I've had a couple of rules situations come up over the last week, but this is the only one I remember as of right now.

I was hitting a 170 yard approach into a par 5 over a water hazard, and I hit it just a tough fat. I was using an old, crappy ProV due to the water hazard (as opposed to a new, shiny ProV). It struck the rocks, where I assume the ball split open, and then bounced up to the rough just to the right of the green.

The ball was not split in two. I know if that happens, I get to rehit. It did, however, have a gash about two centimeters long where the guts were spilling out, and that made it so that the ball was obviously no longer round. It would have been impossible to putt. I did try to chip it, and got a horrible result. However, once I got it onto the green, I replaced it with a (newer) ProV so I could putt.

What is the ruling here? Can I lift and replace an obviously damanged ball from the rough (about three feet from the fringe)? And was I legal in replacing it once I got it on the green?

The USGA states under Rule 5.3:

If it is determined that the ball has become unfit for play during play of the hole being played, the player may substitute another ball, placing it on the spot where the original ball lay. Otherwise, the original ball must be replaced. If a player substitutes a ball when not permitted and makes a stroke at the wrongly substituted ball,
he incurs the general penalty for a breach of Rule 5-3, but there is no additional penalty under this Rule or 15-2.

A ball with a gash clearly fits the "unfit for play" standard. The USGA doesn't want a scrape or blemish to be used to substitute a ball but when chunks of the cover are torn or missing, you should be good to go.

bkuehn1952 wrote:

A ball with a gash clearly fits the "unfit for play" standard. The USGA doesn't want a scrape or blemish to be used to substitute a ball but when chunks of the cover are torn or missing, you should be good to go.

What if the ball has the gash, and I know it has a gash, before I tee of with it?

Only reason I ask, is because I did it once. Long, forced carry from the tee over water, and I figured I was going to dunk it in, so I tee'd off with a junk ball I had rolling around in my bag. If I remember correctly, it was a "Hogan" ball, discolored, not quite round, and a big gash like it had bit the corner of a square rock. Amazingly, I carrier the hazard, and made bogey on the hole, using said not-quite-round-slightly-discolored-should-have-stayed-in-the-woods ball.

@mjaber - good question. As a "Rules Snob" I was shocked that I did not know the answer immediately.

From what I can see, there is no particular penalty for playing a ball that is unfit for play. However, once you claim a ball is unfit, if you use it again, you can't once again claim it as unfit. That is from the USGA Decisions:

5-3/2 Ball Declared Unfit for Play Played at Later Hole
Q. A player damaged his ball at a certain hole, declared it unfit for play and substituted another ball. At a subsequent hole he played the damaged ball. What is the ruling?
A. There is no penalty. However, the player may not again declare the ball (in the same condition) unfit for play.

bkuehn1952 wrote:

5-3/2 Ball Declared Unfit for Play Played at Later Hole Q. A player damaged his ball at a certain hole, declared it unfit for play and substituted another ball. At a subsequent hole he played the damaged ball. What is the ruling? A. There is no penalty. However, the player may not again declare the ball (in the same condition) unfit for play.

That's a great provision and i know someone's asking "other than trying to cheat, then why would it matter". It would be a matter of "tin cup principle". Basically if you're playing a round and end up not having enough balls to complete and you reach in the bag and there was a cut ball you declared "unfit" it would enable you to use it. I suppose finishing with a busted ball is better than not finishing at all. Good rule to know, i didn't know the second part.

mjaber wrote:

Long, forced carry from the tee over water, and I figured I was going to dunk it in, so I tee'd off with a junk ball I had rolling around in my bag. If I remember correctly, it was a "Hogan" ball, discolored, not quite round, and a big gash like it had bit the corner of a square rock.

While I understand the thinking employed (and really it boils down to the cost of losing a "good" ball), many years ago, I changed my thinking on this situation. When I need to make a good shot, my chances of executing that shot go up if I hit a ball that is in good condition (or new). By selecting to hit a ball in poor condition, I'm reducing my chances of executing that shot. Accordingly, I now continue to use the ball in good condition (or a new ball) when I need to make a good shot. In fact, that is the thinking many use on the greens ..... (albeit, against the rules).

I have used "old" balls at times though - I recall playing the 18th hole at a course where the smart play is hit straight to the fairway, but you could rotate about 60 degrees on the tee, fly about 250 yds over water to the green (a poor decision unless you're a very good driver of the ball!) .... My score wasn't great and, despite there being a head wind, I tried the long carry - I dumped it in the water, but it was close. So, I pulled out a "new" ball and swung again. I hit it a little low on the club face and the ball never flew more than about 15-20 feet off the water .... skipping three times before scooting up onto the green. Anyway, I wonder what would have happened if I had used a good ball on the first stroke ....

Armand

Armand Eglauer wrote:

While I understand the thinking employed (and really it boils down to the cost of losing a "good" ball), many years ago, I changed my thinking on this situation. When I need to make a good shot, my chances of executing that shot go up if I hit a ball that is in good condition (or new). By selecting to hit a ball in poor condition, I'm reducing my chances of executing that shot. Accordingly, I now continue to use the ball in good condition (or a new ball) when I need to make a good shot. In fact, that is the thinking many use on the greens ..... (albeit, against the rules). I have used "old" balls at times though - I recall playing the 18th hole at a course where the smart play is hit straight to the fairway, but you could rotate about 60 degrees on the tee, fly about 250 yds over water to the green (a poor decision unless you're a very good driver of the ball!) .... My score wasn't great and, despite there being a head wind, I tried the long carry - I dumped it in the water, but it was close. So, I pulled out a "new" ball and swung again. I hit it a little low on the club face and the ball never flew more than about 15-20 feet off the water .... skipping three times before scooting up onto the green. Anyway, I wonder what would have happened if I had used a good ball on the first stroke .... Armand

I agree with you... now. At the time, I would tighten up and try to hard not to lose the ball, causing me to lose the ball. Using the ball specific ball I did caused me to relax and just swing the club. I guess you could call it reverse psychology, but it worked... that one time.