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How Much is Too Much

SuperStroke
Franklin51

Franklin51

On the Verge
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Never really had this problem until now but how much scuff on a golf ball is too much? Reason I say I never had this problem is this is my first year with good wedges (588) and a good ball (Penta TP).
 
personally, i hate scuffed golf balls. I don't know if those scuffs actually do anything to the ball flight, but it gets in my head. I usually play with them until I lose it, which doesn't take long. Otherwise they make nice additions to the shag bag for shortgame practice.
 
If it ain't broken keep playing with it. Chances are i'll loose it before it gets to scuffed anyway !!!
 
depends? i mean...if i hit a brand new ball out of the pack and i slice it with a wedge, (actually SEE the lines cut into the ball) i might take it out of play...if i've played a few holes and there are relatively light scuffs/scrapes i'll keep it in.
 
TP's cost too much to take them out of play just because of scuffs. New wedge groove marks on the ball are nothing. Keep the high quality ball in play as long as you can. Just place the ball while putting so that you don't make contact with the scuff marks.
 
it's really a personal thing. Generally I'll keep it in play until maye 1/4-1/3 of the ball is scuffed, then put it in my bag to bring out during a round which I'm not doing so well. It can make a difference, but only if you're getting lots of spin, and happen to hit that scuffed spot where the grooves on the ball is worn down. I'm not good enough to worry about it to that degree though!
 
blugold said:
personally, i hate scuffed golf balls. I don't know if those scuffs actually do anything to the ball flight, but it gets in my head. I usually play with them until I lose it, which doesn't take long. Otherwise they make nice additions to the shag bag for shortgame practice.
Click to expand...

Ditto!
 
I say the better you do with a scuffed ball think of the potential with a brand new ball!
 
One wedge scuff is OK, two is not good for me.
 
Balls are so expensive I play till I lose them no mater how many scuffs!!
Really does'nt take that long sorry to say!
 
Great question OP! Something I've been pondering myself. I've been playing more regularly this year and I'm losing fewer and fewer balls. I try to pick off any of the stray hairs (chunks) with my finger nail and keep them in play as long as I can. I cannot get myself to throw away the balls so eventually I delegate them to my living room carpet as putting balls.

This is also the reason why I'm buying used (but mint) balls online. Cannot justify paying retail for these balls when all it takes is one full wedge to take chunks out of it!
 
I try to play them as long as I can. With the exception that if it is starting to just look beat up time to change it out.
 
For me it depends on the situation. If I'm playing a causal round I'll keep it until the round ends or I lose it. If I've got something riding on my round I'll swap it out and keep it for my next casual round.
 
For me, small scuffs are fine, it's when you get a gash that goes beyond simply small pieces coming off the top of the dimples. Now if most of the ball is scuffed (and I agree that balls rarely last the many many rounds it takes me to get that badly beaten), then I will avoid using it during a competitive round, but will still use it on practice rounds.
 
Totally personal preference. For me it is a mental thing playing with a scuffed ball. If it is close to the end of the round and the ball looks pretty beat up I will keep playing it. Especially if my round is going well. But of course if I have a horrible hole and the ball doesn't perform around the greens as I like I will bag it. I am sure that you lose a bit of distance with a ball that is scuffed, but I doubt it is too much to worry about. Maybe a great suggestion to through to Golfdigest or Golf magazine?
 
I hit the ball until I can't find it anymore. Scuffs can't make that big of a difference.
 
I'm glad someone brought this up. I recently started using Callaway balls and it seems I'm scuffing them like crazy. I usually keep them in play but I didn't know if/when to change them otu.
 
I think I posted something like this before but I use lightly to moderately scuffed balls on those holes where water has a good chance of coming into play and use new or pristine balls where chances of losing the ball is slim.

That way when I lose a ball it generally has some experience on it and I don't feel bad and the "new" balls generally pick up a scuff from sand or something and replace the other balls on the risky holes.
 
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