In an era where most professional golfers change golf balls at least a handful of times per round, 25-year-old Alex Chiarella did something truly remarkable at the Lethbridge Paradise Canyon Open when he opted to play the same Titleist Pro V1x for all 72 holes en route to his first Mackenzie Tour victory.
For the average golfer, making it through 18 holes unscathed without losing a ball is a cause for celebration. Wayward tee shots and the occasional bad bounce make it commonplace to lose at least one ball per round, which is why it’s always advisable to have a few spare pellets in the bag, just in case.
Even professionals carry extra balls — somewhere in the neighborhood of seven to 12 — but their reasons differ slightly when it comes to putting a new sphere in play. Some believe there’s a performance benefit to be had by using at least a few new balls per round, while others, like 2019 U.S. Open winner Gary Woodland, are superstitious and prefer to change balls when a square goes on the card.
But with only four bogeys during the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, Woodland went extended stretches with the same ball in play, never once considering the thought of swapping for a freshie.
“I love the durability,” said Woodland, who currently plays the Pro V1. “I only switch balls when I make bogeys, so I only took four balls out of play at the U.S. Open. So, I played with the same ball a lot, which was nice. But, the big deal is consistency and no surprises and I didn’t have any of those.”
Given the lengthy stretches Chiarella and Woodland have gone recently without changing balls, it begs the question: How long can a golfer go with using the same ball before noticing a performance drop-off?
