year preparing to argue the case again before a circuit court.

Former Callaway golf ball engineer David Felker who set up  Polara, says his product is not intended for elite golfers. “It’s for the other golfers, the ones who rarely hit it straight, who want to be embarrassed less, play faster and enjoy it more. I respect the USGA, they help identify the best golfers in the world, but what about the rest of us?”

Felker has made substantial design and structural revisions and with his partners introduced the revamped version last August.

The Polara differs from conventional golf balls largely because it has two distinct regions of dimples. Along the ball’s equator, shallow, truncated dimples lower lift and create a more horizontal spin axis. Lower lift means less force directed to keeping a mis-hit ball going left or right of target.

More horizontal spin axis also lessens side spin, a root cause in hook or a slice. Dimples are deeper, more concentrated and reinforce the horizontal spin axis while working in tandem with shallow dimples to generate lower drag, which with the lower lift makes for a straighter and slightly lower trajectory.

Polera's irregular dimple pattern however does not conform to golf’s official rules. [But in all games, rules were created to be extended so tennis racquets got bigger, hockey sticks more stubby] The straighter ball is designed to reduce slices and hooks by 75 % or more

But does a non-conformist ball matter to all golfers? For some adherents would give all not to spend the best part of the day looking for their ball. For others the game challenge is hitting it straight, so they are unlikely to see  attraction in a quick-fix.

Felker hired Golf Datatech, a research firm who surveyed 1,000 frequent golfers. About 28% said they would be interested in playing a ball that would potentially improve their game, even if it did not conform to the rules.