Switching balls on tough holes?

Nebgolfer

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So you come up to a hole with a forced carry over water or a lot of trouble; do you switch to a "trouble ball" that you don't mind losing, or keep playing your gamer? Does switching balls set your mind up for failure even before you take a swing?

I used to always switch to a trouble ball, and sometimes still do, but I'm getting better about it. Though, losing a $4 ball does sting a little more than one I found in the trees.
 
I still do this and it probably creates negative thoughts but losing a $4 is a negative thought too :)
 
I do at times and I think it has no bearing on whether or not I pull off a shot.
 
I don't switch. I tee up as normal and say to myself: "Just hit the ball where it needs to go!"
 
I've done both.I like the confidence of hitting the better ball, but I do hate losing money. Depends more on the state of my game at the time or how many gamers I have already lost.
 
As I've gotten a little better off the tee, I do it less than I used to.
 
I do play a water ball from time to time. Losing even those annoys me!


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I often have "yesterdays" game ball in the bag and if I am having a poor ball striking day I might put it in play from the tee.

I don't use off brand or found balls though. It is always the same brand/model that I am using on the simpler holes.
 
I never do this unless im having a really off day and switch to junk balls for the whole round. I just think it puts negative thoughts in my head which don't lead to success
 
I don't switch balls. One of the guys we play with will often do this on a short par 3 over water, usually with bad results. We tell him "maybe if you used a good ball, you would have carried the water."
 
I do and I don't. If I am hitting the ball good I roll with it, hitting it bad and then I will use a bad ball.
 
My demons are always long par 3's with a forced carry. I seem to catch the toe way too often so I've been known to switch balls time and again.
 
I don't switch out. Switching to a "water ball" is admitting defeat before you even step up to the shot. I don't think of anything other than where I want the ball to go.
 
I used to do this. Not any more. Focus and dial in.
 
To those of you who do switch, do you use a different brand (or found ball), or just a beat up gamer that you've taken out of play?
 
Don't switch. Too me, it would make me feel that I was expecting a negative result to occur.
 
To those of you who do switch, do you use a different brand (or found ball), or just a beat up gamer that you've taken out of play?
Yes. Usually it's something I've found, but if I've taken those out of my bag I'll grab a cheaper ball that I used to play. I still have a dozen or so Slazenger Raw Distance's which I don't game anymore. I typically use them to pitch and chip, but I will "sacrifice" them now and again. I have been doing better about not letting the course get the better or me, but sometimes when I can't hit the side of a barn unless it was way off to the right, I'll revert to using a junk ball.
 
I have done it but not all the time. I keep worn balls (my regular ball) in the bag just in case it is an off day or something. We have a par three that plays between 150 and 200 most of the time into the prevailing wind with nothing but water in front. When the wind is up, it is always a worn ball.
 
I use the same ball no matter what, if I started thinking like that, I think it would hurt my confidence and it would become a self fulfilling prophecy that I hit a bad shot.
 
If I am playing in a tournament, I play new fresh balls. If it is a friendly round, I may use an old ball but stay with the same brand and model.
 
I keep using what I have been using. And yes, I think switching to a "trouble ball" is admitting defeat before you even hit the ball.
 
As I improved so did my confidence and it's never a thought anymore. I play the ball I want for all 18, I still lose some but I don't let the fear of losing them dictate my ball choice.
 
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