How many golf balls fit in a 5-gallon bucket: Let’s do a thought experiment

“Fill the empty spaces of your heart

The vacant crevices of your soul,

With that which completes you

That which enhances the inner peace within you.”

In her poem “Fill the Empty Spaces”, Renée Bernard might have told you to fill the empty
spaces in your heart and soul. Well, guess what those aren’t the only available empty spaces you
can fill! (I am guessing your soul and heart are as empty as mine, no hard feelings though!) Let’s
consider an empty bucket that you can fill and determine how many golf balls fit in a 5-gallon
bucket.

Ever wondered how many golf balls fit in a 5-gallon bucket? Usually, people who play golf carry
a five-gallon bucket filled with either used golf balls or balls they are going to use. A number of
them stated that they fill the bucket with an approximate amount of fifty to seventy balls, usually
because they need only that amount ball for the game. But what if we leave no space, then how
many golf balls fit in a 5-gallon bucket? Let me tell you the answer but first, let’s discuss some
primary facts.

What is a Golf Ball?

A golf ball is white in color and teed and almost circular in shape. The nickname of a golf ball is
the tee. Golfers often refer to their golf balls as tees during games and when they are pitching
them in the holes. It is a much-needed element when it comes to golfing. So, you can imagine
that there are certain regulations for determining the size or mass of factory-made golf balls. The
regulations are strict so the balls have to be specially designed.

What is the size of a Golf Ball?

You must watch out for the size of a golf ball rather than its weight if you want to count how
many golf balls fit in a 5-gallon bucket. The standard size of a golf ball in diameter is 1.68
inches. The USGA (United States Golf Association) has restricted the diameter of a golf ball at a
minimum of 1.68 inches.

Though it has not set any maximum value, this diameter is followed universally. Interestingly,
even a few days ago the USA used to play with golf balls having a diameter of 1.62 inches. R&A
used to call them “small ball” as a nickname. This ball was only allowed in the USA and
Mexico. Now, USGA and R&D have come to collaboration and set a minimum of 1.68 inches in
diameter after more than 60 years.

Why the size of a golf ball is so important in golf?

The smaller the golf ball, the easier it gets for the golfer to put it in the hole. Golfers play golf in
nicely trimmed grass pitches. Here, the size and mass of the golf ball will determine its velocity
to speed. If a ball has larger than usual mass, the golfer may have to use more force. If the size is
bigger, he will enjoy some frowned upon benefits.

The size and volume of a five-gallon bucket

The size of the bucket is more crucial rather than its volume if you are attempting to count
wondered how many golf balls fit in a 5-gallon bucket. The golf balls are spherical. So, there will
be empty spaces between them and any hard surface. If the gallon is spherical and has more
depth than usual it will contain more balls. If the gallon is of cylinder shape it will contain fewer
balls in it.

Let’s do some math!

Let’s consider a standard US gallon of 3785.41 ccs. It is supposed to have a volume of 18927
cm3. Considering that we are filling the gallon with golf balls that have the sizes of 1.68 inches
in diameter we can roughly assume that it will hold more than three hundred balls. Rather than
asking the question of how much does a golf ball weigh, ask what the size of an average golf ball
is.

Let’s do the calculations now. The calculation is pretty easy if the gallon is spherical size. A
cylindrical size of a gallon will be a bad choice for putting golf balls. The cylindrical size wastes
much space with spherical balls.
Every spherical size gallon can densely fill itself with spherical size balls by 74% of its volume.
A golf ball is 2.5 cubic inches or 40.68 cm3 in size. So, the number of balls contained by the
gallon is:

= The volume that gallon can hold / the volume of a golf ball

= (18927 cm3*.74/40.68 cm3) = 344 balls.

The math says we can fit approximately 340 balls in a 5-gallon bucket. Did it match your guess?
It certainly didn’t match mine. 340 balls are too much to be fitted in a bucket! I pity the fool
who’s going to carry that bucket!

Do it yourself!
Well, my math can be wrong. Why don’t you get onto the task? Get a 5-gallon bucket and about
350 used standard-sized golf balls. Fill the gallon with the balls to know how many golf balls fit
in a 5-gallon bucket. Also, I am not going to blame you if you get bored of putting the golf balls
in the bucket one by one.

Conclusion
The size or volume of the golf balls as well as the five-gallon bucket is important if you want to
count how many golf balls fit in a 5-gallon bucket. The math suggests, a spherically sized bucket
can contain around 340 balls, although, usually golfers use a 5-gallon bucket to carry an average
of fifty to eighty balls in or out of the golf pitch.

Meta Description

Ever wondered how many golf balls fit in a 5-gallon bucket? A golfer usually fills a bucket with
more than fifty balls while carrying them to the golf pitch. What about applying some math
considering the size and volume of the math? Let’s see if it matches your guess.