Do you tee up a brand new ball every round?

[RickK]

The "breakfast ball" thread made me think of this.  One of the clubs I play out of on the first hole of one of the courses has OB down the right side, water in front of the tee box and all the way down the left side.

As I have admitted here in the other thread, I rarely warm up for our casual Saturday rounds.  So, in those casual rounds, I don't tee up a new ball on this hole to start the round.  I generally switch to a new ball on 2nd hole.

In a tournament, starting on this hole, it would be a new ball.

So, if you play a course that has difficulty left or right or both side of 1st hole...do you tee up a new ball?

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by RickK

The "breakfast ball" thread made me think of this.  One of the clubs I play out of on the first hole of one of the courses has OB down the right side, water in front of the tee box and all the way down the left side.

As I have admitted here in the other thread, I rarely warm up for our casual Saturday rounds.  So, in those casual rounds, I don't tee up a new ball on this hole to start the round.  I generally switch to a new ball on 2nd hole.

In a tournament, starting on this hole, it would be a new ball.

So, if you play a course that has difficulty left or right or both side of 1st hole...do you tee up a new ball?

I tee up whatever I pull out of the bag.  Anything in the ball pocket is in good enough shape to play, so it's irrelevant to me whether it's new or not.  A good ball lost is a good ball lost and it makes no difference how old it is.

[Golfingdad]

I almost always grab a new one to start a round, and after that I just grab whatever's in the bag.  (Like fourputt, I make sure that the bag only has "good" balls in it)

I don't like the idea of intentionally using a junk ball on a scary hole because I feel like I'm encouraging myself to do exactly what I feared when I purposely grabbed the junk ball.  I subscribe to the Bob Rotella line of thinking.  If you purposely grab a junk ball, somewhere in your head is a thought that "I might hit it in the water here" and those type of thoughts are death.

[Kletus]

I use whatever ball will give me the best chance of striping one down the middle... which is usually the newest one.

[Unforgiven93]

Nope, even in tournaments I will used a scuffed up ball sometimes if I don't have a new one on hand.  It doesn't bother me, so long as they aren't ripped to shreds.

[MS256]

I have some Pro V1s in one pocket of my bag and some cheaper balls in another pocket. All of them are in respectable condition. Anything that's not gets thrown into my practice ball bucket.

If I'm just messing around I usually grab a cheap ball and if I really care about the round I grab a Pro V1. Not that it matters much (if at all). I haven't seen any real evidence that the ball I use relates to the score I'm going to shoot.

Seems like I get an extra yard or two with a Pro V1 in the summer and seems like I get an extra yard or two out of a SoLo in the winter, but no hard evidence that's accurate either.

That's not to say that I don't notice a difference in different brands, models, and age of golf balls because I do. Some go farther, some spin more, and some have a better feel off of my putter (or any club for that matter) but my scores show those things are not the determining factor in what score I'm going to shoot on any given day.

Outside of a few brands that feel like I just busted my driver face with a rock, that I won't EVER play, I'll play casual rounds with almost anything else.

Lots of times I'll be playing along with what I consider a crap ball and realize I have a Hell of a round going. Other times I go to the trouble of picking out a better ball and have a round FROM Hell.

When I had my best ever round I was playing with a "Cougar" that I had found in the bushes the day before.

[SCfanatic35]

Originally Posted by MS256

I have some Pro V1s in one pocket of my bag and some cheaper balls in another pocket. All of them are in respectable condition. Anything that's not gets thrown into my practice ball bucket.

If I'm just messing around I usually grab a cheap ball and if I really care about the round I grab a Pro V1. Not that it matters much (if at all). I haven't seen any real evidence that the ball I use relates to the score I'm going to shoot.

Seems like I get an extra yard or two with a Pro V1 in the summer and seems like I get an extra yard or two out of a SoLo in the winter, but no hard evidence that's accurate either.

That's not to say that I don't notice a difference in different brands, models, and age of golf balls because I do. Some go farther, some spin more, and some have a better feel off of my putter (or any club for that matter) but my scores show those things are not the determining factor in what score I'm going to shoot on any given day.

Outside of a few brands that feel like I just busted my driver face with a rock, that I won't EVER play, I'll play casual rounds with almost anything else.

Lots of times I'll be playing along with what I consider a crap ball and realize I have a Hell of a round going. Other times I go to the trouble of picking out a better ball and have a round FROM Hell.

When I had my best ever round I was playing with a "Cougar" that I had found in the bushes the day before.

How old was she? That's impressive that you still had the energy to play golf, let alone your best round ever.

[Hacker James]

I've never hit a used ball.

[MS256]

Originally Posted by SCfanatic35

How old was she? That's impressive that you still had the energy to play golf, let alone your best round ever.

I almost changed the name of the ball in my comment, but decided the cougar deserved the right to be mentioned.

If I find either of the other kinds of cougars in the bushes all bets are off!!!

[Jodastra]

I usually use the last ball from the previous round. Today that was a Nike Crush. I found a Pro V1x in the rough of the 3rd fairway, washed it up at the 4th tee...and hit the two of them until I was done.

[David in FL]

Every round is a fresh start, a possible career round, and thus deserving of a brand new ball!

[Zachari208]

"I don't hit balls into trouble", any other thought is just expecting to fail. Be confident.

[Motley01]

Last weekend I struggled, and I lost 6, count them, 6 brand new ProV1x in one round. LOL

Now I have a buy a brand new dozen before this weekends round.

[Zachari208]

I don't really think about what ball I grab, I just expect it to get in the way. I know, but I don't care what ball it is.

[SCfanatic35]

If you don't use a brand new ball at the beginning of a round when are you going to start using one?  If you are playing the round of your life with an old ball, then you are probably going to keep using it.  If you are playing the worst round of your life with the old ball, then you are more than likely going to use the old/junk balls in your bag.

[TJBam]

Originally Posted by Motley01

Last weekend I struggled, and I lost 6, count them, 6 brand new ProV1x in one round. LOL

Now I have a buy a brand new dozen before this weekends round.

What costed more, your balls or your green fees?  I wouldn't suggest playing ProV1x if your 16.5 HCP is accurate with all due respect

[dbuck]

When I buy a sleeve, I take a ball out and use it until I lose it or it becomes unplayable, whichever comes first-which usually means til I lose it. Often when I lose it-say hit in the water or whatever-I will just reach in and grab a ball to complete the hole, and start the next hole with the next new ball from the sleeve. If that ball is intact when I complete the round, it will be the ball I start with next time. I don't really lose a lot of balls on my home course--maybe 1 every 27 holes or so--unless I am having a bad streak.

[SCfanatic35]

Originally Posted by TJBam

What costed more, your balls or your green fees?  I wouldn't suggest playing ProV1x if your 16.5 HCP is accurate with all due respect

Why should he not be using a ProV1x? If it feels good for him and he doesn't mind paying the price, more power to him.