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Ball Changes Mid-game

• DAZZA501 5,972 Posts

  Sun, Aug 3 2014 8:02 AM

  CerinoDevoti:

  DAZZA501:

  I've always thought the 1 ball rule was a bit ridiculous. It only ever applies on the pro tour and those guys get an endless supply of them anyway so never run out. 

  It doesn't apply at the local golf clubs. How many times do you hear something along the lines of "i'll hit a provisional, 1st 1 was a titleist and this is a Srixon"

   

  Hey Dazz,

  Fully understand what you're saying about local club recreational play but disagree re: WGT. One of the things I liked about this site from the first day is we're treated like Golf Pro's whether we want to be or not. WGT can't or won't replicate all aspects of it but the one ball condition when playing ranked stroke play is "IMO" an essential part of being treated like a pro. It includes taking responsibility for one's own game whether we want it or not. We've all had that last ball turn into the rock while playing something but if it happens more than once or repeatedly, that means we're not taking our own responsibility seriously.

  I do feel the games that don't effect average or aren't being played for credits should be truly fun practice games with all options open to the players.

  If we're to be treated like pro's then from now on i want paying from Nike for using their clubs and balls, not the other way round :)

   

• ApexPC 3,164 Posts

  Sun, Aug 3 2014 2:17 PM

  Not all pro players get paid to use a maker's ball or club.

  John Daly once ran out of balls.

• andyson 6,415 Posts

  Sun, Aug 3 2014 2:59 PM

  ApexPC:

  John Daly once ran out of balls.

  Quite different how Aussies handle it.  From the above article....

  “It’s very disappointing for the tournament … that he has treated the championship this way,” said Trevor Herden, Golf Australia’s director of tournaments. “It is a bit of a habit.”

  Later he goes on....

  Herden said Daly’s actions were “unprofessional” and action needed to be taken against him. And Herden said running out of balls was no excuse for walking off the course.

  “If you run out of golf balls, and you are acting in a professional manner, you will call a rules official and we will get the type of ball he is playing with and replenish his stock,” Herden said. “We can do that. For him to treat it as ‘that’s it’ and ‘see you later,’ that’s not good enough.”

  I like the Aussie way! "Out of balls?  Oh, allow me to get you some."

• WGTyphoon 597 Posts

  Sun, Aug 3 2014 4:51 PM

  I'll admit that when it happens I am a little sadden. I do however like the suggestion made a while ago. Defaulting to a higher level ball in the match, at least for tournaments might be good.

• alanti 10,564 Posts

  Sun, Aug 3 2014 6:06 PM

  WGTyphoon:

  I'll admit that when it happens I am a little sadden. I do however like the suggestion made a while ago. Defaulting to a higher level ball in the match, at least for tournaments might be good.

  Say what? You get a little sadden!

  What about the one ball rule? You seem to have gone against everything WGT has always said, including Chad.

  Surely the only time you should be allowed to change balls is in a practice round. And this has been asked for many times, but each time it gets "what a good idea"..............

  Andy Andy, the officials might have got JD a few more sleeves, in that frame of mind, I would back the lake to take those as well - he would get DQed for slow play lol

• colorstorm 12 Posts

  Sun, Aug 3 2014 7:01 PM

  It is humorous when this issue of the 'one ball' rule applies. If there are 'PAID FOR'  balls in inventory, there should be an automatic option to select a ball without  being the 'kmart ball.'

  To those of you who think this is the PGA, really? How about a ball one foot off the fairway in the brush, NOT clearly lost, in which, the 'unplayable rule' could be used, WITH THE SAME BALL. Get it , NOT lost.

  Why should a player  be penalized for a lost ball when he could play it from 2 clubs distance? So yes, id there are paid fr balls, they for no other reason, could be played. End of story.

• SplashLewis 358 Posts

  Mon, Aug 4 2014 7:35 AM

  If WGT really followed the One Ball rule, then they wouldn't give you ANY ball.  Lets get that clear.

  The USGA official One ball rule is actually an OPTIONAL rule for those that run tournaments or any other type of play, which explains why its in the appendices of the rule book.  Tournament organizers are to inform the players whether the one ball rule is in effect for the event.

  So basically its the WGT "You ran out of balls" rule.  On one hand, thank you WGT for not disqualifying players for running out balls mid round.  On the other hand, it would be just as easy to give a player a ball that he has most likely already ben purchased. My take is that WGT should give you a slightly less performing ball out of your inventory.  So in effect, you are still penalized, but yet get usage on the several partial sleeves you have in your inventory that would otherwise be wasted money, because you never put those in your bag.

• alosso 21,034 Posts

  Mon, Aug 4 2014 8:01 AM

  alanti:

  What about the one ball rule? You seem to have gone against everything WGT has always said, including Chad.

  Do you have a proof for an "always"? Otherwise,  I beg to differ, for the longest time WGT hasn't said a word in this sense, and certainly not Chad.

  From my first day here, AFAIR, it was always the players who pointed to the One Ball Rule which fits well into the situation, no officials.

  In the video chat, Chad said, defending the status quo, that WGT did not want to make the choice of balls in the players' place, never mentioning the OBR.

  Only recently, for the first time, one mod cited the OBR - by accident?

  SplashLewis:

  So basically its the WGT "You ran out of balls" rule. 

  +1 - I call it the "no choice for players" rule ;)

• colorstorm 12 Posts

  Mon, Aug 4 2014 12:04 PM

  Fair and good answer Splash.

  nice name!!

• srellim234 2,077 Posts

  Mon, Aug 4 2014 5:08 PM

  SplashLewis:

   ...My take is that WGT should give you a slightly less performing ball out of your inventory.  So in effect, you are still penalized, but yet get usage on the several partial sleeves you have in your inventory that would otherwise be wasted money, because you never put those in your bag.

  Your overall answer was fine, but I have a question about the part of your answer quoted above. Exactly what constitutes a "less performing ball"? Some have more spin but less distance. Some have more distance but less spin. Some have more of both but a lower number on meter speed. Some have less of one or the other but a much more favorable meter speed.

  Deciding an exact hierarchy of ball quality is not going to leave a lot of people any happier than they are now with the current policy.They'll still be complaining about not being allowed to substitute what they have in inventory. You're mainly making the situation more complicated.