Can You Change Golf Ball Brands During a Round?

You hook your brand new, $5 golf ball deep into the woods on the first tee. You sigh, reach into your bag, and find a scuffed-up ball from a completely different brand. Can you legally put that ball into play on the second tee? The short answer is yes, you can. But a better question is, should you? This article will clear up the specific rules about changing balls during a round, debunk the common one ball rule myth, and explain why sticking with a single model is one of the easiest ways to improve your scores.

Understanding the Official Rules of Golf

Let's get the official stuff out of the way first. The governing bodies of golf, the USGA and R&A, have surprisingly relaxed rules about the ball you use during a casual round. The key is to understand the difference between changing balls between holes versus during a hole.

Changing Balls Between Holes

This is where it’s simplest. Once you have completed a hole - meaning your ball is in the cup - you are free to switch to a different golf ball before teeing off on the next hole. You can change to a different brand, a different model, a different color, or even a brand new ball of the same type. No announcement is necessary, and there is no penalty.

• Example: You finish the 3rd hole with a TaylorMade Tour Response. As you walk to the 4th tee, you can decide to tee off with a Callaway Chrome Soft. This is perfectly legal.

Changing Balls During the Play of a Hole

This is where things get more restrictive. once you tee off on a hole, that specific ball is considered "in play." You must continue to play that same ball until you hole out. Simply disliking your shot or wanting a fresh ball for a putt is not a valid reason to swap it out. Doing so results in a penalty under Rule 6.3b.

However, the Rules of Golf provide a few exceptions where you are allowed to substitute a ball mid-hole:

• Your ball is lost or out of bounds: If you can't find your ball within the three-minute search time or it comes to rest out of bounds, you must take a penalty and play another ball.
• Your ball becomes unfit for play: This means your ball is visibly cut, cracked, or out of shape. A simple scuff or a bit of mud does not count. If you believe your ball is damaged, you can mark its position, lift it to inspect it (you should announce this to a playing partner), and if it's truly unfit, replace it with a new ball on the same spot.
• Taking relief: When you're dropping a ball from an unplayable lie, an obstruction, or a penalty area, the rules usually permit you to substitute a new ball.

The main takeaway is that for most shots during a hole, the ball you started with is the one you have to finish with.

What About the "One Ball Rule"? (The Pro Tour Exception)

This is probably the biggest source of confusion on this topic for amateur golfers. Many players have heard of the "One Ball Rule" and assume it applies to all forms of golf. That’s not true.

The official designation is the "One Ball Condition," a Model Local Rule (G-4) that a tournament committee can choose to put into effect for a specific competition. When this rule is active, a player must start the round with a specific brand AND model of golf ball, and they must use that exact same brand and model for the entire round.

• Example: If a player starts with a Titleist Pro V1x, and they lose it, they must replace it with another Titleist Pro V1x. They cannot switch to a regular Pro V1 or a Srixon Z-Star.

This rule is almost exclusively used for professional tours and elite-level amateur championships. For your weekend game with friends, your club championship, or a local charity scramble, it is extremely unlikely this rule will be in effect. However, if you are playing in an organized tournament, it never hurts to double-check the local rules sheet provided by the committee just to be sure.

Why Sticking with One Ball Brand is a Smart Strategy

Now that we’ve established you can legally switch balls, let’s talk about why you probably shouldn't. As a golf coach, one of the first things I advise developing players is to find one ball they like and stick with it. Consistency in your equipment breeds consistency in your game. Switching ball models mid-round introduces unnecessary variables that can sabotage your feel and confidence.

Consistent Feel Around the Greens

The most dramatic difference between golf ball models is felt on and around the greens. Your sense of touch with chipping, pitching, and putting is incredibly delicate. Switching balls throws a wrench in your brain's ability to calibrate distance and speed.

A premium ball with a soft urethane cover feels buttery off the putter face and will grab the green on chip shots. A harder, two-piece distance ball with a surlyn cover will feel "clicky" and tend to release and run out much more on chips. If you putt a soft ball on one green and a hard ball on the next, your sense of pace will be all over the place. You’ll leave one 10 feet short and hammer the next one 10 feet by, all because your brain is getting conflicting feedback.

Predictable Driver and Iron Performance

Golf balls are engineered to do very different things off the tee and with your irons. Some are designed for low spin and maximum distance, while others are designed for higher spin to help shots hold the green. Switching between these types mid-round makes club selection a total guessing game.

Imagine you hit a 7-iron with a high-spin ball like a Srixon Z-Star that carries 150 yards and stops quickly. On the next hole, under the same conditions, you hit a 7-iron with a low-spin distance ball like a Titleist Velocity. That ball might fly 160 yards and run out another 10 after it lands. A 10-yard difference is often the difference between being on the green and in a back bunker. When you stick to one ball, you start to learn its behavior and can trust your yardages.

Building Trust and Confidence

Golf is hard enough without adding self-inflicted doubt. When you hit a bad shot, you want to be able to diagnose it. Was it the swing? Was it the wind? Was it the wrong club choice? If you’re also asking, "Or was it this weird ball I just started using?" you're just piling on more confusion.

By using the same ball every time, you remove a huge variable. You learn exactly how it launches, flies, spins, and rolls. This knowledge builds a foundation of trust that allows you to stand over a shot and commit to it fully, knowing how your equipment will perform. That’s a mental freedom that switching balls can never give you.

Are There Any Times When Switching Balls Makes Sense?

While playing one model consistently is the best practice, there are a couple of practical scenarios where switching might be considered.

The "Water Ball" or "Scruffy Ball" Strategy

This is probably the most common exception. You're facing a long carry over a lake, and the thought of sending your pristine, expensive ball to a watery grave is painful. So, you tee up an old, scuffed-up "water ball" you found a few holes ago. Psychologically, this can reduce the pressure. However, you're now facing one of the most demanding shots on the course with a ball whose performance characteristics are a complete unknown. Is that trade-off worth it? For many, the peace of mind is worth the risk, but be aware that the ball might fly shorter, longer, or with an unfamiliar shape.

You've Run Out of Your Usual Ball

This is the most straightforward reason. You’ve lost your last trusty ball. A playing partner kindly tosses you one of theirs, which is a different brand. In this case, you don’t have a choice. The best advice here is to simply be mindful of the change. Before hitting a full shot, take a few extra putts on the practice green between holes to gauge the feel, and be prepared for your shots to fly and react a little differently until you get used to it.

Final Thoughts

So, while you are absolutely allowed to change golf ball models and brands between holes in a normal round, making a habit of it is likely hurting your game more than it's helping. Committing to a single ball model is one of the simplest things a golfer can do to eliminate variables, build trust in their distances, and gain confidence over every shot.

Eliminating guesswork is the fastest way to play better golf, but a consistent ball is just one piece of the puzzle. Countless other questions can pop up during a round that create doubt. When you're stuck between clubs on a windy day, need a smart strategy for a tricky par 5, or just want to confirm a specific rule, I can help. With Caddie AI, you get instant, expert advice right in your pocket, removing those uncertainties so you can focus on swinging with confidence.