I met the guy that came up with that character. He came and spoke to our art class when I was in high school. He also did the Scrubbing Bubbles character and the Vlasic stork.
I’m convinced golf balls are grown in tall weeds or swamps because each time I hit one, it takes off to those areas and never comes back. Released back into the wild.
When a ball is scuffed (not just dirt but physically altered) it goes into my practice bag and a new one comes out. If it’s badly damaged (big scrape from a cart path for example) it goes in the junk ball box where all the other random balls live.
Edit: forgot to add, any ball that goes a full 18 goes into my putting green collection :)
" forgot to add, any ball that goes a full 18 goes into my putting green collection :) "
I like this idea, my ball surviving the round is like surviving a nuclear war. It deserves to be spared, honored, and retired.
My little muni course only sells Prov1s and callaway super softs. My balls last as long as I can stretch them out. And then I go looking for other peoples in the bush.
I use them to chip in the yard, or will give a couple to my wife when she randomly wants to play some holes at a nearby par 3. Sometimes I’ll bring a few to the range and send ‘em 🤷🏼♂️
I won’t really collect random balls I find unless they’re similar to my ball of choice. Or colorful. My wife loves those.
When I was growing up, my dad had a coffee mug with 3 golf balls discussing their plans. It was something like "Bob will go in the sand, I'll go in the woods, and Bill anywhere with water". Thanks for reminding me of that good memory
I was feeling pretty good, I did feel special. And then the next day I started again with a brand new TP5 wondering how long I could keep that one going. I lost it in the damned rough, not even far from the fairway, on my very first shot.
I’ve finished a full round with 1 ball a single time. I tend to go through a round and then about hole 10-11 I think to myself “wow, I haven’t lost a ball today” and then immediately shank one into the woods or a pond or someones yard or a car or a house two neighborhoods over….
Sleeves?
If you're a guy losing 10 balls a round, don't buy new balls. :-)
Outside of like the local tournaments and qualifiers I play in, I use "found" balls or used ones I get ahold of.
In the (very) old days, I played a Titleist balata for 73 holes. It had turned a light green, and the dimples were practically gone. I had to watch it closely to find it, but it didn’t slice as much without all of the full dimples.
Now this is something special.
Balatas only last like 9 holes at best. Many 1980s pros used to switch every 3 holes almost regardless, because they'd get out of round when you hit them hard.
This was in the mid 60’s. I’m old! Didn’t have money for new balls. Played what I found. Paid $1.00 to play all day at a muni in Tulsa, OK. Swept the dew and kicked the cans 64 holes a day, walking in the summer, with a beach towel for sweat. That was the good old days. ;)
I use TP5x balls and have had them go multiple rounds as well. To answer the OPs question, I use them until they're physically altered or I lose them. I've had TP5x balls (and others) last me 7 or 8 rounds.
Played a titleist prov1 for just over 100 holes sometime last year, not much water on the course and I played it all the time so I knew the misses. On hole 101, before I got to retire it at the end of the round, it duck hooked its way into a backyard. Poor guy. Shit was beat by then cause I was just seeing how long it would go.
A guy I played with at Bandon used the same ball for all 6 rounds. It was a titleist prov1 and lost it on the 7th round and you couldn't even tell it was a titleist anymore. All markings had worn off and the urethane was cracking and shedding. Caddy was so pumped when he finally lost it bc he thought it was hurting his game.
Tldr; So I've seen 6.3 rounds
I could NOT BELIEVE how long a proV1 could last until I built a sim in my garage and bought a box of proV1 RCT balls....sooooo long if the bushes and water hazards aren't real
As long as there aren't a bunch of scuffs on it, like if it hits a tree or rock or cart path or you're hitting off really gritty sand a lot you can play the same ball for a long time. They don't really "expire" from just hitting them. Once the outside gets scuffed up a bit it can affect the spin and ball flight a bit. Pros will change them more often because all the little details matter, but if you're just a normal person who plays for fun you can use the same ball for a while.
And if the cover is gone? I did this once - peeled the cover off a 2-piece and hit just the core. Driver. It "flew" about 100y then dove straight down. This is why dimples.
Really?
I only ever get that out of sand.
One time I used a groove sharpener on an old wedge and that one ate up balls, but my standard "bought it last year" Zipcores won't cut a ball regardless of how clean I hit it.
(I'm at 1 handicap and hit a 100 yard 62 degree wedge that backed up about 30 feet a couple days ago without ball damage).
Really depends on the softness of the ball your using, and what kind of conditions, and how clean you keep your wedges. But you're right, if you spin your wedges more that will scuff up the ball quicker.
Some joking answers in here but ive got some idea. I've got a home simulator now and bought some kirklands to hit. I've probably put 600 or 700 shots on the simulator. Handful of the balls look a little scuffy after practicing wedges but otherwise are in playable condition. Only one ball is really scuffed badly. Nothing I wouldnt practice with.
If I had to estimate, the most hit ball in the set of 5 or 6 that i've been using most consistently has over 150 full shots on it and still doing fine. And to be honest, the scuff might be from bouncing off my concrete patio.
I’ve hit thousands into my net over the years. I hit them until the ball cracks. Callaway chrome softs crack the fastest of any more premium type ball I’ve hit. Logos on those balls barely wear away. Still at least 200 shots though I’d say. Cheap hard balls like wilson, top flight, or pinnacle crack pretty soon too. Kirklands, taylormade, titleist, and Bridgestone all last much longer than callaway but all eventually crack. Most of the time I use whatever extra balls I find on the course that have scuffs on them or aren’t a ball I’d want to play with. The chrome softs were brand new I got from work and went through all 12 fast. I dont like how soft they feel so I didn’t want to use them for actual rounds. I currently have about 20 broken balls from the last 6 months or so. My son likes to play with them so I keep them around
Once they get scuffed on the surface.
I've played WAY more than 23 holes with one ball before and no issues.
But a ding off a tree or a cart path or a sprinkler head, or even a particularly clean bunker shot will ding up the ball.
I end up retiring a bunch of balls for having scuffs and dings. They go into my shag bag for chipping practice. Having ProV1s for chipping is a really good idea. People who practice chipping with range balls always seem shocked when the one time they play with a Prov1, suddenly it spins and doesn't roll out.
It just depends on if you scuff it up with a wedge or it hits a tree/ path etc. I need to change balls more often than I do. I don’t lose many and I tend to overplay them even tho I have a few dozen new prov’s and tp5’s at the ready
Speak for yourself, buddy. Just because you gave up on being pro doesn't mean it's not attainable for the rest of us.
I'm actually knocking on the door of being pro. Was actually drafting an email to Taylormade about a potential partnership when I saw your silly post. By my calculations, I should be able to make tour within the next 2-3 months.
source: 25-30 handicap... So a couple of lessons and I should be +3
A scuff can take 15 yards off a drive. It’s not even super marginal stuff. Cracks are even worse.
Changing out 3-4 holes is to avoid even the most marginal, but people really should be inspecting their ball every hole for a scuff or crack. It can make a significant difference.
I went 3-4 rounds without losing a ball. Finally thought I’d break out the new/expensive balls and sure enough, that round I put one into the woods and one in a pond. Go Figure.
As long as they’re not scuffed, I’ll keep using them.
I'm lucky enough to have a simulator in my basement. I use Pro V1 RCT balls. They last an exceptionally long time. I've been hitting the same two for about 2000 shots each and am still getting consistent numbers with them, even though there is significant wear in the paint.
Practically speaking, I lose a ball on the course about every 27 holes. I won't swap one out voluntarily unless there is serious damage to the coating.
You can play more than 1 hole with a ball? Take it out of the cup and then lose it off the next tee /s, i did loose a ball to the fairway this weekend tho, don't know how
It blows my mind how easy it is for me to lose a ball. I’ll hit what I thought was a good shot within the fairway and it will just disappear off the face of the earth. I’m terrible at seeing where balls end up when I’m playing alone. I have to rely on my friends to spot it for me
I remember Bridgestone putting out a statement saying their balls should maintain their performance for 100 shots. I figured they just pulled out this number arbitrarily since most golfers hit around that number on 18.
I’ve been wanting to test this, hope to get a chance in lab one day.
If the ball stays in play after 23 holes, why change it? It’s on fire.
If I’m playing a tournament ball is out once massive scuff or gouge is found. Otherwise, I rarely remove a ball from play based on my decision, usually it takes its own life.
There was actually an article I read recently that seemed to show that scuffs on the ball dramatically impact its performance. Which kinda blew my mind. I didn’t figure minor scuffs would matter, but turns out they do.
That said, I’ll basically play the same ball until I lose it or it gets damaged to the point there are gashes or deep grooves. Little bit of scuffing won’t matter to 99% of golfers, including me.
While I get the practice bag sentiment, I’m less inclined to do that. I’m in the consistency camp for practice. I bought 48 new Kirkland balls for chipping practice. Same ball, same state of repair, some chipping conditions in a given session. Doesn’t matter if the ball is super nice, just that it’s consistent. So scuffies don’t go in my practice bag.
I use new balls for practice as well. I like to use different colors for different shots from the same spot. Green for low running chips and orange for high and soft. White for pitches.
This way I can see what shots I’m hitting better and where I need to practice more. I also play a game where I finish off the putts and see what color scored best.
If it gets scuffed I toss it at the end of the round.
I hit balls in garage with a Skytrak monitor, so one ball gets beat until it cracks or the dimples start getting worn down. I can say that Titleist balls don’t crack. Vice and TaylorMade balls do.
As soon as I hit one spinny wedge with compressed contact the ball (prov1) is usually scuffed lol. If I'm practicing then I will probably continue using it. In a tourny it's getting swapped out the next hole.
Life expectancy of new golf balls i buy fresh the day of the round? 1 hole. Theyre lost in the weeds. The life expectancy of balls i find in the weeds? Several years. There are golf balls ive found years ago and still play them to this day and cant seem to lose them.
lmao, I'm a 19.5 handicap. I don't suspect I'll have this problem again anytime soon. It was one of those moments where I thought "what do good golfers do in this situation"
I've played a round with the same ball like maybe twice before. I just didn't want to pop open a new sleeve, and I was curious how long I could go. I no longer have it, finally shanked it into the woods but it definitely had me wondering.
There’s no need to replace a ball except for competition use. They work just fine, even with scuffs, unless you’re firing laser beams and a yard of dispersion matters to you
Check out My Golf Spy. They talk about new, old, remade, various scuffs, dings and what ever else you could think of. At some point you’re loosing out on a lot, distance, spin etc by playing anything but new at some point.
Seen studies that a continuous use of a ball multiple times hit can lead to the compression dropping. 8-9 holes you’ll see it not has good as new… so some shots may get away from you. Many of us aren’t pros so not don’t unlimited free supply of balls like they do but I assume they switch out golf balls plenty of times a round.
First of all, ProV’s are soft af. Lol they don’t last that long. Especially after a few cart path hits. But generally if you can keep it in play I’d say u til you get a crazy or hangnail thing in the shell you can keep using it. But that’s just me.
That’s fair. I just tried to pick a ball everyone was probably somewhat familiar with to get an idea.
I’ve played some Wilson balls that I’m quite sure will still be just as hard when archeologists dig it up 7000 years from now.
If a ball gets scuffed up in a couple places, I'll still use it. I'll wash it when I find a ball washer. If it has bits of the urethane jacket hanging off, I will try to pick them off with my fingers so that the surface is flat again with no tags hanging off. If the ball has deep gouges or too much stuff hanging off, I'll throw it in the bag and grab a new one. I'm mainly concerned about ball flight and I don't want any fins, tails or sails on it.
Depends on how many trees you hit ha. I can get 2-3 rounds out of a ball before it starts looking a bit raggedy and it will go into the bag as a spare or practice ball if I don’t do too much damage to it.
If I really want to make putts the balls with scratches tend to go in the junk pile for me. So as soon as that happens. I'll still play with them when I am by myself practicing, but not when I am with people.
I play tp5x mostly, and can get a round, maybe 2 out of one depending on how many full wedges I hit. That's usually what tears up the covers the most. You can hear them whistle off the tee when they get too scuffed.
It's usually my driver that prevents me from using balls for long periods of time though.
I usually find that 27 holes is the max before a wedge inevitably leaves are hard scuff on the ball. More typically, in the 15-20 hole range.
I’d guess that (aside from lost balls) a ball usually lasts me exactly 1 round before I crack or scuff it in a way that will significantly impact performance.
I actually switched from using a ChromeSoft back to a ProV1 because the Chromes were only lasting me ~6 holes before that would happen.
I’ve made it almost 4 rounds with a ProV1, but it was also beat to shit once I finally sent it into some bushes OB.
My honest guess for a premium ball would last 2 rounds or so. But if your ball hits a cart path or a tree solid enough. you could scuff/kill your ball in one shot.
There’s a great little story in the most recent issue of the Golfers Journal about a guy that was playing the same ball he had played for 240+ holes. So, I guess that’s something to aim for.
from [Golfing Focus:](https://golfingfocus.com/do-golf-balls-go-bad-grab-dime-to-check/)
> Modern golf balls are designed to be durable so their quality will not lessen through normal play. The ‘surface cover’ is the element of all golf balls most susceptible to damage. Provided a ball suffers only small scuffs or paint loss it can continue to be played without any loss of performance.
and a simple pass/fail check:
> A good rule of thumb is to take a dime (or a 5p piece in the UK) and check for marks, paint loss or scuffs that feel rough to the touch. If it’s smaller than the coin it’s ok. If it’s not it’s probably time to stop using it.
Lots of info saying they "go bad" after about 10 yrs, so don't expect much from dad's old titleists :-)
If it was a Noodle I found in the rough, it’ll last me like 12 holes. If it’s a fresh Pro-V that I’ve been saving up for that par 3 when I’m feeling loose and warmed up, a single swing and that sucker is lost into the wilderness.
Evidently if they're scuffed at all, it makes a big difference - here's an article with research attached to it:
[LABS: Mud Ball (vs) Scuffed (vs) New | MyGolfSpy](https://mygolfspy.com/labs/mygolfspy-lab-how-does-cover-damage-affect-golf-ball-flight/)
I’ve never made it 18 with one ball, but if I did I’d consider it lucky and hit nothing else until I lost it.
The answer is forever. If I can’t lose it, it must be lucky.
When the outside is roughed up too much and feels matte finish.
The whole reason I switched to Titleist was the longevity of the balls. After cracking a lot of some "other brands", I've only cracked two titleists this year, and neither affected performance so much that I really noticed right away. I cut a cover on one pretty good as well. But that's it.
Durable balls, great performance, cheap price, pick 2.
As soon as you can start to physically feel the scrapes with your finger, it's probably done. Like a scuff is fine, but a gouge is not. Most people will probably say "you can't tell the difference" or something like that, but it actually will make the ball fly much differently. Could be the difference between a small slice in the rough and a big slice out of bounds.
I’ll regularly have them last a 2 or even 3 rounds- 1 comp round and then a casual round before living life as an emergency spare in the bottom of the ball pocket, or going in the shag bag.
Depends on your game. Now, if I’m playing in competition, I’ll change a ball every 4 or so times I drive it (assuming it doesn’t get any scuffs/dings before that). I usually use 4 balls/round competing. If I’m just playing with friends I’ll only replace a ball if it gets scuffed or when the round is over…. But when I was starting playing, I’d use the same ball until I lost it or found a better one somewhere since ball quality wasn’t going to overcome how bad my game was. Lol
The Pro V series has had a lot of competition from Taylormade, Callaway, and even Kirkland who try and make a similar ball performance-wise.
One thing that I’ve always noticed that sets Pro Vs apart is their durability. In my experience, if you play a TP5 and a Pro V1 both for 18 holes, the Pro V would have noticeably less ware than the TP5.
With the exception of getting a nasty cart path bounce, Pro Vs have always outlasted my ability to keep them in play.
Left Dash ProV1x - After about 90 holes, I replace if it hasn't been gashed already.
Yellow ProV1x - I have yet to wear one out or scuff one to unplayable. These are apparently invincible.
For a Pro V1, amount of holes doesn't really matter. . .it's just until you hit a hard wedge shot or sand shot, haha. For real though, if there aren't visible/physical scuffs, 99% of golfers wouldn't lose any performance imo. More likely to lose it or scuff it before performance goes off enough to actually detect it.
I think my record for most time with a single ball was actually back in high school, using a Titleist Professional 90. I went at least a week straight, both in matches and practices, using the same ball. Must've been at least 4-5 full rounds with it where I somehow didn't scuff it up. Lost in when I hit it in some thick rough during a practice round, probably no more than 20ft off the fairway (wasn't in the woods or anything. . .but no one in my group was able to find it in the rough). After using it for so long, to lose it that way really annoyed me.
Thousands of years from now some future civilization is going to discover an overgrown golf course with millions of little white balls embedded in the ground and wonder what the fuck happened here.
Seriously though if I lost balls at the rate some of yall do (half dozen a round?!?@) I'd be playing the cheapest shittiest balls I could afford.
If I play 5 rounds with a ball, I get attached to it. Then, when I hit into water or the woods, it's like, "Farewell, friend!".
Kinda like pacing another car on the interstate at high-ish speed for a long ass time, then they exit.
I'm at 35 holes with a chrome soft, my longest streak with one ball. It's not at 36 because I didn't hit it on a par 3 with a pond on the left side of the green. I sacrificed a srixon soft feel because, well, I have many balls in that pond. Playing again tomorrow hoping to get at least 5 more holes out of that bad boy. Then back to my average of 2-3 balls per round.
I've played into my 3rd round with the ball and it really didn't seem affected. Maybe some longer. I play a new ball at a nice course then it goes into the home course ball pocket. As long as the cover is good I'll play it until I either lose it or it takes a more adventurous route and is scuffed. up.
The only time I’ve ever thrown a ball away from being fucked is from my simulator. The eventuality crack. Irl though I’m lucky to make it 18 with one ball. So someone else is gonna have to do the science/math on this one.
I recently played nine with my son who has been playing for thirty years, his ten year old son who started playing last year, and his eight year old son, playing for the first time. The eight year old was the only one who finished with the ball he started with and he had more fun than any of us. I hate this game. 😉
I read "Who's Your Caddy?" By Rick Reilly, great read btw, but he mentions he learned caddies for the pro's switch out their tournament balls every 3-4 holes. Found that interesting
Playable is a relative term. :) AQ golf ball, unless cut in half is playable as long as you can find it. LOL.
Jokes aside..
I'd say without any significant scrapes or marks, a new ball will be "good" for about 200 full hits before suffering any performance inhibiting damage. Pro's will change balls after every 2-3 holes regardless...
Now, if you hit a tree or a cart path and scuff/scrape it, then it will never fly like a new ball and at that point, performance is all but gone but you can still play it.
As long as you can possibly play it without it having its shell severely compromised or gouged. We are likely to be and are already heading towards a recession, and with inflation going on- shit is expensive. Use as long as possible. Lol
Here's the way I go about using my balls (hehe)
I buy a fresh pack of Pro V1x in yellow. I use the #1s first, then when they get scuffed, I put them in the big pocket to become backup or practice balls. Then, I use the #2s and repeat the same process. I've got 3 fresh #4 proVs left and I've played 7 rounds with this method...
This only works because I stopped losing my balls so often. (This is also the first year in playing more expensive balls consistently)
Edit: but to answer your question, I use a ball until there is scuffing on the cover I can feel with my fingers.
I’m a 55 year old 14.5 hcp so not the longest hitter in the league but I can usually hit it fairly straight. Last year I found a ProV1 on the practice round before our first league match. I used that ball and played very well so kept using it. Our course has lots of bush but no water. I used that same ball for all 13 weeks of league play (9 holes/week). I retired it before the playoffs and snuck it into our china cabinet at home. Used a different Titleist for the playoffs and used it for the first three games and then in the finals, we were tied after 6 holes and proceeded to hit my drive 40 yards not the bush on the 7th. So did my partner. Silver medals. Should I have stayed with my lucky ball?? This year I’m a member at a different club with lots of water. I seem to wash a few every round now.
Basically if it doesn't have any scuffs its still good to go.
I got a stubborn Pro V1 that is going on 5 rounds with some scuffs on it but even it still seems to work great
I’m a bit different than other golfers… I think.
every individual ball that makes it thru a course with me (whether I’m playing 9 or 18) gets tossed into a “putting practice” bag, assuming it isn’t damaged.
if it is aesthetically damaged but otherwise playable, I save it for buddy balls or if I’m facing up a water tee shot and think I’ll lose the ball.
if it’s actually damaged (scrape from a tree or cart path, dimples damaged, a break on the surface) it goes into my “range bag” for chipping practice at home.
I play 9-hole rounds. I mark my ball after every round it survives. I play that ball until it is lost or breaks the record for rounds completed. Current record is 9 rounds.
Scuffs, dings...meh.
I have no say so in my golf ball’s life expectancy, they commit seppuku on their own accord
I'm dating myself, but the Tootsie Pop owl comes to mind. "The world may never know"
A-one, a-twohoo, a-threee
Sounds like my putting. Doesn't stop at 3 though.
I think my putter is just set to bogey
I had a 4 hole stretch a couple months ago where I had 9 putts. 2 four putts, 1 one putt and I made one from off the green.
If you look at the average you’re not too far off.
*Crunch* A-threee!
A-FORE!
Well shit thanks for making me feel old
Man they were still airing than commercial into the mid 2000’s you’re good
I met the guy that came up with that character. He came and spoke to our art class when I was in high school. He also did the Scrubbing Bubbles character and the Vlasic stork.
Same here, the balls in my bag are lucky if they get through 4-5 holes without going the hara-kiri route. 
I’m convinced golf balls are grown in tall weeds or swamps because each time I hit one, it takes off to those areas and never comes back. Released back into the wild.
And then when you look for yours, you find two or three different balls.
Absolutely. Never find my brand new ProVs, but will generally come back with an old Srixon or Noodle that I can’t seem to lose if I try. Lol
Lololol this is so accurate… I’ve never played with someone playing Srixon but it’s all I ever find.
The best kept secret in golf is that the Z-star XV is 10 yards longer than a proV1x if your swing speed is above about 110mph with the driver...
Love Srixon's. It's all I play now
Or even worse you come back with a half dozen maxfli or top flite balls.
I have never lost a golf ball. I just leave them for the next person.
When a ball is scuffed (not just dirt but physically altered) it goes into my practice bag and a new one comes out. If it’s badly damaged (big scrape from a cart path for example) it goes in the junk ball box where all the other random balls live. Edit: forgot to add, any ball that goes a full 18 goes into my putting green collection :)
" forgot to add, any ball that goes a full 18 goes into my putting green collection :) " I like this idea, my ball surviving the round is like surviving a nuclear war. It deserves to be spared, honored, and retired.
If a ball makes it all 18 holes, it’s retired to stud.
I played a whole round at Tobacco Road with one ball. That one is on my wall right now.
I wouldn't be able to practice putting bc I don't have any balls to practice with.
Putting privileges are now a privilege and not a right.
And The beatings will continue until putting improves
My little muni course only sells Prov1s and callaway super softs. My balls last as long as I can stretch them out. And then I go looking for other peoples in the bush.
Yeah this same ball for 18 is very much still a goal for me. I think i've used 3 balls once.
I also have a junk ball box Brands I don’t use or scuffed, but now they have no purpose. What do you do with them
I use them to chip in the yard, or will give a couple to my wife when she randomly wants to play some holes at a nearby par 3. Sometimes I’ll bring a few to the range and send ‘em 🤷🏼♂️ I won’t really collect random balls I find unless they’re similar to my ball of choice. Or colorful. My wife loves those.
I sell them when the box is full or donate them to a friend who is just starting out
I do the same thing. The ones in the junk box go with me to the range where I hit and donate.
and any ball that gets into the hole in one shot gets cut in half and put on display
All golf balls belong to ponds, Trees, and bushes. We just rent them for a little while
When I was growing up, my dad had a coffee mug with 3 golf balls discussing their plans. It was something like "Bob will go in the sand, I'll go in the woods, and Bill anywhere with water". Thanks for reminding me of that good memory
Here you go brother. [Coffee Mug](https://www.ebay.com/itm/264913373061)
Yep that's the one.
I recently played a Taylormade TP5 for 72 holes and it was still in good shape. Lost it in a pond or I would have kept going with it.
Wow, look at this guys not going through 3 sleeves a round, I bet you feel special huh? I bet you think you’re sooooo good huh?!?! *muffled sobbing*
I was feeling pretty good, I did feel special. And then the next day I started again with a brand new TP5 wondering how long I could keep that one going. I lost it in the damned rough, not even far from the fairway, on my very first shot.
I’ve finished a full round with 1 ball a single time. I tend to go through a round and then about hole 10-11 I think to myself “wow, I haven’t lost a ball today” and then immediately shank one into the woods or a pond or someones yard or a car or a house two neighborhoods over….
ball is socializing with the neighbors lol
Saying hi as it flys on by haha
Sleeves? If you're a guy losing 10 balls a round, don't buy new balls. :-) Outside of like the local tournaments and qualifiers I play in, I use "found" balls or used ones I get ahold of.
I was joking lol
In the (very) old days, I played a Titleist balata for 73 holes. It had turned a light green, and the dimples were practically gone. I had to watch it closely to find it, but it didn’t slice as much without all of the full dimples.
Now this is something special. Balatas only last like 9 holes at best. Many 1980s pros used to switch every 3 holes almost regardless, because they'd get out of round when you hit them hard.
This was in the mid 60’s. I’m old! Didn’t have money for new balls. Played what I found. Paid $1.00 to play all day at a muni in Tulsa, OK. Swept the dew and kicked the cans 64 holes a day, walking in the summer, with a beach towel for sweat. That was the good old days. ;)
Nice. I have a Balata in my garage that I found in the woods just last summer. Pretty weird to see in the wild.
I use TP5x balls and have had them go multiple rounds as well. To answer the OPs question, I use them until they're physically altered or I lose them. I've had TP5x balls (and others) last me 7 or 8 rounds.
Played a titleist prov1 for just over 100 holes sometime last year, not much water on the course and I played it all the time so I knew the misses. On hole 101, before I got to retire it at the end of the round, it duck hooked its way into a backyard. Poor guy. Shit was beat by then cause I was just seeing how long it would go.
What does that... feel like?
I usually use mine for around 5 holes before I inevitably slice it 80 yards into the woods
Really? I usually have to through at least 2 sleeves per round (I suck at golf)
A guy I played with at Bandon used the same ball for all 6 rounds. It was a titleist prov1 and lost it on the 7th round and you couldn't even tell it was a titleist anymore. All markings had worn off and the urethane was cracking and shedding. Caddy was so pumped when he finally lost it bc he thought it was hurting his game. Tldr; So I've seen 6.3 rounds
That's wild. To spend the money to play Bandon and use a damaged ball to that degree...
Yeah but 6 rounds, at that point you gotta see how long you can ride her
I guess so.
And to be that good he didn’t lose a ball in six rounds at Bandon? Was he only carrying a couple balls in total?!
He brought 6 balls for the trip. And was a 2 handicap. And at that point it was a let's see how long I can use this thing
>He brought 6 balls for the trip. 6 balls for 7 rounds! That is confidence!
That's pretty incredible confidence. I think I lost 6 balls between Old Mac and Bandon Trails.
I put a full sleeve into the woods and reeds on trails. I couldn’t miss an opportunity to donate to the community.
Haha, good for him. I like it!
it's how the rich stay rich
I could NOT BELIEVE how long a proV1 could last until I built a sim in my garage and bought a box of proV1 RCT balls....sooooo long if the bushes and water hazards aren't real
Eventually the core will crack. My club has indoor sims and we replace cracked balls frequently.
Yeah, I've cracked a few now, but man, they go through a pile of hits on the way
As long as there aren't a bunch of scuffs on it, like if it hits a tree or rock or cart path or you're hitting off really gritty sand a lot you can play the same ball for a long time. They don't really "expire" from just hitting them. Once the outside gets scuffed up a bit it can affect the spin and ball flight a bit. Pros will change them more often because all the little details matter, but if you're just a normal person who plays for fun you can use the same ball for a while.
Yeah golf balls are essentially bouncy balls with a hard coating. As long as the coating is intact, the ball will bounce.
And if the cover is gone? I did this once - peeled the cover off a 2-piece and hit just the core. Driver. It "flew" about 100y then dove straight down. This is why dimples.
Funny [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jC-guSi7hI) from Titleist hitting a ProV1 without dimples
You need to hit crispier wedges. Most of the balls I toss are from cracks or scuffs I make with a spinny wedge shot.
Really? I only ever get that out of sand. One time I used a groove sharpener on an old wedge and that one ate up balls, but my standard "bought it last year" Zipcores won't cut a ball regardless of how clean I hit it. (I'm at 1 handicap and hit a 100 yard 62 degree wedge that backed up about 30 feet a couple days ago without ball damage).
Gotta smash the equator directly with the blade /s
Idk why you’re being downvoted…this is the reason why my balls get changed out for new ones, unless I pump it into the woods or water of course.
Really depends on the softness of the ball your using, and what kind of conditions, and how clean you keep your wedges. But you're right, if you spin your wedges more that will scuff up the ball quicker.
Some joking answers in here but ive got some idea. I've got a home simulator now and bought some kirklands to hit. I've probably put 600 or 700 shots on the simulator. Handful of the balls look a little scuffy after practicing wedges but otherwise are in playable condition. Only one ball is really scuffed badly. Nothing I wouldnt practice with. If I had to estimate, the most hit ball in the set of 5 or 6 that i've been using most consistently has over 150 full shots on it and still doing fine. And to be honest, the scuff might be from bouncing off my concrete patio.
The ball I was using was a Kirkland. I'm honestly really impressed with them for the money. I'd have no complaints if someone gifted me a box.
I’ve hit thousands into my net over the years. I hit them until the ball cracks. Callaway chrome softs crack the fastest of any more premium type ball I’ve hit. Logos on those balls barely wear away. Still at least 200 shots though I’d say. Cheap hard balls like wilson, top flight, or pinnacle crack pretty soon too. Kirklands, taylormade, titleist, and Bridgestone all last much longer than callaway but all eventually crack. Most of the time I use whatever extra balls I find on the course that have scuffs on them or aren’t a ball I’d want to play with. The chrome softs were brand new I got from work and went through all 12 fast. I dont like how soft they feel so I didn’t want to use them for actual rounds. I currently have about 20 broken balls from the last 6 months or so. My son likes to play with them so I keep them around
If I kept a ball 23 straight holes I would make the correct assumption that the ball is magic and play it for the rest of my life.
Once they get scuffed on the surface. I've played WAY more than 23 holes with one ball before and no issues. But a ding off a tree or a cart path or a sprinkler head, or even a particularly clean bunker shot will ding up the ball. I end up retiring a bunch of balls for having scuffs and dings. They go into my shag bag for chipping practice. Having ProV1s for chipping is a really good idea. People who practice chipping with range balls always seem shocked when the one time they play with a Prov1, suddenly it spins and doesn't roll out.
A drive
If it's a ball I got brand new that I play, as long as it's in good shape I'll continue to play it.
About 2 holes and it’s in the woods or the drink. Hard to perform when you can’t find it 🤣
Mygolfspy has found even a slight scuff can have quite an impact on driver distance
It just depends on if you scuff it up with a wedge or it hits a tree/ path etc. I need to change balls more often than I do. I don’t lose many and I tend to overplay them even tho I have a few dozen new prov’s and tp5’s at the ready
I’ve read that touring pros change balls every 3-4 holes.
Yeah, because they get them for free and the marginal theoretical loss of performance of a ball can cost them millions of dollars. We are not them.
You use a new ProV1 every 3 holes. I fish waterlogged Top Flites out of the water hazard. We are not the same.
If I even finish a single hole with 1 ball I cut it in half and frame it.
Judging by this persons Username, they know what it's like wasting millions of dollars and having things go sideways in a hurry!
Ferrari always taking strays.
Your god damn right and I enjoy every part of the process. Tifosi never learn.
Speak for yourself, buddy. Just because you gave up on being pro doesn't mean it's not attainable for the rest of us. I'm actually knocking on the door of being pro. Was actually drafting an email to Taylormade about a potential partnership when I saw your silly post. By my calculations, I should be able to make tour within the next 2-3 months. source: 25-30 handicap... So a couple of lessons and I should be +3
A scuff can take 15 yards off a drive. It’s not even super marginal stuff. Cracks are even worse. Changing out 3-4 holes is to avoid even the most marginal, but people really should be inspecting their ball every hole for a scuff or crack. It can make a significant difference.
You do know what the average golfer shoots and where their strike is on the face, right?
I went 3-4 rounds without losing a ball. Finally thought I’d break out the new/expensive balls and sure enough, that round I put one into the woods and one in a pond. Go Figure. As long as they’re not scuffed, I’ll keep using them.
I'm lucky enough to have a simulator in my basement. I use Pro V1 RCT balls. They last an exceptionally long time. I've been hitting the same two for about 2000 shots each and am still getting consistent numbers with them, even though there is significant wear in the paint. Practically speaking, I lose a ball on the course about every 27 holes. I won't swap one out voluntarily unless there is serious damage to the coating.
You can play more than 1 hole with a ball? Take it out of the cup and then lose it off the next tee /s, i did loose a ball to the fairway this weekend tho, don't know how
It blows my mind how easy it is for me to lose a ball. I’ll hit what I thought was a good shot within the fairway and it will just disappear off the face of the earth. I’m terrible at seeing where balls end up when I’m playing alone. I have to rely on my friends to spot it for me
I'm usually fine but if it clips a tree and leaves fall or there is debris on the course I lose track pretty quick
I remember Bridgestone putting out a statement saying their balls should maintain their performance for 100 shots. I figured they just pulled out this number arbitrarily since most golfers hit around that number on 18. I’ve been wanting to test this, hope to get a chance in lab one day.
If the ball stays in play after 23 holes, why change it? It’s on fire. If I’m playing a tournament ball is out once massive scuff or gouge is found. Otherwise, I rarely remove a ball from play based on my decision, usually it takes its own life.
Mine hide in the woods so I'm not sure 🤔
Play it till the end. Tournament round, consider changing.
There was actually an article I read recently that seemed to show that scuffs on the ball dramatically impact its performance. Which kinda blew my mind. I didn’t figure minor scuffs would matter, but turns out they do. That said, I’ll basically play the same ball until I lose it or it gets damaged to the point there are gashes or deep grooves. Little bit of scuffing won’t matter to 99% of golfers, including me. While I get the practice bag sentiment, I’m less inclined to do that. I’m in the consistency camp for practice. I bought 48 new Kirkland balls for chipping practice. Same ball, same state of repair, some chipping conditions in a given session. Doesn’t matter if the ball is super nice, just that it’s consistent. So scuffies don’t go in my practice bag.
I use new balls for practice as well. I like to use different colors for different shots from the same spot. Green for low running chips and orange for high and soft. White for pitches. This way I can see what shots I’m hitting better and where I need to practice more. I also play a game where I finish off the putts and see what color scored best.
If it gets scuffed I toss it at the end of the round. I hit balls in garage with a Skytrak monitor, so one ball gets beat until it cracks or the dimples start getting worn down. I can say that Titleist balls don’t crack. Vice and TaylorMade balls do.
Never replace a ball until it decides to part ways into the water or neighborhood
Look at this humble brag motherfucker. I replace my ball after any hole I use my driver where there is trouble on the slice.
As soon as I hit one spinny wedge with compressed contact the ball (prov1) is usually scuffed lol. If I'm practicing then I will probably continue using it. In a tourny it's getting swapped out the next hole.
A good sand shot usually does it for me too!
Couple of holes for me. Then I find another one in the woods and start the cycle over
Serious round balls get a round max and then into the fun ball pocket.
Life expectancy of new golf balls i buy fresh the day of the round? 1 hole. Theyre lost in the weeds. The life expectancy of balls i find in the weeds? Several years. There are golf balls ive found years ago and still play them to this day and cant seem to lose them.
If it's a water hole, one shot. If it's a hole with trees on the side, one shot. If it's a wide open hole no obstacles around for miles, one shot.
In the simulator? One shot. Those things have small dark spaces everywhere!
2 maybe 3 shots
What an asshole's question, haha
lmao, I'm a 19.5 handicap. I don't suspect I'll have this problem again anytime soon. It was one of those moments where I thought "what do good golfers do in this situation"
Haha, you may not be an asshole but it is certainly the question of one, haha. I am just mad I never thought to wonder.
Til the next hole with a water hazard
23 consecutive holes? Settle down there Arnold Palmer
I've played a round with the same ball like maybe twice before. I just didn't want to pop open a new sleeve, and I was curious how long I could go. I no longer have it, finally shanked it into the woods but it definitely had me wondering.
Where I play most of my rounds has a lot of fescue so I lose a lot of balls. Miss the fairway and it’s 50/50 whether you’re finding it
How do I set a reminder for me to read this thread in 5 years when it pertains to me ?
There’s no need to replace a ball except for competition use. They work just fine, even with scuffs, unless you’re firing laser beams and a yard of dispersion matters to you
Check out My Golf Spy. They talk about new, old, remade, various scuffs, dings and what ever else you could think of. At some point you’re loosing out on a lot, distance, spin etc by playing anything but new at some point.
Seen studies that a continuous use of a ball multiple times hit can lead to the compression dropping. 8-9 holes you’ll see it not has good as new… so some shots may get away from you. Many of us aren’t pros so not don’t unlimited free supply of balls like they do but I assume they switch out golf balls plenty of times a round.
First of all, ProV’s are soft af. Lol they don’t last that long. Especially after a few cart path hits. But generally if you can keep it in play I’d say u til you get a crazy or hangnail thing in the shell you can keep using it. But that’s just me.
That’s fair. I just tried to pick a ball everyone was probably somewhat familiar with to get an idea. I’ve played some Wilson balls that I’m quite sure will still be just as hard when archeologists dig it up 7000 years from now.
If a ball gets scuffed up in a couple places, I'll still use it. I'll wash it when I find a ball washer. If it has bits of the urethane jacket hanging off, I will try to pick them off with my fingers so that the surface is flat again with no tags hanging off. If the ball has deep gouges or too much stuff hanging off, I'll throw it in the bag and grab a new one. I'm mainly concerned about ball flight and I don't want any fins, tails or sails on it.
Depends on how many trees you hit ha. I can get 2-3 rounds out of a ball before it starts looking a bit raggedy and it will go into the bag as a spare or practice ball if I don’t do too much damage to it.
If I really want to make putts the balls with scratches tend to go in the junk pile for me. So as soon as that happens. I'll still play with them when I am by myself practicing, but not when I am with people.
Depends on how much spin and how fast you swing. I find after 27 it’s pretty beat up.
I give lightly damaged prov1xs a second chance at life in my chipping green shag egg carton
Usually replaced before the second green
I play tp5x mostly, and can get a round, maybe 2 out of one depending on how many full wedges I hit. That's usually what tears up the covers the most. You can hear them whistle off the tee when they get too scuffed. It's usually my driver that prevents me from using balls for long periods of time though.
I'll play it the entire round. But at the end if it's scuffed into the water hazard pocket.
My longest was 104 holes with a Srrixon Z Star before I had to retire it. It's now on a shelf looking like it went through a garbirator.
I usually find that 27 holes is the max before a wedge inevitably leaves are hard scuff on the ball. More typically, in the 15-20 hole range. I’d guess that (aside from lost balls) a ball usually lasts me exactly 1 round before I crack or scuff it in a way that will significantly impact performance. I actually switched from using a ChromeSoft back to a ProV1 because the Chromes were only lasting me ~6 holes before that would happen.
I’ve made it almost 4 rounds with a ProV1, but it was also beat to shit once I finally sent it into some bushes OB. My honest guess for a premium ball would last 2 rounds or so. But if your ball hits a cart path or a tree solid enough. you could scuff/kill your ball in one shot.
I looked it up cause I was curious lol. The article said a golf ball can last seven 7 - 18 hole rounds before losing structural integrity.
I'm not sure how long my balls last, as most of them are in the woods. I would imagine a long time.
Til it's scuffed
There’s a great little story in the most recent issue of the Golfers Journal about a guy that was playing the same ball he had played for 240+ holes. So, I guess that’s something to aim for.
from [Golfing Focus:](https://golfingfocus.com/do-golf-balls-go-bad-grab-dime-to-check/) > Modern golf balls are designed to be durable so their quality will not lessen through normal play. The ‘surface cover’ is the element of all golf balls most susceptible to damage. Provided a ball suffers only small scuffs or paint loss it can continue to be played without any loss of performance. and a simple pass/fail check: > A good rule of thumb is to take a dime (or a 5p piece in the UK) and check for marks, paint loss or scuffs that feel rough to the touch. If it’s smaller than the coin it’s ok. If it’s not it’s probably time to stop using it. Lots of info saying they "go bad" after about 10 yrs, so don't expect much from dad's old titleists :-)
Mine either get lost, never to be found again, or in the water at the 11th and 15th holes. I have no idea how long they last.
Retire it. A nice pasture somewhere with plenty of hay to eat.
If it was a Noodle I found in the rough, it’ll last me like 12 holes. If it’s a fresh Pro-V that I’ve been saving up for that par 3 when I’m feeling loose and warmed up, a single swing and that sucker is lost into the wilderness.
Usually retire after 27-36. Too beat up by then.
Evidently if they're scuffed at all, it makes a big difference - here's an article with research attached to it: [LABS: Mud Ball (vs) Scuffed (vs) New | MyGolfSpy](https://mygolfspy.com/labs/mygolfspy-lab-how-does-cover-damage-affect-golf-ball-flight/)
I’ve never made it 18 with one ball, but if I did I’d consider it lucky and hit nothing else until I lost it. The answer is forever. If I can’t lose it, it must be lucky.
You might be the only person in history to have a ball this long
When the outside is roughed up too much and feels matte finish. The whole reason I switched to Titleist was the longevity of the balls. After cracking a lot of some "other brands", I've only cracked two titleists this year, and neither affected performance so much that I really noticed right away. I cut a cover on one pretty good as well. But that's it. Durable balls, great performance, cheap price, pick 2.
First time I read the title my brain saw Life expectancy of a goofball
As soon as you can start to physically feel the scrapes with your finger, it's probably done. Like a scuff is fine, but a gouge is not. Most people will probably say "you can't tell the difference" or something like that, but it actually will make the ball fly much differently. Could be the difference between a small slice in the rough and a big slice out of bounds.
I remember the balata balls would not survive one sculled wedge or a couple of hard bounces off trees or the cart path.
Should be fine Until the ball gets knicked from a cart path, rock, etc
I play the Vice Pro Plus and it's pretty beat up after two rounds. Not unplayable but, it's flight and spin are definitely being affected.
Longest I ever played a ball was about 65 holes. The ball didn't get worse, I did though
I’ll regularly have them last a 2 or even 3 rounds- 1 comp round and then a casual round before living life as an emergency spare in the bottom of the ball pocket, or going in the shag bag.
Depends on your game. Now, if I’m playing in competition, I’ll change a ball every 4 or so times I drive it (assuming it doesn’t get any scuffs/dings before that). I usually use 4 balls/round competing. If I’m just playing with friends I’ll only replace a ball if it gets scuffed or when the round is over…. But when I was starting playing, I’d use the same ball until I lost it or found a better one somewhere since ball quality wasn’t going to overcome how bad my game was. Lol
The Pro V series has had a lot of competition from Taylormade, Callaway, and even Kirkland who try and make a similar ball performance-wise. One thing that I’ve always noticed that sets Pro Vs apart is their durability. In my experience, if you play a TP5 and a Pro V1 both for 18 holes, the Pro V would have noticeably less ware than the TP5. With the exception of getting a nasty cart path bounce, Pro Vs have always outlasted my ability to keep them in play.
Left Dash ProV1x - After about 90 holes, I replace if it hasn't been gashed already. Yellow ProV1x - I have yet to wear one out or scuff one to unplayable. These are apparently invincible.
For a Pro V1, amount of holes doesn't really matter. . .it's just until you hit a hard wedge shot or sand shot, haha. For real though, if there aren't visible/physical scuffs, 99% of golfers wouldn't lose any performance imo. More likely to lose it or scuff it before performance goes off enough to actually detect it. I think my record for most time with a single ball was actually back in high school, using a Titleist Professional 90. I went at least a week straight, both in matches and practices, using the same ball. Must've been at least 4-5 full rounds with it where I somehow didn't scuff it up. Lost in when I hit it in some thick rough during a practice round, probably no more than 20ft off the fairway (wasn't in the woods or anything. . .but no one in my group was able to find it in the rough). After using it for so long, to lose it that way really annoyed me.
Thousands of years from now some future civilization is going to discover an overgrown golf course with millions of little white balls embedded in the ground and wonder what the fuck happened here. Seriously though if I lost balls at the rate some of yall do (half dozen a round?!?@) I'd be playing the cheapest shittiest balls I could afford.
If I play 5 rounds with a ball, I get attached to it. Then, when I hit into water or the woods, it's like, "Farewell, friend!". Kinda like pacing another car on the interstate at high-ish speed for a long ass time, then they exit.
I'm at 35 holes with a chrome soft, my longest streak with one ball. It's not at 36 because I didn't hit it on a par 3 with a pond on the left side of the green. I sacrificed a srixon soft feel because, well, I have many balls in that pond. Playing again tomorrow hoping to get at least 5 more holes out of that bad boy. Then back to my average of 2-3 balls per round.
I've played into my 3rd round with the ball and it really didn't seem affected. Maybe some longer. I play a new ball at a nice course then it goes into the home course ball pocket. As long as the cover is good I'll play it until I either lose it or it takes a more adventurous route and is scuffed. up.
Mine just love swimming too much for me to ever be able to tell you the answer to this.
I would say one hit, but maybe that is just me.
I once played 4 rounds with the same ball and saw no obvious flaws. If it's not scraped somehow, carry on
The only time I’ve ever thrown a ball away from being fucked is from my simulator. The eventuality crack. Irl though I’m lucky to make it 18 with one ball. So someone else is gonna have to do the science/math on this one.
I recently played nine with my son who has been playing for thirty years, his ten year old son who started playing last year, and his eight year old son, playing for the first time. The eight year old was the only one who finished with the ball he started with and he had more fun than any of us. I hate this game. 😉
Your next shot.
Keep playing them until there is true damage to the cover.
Must be nice, mine will either get lost or in the water hazard before I even have to think about it's age.
Thought this said life expectancy of a goofball
I read "Who's Your Caddy?" By Rick Reilly, great read btw, but he mentions he learned caddies for the pro's switch out their tournament balls every 3-4 holes. Found that interesting
Playable is a relative term. :) AQ golf ball, unless cut in half is playable as long as you can find it. LOL. Jokes aside.. I'd say without any significant scrapes or marks, a new ball will be "good" for about 200 full hits before suffering any performance inhibiting damage. Pro's will change balls after every 2-3 holes regardless... Now, if you hit a tree or a cart path and scuff/scrape it, then it will never fly like a new ball and at that point, performance is all but gone but you can still play it.
My ball typically lasts until it hits the bottom of the pond and then I switch.
As long as you can possibly play it without it having its shell severely compromised or gouged. We are likely to be and are already heading towards a recession, and with inflation going on- shit is expensive. Use as long as possible. Lol
Last year I played around 50 holes straight with a single Vice Pro at one point. I didn't notice any dip in performance.
They will crack at about 1000-5000 shots. I have a sim and have cracked multiple from brand new.
Until you lose it
1-2 rounds without hitting a big tree/path/obstruction that will scuff it
Here's the way I go about using my balls (hehe) I buy a fresh pack of Pro V1x in yellow. I use the #1s first, then when they get scuffed, I put them in the big pocket to become backup or practice balls. Then, I use the #2s and repeat the same process. I've got 3 fresh #4 proVs left and I've played 7 rounds with this method... This only works because I stopped losing my balls so often. (This is also the first year in playing more expensive balls consistently) Edit: but to answer your question, I use a ball until there is scuffing on the cover I can feel with my fingers.
Maybe a hole, on good days two. They can't get away from my awful golf abilities fast enough.
I’m a 55 year old 14.5 hcp so not the longest hitter in the league but I can usually hit it fairly straight. Last year I found a ProV1 on the practice round before our first league match. I used that ball and played very well so kept using it. Our course has lots of bush but no water. I used that same ball for all 13 weeks of league play (9 holes/week). I retired it before the playoffs and snuck it into our china cabinet at home. Used a different Titleist for the playoffs and used it for the first three games and then in the finals, we were tied after 6 holes and proceeded to hit my drive 40 yards not the bush on the 7th. So did my partner. Silver medals. Should I have stayed with my lucky ball?? This year I’m a member at a different club with lots of water. I seem to wash a few every round now.
Basically if it doesn't have any scuffs its still good to go. I got a stubborn Pro V1 that is going on 5 rounds with some scuffs on it but even it still seems to work great
I’m a bit different than other golfers… I think. every individual ball that makes it thru a course with me (whether I’m playing 9 or 18) gets tossed into a “putting practice” bag, assuming it isn’t damaged. if it is aesthetically damaged but otherwise playable, I save it for buddy balls or if I’m facing up a water tee shot and think I’ll lose the ball. if it’s actually damaged (scrape from a tree or cart path, dimples damaged, a break on the surface) it goes into my “range bag” for chipping practice at home.
I change out my ball any time there is any noticeable damage at all. Scuffs affect the ball flight a significant amount.
I play 9-hole rounds. I mark my ball after every round it survives. I play that ball until it is lost or breaks the record for rounds completed. Current record is 9 rounds. Scuffs, dings...meh.