Define 'Damaged' (Golf Balls)

[Nat Williams]

So as far as i know you can replace a ball if it has been deemed 'damaged' i.e. cover is cracked, or ripped off, etc etc/

here's my question: who has the right to determine a ball 'damaged', or deny the claim that a ball has been damaged? (outside of rules officials .. particularly in situations w/o rules officials present)

When Colby and I played our match this past weekend I played the same ball for 13 holes. On the 14th hole I hit what I thought was a great drive, only to find it 50 yards short of where I had expected to find it ... it was strange, but I didn't think much of it, but then played to the green, and came up short aswell with a shot that felt fine.

After the hole was over I replaced the ball, and my distance returned to normal ... I assume that some damage had occured, although from looking at the outside of the ball, there was minimal wear outside of cut marks from wedge play.

It wasn't a big deal for me, especially since I wasn't 100% sur eit even was damaged, but it got me thinking ... how do you prove a ball is damaged? Under the official rules is this just tough luck? I know I can't prove it was damaged (other than by it's bizarre flight, which could easily be denied and said to be the result of a poor swing) ...

[jvincent]

From the Rules:

A ball is unfit for play if it is visibly cut, cracked or out of shape.

Not sure what you could have done that wouldn't be visible yet would affect the distance so much. Perhaps one of the inner layers separated?

[Nat Williams]

Ya i figured it was an uncommon thing to have happen (if it even did happen), but the result was noticable... I have to assume since you can't prove it from just looking at the ball you are SOL...but thought that maybe there was a provision to the ruling (i.e. tour player tees up a ball and cranks it, but it goes 200 yards and shakes the whole way, suggesting a defect in the ball)

[BC MIST]

Ya i figured it was an uncommon thing to have happen (if it even did happen), but the result was noticable... I have to assume since you can't prove it from just looking at the ball you are SOL...but thought that maybe there was a provision to the ruling (i.e. tour player tees up a ball and cranks it, but it goes 200 yards and shakes the whole way, suggesting a defect in the ball)

Decision 5-3/1 covers your situation and yes, you are out of luck.

Many golfers erroneously believe that if the ball is scraped or scratched because of hitting from the sand, hitting a tree or a stone, that it may be replaced. Not so.

[ironmaster15213]

Your a pretty big hitter so you shouldn't be playing the same ball for 13 holes, probably smart to put a new or at least a different ball in play every 6 holes or so. Take your golf balls home afterward and drop them on a solid surface and compare the rebound with a new ball and then you'll know you can play them again next time you play. If any damage is on the inside of the ball it will absorb some of that rebound and not bounce as high, then it's time to toss. Scrapes and slight scuff markes make very little difference on the flight of a ball, I would be surprised if Iron Bryon would notice more than about 2 yards difference left or right with perfect shots with a ball that hit a cart path. Maybe someday they will do a study on blemished balls but I think they don't want to let people know that those scrapes have little effect and want you to just buy more new balls