Question about balls?

QuigleyDU · February 21, 2012

Get your mind out of the gutter

OK, I know that you are supposed to play the same ball type the entire round. Example if you start with a prov1 you are not allowed according to the rules to switch to a prov1x mid round correct?

So if was playing a srixon z star could I switch to the z star yellow mid round. Technically they are the same ball type.

Just different colors.

teejaywhy · February 21, 2012

Not true.

You may not switch balls in the course of playing a single hole (unless the rules allow a substitution due to lost, oob, or damaged), but you may tee up any ball you like during the course of a round.

canonlbp430 · February 21, 2012

Good question, obviously one ball rule isn't always in effect with different tournaments but I would think you could argue that it is same ball even with different color. Someone on here knows a lot more about rules than I do though.

QuigleyDU · February 21, 2012

[quote name='teejaywhy' timestamp='1329842461' post='4341517']
Not true.

You may not switch balls in the course of playing a single hole (unless the rules allow a substitution due to lost, oob, or damaged), but you may tee up any ball you like during the course of a round.
[/quote]

I am not starting a fight but I think you are wrong. In tourny golf you have to play the entire round with the same ball type. You switch out used damaged balls but it must be the same type.

Russelson · February 21, 2012

You can change ball from hole to hole. Rule 15-1 states: "A player must hole out with the ball played from the teeing ground" Doesn't say anything about the entire round.

There can be a one ball rule in effect, for a tourny for instance. But for a weekend golfer you can switch it up from hole to hole without penalty.

QuigleyDU · February 21, 2012

Thats my point I believe that the tour adopted the one ball rule. That is really my question. I know that us weekend warriors can play whatever the hell we want and no one cares.

ben w · February 21, 2012

this is definitely true for regular rules of golf (not counting special tournament rules or PGA tour etc). My brother in law always changes to a crappy ball if the tee shot is over water, and is quick to tell me it's legal!

Daniel Noonan · February 21, 2012

[size="2"]There is nothing in the Rules of Golf that prevents a golfer from switching to a different brand of golf ball (i.e., from a Titleist to a Bridgestone) on every hole on the course - so long as the change is made between the play of holes. [/size][size="2"] However, there [i]is[/i] something in the Rules of Golf that says a tournament committee can [i]impose[/i] such a rule.[/size]

[size="2"] It's called the "one ball condition" (in the rulebook, it's in Appendix 1, Part C), more commonly known as the "one ball rule." As you probably know, all Tour events are played under the "one ball rule." And any rules committee may adopt the "one ball rule" for its competitions.[/size]

[size="2"] The "one ball condition" requires the player to use the exact same brand and type of ball throughout the round. For example, if you tee off the first hole with a Titleist Pro V1x, then that's what you must play throughout the round. You may not switch to any other brand of ball, nor even to any other type of Titleist ball. You started with the Pro V1x, so the Pro V1x is what you must use on every stroke.[/size]

[size="2"] If the "one ball rule" is not in effect, however, golfers may swap out different types of golf balls at any point in a round of golf, so long as the change is made between holes rather than during the play of a hole.[/size]

SHIVAN · February 21, 2012

[quote name='creeder06' timestamp='1329843310' post='4341683']
I am not starting a fight but I think you are wrong. In tourny golf you have to play the entire round with the same ball type. You switch out used damaged balls but it must be the same type.[/quote]

Please provide the citation of the rule. It should settle this pretty quickly.

QuigleyDU · February 21, 2012

Look at above. The one ball rule which all tours operate under.

SHIVAN · February 21, 2012

[quote name='creeder06' timestamp='1329860498' post='4344203']
Look at above. The one ball rule which all tours operate under.[/quote]

My apologies, I didn't understand you were on tour.

I have played in a few tournaments, and the tournament committees' rules never included a "one ball condition", which seems to be the mitigating factor. I would suspect that would be on the local rules sheet handed out pre-tourney.

Otherwise, in absence of that stipulated condition, it would appear you'd be free to use whichever ball you drew from your bag.

teejaywhy · February 21, 2012

[quote name='creeder06' timestamp='1329860498' post='4344203']
Look at above. The one ball rule which all tours operate under.
[/quote]

You said in your original post:
[i]
"So if was playing a srixon z star could I switch to the z star yellow mid round. Technically they are the same ball type."[/i]

So I assumed you were asking about YOU, and that's the reason I answered as I did. I figured if you were on the PGA Tour you probably already knew the answer to the question.

So I'm guessing that your question really is: Can a Tour play switch color balls as long as they are the same brand and model ?? Afraid I don't know the answer to that.

[i]
[/i]

QuigleyDU · February 21, 2012

[size="2"][sup]I apologize if I was not clear, I am not on tour and no I did not stay at a holiday in express last night. [/sup]

[/size][sup][size="2"]I am sorry that I did not state that I was asking under the single ball rule. But back to my original thought,

If you are playing under PGA tour format which I believe all tournys use the one ball rule (apologize if I am wrong) Would it be acceptable to switch from a white ball to a ball of any color ( dont want to discriminate) that is that same ball but with an alternate color?[/size][/sup]

DaveLeeNC · February 21, 2012

[quote name='creeder06' timestamp='1329863055' post='4344577']
[size="2"][sup]I apologize if I was not clear, I am not on tour and no I did not stay at a holiday in express last night. [/sup]

[/size][sup][size="2"]I am sorry that I did not state that I was asking under the single ball rule. But back to my original thought,

If you are playing under PGA tour format which I believe all tournys use the one ball rule (apologize if I am wrong) Would it be acceptable to switch from a white ball to a ball of any color ( dont want to discriminate) that is that same ball but with an alternate color?[/size][/sup]
[/quote]

It is hardly true that 'all tournys' use the one ball rule. In general it is limited to very high level competitions.

But the rule as suggested (for optional implementation by any tournament committee) would require that there be a 'single entry' in the list of conforming balls and that this single entry would have to cover 'all the balls that you play'.

So it depends (and in most cases different colors would have different entries, I would think).

dave

MRadix · April 7, 2012

You can definitely switch balls in between holes. I do it all the time in tournaments and always tell my playing partners

Dei3Nascar8 · April 7, 2012

I play the Z-Star Tour Yellow and clearly remember hearing on TV that you can not play the white and yellow ball (on the PGA Tour) interchangeable. Speaking only about the PGA TOUR: Same ball and same color must be used for entire round. Everything else above about the "One Ball Rule" is correct. Same color / Same model (although I think they went away with the same number - don't quote me on that just something I thought that I heard) has to be used entire round.

I wonder if the Pro's would switch to the "X" ball for the par 5's or if they would continue to use the "One Ball Rule" if it were no longer enforced...