Dinged ball performance.

[bens197]

There are two events during a round where I will swap out a ball for a new one. I’ve made a habit of always replacing a ball after a birdie or better with a new one.

 

The second is when it becomes scuffed by a tree or a cart path.

 

Without any scientific proof, my hunch would be that any physical change to a ball would effect flight and spin...how much however is still a question.

 

How many of you continue to play a urethane ball after any physical changes and has it offered any significant change to your play?

[TR1PTIK]

14 minutes ago, bens197 said:

 

There are two events during a round where I will swap out a ball for a new one. I’ve made a habit of always replacing a ball after a birdie or better with a new one.

 

The second is when it becomes scuffed by a tree or a cart path.

 

Without any scientific proof, my hunch would be that any physical change to a ball would effect flight and spin...how much however is still a question.

 

How many of you continue to play a urethane ball after any physical changes and has it offered any significant change to your play?

 

Perhaps I'm just remembering wrong, but I thought the MGS team addressed the impact of physical damage in the ball test. Basically, anything more than paint imperfections has the potential to detrimentally impact performance. That said, sometimes a ball will hit a tree or cart path leaving a brown mark, but no abrasions. I don't see anything wrong with playing a ball in this condition. If data suggests otherwise though, I will certainly follow suit.

[Kenny B]

If I'm playing a "fun round", I will continue to play a ball that has hit a tree or cart path as long as the ball is not showing significant damage.  Maybe with higher swing speeds than mine, there might be a noticeable performance change, but I haven't seen any reason to not play them.  I will usually relegate it to holes that have a water hazard; there are five holes on my course with water in play, but I rarely lose a ball anyway.

[bens197]

If I'm playing a "fun round", I will continue to play a ball that has hit a tree or cart path as long as the ball is not showing significant damage.  Maybe with higher swing speeds than mine, there might be a noticeable performance change, but I haven't seen any reason to not play them.  I will usually relegate it to holes that have a water hazard; there are five holes on my course with water in play, but I rarely lose a ball anyway.

What brought this up was a shot yesterday. It caught a limb and the only issue was a slight discoloration but no significant trauma. It didn’t appear to change the performance but I would be interested to see if that’s actually true.

[bens197]

Perhaps I'm just remembering wrong, but I thought the MGS team addressed the impact of physical damage in the ball test. Basically, anything more than paint imperfections has the potential to detrimentally impact performance. That said, sometimes a ball will hit a tree or cart path leaving a brown mark, but no abrasions. I don't see anything wrong with playing a ball in this condition. If data suggests otherwise though, I will certainly follow suit.

I’m trying to remember as well. In the interim I hoped some could chime in with their personal bias or beliefs.

[tony@CIC]

I'll play scuffed balls when I'm out by myself but never in league. On water holes I'll always break out a new ball - just the superstition I have. 

[Kenny B]

1 hour ago, tony@CIC said:

I'll play scuffed balls when I'm out by myself but never in league. On water holes I'll always break out a new ball - just the superstition I have. 

My superstition is to NEVER play a new ball off the first tee; I wait for the 2nd hole.  Too many times I've lost the ball off the tee, hit a tree, or hit a cart path; I don't care how wide the fairway is.  And most rounds I rarely miss a fairway.

[bens197]

My superstition is to NEVER play a new ball off the first tee; I wait for the 2nd hole.  Too many times I've lost the ball off the tee, hit a tree, or hit a cart path; I don't care how wide the fairway is.  And most rounds I rarely miss a fairway.

That’s amazing. I love it.

[Kor.A.Door]

On 6/24/2019 at 2:00 PM, Kenny B said:

My superstition is to NEVER play a new ball off the first tee; I wait for the 2nd hole.  Too many times I've lost the ball off the tee, hit a tree, or hit a cart path; I don't care how wide the fairway is.  And most rounds I rarely miss a fairway.

That is one of the worst things on the golf course, new ball in the first tee, hit first stroke, and first lost ball with 1 swing.