How long do you use a golf ball?

[Golfingdad]

On 10/16/2016 at 11:23 AM, Hardspoon said:

I usually lose a ball or two per round, so it's rare that I'll "retire" a ball unless it's actually cut or REALLY scuffed.  I can't remember the last time that happened.

Yup, same here.  I had a ball last two full rounds recently and I had no problem starting a third with it.

Balls these days are durable.

[CarlSpackler]

Until it finds its way to Davey Jones Locker. 

[rehmwa]

One more round, then maybe it'll go into the shag bag

 

[Hacker James]

its been proven a scientific fact that it is nearly impossible to lose a old, dirty, scuffed ball. Now,new ones are lucky to last the round. Same as for ball point pens, that Bic will last forever and you never lose it, but a new Cross will disappear within a week's time. or as  some one once stated: "Old golfer's never die, they just lose their balls".

Edited October 18, 2016 by Hacker James

[Kalnoky]

I will play a ball until I lose it, usually 3-4 rounds. 

 

[Pete]

Until it gets damaged. Never retired a ball other than for sentimental reasons. Current ball is a pro v1 no.8 which has done about 7 rounds. Must be close to a record for me. I think I keep playing the same one as it gives me confidence to look down on a ball that I know I have kept in play for so long.

[jkelley9]

The ball has to be pretty much cracked before I'll retire it. I don't lose as many now so I can go a 2-3 rounds without losing one sometimes (although not that often). If it gets scuffed from a cart path or a bum lie it doesn't bother me. I rarely even clean them, I just wipe them off with my towel to get the big junk off. I don't care if it's perfectly white or whatever.

I also don't have a specific brand ball that I play. I pretty much play whatever. Sure, sometimes I'll play ProV1's (like now, since I won a couple dozen of them) but I play e6's, z-stars, tour preferred's, chrome softs, whatever. I buy used mostly. Or I'll even play balls I find occasionally. My swing aint good enough to REALLY matter on performance (I think).

[billchao]

I often switch to a new ball when the previous ball is still in near-mint condition. At least I assume it is in near-mint condition; hard to tell when you can't find it.

[Psyber]

Usually a few holes before it finds a new home in canal, pond or forest. 

[Brian W]

Everyone once in a while I will make it through a round without losing a ball.  This year I went through almost 36 holes without losing a ball although that is very rare for me.  I tend to go through around a sleeve per round, sometimes a little more depending on how I am shooting

If at any point I hit a cart path and there is any damage to it, I will make the judgement call on how bad it is an how I am playing that day on whether to throw it in my range bucket or keep playing with it

[David L Yskes]

i usually play a ball till it has a big scuff mark on it...  which could be 3 holes or 9 holes..  usually its from me hitting my irons and wedges....

which i've always wondered how much does a scuff mark effect the flight of a golf ball?   

[Golfaddict247]

I usually use it till I lose it, ha!

[Ernest Jones]

Depends what I'm using it for. 

[Natural Patrick]

3 hours ago, Ernest Jones said:

Depends what I'm using it for. 

If your using it for something besides golf. please fill us in?

[Ernest Jones]

11 minutes ago, Natural Patrick said:

If your using it for something besides golf. please fill us in?

No.

[shanksalot]

I general play a ball until the cover is cut. If it hits a cart path I take it out of play, but I can usually take a little sand paper and take off any irregularly cover sticking out. Where I am playing now it is pretty hard to lose a ball so I either take it out when the brand name starts to wear or the cover starts to look scruffy. I no longer have a game good enough to worry about it affecting my play on the course. 

Edited October 20, 2016 by shanksalot

[paininthenuts]

Like some others have said, it's never been an issue for me, because I will always lose a ball before it gets unusable. I play on a pretty open course, but I can guarantee putting at least one ball in the water or nearby farmers field over 18 holes. Perhaps one day I will learn to hit a ball straight, but I doubt it

[RandallT]

I think I'm with most: use until badly scuffed/damaged or lost. 

But then again, the ones I put into play are not mint condition to start with. I have a big box of "previously enjoyed" balls, sorted by brand. My father walks many evenings near dusk along a par 5 hole near his house in Hilton Head. He finds a few per day, for weeks and weeks at a time. As a result, I'll get a box of fairly decent balls at a rate far faster than I can use them! Many of them quite decent balls.