Who plays a "water ball"?

[MGP]

The thread on swing thoughts and seeing some people's comments on "water balls" got me thinking about this recently.

Do you play a different ball when you have a carry across water on a par 3?

I don't and can't remember ever doing it. To me it seems like a very negative thought to put in your pre-shot routine and seems like it's accepting defeat before you even hit the shot. I play whatever ball I have in play at the time and don't think twice about it.

I also realized that when I have a shot with a carry over water, once I setup for the shot and am ready to hit I don't even notice there's water there while I'm hitting the shot.

Comments or thoughts?

[Q.Q.Quillume]

I don't play a "water hole" ball, ever. And I don't carry (or own) a "ball retriever".

[smlxl]

I completely agree... playing a water ball is a form of negative thinking that has no place in my routine. To say to yourself "I might chunk it into the water" and then go get some special (often under-performing) equipment for the occasion seems most likely to make it happen. If anything, play the best ball you've got to ensure a great shot. Better yet, I like my brother's approach: he pulls out a new ball on every par 3, so that it'll look good mounted when he gets a hole-in-one. Now that's positive thinking.

[iacas]

  MGP said:

I don't and can't remember ever doing it.

Ditto. I use the ball I used on the last hole.

[mybloodinvt]

i don't carry any "water" balls.

[lamebums]

  MGP said:

The thread on swing thoughts and seeing some people's comments on "water balls" got me thinking about this recently.

I used to do that. The last time I did that however was on the 14th at the Willows, where I had about 180 yards uphill, over a lake, over a pot bunker, and onto the green. I changed my ball from a Callaway HX Tour to a shag, and proceeded to chunk the hell out of it, and watch it dribble into the lake. I pulled the Callaway back out of my pocket and caught it good with my 3 iron, landing it about 10 feet from the cup. Ever since then, I just play the ball I'd been playing before, reguardless of what's ahead of me.

(The hole in question.)

[lamebums]

  Q.Q.Quillume said:

I don't play a "water hole" ball, ever. And I don't carry (or own) a "ball retriever".

(Read my sig, chief...)

[getinthehole]

  lamebums said:

(Read my sig, chief...)

Haha, nice one. I don't use a water ball as I definately agree it's a negative way of thinking, and your probably going to put it in the water because of that thinking.

[golfchief]

I never use a water ball, just let me know how far I need to carry the ball to the green.

[jb1982]

I used to have a very negative attitude about water. I'd switch to an old Topflite or something and proceed to hit it in the center of the pond. Now I just figure out how far I need to carry, pick a club and forget about the water. So now I keep playing my ProV1 with much better results!

[Dent]

if im going over a large ammount of water ill switch balls. I guess i still dont have confidence, even though i always make it over, i do it just incase.

[CanadaGolf]

I never play a water ball, I don't ever want to play a water ball, if I don't have confidence in my swing to carry the water then I shouldn't be playing, if it goes in, so what, it's only a ball.

[Fourputt]

The trouble with playing a water ball is that you then have to finish out the hole with it, and the reason it's a "water ball" is that it is either damaged, or of a type that you wouldn't play otherwise. I don't use them now, although I admit that I did early in my golfing career.

I do sort of wish that I'd used a water ball earlier today when I yanked my approach on the 18th, and sank a brand new Pro V1x into the deep blue....

[jrbechthold]

Never played a "water ball" per se, but if I am going for a big risk/reward shot, I will switch out my warbird with the UofU logo for a regular warbird.

[Billbill13]

I use to in the begining but not anymore, I'd rather take my chance of losing a good ball than put the negative thoughts in my head.

[Q.Q.Quillume]

Billbill13
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Bill -- I think you need to work on your index! Your's is about 1,300 higher than mine.

[Billbill13]

  Q.Q.Quillume said:

Billbill13

What can I say, I'm slow learner...all those lessons at Butch Harmon's school in Vegas really helped though!

[Clubswinger21]

There is a 260 yard par 4 at one of the course's i play regularly. its 200 yards to the water. 235 carry over from the back tees. If im driving it straight I'll take a garbage 2 piece and try to knock it on. I've eagled the hole once, other than that i'll always play the same ball.