Hi all

Balls that are marked "PRACTICE".... any difference to new balls?

I saw some practice Nike One Tour balls on sale, but wasnt sure if it meant these balls are not up to par as the new ones are.

Thanks

usually there are just minor cosmetic blemishes that you wont even notice.

[quote name='jasonTeI3' timestamp='1293665130' post='2864788']
usually there are just minor cosmetic blemishes that you wont even notice.
[/quote]

so they perform the same as "NEW" balls? The only difference is minor cosmetics (which i assume doesnt affect the performance of the ball) and the fact they have a giant "PRACTICE" marked on it?

Thanks!

you got it

Chan,

The old man who taught me how to play golf told me something I've never forgotten in 30 years. I was 16 or 17 and [s]b!tching[/s]griping about playing with X-outs and Practice balls because I couldn't afford new balatas. He simply said:"when you hit 'em to where can tell the difference in 'em, you'll be getting 'em for free".

There's nothing wrong with practice balls. In fact, I think they're a better alternative than 2nd-tier balls and are usually cheaper.

No difference. Where I worked two seasons ago had One Tour D's as "practice" balls, which got me turned on to them as I would sneak a few to game for after work rounds and then they became my main gamer since.

Good to know I always thought there was some huge different between the "practice" golf balls and the regular ones. So it's basically a marketing scheme?

Good to know I always thought there was some huge different between the "practice" golf balls and the regular ones. So it's basically a marketing scheme?

FYI, from the USGA :

5-1/4 Status of "X-out," "Refurbished" and "Practice" Balls

Q. What is the status of "X-out," "refurbished" and "practice" balls?

A. "X-out" is the common name used for a golf ball that a manufacturer considers to be imperfect (usually for aesthetic reasons only, e.g., paint or printing errors) and, therefore, has crossed out the brand name. A "refurbished" golf ball is a second-hand ball that has been cleaned and stamped as "refurbished."

In the absence of strong evidence to suggest that an "X-out" or "refurbished" ball does not conform to the Rules, it is permissible for such a ball to be used. However, in a competition where the Committee has adopted the condition that the ball the player plays must be named on the List of Conforming Golf Balls (see Note to Rule 5-1), such a ball may not be used, even if the ball in question (without the X's or without the "refurbished" stamp) does appear on the List.

In most cases, "practice" balls are simply listed, conforming golf balls that have been stamped "Practice," in the same way that golf balls often feature a club or company logo. Such balls may be used even where the Committee has adopted the condition that the ball the player plays must be named on the List of Conforming Golf Balls.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The imperfection that lead to their being marked PRACTICE could also have to do with construction flaws. Out of balance, out of round, ect... Its not always just visual flaws.

[quote name='Cornbread' timestamp='1293807276' post='2867601']
The imperfection that lead to their being marked PRACTICE could also have to do with construction flaws. Out of balance, out of round, ect... Its not always just visual flaws.
[/quote]

actually your right about that being the case with "x outs" but practice balls will only have cosmetic flaws.

[quote name='harrison101' timestamp='1293754979' post='2866806']
Good to know I always thought there was some huge different between the "practice" golf balls and the regular ones. So it's basically a marketing scheme?
[/quote]

Hmmm...I always thought they stamped them as practice so people wouldn't fill their bags with "free" balls.

A few years back I found a couple of Nike, TIGER, 2000 82nd PGA CHAMPION balls on the course.

They were a Nike promo at the time.

All golf reps will sell you new balls with your pernonal logo on it. Clubs will sell balls with their logo on it, they will also buy logo'ed balls with the word PRACTICE added to them. They are NEW conforming balls if the BRAND is on the list. They CAN be used in tourneys, they are LEGAL, they have no cosmetic faults as those would be X-OUTed by the OEM in the QC dept. Refinished balls are never new balls they are recycled and therefore not conforming even if the BRAND is on the list. You can buy recycled balls that were NOT refinished (had varnish added) but simply cleaned and, you could use them too if the BRAND is on the conforming list.

[quote name='mdgboxx' timestamp='1293830510' post='2868177']
A few years back I found a couple of Nike, TIGER, 2000 82nd PGA CHAMPION balls on the course.

They were a Nike promo at the time.

All golf reps will sell you new balls with your pernonal logo on it. Clubs will sell balls with their logo on it, they will also buy logo'ed balls with the word PRACTICE added to them. They are NEW conforming balls if the BRAND is on the list. [b]They CAN be used in tourneys, they are LEGAL[/b], they have no cosmetic faults as those would be X-OUTed by the OEM in the QC dept. Refinished balls are never new balls they are recycled and therefore not conforming even if the BRAND is on the list. You can buy recycled balls that were NOT refinished (had varnish added) but simply cleaned and, you could use them too if the BRAND is on the conforming list.
[/quote]

Back when I played competitive golf, I actually had an instance where that came up. I was playing a tournament and ended up using a ball marked practice on it, and was about to be DQ'd, when the tournament directors finally deemed it a "premium ball that happened to say practice on it", as it was a Prov1(they were new at the time) I wonder if the out come would have been different if i was using a Top Flite.

[quote name='FlyGuy' timestamp='1294112849' post='2873883']
[quote name='mdgboxx' timestamp='1293830510' post='2868177']
A few years back I found a couple of Nike, TIGER, 2000 82nd PGA CHAMPION balls on the course.

They were a Nike promo at the time.

All golf reps will sell you new balls with your pernonal logo on it. Clubs will sell balls with their logo on it, they will also buy logo'ed balls with the word PRACTICE added to them. They are NEW conforming balls if the BRAND is on the list. [b]They CAN be used in tourneys, they are LEGAL[/b], they have no cosmetic faults as those would be X-OUTed by the OEM in the QC dept. Refinished balls are never new balls they are recycled and therefore not conforming even if the BRAND is on the list. You can buy recycled balls that were NOT refinished (had varnish added) but simply cleaned and, you could use them too if the BRAND is on the conforming list.
[/quote]

Back when I played competitive golf, I actually had an instance where that came up. I was playing a tournament and ended up using a ball marked practice on it, and was about to be DQ'd, when the tournament directors finally deemed it a "premium ball that happened to say practice on it", as it was a Prov1(they were new at the time) I wonder if the out come would have been different if i was using a Top Flite.
[/quote]


If it's on the conforming list, you're good to go.