Expert: Skip Ward - 12/2/2007

Question
Match Play.
Player A starts the game on hole no 1 using a ProV Titleist ball. On hole 2 he decides to change to a Srixon ball. Player B objects and says you must use the same brand or type of ball that you start with throughout the round. Player A responds by saying that he can use any ball he likes providing he does not change the ball during a hole. Who is correct?

Answer
Dear Bernie, good to hear from you and thanks for the question.  This one is not quite as cut and dried as some others.  There is an addendum to the rules with regards to ball and changing them during a round, but, it is known as a "condition" rather than a rule.  In this case, it is known as thee ONE-BALL-CONDITION, and is enacted primarily for tournaments...and even then, only if the tournament is stipulated as such. (some don't care, and therefore don't bother)  So...having said that,  Player A can indeed change balls unless stipulated otherwise in the form of tournament rules etc.  (Non-tounament players too can enact the condition at the beginning of a regular round)  (By the way, Player A is also correct in pointing out that no player can change brands during a hole.)  The question here may actually be if Player A knew WHY he/she was correct!  Good luck, thanks again, and as always...

Love the game,
skipper