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When to change to a new golf ball

SuperStroke
TripleF

TripleF

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My game has been improving and I find I have been playing six rounds of golf using a single golf ball!

So when should one retire a ball and change out to a new one? Do they wear out? Seems like they should . . .
 
TripleF said:
My game has been improving and I find I have been playing six rounds of golf using a single golf ball!

So when should one retire a ball and change out to a new one? Do they wear out? Seems like they should . . .
Click to expand...

Doesn’t your ball get nicks?


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Mine usually get scuffed up after a couple of rounds. But I usually lose them before that.


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TripleF said:
My game has been improving and I find I have been playing six rounds of golf using a single golf ball!

So when should one retire a ball and change out to a new one? Do they wear out? Seems like they should . . .
Click to expand...

I play the same ball until it gets a large scuff or knick of some type. I then put it away for winter golf. In tournaments I always put a new ball in play though.
 
Every new round of golf.
 
ChristopherKee said:
I play the same ball until it gets a large scuff or knick of some type. I then put it away for winter golf. In tournaments I always put a new ball in play though.
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This is what I do as well - when it gets scuffed goes in the shag bag
 
No reason to swap out a ball unless it gets a scuff or nick. I check it after every hole, and if I find something it is put away.
 
bigapplehacker said:
I don’t know how anyone would start a round with a beat up ball.


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Click to expand...

There are many definitions of "beat up". For me, it depends a little on how well I'm playing. For the most part, I'll play a ball unless it's cut or a "major" scuff. If it hits a tree or cart path, but the cover isn't cut, then it'll stay in play. Now, if I'm on pace for a "career" round, I'll retire one for less, but if I'm playing that well, then I'm likely not hitting trees, too.
 
This from an old Golf Digest article, circa 2009:

Ball cores are commonly designed to withstand at least 100 strikes at 125 miles per hour before cracking. That's seven rounds of Tiger-like drives.

Of course, the cover will often go first, especially if you have a steep angle of attack or fresh grooves or tend to rely on cartpaths for extra distance. But these minor scuffs won't affect performance. "As long as the cover is relatively smooth, maybe a little paint missing, you're fine to play it," says TaylorMade's Dean Snell. Still, our testing showed that a serious scuff could cost you six yards on a tee shot.

A urethane cover's durability comes from being soft with an elastic memory. Ionomer covers are more durable because they're firm.

__TIP:__To minimize scuffing, dry your irons and wedges with a towel. A wet clubface increases the shear force, causing the ball's cover to slide over the grooves and tear, instead of gripping and rolling like it would on a dry face.
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I can tell you that in last year's indoor league, one Wilson Staff Duo and one Callaway Supersoft cracked after being in play for between 80 and 100 holes. Don't forget there were multiple strikes at about 95-110 with the driver, but the ball also hit the back wall of the bay somewhere around 120-130 mph, with the screen having slowed the ball a little, I'm assuming.
 
Oddly, the ball I play with doesn't seem to get scuffed! I'm playing the Calloway Superhot matt finish. I'm staying out of the trees for the most part so that probably helps! And since my swing speed is in the high 80s I bet I could double the 80-100 hole max!! Anyone else gaming this ball?
 
TripleF said:
Oddly, the ball I play with doesn't seem to get scuffed! I'm playing the Calloway Superhot matt finish. I'm staying out of the trees for the most part so that probably helps! And since my swing speed is in the high 80s I bet I could double the 80-100 hole max!! Anyone else gaming this ball?
Click to expand...

I played that ball in red for a few rounds this year to mix it up and have some fun with my playing partners. It never scuffed once. Fun ball to play!
 
ChristopherKee said:
I play the same ball until it gets a large scuff or knick of some type. I then put it away for winter golf. In tournaments I always put a new ball in play though.
Click to expand...

This pretty well sums it up for me also.
 
I play a ball until it gets scuffed twice or it's lost. Usually, it's the latter. A ball does wear as many people see cracked balls in the simulator, where you don't lose it and it's hitting a screen @140+mph, but rarely ever on the golf course do you see the day a ball decides to end it's own usefulness.
 
I'm pretty good at losing my ball. That said, I'm also superstitious and I find it a good sign if I'm playing with the same ball for more than a round. I think longest I've gone is just over 2 rounds with 1 ball and I refused to take it out of play because I believed it to be imbued with fairway magic.
 
luvagoodshot said:
When it is able to draw Social Security Benefits
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Possibly earlier if the ball has saved enough money LOL!

And as for the OP's question, asking me that is like asking the owl how many licks it takes to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop.
 
I unfortunately need a new ball almost every hole, they all split. Needless to say, someone may find 2 dozen or so balls in a pile when I'm able to get back out.
 
You’ve jinxed it, totally hosed now.......never talk about the ball that won’t go away. Better pour a sleeve into a pond as a sacrifice to the golf gods as they are now aware of the 6 round ball.
 
TripleF said:
My game has been improving and I find I have been playing six rounds of golf using a single golf ball!

So when should one retire a ball and change out to a new one? Do they wear out? Seems like they should . . .
Click to expand...

I have never experienced this problem. I'll usually launch one or two a round out of bounds to where no man has been before.
 
I usually lose them before they age too much.
 
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