changing balls on the tee

[Jaydog]

kinda lazy and wondered if anyone knew the answer offhand.

can the pros switch to a different type of ball during a round? a friend of mine says that they can change and use any ball from the tee but has to finish with that one for the hole. my gut feeling is no but i've been wrong before.

my example was more along the lines of: if a player starts the round with prov1 and switches to prov1x for the next hole. is it legal?

thanks to any/all who respond.

[noback]

Re: changing balls on the tee

kinda lazy and wondered if anyone knew the answer offhand.

can the pros switch to a different type of ball during a round? a friend of mine says that they can change and use any ball from the tee but has to finish with that one for the hole. my gut feeling is no but i've been wrong before.

my example was more along the lines of: if a player starts the round with prov1 and switches to prov1x for the next hole. is it legal?

thanks to any/all who respond.

I beleive you are right and he is wrong

- The Committe (PGA Tour) may include this Local Rule in the conditions of competition.
"One Ball Condition"
During a stipulated round, the balls a player uses must be of the same brand and type as detailed by a single entry on the current List of Conforming Golf Balls. Most pro events use this Local Rule including all the major Tours. Ottawa Zone CPGA events use this Local Rule. Hope this helps.

[Jaydog]

Re: changing balls on the tee

thanks noback....now i can rub it in his face.

maybe i'll hold off , until he brings up one that i goofed up on.

[Guest]

Re: changing balls on the tee

haah so playing with balls that i find is outta the question then

[noback]

Re: changing balls on the tee

Not if you change them on the tee and finish off the hole with it. This is only a "local rule" for the pro tours and is up to their committees.

[boss of the moss]

Re: changing balls on the tee

I have a friend who uses multiple brands of balls in one round so I hope he sees this.

[noback]

Re: changing balls on the tee

I have a friend who uses multiple brands of balls in one round so I hope he sees this.

He still can unless the committee of a tournament says you cant in their "local rules"

[Grass Roots Tour]

Re: changing balls on the tee

If the tour uses this rule then I think they're stupid. Who cares if you switch balls as long as you finish the hole you're on first.

[Jaydog]

Re: changing balls on the tee

If the tour uses this rule then I think they're stupid. Who cares if you switch balls as long as you finish the hole you're on first.

that's what i would think. but i recall something about a team match play tourney with tiger and someone and the partner agreed to use tiger's ball bc it mattered more for eldrick.

[Grass Roots Tour]

Re: changing balls on the tee

that's what i would think. but i recall something about a team match play tourney with tiger and someone and the partner agreed to use tiger's ball bc it mattered more for eldrick.

Yeah... I'm not disputing someone's research I'm just saying its a dumb rule.

[boss of the moss]

Re: changing balls on the tee

He still can unless the committee of a tournament says you cant in their "local rules"

One ball rule should always be in play. in tourneys it is. well any serious tournies. Top players don't change their ball brand.

[noback]

Re: changing balls on the tee

One ball rule should always be in play. in tourneys it is. well any serious tournies. Top players don't change their ball brand.

I was only saying his friend can because the rule only applies to the tours that make it so by deeming it a local rule.

[Grass Roots Tour]

Re: changing balls on the tee

One ball rule should always be in play. in tourneys it is. well any serious tournies. Top players don't change their ball brand.

Top players where? You mean players who get all they're equipement and balls for free and are paid to use them? Cause if you think any of the tours in Ontario give a rats backside what ball you put in play on each hole you're sadly mistaken.

I do agree that good players probably will play the same ball type and model all day in any tournament but the fact is no one really cares. How could changing balls possibly be an advantage? Unless you hit tee shots with a rock for distance then switch in the fairway for softness on the approach (which would be an obvious cheat) I just don't see how anything can be gained.

[Focker Singh]

Re: changing balls on the tee

that's what i would think. but i recall something about a team match play tourney with tiger and someone and the partner agreed to use tiger's ball bc it mattered more for eldrick.

The reason for that ruling is each hole can have different characteristics. ie: one hole might be wide open fairway, down wind, down hill, so you might pull out a distance ball for that hole, while afterwards, you might be on a par 3 and might want a spin ball instead, so thats why the rule states that you have to use the one brand and type for your entire round. As for Match play, they have very different rules than Stroke Play so for the "better ball" format, they had to choose one type of ball for both players.
Personally, I use different brands and types throughout my round as well, but for no particular reason. Usually its because one might be scuffed and the other not.

[Grass Roots Tour]

Re: changing balls on the tee

How many guys in your club championship do you think change balls on a given tee due to wear on the origonal or a lost ball .. whatever, and they don't even HAVE another one the same in the bag?

Anyone contending to win low gross will have a sleeve or two of the same ball, most likely, but the choppers fighting over low net (with inflated handicaps) won't have two balls the same.

Do you honestly think anyone will notice or care?