Hitting Clean or Dirty Golf Balls

[TheDoctor]

I realize I am a bit of a crazy person as it relates to practice and wiping my clubs down after each shot - but it's just my routine.

Hell, I even take a towel with me to the putting green on dewy mornings to wipe the balls down after each set of putts, since they pick up sand. I just absolutely love the look of a fresh face on a club. Makes me feel good.

Nope, definitely not crazy as I do the same thing on the practice green before a round - wipe off any moisture, grass or sand (if they have been doing maintenance work) on both the putter and ball

If the practice mats are wet at the nets where I warm up, I will have a towel with me to wipe down the face of the clubs after each shot as well

 

[Golfever]

Our club washes it's range balls. But we have to hit off from mats until the grass starts growing. Yesterdays range session the mats left a lot of dust on the clubs. Even wiping the club after every hit. This was the result on my new Apex 21's

 

[WLG1952]

So, a while back I purchased a Custom Epic Flash Sub Zero driver. I gamed it quite a bit throughout the season, and then gave it to my Dad because that's usually what I end up doing hahaha! It was also completely spotless at the time of handing it over - because I refuse to hit balls that are dirty, and DEFINITELY not sandy.

Six months later, the thing looked like it had been through hell and back haha - I guess sandy balls on the range don't bother him, and naturally I had to give him loads of grief over it.

So, I ask you THPers... Do you play golf with dirty golf balls, or do you keep them clean out there?
When on the range, do you share that mentality, or just hit whatever has been rolling around in the dirt/sand?

Funny timing this thread. Yesterday while practicing, someone had left 25-30 practice balls around one of the pitching greens. All these balls were brutally filthy. They looked like they had been dug out of mud hole.

Normally when people leave a lot of practice balls in the short game area, it's acceptable for the finder to collect, them and take them over to the driving range. I left this bunch of balls alone.

I don't hit dirty balls balls unless I have to, usually when playing for a score.

Another thing I do is I clean my club heads after every shot. Even when practicing.

 

[TheDoctor]

Our club washes it's range balls. But we have to hit off from mats until the grass starts growing. Yesterdays range session the mats left a lot of dust on the clubs. Even wiping the club after every hit. This was the result on my new Apex 21's

View attachment 8996988

Are you a bit toe down at impact? Looking at the mat residue around the toe area of the club would suggest that could be the case?

At one of the ranges near me, you would get the same marks left from balls on the clubs, but a good clean and it should remove it all - tended to be the clubs chewing up the cover of the cheap range balls that would cause that where I am

 

[Vader]

I realize I am a bit of a crazy person as it relates to practice and wiping my clubs down after each shot - but it's just my routine.

Hell, I even take a towel with me to the putting green on dewy mornings to wipe the balls down after each set of putts, since they pick up sand. I just absolutely love the look of a fresh face on a club. Makes me feel good.

I guess that makes me crazy too. This is my routine as well. I also wipe the range balls, should they acquire soil as I roll them in place.

 

[MWard]

Range balls, I’ll usually wipe clean.

On course ball, I’m really bad about it. I know I’ll do something like forget my towel on the green, or I’ll forget to wet the towel to begin with and then it’s a moot point. Usually I just kinda clean it with the green

 

[J4U]

I need to get better at cleaning balls at the range, but that would take more time than hitting them .

I haven't used the grass range since I noticed the effect it had on dark finish clubs..very sandy. Hate mats, but better than nothing.

On the course I will clean the ball whenever possible before contact.

 

[TCB2010]

Ball has to be clean (ball in play or range), I keep my clubs extremely clean there's no way I'm getting them nicked up by sand.
I'm curious about this now, if you want your clubs as identified by thee above in regards to the driver can the same concept be used as in using iron head covers?

 

[golfinnut]

Nope. I clean the ball after every hole. I know what the sand/dirt does to my clubs, so I like to keep everything clean.

 

[Drumdog]

I always keep my balls clean as much as the rules allow on the course.
On the range, if they have sand on them, I wipe them off before hitting.
On my home course, the balls are floaters and they always put them through a washer before making them available to use.

 

[GraniteRoost]

I am pretty meticulous about playing a clean ball - I really don't like to see the faces of my woods and hybrids torn up. I don't like seeing my irons get trashed either, to the detriment of actually choosing to avoid practice at the sandy range, instead of putting wear on them. I'm trying to get better about it....I did a sandy practice session first time out with my new Apex MB and they have more wear on them after a day that the prior set of MB's accumulated in two years on course. Made me sort of sad but oh well. Tools not jewels... but I like my tools kept nice not trashed out TYVM.

 

[SHIFTY]

Every range I go to washes their balls after collecting. Myself I clean my ball after marking putt, or between holes if needed at all.

 

[markom74]

Well, I'm not opposed to hitting a mud ball or dirty ball during play of course - nothing you can do about it.

What about between holes? Do you hit dirty balls with your driver?

You’re quite right, I always clean my ball before teeing up. Always clean it on the green too.

 

[Et Tu Brute?]

The golf ball, the grooves and the grip of the club are always clean before I hit a shot. The only exception would be the second or third shot on a hole where the ball might get dirty but I can't clean it until I get on the green.

I don't generally use driving ranges but if I did I'd still clean the ball and the club before hitting each shot.

 

[GoldenBuff]

I want a clean golf ball with driver and always clean the ball when I putt and/or before I start a new hole. But I am not going to clean 100 range balls. I do set aside the better range balls for driver.

 

[WICHITAREJECT]

Most guys I play with roll the ball so I will clean the ball when it gets muddy or sandy BEFORE I hit it!

 

[Nappy]

Clean. Who in the world is playing with dirty balls?

 

[HarlettoScara]

In Scotland you play it as it lies. Usually caked in mud/sand/whatever at this time of year. Generally use old balls until April when the rain gets slightly warmer.

Although the bonus is that ball washers are never really needed, because the towel is generally drenched with rain by about the 3rd hole

 

[GolfTravelDude]

So for the past couple months....playing in swampy conditions.....and no ball washers due to covid....and walking carrying.....I have played with some pretty mucky balls for more than a few strikes. I care about it but not enough to deal with it. Once the weather turns and conditions are better, yea I prefer a nice clean ball on all strokes.

 

[PatsFan]

I was taught to always keep my Balls clean!

 

[markom74]

Although the bonus is that ball washers are never really needed, because the towel is generally drenched with rain by about the 3rd hole

Spot on! If the rain stops and the wind kicks up the towel is sometimes dry again by the 14th!

 

[NeverWiff]

You know what they say..... "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" So i try to score a few points with the big guy and at least keep my golf balls clean.

 

[ArmyGolf]

1) On the course I clean my ball every time assuming winter rules are in place. Otherwise you gotta hit whatever you find obviously.

2) On the range I don't clean the balls between shots. Usually I'm trying to power through my 30 ball warmup bucket in 2 minutes so who's got time for that?!

The result? My clubs look absolutely beat to crap very quickly. My 9 iron is dented. My 7i has no chrome left on it. The soles look like I tried to shovel the driveway with them. And I like it.

 

[donny475]

I carry a towel to the green every hole to clean the ball, therefor its clean when i tee off. If i have to take a drop, it is cleaned. And I dang sure clean a range ball before hitting, but then again, they BETTER come out of the range basket clean

 

[greg19]

Ain't nobody got no time to picking up golf balls and cleaning them!