How Often Do You Switch Your Ball Out, and What Do You Do With the Old One?

McRock

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Some people, me included, subscribe to the theory that a ball is good until you lose it. Others say every 9 holes. Others say when they see a scuff. I've had a silly problem of getting lots of pine sap on a couple of balls, and so I had to toss them since I wasn't able to get them 'sticky' free on the course.

With the exception of tournaments, I play a ball until I lose it (or get pine sap on it). How long will you play your ball? Assuming you don't play it until it's lost, what do you do with the old one?

~Rock
 
I'll play a ball until I lose it, but will replace it if it has a nasty scuff mark on it. If the ball is super jacked up I'll throw it away. If not, I'll toss it in the shag bag.
 
If it gets pretty scuffed I will take it out of play. However, I have been known to put it back in play on certain Par 3s over water that I play despite the fact I accuse myself of thinking negatively.
 
The water or deep rough take care of swapping out balls for me. :)
 
Once or twice a round at most. I put the used balls in a pocket for the practice shag bag!
 
I usually lose them before it is an issue, but recently I played the same ball for 36 holes, and it was beat up. Changed to a new ball and lost it on the 2nd hole... next ball lasted me the rest of the round but by the end of 18 it was chewed up as well.

If I continue to keep the same ball in play I will probably have to start retiring them after 18 holes or so.
 
I play till I lose the ball. With the way I play that is usually every 9 holes.
 
Until I lose it or bounce it off the cart path one to many times. When I take it out it goes in the shag bag for the backyard or if it's not to bad I'll give it to my kids.

On a side note this last Memorial day weekend I played the same orange nike PD soft for 54 holes. It was a new course to me with lots of tall Grass near the edges and forced water carries. I couldn't lose that thing if I tried! I've still got the ball in my glove box.
 
Assuming I don't lose it I can get about 54 holes out of a surlyn ball like a Bridgestone e6. Urethane balls usually last about 36 holes. Then I retire them to the shag bag. Hitting cart path or a tree where it puts a big scuff on the ball automatically retires them.
 
If it's not a tournament I'll usually play it till I either lose it or have about 4 or 5 full rounds on it then it goes into the shag bag for chipping and putting practice.
 
1 round for me. Then to the shag bag it goes
 
IF a ball survives through an entire round it is usually scuffed up enough that I will take it out of the bag and save it for the shag bag.
 
I play it unless it is damaged, then I don't play it anymore, though I have been known to not play a dirty ball anymore either in the past.

Sometimes if it is dirty it goes in the bag and a new sleeve is opened for the next round.

Plus I have to have matching numbers for my balls. I have to have 3 to play them. If I lose one, the other two are as good as lost to me….
 
I've only ever pulled maybe 3 balls out of play and that was because of a deep cut so they weren't even worthy of shag bag. They usually last until I lose them.
 
I generally play till lost unless it is scuffed where I think it will effect it. Generally it is lost by that point though. If not, I put it in the practice bag
 
The water or deep rough take care of swapping out balls for me. :)

Add in somebody's back yard and I'm the same.

Just say I didn't lose it, once it's mostly scuffs it goes back in the bag for a couple of par 3's.
 
I'll use a new ball at the start of every 18 holes. If I lose that ball I'll pull out the used balls for the remainder of the round.
 
I play mine until scuffed badly. Usually toss them


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Unless it is physically altered, I will play it. I usually lose them, so it isn't that big a concern to me.

I think I have thrown away three golf balls in the last two years.
 
I'll play a ball until it gets a pretty good scuff on it.
 
As long as no major scuffs develop on the ball, I play it for 3 rounds then it either gets hit onto the range or I put it in a practice ball ball that I never use.
 
Play a new ball 6 holes, 2nd ball in the sleeve for the next 6 holes and the last ball in the sleeve the last 6 holes. Next round, repeat that same routine, repeat that routine for the third and last round with this sleeve. If I lose or damage a ball, I use another ball of the same brand till the 7th or 14th hole, then go to the sleeve and play the next ball in the sleeve.
 
Until I lose it, newer balls tend to hold up better and longer. If I scuff one then I'll pull it out of play.


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I play it until I lose it or it's scuffed up too bad, then it goes in the shag bag at home.
 
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