Is this Legal to do?

[8602081]

Switching Golf balls between holes

Sometimes we have to do "Lift and Clean" in fairways, after a rainy day. I noticed that some people will switch balls, when they do the "Lift and Clean" so that they don't have to take time to clean it until after the hole is over..

The question is, is it illegal if the ball is replaced with the exact same brand/model or the original? I'm pretty sure that it's illegal if the balls are different brand/model..


Next question:

Can a player switch to different model of golf ball between holes?
Example.. I like to use Pro V1 for par3s, because of the feel.. Pro V1x for par 4 and par 5, because of distance..

[lidomkj]

My understanding is that you have to finish the hole with the ball you started playing with. You can not switch balls with lift and clean rules in place, but would make sense to speed up play with a round with your buddies.

 

Also, I believe that you can switch balls after you finish a hole, so you could switch.

 

I could be wrong since I did not look up the specific rules.

[Baller]

Can a player switch to different model of golf ball between holes?

Example.. I like to use Pro V1 for par3s, because of the feel.. Pro V1x for par 4 and par 5, because of distance..

I though you must finish a hole with the ball you started with. After the hole is over you can switch, however that brand of ball you started with is what you must finish with... so you can not change from V1 to a V1x or a titielist(sp) to a top flight during tournanment play. when playing with buddies you can do whatever you want

[Cameron Circle T]

if one ball rule is in effect you cannot do what you want with the two models of pro v1. if it is not in effect then doesnt matter.

[Artemicion]

I once heard that amateurs are allowed switch to a different ball between holes, but pros have to keep using the same brand and type for the entire round.

[wwhitehead]

I once heard that amateurs are allowed switch to a different ball between holes, but pros have to keep using the same brand and type for the entire round.

 

This is because most pro events (including every PGA Tour stop) use the one-ball rule. A number of amateur events do as well (including the state amateur here in Virginia, for example).

 

WW

[bogeydevil]

Not to get overly precise about this--it is a Rule of Golf that you must complete a hole using the same ball with which you started the hole unless you meet the stated criteria for taking the ball out of play (or, obviously, if it is lost or hit out of bounds.)

 

Playing the entire round with the same brand and make of ball is not a Rule of Golf. It is an optional Condition of Competition-commonly referred to as "the one ball rule" even though, technically, it is not a "rule." :drinks:

 

If I am not mistaken, the one ball rule is a standing Condition of Competition on the PGA Tour. Similarly, the USGA seems to invoke the one ball rule as a Condition of Competition in its championships and related qualifying events.

 

Unless the governing authority specifically invokes the one ball rule as a Condition of Competition for a particular event, it is perfectly permissible to change brands/models of balls between holes.

[jdhallissey]

Not to get overly precise about this--it is a Rule of Golf that you must complete a hole using the same ball with which you started the hole unless you meet the stated criteria for taking the ball out of play (or, obviously, if it is lost or hit out of bounds.)

 

Playing the entire round with the same brand and make of ball is not a Rule of Golf. It is an optional Condition of Competition-commonly referred to as "the one ball rule" even though, technically, it is not a "rule." :drinks:

 

If I am not mistaken, the one ball rule is a standing Condition of Competition on the PGA Tour. Similarly, the USGA seems to invoke the one ball rule as a Condition of Competition in its championships and related qualifying events.

 

Unless the governing authority specifically invokes the one ball rule as a Condition of Competition for a particular event, it is perfectly permissible to change brands/models of balls between holes.

 

 

This is correct but I will add to the ball maybe taken out of play during a hole is if the cover is cracked. Like a physical crack not a scuff or cart path ball. The crack is very hard these days with the level of golf ball being played. I think i have seen maybe 5 cracked balls in 300 + rounds in the last 5 years.

[golf-ccc]

Golf rules state that a player must finish the hole with one and only one ball, the player is allowed to change balls during the game only if the original ball has some visible damage that will clearly afect its performance i.e. craket, peeled. No minor scratches are accepted. In order to switch balls, the player must inform his/her playing partners and let them have a look at the damaged ball. The player is neither allowed to swtich balls when on the green.

 

The player is entitled to change balls at the beggining of any hole, prior to that, he must inform his partners and call the change.

 

If during the game the ball is covered with mud, the player may mark his ball and clean only necessary part to only to identify his ball, after doing so, he must replace (not drop) the ball to its original lie.

 

Switching balls under wet course rules is only allowed under local rules.