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Golf's governing body has given its approval to a new ball that's said to fly 30 to 50 percent straighter thanks to a hollow steel core made possible by nanotechnology.

The United States Golf Association has said it's ok to use the NDMX golf ball from NanoDynamics in tournament play. That means golfers can use it without incurring a penalty for using disallowed equipment. USGA-banned equipment sells poorly.

NanoDynamics says the NDMX ball will help golfers who curve the ball too much to the left or right, but is not necessarily a good fit for better golfers who like to intentionally bend the ball. At about $60 per dozen, the ball is expensive.