New biodegradable golf balls made from lobster shells?

Golfers may soon be able to eat their lobster and hit it, too.

The University of Maine and the Lobster Institute, a joint Canada-U.S. industry organization, have teamed to produce a biodegradable golf ball made entirely from lobster shells previously destined for the scrap heap.

The crustacean-based spheres break down in less than two weeks, substantially less time than toxin-laced regular balls that scientists say can sit in woods and ponds for up to 1,000 years.

Because the lobster balls crack after only a few shots, their intended market is cruise ships that are currently barred from discharging anything toxic into the ocean. But there’s hope that they could someday be sold alongside Titleists and Callaways.

“This is something we could eventually work on, but we’re still at the prototype phase,” said Bob Bayer, executive director of the Lobster Institute, a research and education organization.

There are other biodegradable balls on the market, all designed for one-time use. But Bayer says what sets the lobster ball apart is that it is the same weight as a regular golf ball.

“When you hit it with a driver, it makes that same sound as a regular golf ball and goes almost as far,” he said. “It really has the same feel as a normal golf ball.”

There’s a Canadian connection, too: The shells come from a processing plant in Deer Island, N.B.