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Do you use a different ball just for putting?

Fourputt

Littleton, Colorado
Sep 5, 2006
973
0
To tell you the truth Augster, i believe it is against the rules for a player to put the ball in his pocket. Thats y you always see them either clean it a little themselves, or toss it to their caddy (who nvr puts it in a pocket either, only in the hands).

Actually i dont think its a rules violation, but its just more of an honour sorta thing, so then ppl dont think your cheating, and you dont give them a chance to cheat.

There is nothing in the rules to prevent a player from putting aball in his pocket. But if you do so in a comptetition, make sure that there can be no suspicion that you have changed balls during the play of a hole. I often carry an extra ball, but I also make sure that it is identifyably different, and I put in in my left pocket, while the ball I'm playing goes in the right.
 

Sandpiper3

Golf Course Designer
Aug 9, 2006
5,058
2
There is nothing in the rules to prevent a player from putting aball in his pocket. But if you do so in a comptetition, make sure that there can be no suspicion that you have changed balls during the play of a hole. I often carry an extra ball, but I also make sure that it is identifyably different, and I put in in my left pocket, while the ball I'm playing goes in the right.

fourputt

Yea, thats wat i thought there fourputt, thats y i added that last part, but i was too lazy to go back and delete the last part:p

Actually i dont think its a rules violation, but its just more of an honour sorta thing, so then ppl dont think your cheating, and you dont give them a chance to cheat.

Sandpiper3
 

golflover

Well-Known Member
Nov 27, 2006
33
0
The USGA uses a "1-ball rule" for all of it's tourneys also, amatuer or pro. The ball has to be the same make and model, but not absolutely the same number.



PGA pros don't carry another ball in their pocket. Neither do I for that matter, just bad mojo if you are already ready with your "reload" ball. Also if you watch closely, a PGA pro never puts his ball in play in his pocket. He wouldn't let it out of his sight.

I have seen many pros pull a ball out of their pockets. Sometimes they even show a pro trying to get the ball out of their pocket because it gets stuck a little. Most of the time they put them in their right front pocket. Watch for it in the next televised tourney, you should be able to see them do it.
 

Augster

Rules Nerd
Supporting Member
Mar 9, 2005
1,473
23
I have seen many pros pull a ball out of their pockets. Sometimes they even show a pro trying to get the ball out of their pocket because it gets stuck a little. Most of the time they put them in their right front pocket. Watch for it in the next televised tourney, you should be able to see them do it.


On the tee you will see it as most of the time these guys are standing around scratching their asses for 15 minutes waiting for the group ahead to play. Once the ball is in play, and you can put a hand on it, i.e. the putting green, you won't see it.
 

Fourputt

Littleton, Colorado
Sep 5, 2006
973
0
Yea, thats wat i thought there fourputt, thats y i added that last part, but i was too lazy to go back and delete the last part:p

One addition to this. The one time when you will NOT see a pro put a ball in his pocket is when it is lifted under a rule that does not allow it to be cleaned. The simple act of putting it in the pocket and then removing it can easily be construed as cleaning, and can result in a penalty. If the ball is marked and lifted for the purposes of identification, it can be cleaned only as much as absolutely necessary to ID it. If a fellow competitor requests you to mark your ball because it may interfere with his play (when not on the green), you may do so, but be advised that even removing the smallest bit of dirt will result in a penalty. I have seen this procedure on Tour, and the pro will very carefully hold the ball prominently between his thumb and forefinger for the entire time, until he can replace it.
 

Eracer

No more triple bogies!!
Oct 31, 2005
12,405
8
If a fellow competitor requests you to mark your ball because it may interfere with his play (when not on the green), you may do so, but be advised that even removing the smallest bit of dirt will result in a penalty. I have seen this procedure on Tour, and the pro will very carefully hold the ball prominently between his thumb and forefinger for the entire time, until he can replace it.

Well THAT'S a messed up rule! I put it right up with getting penalized if the wind moves your ball as you address a putt. Stoopid!

What if you pick up the ball and a clump of dirt, under it's own weight, falls off? You were forced to pick the ball up under the rule, and through no intentional act the ball was "cleaned". And now you're penalized. Sometimes the rules of golf make no sense.
 

Fourputt

Littleton, Colorado
Sep 5, 2006
973
0
Well THAT'S a messed up rule! I put it right up with getting penalized if the wind moves your ball as you address a putt. Stoopid!

What if you pick up the ball and a clump of dirt, under it's own weight, falls off? You were forced to pick the ball up under the rule, and through no intentional act the ball was "cleaned". And now you're penalized. Sometimes the rules of golf make no sense.

Actually, you are not required to lift your ball. You can also take the option of playing your next shot instead of marking, so long as his ball does not interfere with your swing.

I'd have to give the Decisions a good review to see what the ruling might be in the case you describe. Sometimes the penalties for rules infractions can be modified if there are mitigating circumstances, but I don't know if that would apply here. I'll be back with more later... got to go back to work. :(
 

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