You only have $20 at the pro shop to buy some balls for your round???

[Buffly]

You show up to the course and check your bag to find no more golf balls!!! Oh no! You check in at the golf shop, and for whatever reason, you don't have any more than $20 to buy some golf balls for your round. What do you buy on the spot?

Assuming club prices are as follows: premium tour level urethane balls are $15/sleeve of 3, cheap 2 piece balls are $20/dozen, and mid-grade 3 piece non-urethane balls are $10/sleeve of three. (We can ignore tax for simplicity)

Which category and ball would you buy and why? How does that compare to your normal gamer?

I am assuming most golf shops don't have any direct to consumer balls like Snell, Cut, or Vice, but I will leave it up to what your local shop carries. 

[tchat07]

I would buy one of the collector logo balls and then fill my bag at the range and troll the course while I play till I find a prov1.

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[Mr. 82]

If I showed up at the golf course and discovered I had no balls in the bag, I'd open up the hidden compartment in my car, above the spare tire, and put the emergency dozen balls I keep there into the bag.  Those balls are always there, and are there for exactly that reason.  I played a round a few weeks ago and got down to 2 balls in my bag after losing 2 on the 2nd hole.  I think that's the closest I've ever been to DQ'ing myself from a round of golf.

But I get it, it's a (unrealistic) hypothetical, I'd probably buy a sleeve of Titleist AVX in yellow and head to the first tee.  I doubt I'd need more than 2 balls to complete a round anyway.

[tony@CIC]

I'd buy one sleeve of pro v1s, then troll the banks of all the water hazards with my ball retriever for additional balls.


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[dlow206]

I would buy one Top Flite Gamer ball. As hard as I try, I can't lose one of these. Two rounds in with a single ball. I bet if I play any other ball, i will lose it.

[Mr. 82]

19 minutes ago, dlow206 said:

I would buy one Top Flite Gamer ball. As hard as I try, I can't lose one of these. Two rounds in with a single ball. I bet if I play any other ball, i will lose it.

Yep.  Buy a dozen ProV1 and commence at blowing through them in a handful of rounds.  One crappy ball you find in the woods - play it until the cover comes off 5 rounds later.

[Middler]

Easy, a sleeve of Pro V1’s. And I’d be on the lookout for lost balls during the round, though odds are I wouldn’t need them.

[BIG STU]

1 hour ago, Mr. 82 said:

If I showed up at the golf course and discovered I had no balls in the bag, I'd open up the hidden compartment in my car, above the spare tire, and put the emergency dozen balls I keep there into the bag.  Those balls are always there, and are there for exactly that reason.  I played a round a few weeks ago and got down to 2 balls in my bag after losing 2 on the 2nd hole.  I think that's the closest I've ever been to DQ'ing myself from a round of golf.

But I get it, it's a (unrealistic) hypothetical, I'd probably buy a sleeve of Titleist AVX in yellow and head to the first tee.  I doubt I'd need more than 2 balls to complete a round anyway.

LOL about like me---- In the last year or so between the 9 and dine and the dogfights I have won quite a few dozen. I think I did look the other day and had 4 dozen Q Stars and another dozen Cally  Super Softs Plus my shag bag.  As SOP for me I rarely carry more than 6 balls in my bag--- If I lose more than 6 balls in a round I am doing one of two things either hitting the range or going home. At this stage of life it is more than likely home. Usually I just grab a sleeve out of the car and throw in the cart.

[MmmmmmBuddy]

I would buy one of the collector logo balls and then fill my bag at the range and troll the course while I play till I find a prov1.

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Don’t take range balls from the range.
This is theft.
Range balls cost more than you want to think about, and when people steal them, the courses have to replace them.

It is remarkable to me that people think “I paid $6 for this small bucket, so the balls are mine to use anywhere I want to”.

Makes me nuts.


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[HardcoreLooper]

6 minutes ago, MmmmmmBuddy said:

Range balls cost more than you want to think about, and when people steal them, the courses have to replace them.

At the club I worked at growing up, we had to pick the range clean every Sunday night ahead of the Monday mowing.  We'd walk it with shag bags after the last trip with the picker.  If it rained and balls plugged, we'd be out there with screwdrivers.  The pro made sure we all knew how much range balls cost him.

[Buffly]

3 hours ago, tchat07 said:

I would buy one of the collector logo balls and then fill my bag at the range and troll the course while I play till I find a prov1.

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That's whorable!!!! At least your honest. I was expecting someone would say they would look for more on the course, but I didn't think it would be the first response!!

I will have to say that I do not condone using range balls on the course - ever - to me it is just plain theft of course property. 

I almost put a course logo ball as an option too!

[Buffly]

2 hours ago, Mr. 82 said:

If I showed up at the golf course and discovered I had no balls in the bag, I'd open up the hidden compartment in my car, above the spare tire, and put the emergency dozen balls I keep there into the bag.  Those balls are always there, and are there for exactly that reason.  I played a round a few weeks ago and got down to 2 balls in my bag after losing 2 on the 2nd hole.  I think that's the closest I've ever been to DQ'ing myself from a round of golf.

But I get it, it's a (unrealistic) hypothetical, I'd probably buy a sleeve of Titleist AVX in yellow and head to the first tee.  I doubt I'd need more than 2 balls to complete a round anyway.

AVX is an excellent choice!!! 

[Buffly]

17 minutes ago, MmmmmmBuddy said:

 

Don’t take range balls from the range.
This is theft.
Range balls cost more than you want to think about, and when people steal them, the courses have to replace them.

It is remarkable to me that people think “I paid $6 for this small bucket, so the balls are mine to use anywhere I want to”.

Makes me nuts.


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I'm right there with you! It is one of the lowest class things you can do on a golf course. Probably second only to driving a golf cart on the green. 

[madi05]

I’d buy the prov or Srixon zx or the tp5 if they had them


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[Tom the Golf Nut]

If it's a new course to me, I would pick up a logo ball ( I collect balls from courses I play) and a sleeve or two of mid priced balls. Not knowing the course could lead to a lost ball or two. Then keep my eye out for a better ball or two about 200 yards from the tee on the right side of the fairway just in the woods or rough or along the waters edge. 

[BIG STU]

9 hours ago, MmmmmmBuddy said:

 

Don’t take range balls from the range.
This is theft.
Range balls cost more than you want to think about, and when people steal them, the courses have to replace them.

It is remarkable to me that people think “I paid $6 for this small bucket, so the balls are mine to use anywhere I want to”.

Makes me nuts.


Sent from OregonMyGolfSpy

 

I agree 110% especially for a independent family owned course like mine. A lot of members do like I do when we find balls we are not going to play we hit them over to the range. Now a lot of the cheap old fart retirees will get them from over there but with their game we find them again and recycle back to the range. The other week I started hitting from a 5 gallon bucket I found in the storage warehouse full of balls. And no it does not take away from range revenue one bit. I am a member and range balls do not cost me anyhow. About have that bucket empty now

Edited January 2, 2021 by BIG STU

[russtopherb]

2 sleeves of the 3-piece balls and walking the tree line to snag a bunch more balls. 

Also, Snell are available in pro shops. Lots of courses in my area have been stocking them.

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

Would buy a sleeve of premium and a snickers as many others have said. Ball retriever will be broken out several times. Love filling the bag with some recently lost ones....always nice being at a course you know where to look for those too

[GolfSpy BOS]

3 ProV1s and finding some in the woods if I’m wild that day should be sufficient for me. I’ve played plenty of rounds without losing a ball.

The only consideration I’d add is if it’s more of a water hazard vs woods. Might be hard to Unlike [mention]Lacassem [/mention] I don’t carry a ball retriever around.

I’ll add if they had Snell that’s the easy choice.

[Mr. 82]

12 hours ago, MmmmmmBuddy said:

 

Don’t take range balls from the range.
This is theft.
Range balls cost more than you want to think about, and when people steal them, the courses have to replace them.

It is remarkable to me that people think “I paid $6 for this small bucket, so the balls are mine to use anywhere I want to”.

Makes me nuts.


Sent from OregonMyGolfSpy

 

Honestly, it's kinda stupid to play range balls on the course during an actual round, as most range balls are "limited flight" and won't go as far as a regular ball.

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

38 minutes ago, B.Boston said:

3 ProV1s and finding some in the woods if I’m wild that day should be sufficient for me. I’ve played plenty of rounds without losing a ball.

The only consideration I’d add is if it’s more of a water hazard vs woods. Might be hard to Unlike [mention]Lacassem [/mention] I don’t carry a ball retriever around.

I’ll add if they had Snell that’s the easy choice.

Water ones can go to the brothers and kids 

[CarlH]

I'd buy the premium balls.  Unless it's a course prone to easily lost golf balls, I typically only play with one ball and I'd just as soon that ball be one most similar to what I typically play.

[TR1PTIK]

If I showed up with absolutely zero golf balls in my bag then it means one of two things occurred: 1) a buddy called me up last minute and said, "let's go play!" in which case the round is purely for fun or 2) someone dropped out of a scramble and I need to fill the empty slot on the team. Either way, I'm not particularly worried about shooting the round of my life, and am just looking to go enjoy the day. $20 for a dozen 2-pc balls please.

There's only one other scenario that could pop up and it's only happened once in my life, and that's a last-minute call to fill a spot in a truly "important" team match-play event. In that scenario only, would I opt for a higher performing ball, but unless I'm at a course with little chance of losing any, I'm going middle of the road on performance so I don't immediately have to sweat over a lost ball.

[MmmmmmBuddy]

4 hours ago, BIG STU said:

I agree 110% especially for a independent family owned course like mine. A lot of members do like I do when we find balls we are not going to play we hit them over to the range. Now a lot of the cheap old fart retirees will get them from over there but with their game we find them again and recycle back to the range. The other week I started hitting from a 5 gallon bucket I found in the storage warehouse full of balls. And no it does not take away from range revenue one bit. I am a member and range balls do not cost me anyhow. About have that bucket empty now

Well done sir..  I'm sure your operator appreciates the donations..  Ever thought about using those donations as a Tax deduction?   Just trying to help..

 

[Middler]

No one should play range balls on a course. If you're so inclined, range balls are HIGHLY variable and even new ones have less distance and spin - why would you give up either? If you play a range ball, are you planning on returning it to the range when you're done, even if you hit one 70 yards off into the woods? If you're that cheap, at least play decent found balls...

[DiscipleofPenick]

I would probably grab the Titleist Velocity and have some fun. Hawk for good balls when I had the chance.

Take Dead Aim

[BIG STU]

4 hours ago, MmmmmmBuddy said:

Well done sir..  I'm sure your operator appreciates the donations..  Ever thought about using those donations as a Tax deduction?   Just trying to help..

 

I think those were left over from the days when I was in the used ball business. As many people that hawk balls here I would have been lucky to get $5 for all of them Home Depot Homer paint bucket included. The family that owns my course have always looked out for me. 

[BIG STU]

3 hours ago, EasyPutter said:

Whenever I play a course with range balls out where I come across them I always put them where they can get back to the range.  I already pick up orphan balls to give them a good home, albeit will be for a brief time, but anything printed RANGE never leaves the course and gets returned to the range because I know who those belong to!

I would also return marked balls to those who lost them if there was a mark registry and an economical way to do it.  I've often thought a league or course could have a bordered table or shallow box at the clubhouse where found marked balls could be in lost-and-found to reunite orphans with their golfer.

I did not know that about range balls but that makes a lot of sense as I have hit hook shots (don't really get a ball to hook anywhere else) over the sky high telephone pole nets by the highway complete with cringe and expectation of tires howling that thankfully has yet to happen.

At my old course ( closed down now) I used to mark all my Precept Laddies and such for the range because I flat out refuse to hit range rocks with my persimmon woods. The range guys used to cull them out for me. What I basically do now if I hit the persimmons I will hit a few down #1 or #10 long as I am not holding anyone up and go get them. I also have the blessings of the owners on that one

[MmmmmmBuddy]

48 minutes ago, BIG STU said:

I think those were left over from the days when I was in the used ball business. As many people that hawk balls here I would have been lucky to get $5 for all of them Home Depot Homer paint bucket included. The family that owns my course have always looked out for me. 

So it's a business loss?  Sounds like a write off to me...

[Buffly]

9 hours ago, russtopherb said:

2 sleeves of the 3-piece balls and walking the tree line to snag a bunch more balls. 

Also, Snell are available in pro shops. Lots of courses in my area have been stocking them.

Very happy to hear that some pro shops are carrying Snell!!!