When do you ditch a ball for scuffs?

[Insidious2]

Starting to work on getting a lot more spin with my wedges..as an obvious result I'm starting to scuff balls rather quickly. IE noticeable scuffs after almost every wedge shot.

 

It doesn't make sense to swap out balls after every wedge...so I'm curious how others approach this. Maybe I need to switch balls? Right now my gamer is a Penta. I love it but durability is meh...

[Josh T]

After I get 2 birdies. That's all a ball has in it. :p

[seasterl]

I play mine until it is eventually lost. If you notice distance loss or degradation in accuracy or an obvious break through the top cover, then it's time for replacement. Honestly speaking, I usually don't get that far and eventually hit it OB after a few rounds.

[ProjectX]

I don't replace a ball for scuffs. I'm not the rich and I'm not that good.

[9thGreenAt9]

well if the cover is peeling up to the point where i can hold it between my fingernails then ill ditch it for a new one...i use cc wedges (sm4) and don't have a problem with scuffing up the ball...one 60 yard pitch with my old spin milled and i'll put a nice fish gill on a prov1x

[KrazyTrain18]

Yeah not unless there's cracking in the seal.

[mtsmith]

Ill hardly ever swap a ball due to a scuff, etc. Ill play one two, three rounds sometimes (prov1/v1x) until I lose it

[birdman72]

If I'm playing in a tournament and the ball gets scuffed up I will take it out of play, but if it's just a casual round I will usually keep playing it until it's lost or the round is over.

[Jayhawkrx93]

I recently started a thread regarding ProV1x service life. I recently got fed up with going through 3 or 4 balls a round and I've found that I don't like any other ball nearly as much. I decided to just keep playing each ball until it is beat to death or lost. In the last month and a half I have gotten 27 out of 2 and 18 out of 3. Other rounds have involved some casualties but even that didnt feel as bad when they were already beat up. My 56* is non-conforming and abuses covers but I've yet to notice any significant issues with ball flight. I played a tough course with tall gunch on nearly every hole with the wind 20-25 and was surprised that there really wasn't much difference. I have actually been hitting my driver a little longer lately. I'll probably swap out a little more frequently in the 2 or 3 bigger tourney's I play if its really windy but otherwise my goal is going to be 1 round 1 ball, lol.

[+Church]

If the scuff is to the point where I worry if it's gonna mess up the face of my driver, then I ditch it.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Srixon Zstar XV dont have that problem any more. When I was playing the prov 1x I ditched them when the when the grooves transferred onto the ball usually after 1 solid 60* wedge

[KrazyTrain18]

Most of my balls have scuff marks on them from my wedges, but I doesn't bother me

[SketchyBFC]

Play it until I lose it - which usually happens before the end of the round...for this reason I only buy used balls.

[Badgergolfer2]

When I cut the cover. I tend to lose a ball long before I scuff it up to the point where its no longer usable though.

[Amrish]

another one for losing it before i scuff it up badly enough.
i long for the day when i will hit my wedges that well to put some grooves in the ball

[JB lefty]

Once the cover is chewed or fish gilled its in the practise bag. Scuffing and surface cutting messes with my mind and makes me think the ball is no good. I don't really know if it effects the ball flight or stopping powers. I think it would to some degree.

[greasepin]

When you guys say the "when the cover is cut" do you mean just the outter urethane cover? For me seeing the brown under the cover on titleists happens on nearly every wedge shot. I really come down on the ball. When I see large scuffs, peeling on the cover I'll play a new ball if I'm hitting a driver. If the next hole is a par 3, I may put the jeopardized ball back in play, also on a teeshot where there is a chance of losing it.

I should also say my VR Forged wedges are non CC, and were brand new this year. THey seem to be getting a bit duller now, and the balls have been holding up better over the season.

[Bkgeneral]

If a ball gets me through a round, it has done its job. I play the Hex Black and it does scuff pretty easily, so I have gotten used to playing ball with light scuffing from first wedge shot on. Only if I feel ball is actually damaged do I take it out of play.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

I won't quit using a ball because of minor scuffs or cart path rash, that kind of bruising. Unless there's a bit of cover sticking up loose I'll keep playing it until the end of the round.

But I always start a round with a clean, fresh, new ball. Just seems to help me start with a positive frame of mind.

So the upshot is I generally but not always end up with a shag ball or discarded ball per round. Because I hit enough trees, cart paths and imperfect wedge shots that after 18 holes a ball is no longer fresh and new looking.

[tesuquegolfer]

I play the ProV1 or 1x and they do get pretty chewed up with a full 56 (non-conforming). However, I usually play 18 with just one ball. It doesn't bother me too much if it is a little scuffed unless I am beginning my round. I seem to have a weird thing about a new ball though, nothing bothers me more than to lose a new $4 ball. Even though it is pretty rare for me to lose one (4 hdcp). I can certainly afford to play new balls given that I don't lose that many, but I don't need to be worrying about that when I stand on the tee trying to hit a tight tree lined fairway. So, I tend to reach for one from my bag that is a little experienced. I have a friend that brings a new sleeve of Pro Vs every round and he breaks out a brand spanking new one on #1 then again on #10.

[barkydog1]

I play balls until they are dead. If a piece is hanging off, I pull it off/scrape it with my fingernail until it's smoothish again. Unless there is a SERIOUS gash in the ball, I will not stop playing it. Scuffs, scrapes, etc. do not affect the roll or flight of the ball in a significant enough manner to stop using a ball that feels good. I have a 20XI-X that I've used for about 5 rounds. I am convinced that NO ONE ELSE in the world would continue to use this ball aside from me.

[Rock Chalk Jayhawk]

[quote name='Jayhawkrx93' timestamp='1350961064' post='5831083']
I recently started a thread regarding ProV1x service life. I recently got fed up with going through 3 or 4 balls a round and I've found that I don't like any other ball nearly as much. I decided to just keep playing each ball until it is beat to death or lost. In the last month and a half I have gotten 27 out of 2 and 18 out of 3. Other rounds have involved some casualties but even that didnt feel as bad when they were already beat up. My 56* is non-conforming and abuses covers but I've yet to notice any significant issues with ball flight. I played a tough course with tall gunch on nearly every hole with the wind 20-25 and was surprised that there really wasn't much difference. I have actually been hitting my driver a little longer lately. I'll probably swap out a little more frequently in the 2 or 3 bigger tourney's I play if its really windy but otherwise my goal is going to be 1 round 1 ball, lol.
[/quote]

Where do you play at? I am originally from Hutch and am a member at the Dunes.

[Rock Chalk Jayhawk]

Simple: until the ball disappears into Elysium fields.

[Redhill]

I'm not sure I'm following all the above posts when you lads talk about cutting the cover. Do you mean a visible cut through the outer cover to the depth of the next layer??? I'm thinking that is kind of hard to do isn't??? Wouldn't you really have to hit the ball above mid level with a chopping motion to really cut the cover? I'm not dogging anyone's swing and/or game but I thought cutting a cover had gone the way of the wooden drivers.

I haven't cut a cover in 15-18 years. Now I've hit some terrible stinkers and topped some humdingers but still haven't cut a cover in many many years. I ended up the season as 3.2 handy but still can go high when things are falling off the wagon, into the 80's and high 80's but still haven't cut a cover nor have the many lads I've played with cut a cover and some of them are 15-20 handys. It seems to me that the quality of the balls and in particular their covers have improved dramatically over the years to eliminate most cutting.

I can certainly scuff a ball with a hard short iron but don't come close to doing that with each wedge shot. I've played MP-33's and MP-68's over the past 5-8 years and I think that they are kind to covers. When I do scuff one up if I'm playing really good and going really low I will have a tendency to change the ball out. If the round is just a normal round those scuffs don't seem to impact ball performance for me.

I think playing with Z Star XV's and B330S's have limited the scuffing for me and when playing a XV, I think I've played 3-4 rounds with the same ball when it's appearance causes me to ball bag it, not it's performance.

It would be interesting to see if someone had conducted any testing on what a scuff does to ball performance.

[mesquite2]

I carry a small piece of fine sandpaper & use it to take off scuffs &" groove chew", works great.

[Jayhawkrx93]

[quote name='Rock Chalk Jayhawk' timestamp='1351310765' post='5853213']
[quote name='Jayhawkrx93' timestamp='1350961064' post='5831083']
I recently started a thread regarding ProV1x service life. I recently got fed up with going through 3 or 4 balls a round and I've found that I don't like any other ball nearly as much. I decided to just keep playing each ball until it is beat to death or lost. In the last month and a half I have gotten 27 out of 2 and 18 out of 3. Other rounds have involved some casualties but even that didnt feel as bad when they were already beat up. My 56* is non-conforming and abuses covers but I've yet to notice any significant issues with ball flight. I played a tough course with tall gunch on nearly every hole with the wind 20-25 and was surprised that there really wasn't much difference. I have actually been hitting my driver a little longer lately. I'll probably swap out a little more frequently in the 2 or 3 bigger tourney's I play if its really windy but otherwise my goal is going to be 1 round 1 ball, lol.
[/quote]

Where do you play at? I am originally from Hutch and am a member at the Dunes.
[/quote]

Auburn, Sandcreek and Terradyne here and Alvamar about 1 weekend a month. Family/work kind of hurting the playing time these days. Have only played Dunes a couple times, really miss Cottonwood up there. I loved it.

[jbrunone]

Its gone once it gets a scuff

[greasepin]

[quote name='mesquite2' timestamp='1351340467' post='5853829']
I carry a small piece of fine sandpaper & use it to take off scuffs &" groove chew", works great.
[/quote]
That is probly not legal? I spose its not a big deal if its a casual round.
[quote name='Redhill' timestamp='1351318298' post='5853509']
I'm not sure I'm following all the above posts when you lads talk about cutting the cover. Do you mean a visible cut through the outer cover to the depth of the next layer??? I'm thinking that is kind of hard to do isn't??? Wouldn't you really have to hit the ball above mid level with a chopping motion to really cut the cover? I'm not dogging anyone's swing and/or game but I thought cutting a cover had gone the way of the wooden drivers.

I haven't cut a cover in 15-18 years. Now I've hit some terrible stinkers and topped some humdingers but still haven't cut a cover in many many years. I ended up the season as 3.2 handy but still can go high when things are falling off the wagon, into the 80's and high 80's but still haven't cut a cover nor have the many lads I've played with cut a cover and some of them are 15-20 handys. It seems to me that the quality of the balls and in particular their covers have improved dramatically over the years to eliminate most cutting.

I can certainly scuff a ball with a hard short iron but don't come close to doing that with each wedge shot. I've played MP-33's and MP-68's over the past 5-8 years and I think that they are kind to covers. When I do scuff one up if I'm playing really good and going really low I will have a tendency to change the ball out. If the round is just a normal round those scuffs don't seem to impact ball performance for me.

I think playing with Z Star XV's and B330S's have limited the scuffing for me and when playing a XV, I think I've played 3-4 rounds with the same ball when it's appearance causes me to ball bag it, not it's performance.

It would be interesting to see if someone had conducted any testing on what a scuff does to ball performance.
[/quote]
Yeah, I really don't think it affects the flight all that much. I play the really bad ones during "leaf" season. Or if theres a hole I normally hit bad drives on. I really hit down on the ball, and Pro V1's scuff with a full wedge. At this point I don't want to change my swing just because I'm going through balls. I don't lose many balls anymore. Maybe one a round.

[Llortamaisey]

I always get rid of a scuff ball when I hit it in the water.

[greasepin]

[quote name='Llortamaisey' timestamp='1351466369' post='5859431']
I always get rid of a scuff ball when I hit it in the water.
[/quote]
AKA Collateral Damage?