Switching Balls During Round

[PhillyEagle]

I was watching the golf channel today, and I saw a playing lesson from Zach Johnson. He gave a tip for cold weather saying keep a golf ball in your pocket and after every hole switch balls so that you won't be playing with a ball that has been in the cold weather for a long time. It definitely makes sense, but is there a rule against that?

If I have a hand warmer in my pocket, am I allowed to keep another golf ball in my pocket next to the hand warmer, and every tee shot switch balls?

Is it allowed, and does it actually make a difference?

 

[cypressperch]

I am not certain about the

hand warmer, but I think I have seen a product advertised that keeps golf balls warm during cold weather. I believe they said it was legal.

Cary Middlecoff wrote a book entitles Advanced Golf in which he talked of keeping golf balls next to his body to warm them up. Those were wound balls, but I would expect the science involved to be the same for modern balls of today.

Cypressperch

 

[ualtim]

I do believe the hand warmers would be considered against the rules. Putting them in your pocket and using your body warmth is perfectly legal.

 

[ezra76]

I played with a guy who had these little pouches that you put in your pocket and he switched to the warm ball on the green and then off the next tee. IMO if it's legal to switch balls in lift, clean, place then a warm ball should be. I don't really worry about it since I can't put scores in during the winter anyway. Now it's scoring season so I don't switch balls. I have 2 of the exact same brand/model and use the same one till it's lost or beat up bad. I do, however, play lift/clean/place on the holes where I get those huge clumps of mud on the ball or it's plugged a bit. I probably do less than what is allowed, I often just play it as it lies from very wet areas that would be borderline casual water areas and play off the dirt cart areas unless there are rocks present that would damage a club. Call me strange but I actaully prefer a bare, hard lie for a full swing. I can catch it a lot cleaner and impart spin a lot easier, be it sidespin, backspin, or limited spin.

 

[fore142]

I doubt using hand warmers is illegal. I play on multiple junior tours, and they sell hand warmers at every event that they are even kinda necessary.

 

[Fourputt]

I doubt using hand warmers is illegal. I play on multiple junior tours, and they sell hand warmers at every event that they are even kinda necessary.

Ding.... and the answer is...... Decision14-3/13.5

14-3/13.5 Golf Ball Artificially Warmed

Q. Is the use of a golf ball that was purposely warmed during a stipulated round with a golf ball warmer, hand warmer or any such device a breach of Rule 14-3?

A. Yes. However, it would not be a breach of Rule 14-3 to use a ball that was artificially warmed prior to the stipulated round. (Revised)

So you can warm your balls before heading out, but once you hit the 1st tee shot, you can only use body heat to keep them warm.

There is no penalty for changing balls between holes, as long as no other Rule is breached in doing so. You cannot change balls during the play of a hole except as specifically allowed under a Rule.

 

[Rockford35]

Ding.... and the answer is...... Decision14-3/13.5

14-3/13.5 Golf Ball Artificially Warmed

Q. Is the use of a golf ball that was purposely warmed during a stipulated round with a golf ball warmer, hand warmer or any such device a breach of Rule 14-3?

A. Yes. However, it would not be a breach of Rule 14-3 to use a ball that was artificially warmed prior to the stipulated round. (Revised)

This is straight up right. Any outside agency used to the betterment of your game is illegal.

Hand warmers are just that - they are not ball warmers.

R35

PS...cheaters....

 

[PhillyEagle]

Thanks for the explanation everyone.

Rockford I was verifying the rules before I actually do it in a tournament

 

[ezra76]

This is straight up right. Any outside agency used to the betterment of your game is illegal.

Hand warmers are just that - they are not ball warmers.

R35

PS...cheaters....

Sterile cheaters to boot.

 

[Fourputt]

Hand warmers are just that - they are not ball warmers.

R35

Depends on where you put one.... :biglol:

 

[cypressperch]

Thanks for the research! I wonder what

the ruling would be if golf balls were heated before the beginning of play (which is legal), and the balls were then put in a highly insulated pouch in the golf bag. What about in a wide-mouth thermos that just happened to have some hot coffee or soup in there too?

The rules of golf are absolutely amazing! The pro at the club I use to belong to was constantly studying the rules. He took some tests and scored in the mid-90's which qualified him to do some sort of officiating at the PGA Championship. Nothing like being a head official, but a stepping stone to get to that point. Actually, I believe that his goal was to eventually become a full-time official at professional events. It is very difficult to reach that plateau, but I gather he will make a fairly good living if he reaches it.

This pro probably spent too much time with this pursuit, but he did share his expertise with the members. We would have a rules clinic and meal once a year. He had some videos in which golfers would play a round, and they would be doing all sorts of strange and ordinary things that involved applying the rules. Everyone in attendance, about fifty people, kept a score for these players. After the video, we checked out how well we did. The best score was seven strokes off the correct score!

I cannot remember any specific situations, but I can tell you a generalization that holds up fairly well. People were giving these players penalty strokes wrongly about as often as they were failing to give them deserved penalty strokes. Also, the way to get better at understanding the rules is to concentrate on learning all the definitions involved in the rules.

Sincerely, Cypressperch

 

[Sandy]

I think I have seen a product advertised that keeps golf balls warm during cold weather. I believe they said it was legal.

I saw something like that too - it was a little zip-top insulated bag that had pockets for pouches that you warmed up in a microwave before you headed out, and stopped your spare golf balls from getting cold during your round. It worked a bit like the 'heatwave' bags some pizza firms use to keep their food warm while being delivered.

Seeing as it is all prepared before the round, it would seem to be legal on that score.

 

[Rockford35]

Thanks for the explanation everyone.

Rockford I was verifying the rules before I actually do it in a tournament

Of course.

Good to know the rules beforehand, or you can find out like Michelle Wie the hard way!

R35

 

[Fourputt]

I saw something like that too - it was a little zip-top insulated bag that had pockets for pouches that you warmed up in a microwave before you headed out, and stopped your spare golf balls from getting cold during your round. It worked a bit like the 'heatwave' bags some pizza firms use to keep their food warm while being delivered.

Seeing as it is all prepared before the round, it would seem to be legal on that score.

I wouldn't use such a thing without specifically verifying that it was legal for use DURING the round. The decision says that you can warm the BALLS prior to the round, not that you can heat some other device before the round to keep them warm DURING the round.

I've never had a problem keeping my GOLF balls warm anyway. I just carry 2 in one pocket and play with the third, and rotate them each hole... that is, I used to do that when I was young and stupid... er... tough.. Now I rarely play in conditions that would require such a process. :laugh:

 

[fore142]

I think i read somewhere that it takes 10 hours of freezing tempatures to see an effect on the ball. Maybe a golf magazine? cant always trust those people...