Do golf balls lose compression over time

A golf ball can lose compression but not for awhile. In general, golf balls should last a long time, unless you keep your golf balls in extreme conditions like in a freezer or a hot car compartment. These factors can affect the balls performance. Shelf life can also depend on what type the ball is. Most if not all of the state of the art golf balls, are coated with a thin layer of polyurethane polymer which makes the balls scratch resistant therefore gives longer protection for the inner layers that affects compression and other properties. At most, golf balls may exhibit reduced compression and performance in a decade or so (again consider external factors that may affect the golf balls). No scientific study has yet precisely determined when exactly golf balls lose compression and overall performance.