The gutta-percha ball enormously enhanced the game of golf, but required that golfers smooth the balls after play by boiling and rolling them on a "smoothing board." Golfers who failed to re-smooth the gutta ball soon noted that a many-nicked ball had truer flight than the smooth version. 

Thus, the hand-hammered gutta was created by hammering the softened ball with a sharp edged hammer, giving the ball an even pattern that greatly improved its play. Introduced soon after were balls formed in iron molds or ball presses that created distinct patterns or markings. A wide variety of surface patterns were introduced onto golf balls, and into the game of golf.