Declaring make and model of ball

It has happened to me before in a comp.....where we both were playing Srixon AD333 no.2 balls.....we only realised when we had two near identical drives and trying to work out who's was who's...........I am now all Vice Pro Plus.......
 
All players in your group are unknowingly playing brand new ones of the same make and number. All tee off and put them in same area of the jungle. Which is yours?

oh right

well mines the one with the blue sharpie line under my company logo and 2 smiley faces . which ones yours
 
I don't see any of these problems highlighted as most people put their own individual mark on the ball, therefore making identification easy. I don't mark my ball as I tend to find few people play the ball I do. Playing golf for 7 years and never had a problem ......till today. Moved froward to my drive and was stunned to see 2 identical balls (make/model/number) sitting 6 inches apart. On inspection neither had markings. Waited for a few moments and asked everyone around me had they hit a 'x' ball here. No one claimed they had. Ball therefore lost as I could not identify it.

Lesson for me - will I mark the ball now - probably not. Once in 7 years so I will take the chance again.
 
So what happens if everyone on the first tee has Titleist #1 ProV1 and nothing else.....?
Put your mark on it and it doesn't matter if anyone else is using the same....
Never announced my ball on the first, that I can remember..
 
So what happens if everyone on the first tee has Titleist #1 ProV1 and nothing else.....?
Put your mark on it and it doesn't matter if anyone else is using the same....
Never announced my ball on the first, that I can remember..

Until your playing partner borrows a Sharpie off of the opposition on the first tee, puts the same mark in the same place on the same number ball as the player he borrowed the Sharpie off & then plays the wrong ball, resulting in a loss of hole in a matchplay final. Fortunately didn't cost us in the end.

If it's a proper comp, declare it & show the marking on the tee & whenever I change it, if it's just a knock up I'll declare it but don't worry about showing it as my regular partners have had enough practice looking for it.
 
When playing in County competitions we are always asked to identify our balls when we are on the first tee.

Is this not actually a declaration to the starter/referee who should confirm you are playing a ball from the list of conforming balls. (I make the assumption that County comps are ones when this is a requirement)

Question- (Having never played County Comps) Do you have to conform to the 'one ball rule'?
 
Last edited:
The starter will ask 'Gentlemen, can you identify your ball uniquely'.
The players will normally say what the distinctive feature is. If they simply say 'Yes', they get an earful.

The assumption is that the balls conform. He asks in order to check that the players are doing what the rule says they should.
 
The starter will ask 'Gentlemen, can you identify your ball uniquely'.
The players will normally say what the distinctive feature is. If they simply say 'Yes', they get an earful.

The assumption is that the balls conform. He asks in order to check that the players are doing what the rule says they should.

But I thought there is no rule to uniquely mark your ball just a recommendation to, I sometimes tell my pp what ball I'm useing but don't see it's really necessary as I always put my own mark the ball.
 
Must happen all the time with the Pro's then....bearing in mind quite alot get paid to play Pro V 1...if they didn't mark their ball they would be in a right pickle...........

M
 
Is this not actually a declaration to the starter/referee who should confirm you are playing a ball from the list of conforming balls. (I make the assumption that County comps are ones when this is a requirement)

Question- (Having never played County Comps) Do you have to conform to the 'one ball rule'?

No, basically nothing has it anymore (at amateur level) although you should always check. Not even high level England Golf things like the Brabazon Trophy or even the Amateur Championship have it.
 
Last edited:
Mark your ball or don't mark your ball, there will be occassions when it's useful and some people will go through their whole life with it never being an issue, but for the sake of saying a few words to the people you're going to spend the next 3-4 hours with I really can't see why it's a problem to some, it might save some time when you're helping them look for their ball.
 
Mark your ball or don't mark your ball, there will be occassions when it's useful and some people will go through their whole life with it never being an issue, but for the sake of saying a few words to the people you're going to spend the next 3-4 hours with I really can't see why it's a problem to some, it might save some time when you're helping them look for their ball.

Spot on.

It did not help once when I played into a bunker when being called through by another group. I went to play a Srixon 3 - AD333 with a big M written on it and one of the group calling us through said 'That is my ball, yours is further up the bunker' . It turned out that both of us were playing Srixon 3 - AD333 with a big M written on the ball in similar spots around the ball. We only knew the correct ones because he had seen mine arrive.

I now mark mine with six small dots in a circle.
 
But I thought there is no rule to uniquely mark your ball just a recommendation to, I sometimes tell my pp what ball I'm useing but don't see it's really necessary as I always put my own mark the ball.

Which is why I specifically used the word 'should'

6-5. Ball
The responsibility for playing the proper ball rests with the player. Each player should put an identification mark on his ball.
 
My refereeing duty included the 18th hole which had a wide but shallowish stream running in front of the green but in a very deep channel. A very popular area for those who under clubbed.
At the end of the round I got a scoop and collected over 20 balls. All except a couple were Titleist ProV and all of those had two or three red or black dots under the logo. They were the only markings. It has been said that the manufacturer has been asked to sell them premarked for punters with a choice of dots.
 
Not everyone is as posh as you to have their own logo

In fact, 2 of the others could well be playing the balls Paddy lost in previous rounds!

The starter will ask 'Gentlemen, can you identify your ball uniquely'.
The players will normally say what the distinctive feature is. If they simply say 'Yes', they get an earful.
...

Which is why this works!

There are plenty of things that you don't need to do, but it makes sense to do!

Another situation where 'Golf seems to 'reflect' life'. Could well apply to 'posters' too! :whistle:

Here's how some of the Pros mark theirs. http://www.golf.com/photos/golf-balls-how-pros-mark-their-golf-balls Might be interesting if Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson are in the same group!
 
Last edited:
Everywhere i have played, the ball caller outers have been in the minority. I don't mind if people do it. I dont personally, if you ask what ball I have i'll tell you... its easy really,
 
Top