About pros marking their balls. . .

[CPHoya]

Is there any reason to believe the Titleist "How Do You Mark Your Ball" ads? I know that pros receive whatever ball they use custom stamped with their name, or a nickname, etc.

So why bother actually marking them? Do they really do this?

[popey]

I've always wondered this. As some players will only use a ball that has a certain number so what if they needed to play a provisional after hitting the first into trouble and were to hit it in the same place as the first, how are they meant to tell between them?

[Harry Longshanks]

My pro is a Titleist staffer and his balls come pre-stamped with his "nickname". (I don't know exactly how it works, but I believe that each pro is assigned a nickname, like "sand save" or "1-iron"). But when I've caddied for him, he also marks his ball with a Sharpie.

However, I have no idea about touring pros.

[FlopShotArtist]

I believe it was Stuart Appelby in the US Open I noticed with a red line all the way around his ball. So I would guess they do mark their balls, his was only the most noticable from the TV.

[trageserk]

I got a ball from John Daly back when the US open was at Bethpage. It's a Prov1 and it has his mark- a green sharpie line over the Pro V1.

[iacas]

So why bother actually marking them? Do they really do this?

They do.

Any custom marks they get (like their name) is not always going to be visible, so in order to easily identify their balls in thick rough, bunkers, etc. they usually mark something else on the opposite side of the ball or on two opposite sites (i.e. 90 degrees each direction from the sidestamp, which just happens to be where "Titleist" is located). So yeah, pros mark their balls. And to the guy who asked what they do if they hit a provisional, they'll either: a) hit a different numbered ball (some of the superstitions are "anything but a 1" or "odd numbers only" or whatever, so there are more than one acceptable number) b) put an extra mark on the ball (you'll sometimes see them marking it with a Sharpie before hitting it)

[Thrash13]

Marking a golf ball is something these guys have done since they were youngsters, and I'm sure it's just habit or superstition by now. It's one of the neat parts of the game that has remained throughout the years.

[RaLos18]

Last Sunday, me and my kids were at John Deere Classic. My kids got couple of balls from the professionals. Titleist Pro V1 from JP Hayes and a Srixon ball from Brian Davis. Ordinary "off the shelf" balls, no nicknames or other print on them, just a small marker dots.

[Young Golf Prodigy]

I guess they could get their name on it, but there are some times where that would'nt be visible and therefore the marks help. I have a couple of pro's golf balls and they all have marks, though I am sure the add was probably looking for "In the Know" players and ones with strange or funny marks.

Also, I have a friend that plays for the Florida Gators that puts letters that remind him of swing thoughts. His is "SFT," which is a common one and stands for "See it, Feel it, Trust it." These can be helpful, and I guess I should have mentioned that I use it too.
Mine is similar. "C4" which stands for "be Confident, Concentrate, be Competitive, but show Capacity for enjoyment." I just remember the base words and it makes me relax and get into the round and enjoy it. If you have heard this one it is probably because Arnold Palmer came up with it, and it has helped my game thrive.

Hope this answers your question.

[goblue107501]

I have a used ball from Camilo Villegas from a few years ago when he was on the Nationwide Tour. There is nothing prestamed on it. He did mark it just as it shows on the Titleist website and commercials. He has a couple of dots around the Pro V1 stamp and his initials 'CV' above it. There were also a couple of other dots on the other side of the ball.

[Dave24309]

Duffy Waldorf lets his kids mark his golf balls. I got a multicolored one from a fall tournament that had a halloween theme.

Then again, Duffy is a colorful guy.