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When do you retire a golf ball?

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Hawk

Hawk

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After the Bridgestone online fitting, I started playing the e5. Prior to that I was playing mostly gift balls. In other words, I'm not used to paying $25-$30 for a dozen balls.

The only complaint that I have about the e5 is that it can get beat up pretty easily. The problem is that I have OCD and really like a brand new, clean ball. I forced myself to scrub the ones I've used in the sink and put them back in my bag. Some of them have cart-path burns, minor shredding from grooves, and some discoloration. I don't think the flight will be impacted, but I'm not sure.

When do you send a ball to the shag-bag?
 
Good question, mine generally finds water first.
 
I was going to say the same, when it hits the water ad it is out of reach of my ball retriever or i slice it out of bounds and I cant get to it.
 
The e5 has a very soft urethane cover (the same as many premium balls), hence the reason you are cutting and scuffing them up. Because of that, you are also goiing to great some great spin and feel. Got with what you think is right, because looks can in fact change some things. If a ball is severely scuffed or has issues with dimple pattern changes, it could in fact change the ball flight and performance.

At the end of my rounds, if I used the same ball the entire round, I sacrifice the ball and no longer use it. Otherwise it is a case by case basis based on appearance.
 
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Yeah, the scuffing is definitely worth the performance. Normally, I would quit using it too, but I am feeling sort of cheap right now haha.
 
My E6's don't really see too much damage. Never played the E5's. Now the Penta's a different story, some day's I'll scuff a ball in a round, but even those generally last me longer than one round.
 
Well, I play balls that I can afford to go through several around so I swap them out whenever I feel like it basically. . When I tee off, I like to look at a bare white ball sometimes. I also mark a line on the balls for putting, so if the white area gets scuffed, or dirty, I'll swap it out.
 
ive played balls 2 rounds with minimal damage... but those rounds i was personally going low and staying away from trouble... then there are rounds where ive had to retire 3 balls before losing them due to wear and tear from cartpaths/ sand shots/ wedges/ etc...

so it all depends on how the ball is holding up during a round (and how many i have left in the bag)
 
I don't retire them....they become candidates for underwater survival training.....whether they make it or not is up to them
 
i need to find a durable 3piece. every one i have tried is a ripper, touri's seem to be the least though/
 
It depends on how it looks, usually after 72 holes i'll retire it.
 
thanks1974 said:
I don't retire them....they become candidates for underwater survival training.....whether they make it or not is up to them
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LOL mine are the same but they also are in lumberjack school
 
Re: When do you retire a golf ball?

Yesterday I saw a guy in the group behind us playing a yellow ball. I was sure I donated that ball to the tree gods. How dare him put it back in play.

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I noticed that on the face of my old driver, the face has a few scratches, small dents which I think were cause by impact with ball scuffs. For that reason, if a ball has been really taking a beating where I can peel off the outer surface of the ball with my fingers, I will retire the ball. However, most of the time, the ball will find a new before I have a chance to retire it.
 
I've never intentionally retired a golf ball.

I'll just keep playing it, regardless of the condition, until it eventually finds trees or water.
 
If you get to the point that you have the option to think about retiring a ball after a round of golf, then you will be a golfer that will notice the ball flight change due to it's wear and tear. Consequently, you should retire the ball after a round of golf if such opportunity presents itself. If not, then the ball that you end the round with should be cleaned off and put back into play the next round, until either it is lost, or has presented you the opportunity for the former option.

I've never had an opportunity for the former, I look forward to the day I do!
 
bogey_russ said:
LOL mine are the same but they also are in lumberjack school
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Mine is like a navy seal... loves the water but does it's best work in the shrubs.
 
I dont retire a ball until the cover is cut or the dimples are worn off of it. I can deal with some scuffs or even some minor cuts to the cover, as long as it doesnt effect the ball's roll or make it do other weird things.
 
Oh, and not all the time do I lose my golf ball to water and trees. I'd say once every two rounds I'll lose a golf ball that I could've sworn was in the fairway...
 
I don't retire them.I just put them to work at another job.
 
Rarely will I play a ball more than 18 holes. I like a new ball. I always pull a ball that hit a cart path, and sometimes one that has hit a tree. I generally like to start a round with two new golf balls. Same brand, two different numbers. Two blue Sharpie dots above the number, one below. Kind of a ritual. Ideally, one of those balls never sees the course until the next round.

Kevin
 
thanks1974 said:
I don't retire them....they become candidates for underwater survival training.....whether they make it or not is up to them
Click to expand...

Thanks - I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your balls are committing suicide. They've suffered enough.
 
sacul1573 said:
If you get to the point that you have the option to think about retiring a ball after a round of golf, then you will be a golfer that will notice the ball flight change due to it's wear and tear. Consequently, you should retire the ball after a round of golf if such opportunity presents itself. If not, then the ball that you end the round with should be cleaned off and put back into play the next round, until either it is lost, or has presented you the opportunity for the former option.

I've never had an opportunity for the former, I look forward to the day I do!
Click to expand...

If I made it a round with the same ball, I would put it on a display stand on my mantle. I might even gold plate it!
 
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