True? Pros can't change ball compression during round.

[Dormie1360]

Not sure why all the angst about this local rule, however, there still is some misinformation coming from all sides.  I've got some down time coming and will try to put together some definitive info next week so we can put this to rest..

In the meantime if your in a tournament just read the conditions of competition for your event and see if the one ball rule applies.  If your not in a tournament don't worry about it.  The rules of golf don't care if you play different brand balls on different holes.

[joekelly]

Dormie, if you can please try to find some kind of rationale for such a rule. Of course, provided each ball used is conforming. I really don't understand why such a rule and as i said before, i  ( lol, any pro) may use, 2,3 or 7 different drivers during any round.

[Rulesman]

Originally Posted by Ignorant

From the web page of PGA of America:

'The "one ball rule" is in effect on The PGA Tour. The PGA of America does not have the "one ball rule" in effect at the events it oversees (PGA Champioship, PGA Senior Championship, all PGA Professional National Championships etc.'

Have you got a link for this?I can't find anything.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Rulesman

Have you got a link for this?I can't find anything.

I think the fact that "Championship" is misspelled is a clue that it never actually appeared on the PGA site. The only place that text ever appears to have lived is here on TST.

[Dormie1360]

Originally Posted by iacas

I think the fact that "Championship" is misspelled is a clue that it never actually appeared on the PGA site. The only place that text ever appears to have lived is here on TST.

Just got this email from my PGA of America Rules Official acquaintance.

"The PGA of America does not use the "one ball rule" in national championships. I have a copy of the hard card from last years Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club. The players ball had to be on the list of conforming balls but the "one ball rule was not in effect.

The qualifiers for the PNC championships are run by the sections. It is possible individual sections may have the rule in effect.

I got out my folder from The 2004 Masters. The "one ball rule" was in effect for The Masters in 2004.

To the best of my knowledge it is used on all of the major tours."

I researched about 15 Local PGA sections last night. and the the above info makes sense with regards to individual sections  I found that some use the one ball rule, some do not.

USGA championships do not use the one ball rule.

Don't know about the "Open".

I think we've pretty much beat this one to death.

Joekelly, As far as your reservations concerning the rule, I'll reach out the USGA and see if they'll provide any input.

Back to watching the Masters.......

.

[iacas]

My rules from the 2011 PNC say the one ball rule was in effect. PGA Tour uses the one-ball rule, though per my note at the end, they might even need to do it.

The PA Golf Association goes both ways depending: http://www.pagolf.org/detail.asp?id=98&pid;=5

Quote:

GOLF BALLS
Only brands of golf balls on the most current USGA List of Conforming Balls may be used. The List is available upon request. Penalty for use of brand not on the List: DISQUALIFICATION. The so-called “One-Ball Rule,” The optional condition prescribed in appendix I of the Rules of Golf is NOT in effect for any Pennsylvania Golf Association event.

Quote:

The new rules regarding grooves will be adopted as a condition of competition for the 2012 U.S. Open Championship and U.S. Senior Open Championship, as well as sectional (final stage) qualifiers for these championships. The condition will NOT be in effect at local (first stage) qualifiers for the 2012 U.S. Open or at any of the USGA's national championships and team competitions that are contested by amateurs only. It will be in effect for the U.S. Senior Open Qualifier (because there is no local qualifying stage). Therefore, the condition of competition WILL BE in effect for the U.S. Senior Open Qualifier.

Seems like a pointless discussion though. Pros don't want to change golf balls. Good amateurs don't want to change golf balls. Just play the ball that best suits your game. If you can't tell the difference between a B330 and a B330S then you likely aren't good enough to be playing in an event in which you have to worry about this kind of thing.

So... yeah. :-)

[joekelly]

Well, iacas, your logic seems confused. If pros do not want to change balls, why a rule forbidding that very action?  The argument appears to revolve around, for example, the short hitter wanting a 'rock ball' for the long holes, then switching to a 'spinny ball' on the par 3 holes.  One could imagine at the Masters some players might indeed choose a super spinny ball on those par 3s. So to me this particular rule is crap. The rule should be:  use only balls listed as conforming. All players have the same rights to choose on each hole. My argument about various clubs is the same. Player can carry all the drivers he wants and may use any driver at any time, provided driver head conforming. You may say that players want only one driver but under the constraints of the 14 club rule the player must make a choice of which clubs to carry. There may be a pro who would like a driver which hooks the ball and a second driver which slices. Maybe Lee Trevino at Augusta.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by joekelly

Well, iacas, your logic seems confused. If pros do not want to change balls, why a rule forbidding that very action?

Just because 99.9% of pros wouldn't want to change golf balls doesn't mean you don't need a rule for it that 0.1% that might.

Originally Posted by joekelly

So to me this particular rule is crap. The rule should be:  use only balls listed as conforming.

It's not a rule you're likely to have to worry about. And seriously? It's not like PGA Tour players are complaining about this rule. Again, the vast, vast majority would play the same ball all the time. Even on the long holes they have to hit an iron or play a short game shot, so your made-up scenario of short hitters switching to distance balls on long holes is bogus.

Originally Posted by joekelly

My argument about various clubs is the same. Player can carry all the drivers he wants and may use any driver at any time, provided driver head conforming. You may say that players want only one driver but under the constraints of the 14 club rule the player must make a choice of which clubs to carry. There may be a pro who would like a driver which hooks the ball and a second driver which slices.

That's not the same argument at all. The player is limited to 14 clubs. If they want to use 13 drivers and a wedge, they're more than welcome to.

[Dormie1360]

Originally Posted by joekelly

Well, iacas, your logic seems confused. If pros do not want to change balls, why a rule forbidding that very action?  The argument appears to revolve around, for example, the short hitter wanting a 'rock ball' for the long holes, then switching to a 'spinny ball' on the par 3 holes.  One could imagine at the Masters some players might indeed choose a super spinny ball on those par 3s. So to me this particular rule is crap. The rule should be:  use only balls listed as conforming. All players have the same rights to choose on each hole. My argument about various clubs is the same. Player can carry all the drivers he wants and may use any driver at any time, provided driver head conforming. You may say that players want only one driver but under the constraints of the 14 club rule the player must make a choice of which clubs to carry. There may be a pro who would like a driver which hooks the ball and a second driver which slices. Maybe Lee Trevino at Augusta.

The USGA never got back to me, but I can tell you what they said a couple of months ago in class about it.  "One ball" local rule was put into place back when there was a big difference between proline golf balls.  Balata, Surlyn, etc.  Nowadays proline golf balls are very similar and have both distance and spin characteristics built into the same ball.  Professional golfers are fitted to a specific ball with their specific equipment.  Consequently, the USGA doesn't feel that there would be a big advantage afforded to a player by switching balls between holes.  So the USGA doesn't use the rule anymore.  A lot of the Tours and associations still use the "one ball' rule as part of their conditions of competition.  I can not speak for them, but they obviously still feel there is a need for it.  Frankly, I think you'll see less and less use of this rule over time.

Remember, the one ball rule does not apply to 99.9 percent of people playing golf and I'd guess most of the other .1% it does, don't care...........unless they run out of golf balls during their round and need to borrow one.

[szaino]

Originally Posted by Dormie1360

USGA championships do not use the one ball rule.

This is incorrect. Here is an excerpt from the notice that I received when I played in the USGA Senior Open qualifier.

******

NOTICE

The so-called " One-Ball Rule" will be in effect for all Qualifying and USGA Championships in 2011 .  It is suggested that a player not carry in his bag any ball that might cause him inadvertently to breach this condition which follows:

GOLF BALLS; DRIVER HEADS:  Only brands of golf balls on the most current USGA List of Conforming Golf Balls and driver heads on the most current USGA List of Conforming Driver Heads may be used. The so-called "One-Ball Rule," the optional condition prescribed in "Appendix I" of  "The Rules of Golf", will be in effect.

CLUBS; GROOVES: In Sectional Qualifying and in the Championship proper, the player's clubs must conform to the groove specifications in the Rules of Golf that are effective from January 1, 2010.  Note: Ping EYE2 clubs manufactured prior to 1990 may NOT be used during Sectional Qualifying and the championship proper. The Condition of Competition is for review on the entry application.

**********

[Dormie1360]

I could have sworn I cried uncle on this topic in another thread.  I've had USGA rules instructors tell me for two years that they no longer use this rule.  I could have sworn Mike Davis told me this 4 years ago.  Obviously they still do.  I must be losing my mind.  Thanks for the info szanino..

[joekelly]

As far as i can read, no one has offered a legitimate explanation for this rule. True, Dormie mentioned past years when proline balls were variable but to me the entire idea that the rule maker dictates the ball brand and model seems excessively petty.  What if the rule maker decided that only forged  and blade type irons were to be used, no cavity backs, etc. How would  that rule sit?  I only talk of 'conforming' balls of any brand and any model for any competiton: seems the way to go. Let the player decide the ball he wishes to use on each hole.  Otherwise, take up billiards.   Though no expert, i do hope to play in local senior amateur competition, soon.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by joekelly

As far as i can read, no one has offered a legitimate explanation for this rule.

The explanation is that different balls have different performance characteristics and the committee often wishes to make switching balls depending on the hole you're playing to gain an advantage illegal, particularly in high-level events.

[zeg]

Originally Posted by iacas

The explanation is that different balls have different performance characteristics and the committee often wishes to make switching balls depending on the hole you're playing to gain an advantage illegal, particularly in high-level events.

Yep, and there's no need to argue about whether switching balls is effective any more. Either it does give you an advantage or it doesn't. If it does, they don't want it to be permitted, so the rule is needed. If it doesn't, there is no reason to switch anyway, so the rule is not a hinderance.

The only issue is that you need to be careful not to switch balls by mistake. At the level of competition where this CoC is instituted, it's not a big deal to ask you to buy a couple cases of balls and clear all your others out of your bag just to avoid a mix-up.

[Dormie1360]

Originally Posted by zeg

, it's not a big deal to ask you to buy a couple cases of balls and clear all your others out of your bag just to avoid a mix-up.

As in 24 dozen?  You must play in a lot of tournaments with a lot of water.   I'd have trouble getting two cases of ProV1s pass the boss.

Yep, and there's no need to argue about whether switching balls is effective any more. Either it does give you an advantage or it doesn't. If it does, they don't want it to be permitted, so the rule is needed. If it doesn't, there is no reason to switch anyway, so the rule is not a hinderance

Hadn't thougth of it that way.....makes sense.

[zeg]

Originally Posted by Dormie1360

As in 24 dozen?  You must play in a lot of tournaments with a lot of water.   I'd have trouble getting two cases of ProV1s pass the boss.

Yeah, it's a real bitch hoisting the bag when I walk.  Fortunately, after the first couple holes I'm down to two or three balls left so the load lightens considerably. :-P

(I think of a case as a dozen---a case of four sleeves.)

[joekelly]

How can you gain an advantage over a competitor if everyone can make the same choice?  May i grind all the numbers off my irons so you can't peek and see what i play?  Is that a competitive advantage for me?  I personally feel all the arguments explaining or supporting the 'one-ball' rule,  that i have read here, are totally bogus. The only rule that continues to make sense to me is: each ball played must conform to current list.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by joekelly

I personally feel all the arguments explaining or supporting the 'one-ball' rule,  that i have read here, are totally bogus. The only rule that continues to make sense to me is: each ball played must conform to current list.

That's why it's YOUR opinion, but saying it over and over again doesn't really add anything to the discussion.

The rulesmakers clearly feel differently. They think that, at least in the majority of higher level competitions, you should not switch balls mid-round.