What grinds my gears....

[oikos1]

Interesting. The thought never crossed my mind that my opponents might think I'm cheating because I carry an extra ball. Danggit, I thought golf was supposed to be a gentleman's game where the presumption is your opponent plays the game with honor and integrity. I suppose I should start declaring the extra ball on the first tee, except that it will now probably get in my head and I'll duck hook one O.B. right off the bat.

[klebs01]

From the linked piece: "Most players at Parklands are never more than a few feet away from their bags/trolleys. There is little justification or need to carry the spare ball in your pocket."

This has been my experience in the 25+ years playing. I can't see the justification for making a stink about it, and in a tournament of match, it would be suspicious.

 

[HyzerFlipDG]

I just switched to tees and balls in left pocket and pitch mark tool and ball marker in right. Always kept balls in my right pocket, but twice in the last week i went to hit a greenside chip and hit the ball in my right pocket with my hands or club shaft and it screwed up my shot. So definitely time to switch pockets.

[SNIPERBBB]

I stopped carrying an extra ball when I started to hit my driver much more confidently. If I do loose one OB, my next gamer is sitting in the cart ball holder ready to go. Unfortunately had to walk back to get one last night as I double crossed myself on a par 5. Did make a 20 footers to save the par so I'm sure I didn't hold things up.

[Bigarch]

Well, Yes! Respecting the game and other players IS how I was taught to play the game, and I still agree with that. I don't think it's going too far. How to handle myself and that extra ball is part of that and I think it addresses the concerns in the article you found.

So to elaborate, I was also taught that when you play the game properly, that on the 1st tee you announce to your playing partners the type of ball you are playing, the number, and any markings you have on it...along with holding it out towards other players making an offer for them to inspect the ball and confirm if they wish. And that's also why in my answer, I said that the other ball in the pocket is always a different number... just incase anyone would ever question whether or not I have switched my ball on the green or anywhere else.

Further, if and when you ever need to play a provisional ball, you do it properly by saying this in its entirety: "I am playing a provisional ball in case that original ball is lost or out of bounds. The original ball was a number 1 and this provisional ball is a number 2". My phrasing never changes. And again, you offer the ball up for inspection if anyone has any questions. And finally, you do all of this before playing the provisional ball...not after. That's just how I was taught to play the game properly and respectfully.

I guess it just goes back to how you were taught the game. That's the way I was taught and I still agree with how that is done. I really don't care if a player has an extra ball on their person or not. If they do, they should handle it properly... If they don't they should just understand that if circumstances are right and they need to get another ball, it should be readily available to them so that it impacts the other players in the group to a minimal degree. I think that's what the OP was driving at too.

[RSinSG]

I always have a second ball with me. If it's not a different number its a different color and since I don't play in serious tournaments sometimes its a different brand. I never considered that so many of you would think the reason I do so is so I can cheat more easily. I guess some of you are around cheaters more than I am.

[GeorgeHWB]

Carrying an extra ball is a defeatist attitude. It's unacceptable to me.

 

Every day I step onto the first tee I think, "This is going to be the best round of golf I've ever played." Obviously that almost never happens, but that's the goal.

 

Going down swinging.

 

Edit - I've never stood on the first tee thinking, "This is going to be the fastest round of golf I've ever played in my life."

[huskydawg]

Sometimes I have an extra ball, sometimes I don't. Really, it's the last thing on my mind. It's all target and execution. I've played full rounds with a ball in my pocket but never lost the gamer. If I find a light scape on ball 1, I'll probably favor the other ball. To each their own.

[Hawkeye77]

Arch - I've had plenty of good role models for golf since I started at about age 10-11, and at age 12 started using paper route/lawn mowing money to buy my own subscription to Golf Digest (I thought it was a cool thing in 1970 and it was the "Nicklaus" magazine) and became a "student"/golf nerd so to speak at an early age, checking out, buying just about any book on golf and its history I could afford (when I wasn't spending my money on fishing tackle!) and having been enjoying it and reading about it ever since. LOL, if only my game reflected all my years of "study".

The reasons I bring that up, and you may have a similar history, In almost 5 decades of golfing I've never seen anyone seriously advocate having a ball in your pocket as anything close to approaching a litmus test for having respect for the game of golf. See plenty of folks do it, I'm fine with it, but never seen it touted as "a thing" that verges on some "rule" of etiquette. So your original suggestion that somehow I don't respect the game of golf because I don't choose to have an extra ball in my pocket had me bristling a bit (and maybe I took that in a way is really wasn't intended).

Reading your latest post, I'm thinking you really don't believe that either and maybe weren't intending your post to be taken that way - maybe you are saying that you carrying an extra ball is one of the ways you believe you are showing some respect for other players and I respect that and your motives for doing so (and if you did it for no reason at all, great). As for the OP, no he wasn't really doing anything but getting in a little rant for the sake of posting it.

Hope you get out to play over what looks here to be a glorious America's Birthday weekend!

 

 

[davep043]

"Further, if and when you ever need to play a provisional ball, you do it properly by saying this in its entirety: "I am playing a provisional ball in case that original ball is lost or out of bounds. The original ball was a number 1 and this provisional ball is a number 2". My phrasing never changes. And again, you offer the ball up for inspection if anyone has any questions. And finally, you do all of this before playing the provisional ball...not after. That's just how I was taught to play the game properly and respectfully."

I would never suggest that this is inappropriate, it is certain to make things perfectly clear as to which ball is which. However, its important to understand that the only part that is required under the rules is that you make it clear that you are playing a provisional. As long as you, the Player, can tell which is which, you aren't required by the rules to tell anyone which ball is which.

[cardoustie]

I never carry an extra ball ... just one Martini tee

you know who has 1 or a pocket full of extra balls .. CHEATERS .. the guys when asked what ball are they playing respond with “WHITE”

[LeoLeo99]

I've played with randoms that take great pride in being able to reload before their first ball stops. They are like Clint Eastwood with the second ball. As the first ball is sailing OB, they have the second out of their pocket and teed up and are addressing it.

[oikos1]

 

By that logic, I would imagine you think wearing a seat belt, buying insurance and having a box of band aids around the house is defeatist as well.

[deadsolid...shank]

Our rough is pretty nasty, lots of balls lost in it. I always carried a few extra so I could subtly drop one without anyone seeing......but I always got caught. Finally I realized the cheater drop works better if you’re wearing long pants and not shorts!?

 

Seriously though, sometimes I do have one, sometimes not. Usually start out without one, but inevitably I’ll find a ball or switch mine out and have an extra in the pocket. I don’t buy into the line of thinking that carrying one presets you up for failure. If you’re that weak minded you’re likely going to fail anyway. It’s just an extra ball.

[farmer]

I have never thought about this topic. As Hawk said, carrying an extra ball means only that you're carrying an extra ball. I carry two or three tees, and will give one away if one of the group has run out. If I need to hit a provisional, it is a different color.

[GeorgeHWB]

Completely different. Not wearing a seat belt could lead to a ticket or my death. Not having insurance could lead to my financial ruin.

 

Not carrying a second ball could lead to me spending an extra 30 seconds grabbing another ball from my bag. The horror!

And if I'm playing with others and I'm not the last person to hit off the tee it won't create any extra time for the round.

[oikos1]

Oh, silly me. I thought you said, no wait, you did say carrying an extra ball was a "defeatist attitude".

[Quasimoto]

So what would you say when I go to my bag for another ball and in order to get rid of negative thoughts from losing a ball I pull out my marker and mark the new ball before dropping (or re-teeing) the ball?

[DLev45]

My club is a country club, with the emphasis on COUNTRY, as in Central Alabama. We had a guy who hits it 300+ and was usually in his own cart for whatever the excuse happens to be that day. When he hit it down the middle, he would chill and wait on the rest of the foursome to tee off. But when he hits it into trouble, he is like a NASCAR driver waiting to gun it as soon as the 4th tee ball is struck, and since he hits it the furthest, he always gets to looking first because everyone else stops at their balls short of his.

And he always manages to find it, too! Imagine that!

Well Mr. Ball-in-his-pocket got caught dropping one out of his pant leg in the rough by someone on an adjacent fairway, and he left with an ass-whooping and we haven't seen him since.

So no... we don't play with a 2nd ball in our pocket.

[Bigarch]

No worries my friend. I really don't think that carrying the extra ball is a respect thing itself. Certainly not a litmus test. I was speaking more for respecting other players in general by not slowing down the game....and because I play a golf course where you may see quite a few provisionals, carrying that extra ball is just one way I try to do that. But I also respect that other players have different ways of doing things.

Hit em straight this weekend, Hawkeye. I have family coming for the holiday so no golf for me. :)

[hoselpalooza]

my dad forced me to carry an extra ball and tees in my pocket as a kid. sometimes i play in cold whether and will keep a couple of extra balls in my pockets to keep them warm. i usually walk these days and don't need to carry extra balls or tees in warm weather, but i will still always bring an extra ball if i can't wheel my pushcart up to the tee box.

i don't buy into this pop psychology mumbo jumbo about jinxing myself by carrying an extra ball. on the (hopefully) rare occasion i get into trouble off the tee i'd much rather just plop another ball down and forget about the first shot. i would prefer this than having to make the long walk of shame to retrieve another ball with playing partners chirping in the background.

i've played with people who frequently lose balls and have to walk all the way back to their cart -- more than once from the same tee box on occasion. this is selfish behavior and gets old really quickly. don't be that guy or that gal. put down the golf psychology book and take a lesson or two. and in the meantime, do all of your playing partners a favor and take an extra ball or two with you to the tee box. it's super easy to do and is appreciated by your playing partners.

if you only lose a ball once a blue moon this probably doesn't apply to you. but you should absolutely be prepared to deal with some friendly ribbing from your playing partners because not being prepared is amateur hour.

[parforme]

It's probably based more on what you were taught. I was taught to keep an extra ball in my left pocket. I am very used to it and don't think at all about it being there. I am also confident it has no influence on me hitting a bad shot with ball #1. Pace of play is always an issue and although it only takes a minute or 2 to get a ball from your bag, my foursome would prefer to use that time reading a green or shooting a pin. And I believe my playing partners would prefer not to hear someone digging thru their golf bag for a ball while they are attempting to swing.

[puttingmatt]

The op gives one example of how not being prepared, contributes to slow play. Its a good example, not the only example .

But when you add up this and other examples of poor preparation, its easy to see how this behavior contributes to longer than needed time playing the hole, and the round in general.

[nsxguy]

Recap

op starts with a silly rant

an all-time poster calls him out on his silly rant

op insults the guy calling his rant silly and, after the majority of opinions go against him, never shows his face again.

Classic. Nothing to see here gents. LOL

 

[BIG STU]

What Arch is talking about is something my old man taught me in both golf and life---- Make sure your actions are squared up and your actions are beyond reproach. Yep I would rather in this case go the extra mile to ensure my integrity. And in the case of a serious comp it would "protect the field"

[hoselpalooza]

the guys i've seen who frequently lose balls usually don't have honors...

[davep043]

No disagreement, there are times when compliance to the rules is one thing, and the "right" thing is a step further. But I don't think its ever a bad thing to identify the minimum standard that the rules require.