How often do you switch balls?

[KIDDEREK]

How frequently do you change your ball?

I recently played where there were no ball cleaners and had a pretty difficult time trying to rub the dirt off. How often do you switch balls?

I think it's a badge of honor to play one ball for the entire round, but sometimes the ball does get nicked up pretty good.

[NM Golf]

In tournament play at least every 9 holes. It depends on what the ball looks like. I spin the ball quite a bit so I do a good job chewing up golf balls. I have used as many as 5 balls in a round during the club championship this year to make sure I always had a good ball in play. Those 5 balls got recycled though, each got another casual 18 on them before they retired.

In casual rounds I try to make the ball last 18 holes. I play ProV1x's, and I'm not made of money so I can't see pulling out a pearl every hole like the big boys do.

[SirMilton]

I do not believe all golf balls are manufactured equally well; not even the balls in the same sleeve or box. I often play with the same ball for an entire round and may use a ball washer only once or twice.

Does anything smell worse than the water in a ball washer?

If I hit a poor shot with a new ball and then my second shot with that ball is also poor, I simply throw that ball away. If I do not like a new ball (even if hit well) the rest of the brand new box balls goes into the shag bag.

[jowlar]

I catch alot of grief about my golf ball b/c I will play with one until the writing rubs off.

[lamebums]

About every five or six holes or so. I beat 'em up pretty good. I'm not sure what I do but I occasionally tear the cover off of it, and the surface of the ball looks like chicken wire, or something. When that happens, I'm pretty much forced to change the ball.

I'm not made of money either - I only play with Pro V1's in serious rounds. Otherwise I'll play with anything.

[907golfer12]

I can play rounds with one just ball, but I usually only switch during tournament rounds if it is dirty or scuffed up, during a practice round I only change it unless it is EXTREMELY dirty or EXTREMELY scuffed.

[Poatrivialis]

Depends on how long it takes to find a cart path with an errant shot.

[cbe_golfer]

I voted Never.
First of all, I play Pro V1 reloads and so they are never in peach condition. Then, I lose one before I get the chance to entertain the rich thought of switching a ball.
Maybe in a year from now, I will have the luxury of having this problem.

[Jeepthrills]

More often than not, I end up switching because my previous ball decided to go into hiding, drown itself or make a nasty right turn into areas as yet unseen by humans. I will normally only take a ball out of play by choice when it gets scuffed or when it is misbehaving. Sunday, I hit a path with my ball en route to a double bogey and it didn't tear it up too badly so I kept playing it. Two holes later I made my third consecutive double and decided that the ball must be angry at me. I simply threw it as far as I could into the woods behind the 8th green. Problem solved. I proceeded to hit a solid drive with the other ball I was carrying in my pocket. I made a good par and now that ball has moved into the top spot in the rotation.

[Ruckus]

Assuming I don't lose any balls in a round (it's happened a couple of times), I have to trash my Pro V after every round, sometimes after 9 hopes, as they get shredded! Even though I get them discounted and sometimes free, I still have guilt about chucking a 4 dollar ball regardless of its condition.

Titleist is making an absolute killing selling these things for that price

[WhiteSoxFan]

More often than not, I end up switching because my previous ball decided to go into hiding, drown itself or make a nasty right turn into areas as yet unseen by humans. I will normally only take a ball out of play by choice when it gets scuffed or when it is misbehaving. Sunday, I hit a path with my ball en route to a double bogey and it didn't tear it up too badly so I kept playing it. Two holes later I made my third consecutive double and decided that the ball must be angry at me. I simply threw it as far as I could into the woods behind the 8th green. Problem solved. I proceeded to hit a solid drive with the other ball I was carrying in my pocket. I made a good par and now that ball has moved into the top spot in the rotation.

I pretty much roll exactly like Jeepthrills, including chucking the bad ones into the woods.

[golf_junkie27]

I only replace a lost ball. Otherwise, it's getting washed every hole. I play with various different balls: Hogan, Nike One Platinum, Titleist D So Lo, Callaway HX Hot that I purchase refurbished, discounted, etc.

Even if I was good enough to play with a ProV1, I can't justify spending $50 for 12 balls.

[Hacksaw]

When lost.

[Parker0065]

I wash after every hole, and usually play it until it's lost. When playing well I go 3 to 4 rounds without losing a ball and I don't see any loss of distance or performance, but when a ball gets scuffed or damaged in any way I go to the bullpen,,lol!

[23Rounder]

I try to only change my ball when I lose it which unfortunately happens about once a round.

[blkdiamond]

Unless a ball becomes damaged or lost I will play that ball until it becomes damaged or lost.

[3Putt]

During tournament play I'll play a new ball each 9 holes unless it has some cartpath rash. For casual rounds I usually start with a new ball with the intent it will last all 18.

However, there are times when a ball must be sacrificed because it refuses to go in the hole. A golfer can only take so many power lips, peek-ins and cellophane bridge putts. After finishing a hole, preferably next to water, send the ball to it's liquid grave with multiple colorful goodbyes and grab a new one. When the eggs in the bag see what happens when they don't obey/perform they WILL try harder, write that down.

[i-Guy]

I usually change a ball out once it is scuffed or dirty (won't clean). However, I always keep these balls for my shag bag...