Method and apparatus for measuring the surface shape of a golf ball

An apparatus for measuring the surface shape of a golf ball including support means for supporting a golf ball;

• a light generation section for radiating laser light onto the surface of the golf ball supported on the support means;
• and a light reception section for receiving reflection light of the laser light reflected at the surface of the golf ball, in which a positional relationship detection process is performed by radiating laser light from the light generation section onto the surface of the golf ball at a predetermined position and receiving, through use of the light reception section, reflection light of the laser light reflected at the predetermined position on the surface of the golf ball in order to detect the positional relationship among the light generation section, the laser light radiated position on the surface of the golf ball, and the light reception section;
• the positional relationship detection process is repeated at a plurality of positions on the surface of the golf ball;
• and variation in the relative radial position of the surface of the golf ball is determined based on a plurality of positional relationships thus obtained.