Back To Reality (There is a question in here too)

[Bubble Head]

I was back on the course for the first time in 3 months today. It wasn't pretty.

I hurt my ankle in early December so I didn't do anything until mid January. Since then it has rained every weekend day and kept me in.

I have had several lessons, lots of range time. Ball striking greatly improved from last fall.

But today I hit the course and shot about the same as I was shooting in October. The ground was so soggy that I couldn't shift my weight to get a good swing and every pitch was thin and sailed across the green. Oh well. Time to learn to hit a ball off of real grass again.

Now for the question. The local course has an excellent pitching practice area. I have been planning on getting a shag bag and getting out there. Does is make much difference if I just get a bunch of cheap balls (Like used or 50 cents each X-outs) instead of my normal balls? I don't want to spend a pile of money on practice balls if it really makes no difference. 1 piece of data, my best round ever is a 97.

 

[chemboy2]

As long as you're out there practicing the pitch/chip shots then it doesn't make rats arse what balls you're using.

With that being said, I use the same balls that I play rounds with in my shag bag. As my gamers get scuffed up I simply pull them out of gamer rotation. The only exception to this is when I'm on the practice putting green, I do use my gamers there.

Glad to hear your back out on the course!

 

[ezra76]

IMO if you're in the high 90's and just playing for recreation, use what you find. I've purchased balls 1 time new and twice used in bulk. Other than that I play what I find. Found a ProV1, ProV1x and an HX-hot last round. There is a course I sometimes go to where there are a ton of balls. I picked up 22 Prov1's last time there and a bunch more NXT's and tours. I had 5 dozen total. I'll be going there again, hopefully in a few weeks.

Also when playing under winter rules I carry 2 of the same ball. One scuffed up for tee shots and then replace it with a better condition one for approach shots.

 

[Eracer]

IMO if you're in the high 90's and just playing for recreation, use what you find. I've purchased balls 1 time new and twice used in bulk. Other than that I play what I find. Found a ProV1, ProV1x and an HX-hot last round. There is a course I sometimes go to where there are a ton of balls. I picked up 22 Prov1's last time there and a bunch more NXT's and tours. I had 5 dozen total. I'll be going there again, hopefully in a few weeks.

Also when playing under winter rules I carry 2 of the same ball. One scuffed up for tee shots and then replace it with a better condition one for approach shots.

Can you do that under winter rules? I know you can lift, clean, and place; but I though you could only replace a ball if it was deemed "unfit for play". And then that ball can't be used again.

Just curious.

 

[ezra76]

Can you do that under winter rules? I know you can lift, clean, and place; but I though you could only replace a ball if it was deemed "unfit for play". And then that ball can't be used again.

Just curious.

I might have to disqualify myself.

When the hole is filled with ice, half the green is covered in snow and bunkers are filled with slush... kind of takes the whole keeping an accurate score thing out of play.

 

[Eracer]

I might have to disqualify myself.

When the hole is filled with ice, half the green is covered in snow and bunkers are filled with slush... kind of takes the whole keeping an accurate score thing out of play.

Yeah, I knows what you means. But when you have the "best round of your life" like the bishop in Caddyshack, just remember not to card it either...:beach3:

 

[JEFF4i]

Winter rules for me were: Stay inside and make yourself some tea.

Most of the winter we had at least one foot of snow on the entire course.