Delo’s Divots: How many of you out there have a favorite ball to
play the hole with and then a favorite
”
putting ball
”
? Probably a lot of you. Too bad it violates the rules of
golf.
How many of you out there have a favorite ball to play the hole with and then a favorite “putting ball”? Probably a lot of you. Too bad it violates the rules of golf.
The only time you can substitute a ball is if it is unfit for play. You just can’t change your ball because you want to putt with a different ball. A ball is unfit it it is cracked, cut or out of round. If it’s not, you must putt with the same ball you started the hole with.
Playing with a hard ball and putting with a soft ball is the best of both worlds. You get the distance where you need it and the feel where you need it as well.
The PGA Tour takes this rule even a step further, though. You must play your entire round of golf with the same “type” of ball. That means if you tee off on hole No. 1 with a Titleist Pro V1, you must play a Titleist Pro V1 the entire round. You can switch to a new one or a different number on any tee, but the type of ball must be the same. This rule is in place to prohibit these fine players from using a ball that travels better into the wind on one hole, and then switch to a ball that rides the wind better on the hole that goes the opposite direction. The world’s best players will take advantage of that rule if they were allowed to do so.
So the next time your playing partner wants to putt with a different ball, ask him what’s wrong with the one he’s playing with. If there’s nothing wrong, tell him, “Then putt with it.”
