How to Wash Golf Balls

A clean golf ball flies straighter, spins more reliably, and behaves exactly how its designers intended. Layers of dirt, smeared grass, or a fleck of mud can completely change its performance, disrupting aerodynamics and sending your shots offline before they even have a chance. This guide will walk you through exactly how, when, and why to wash your golf balls, covering everything from a quick on-course scrub to a deep cleaning session at home.

Why Bother Washing Your Golf Balls?

As a coach, one of the simplest and most overlooked habits I see among amateur golfers is playing with dirty equipment. We spend so much energy trying to perfect our swing, but we neglect a variable that's completely in our control. Thinking a little dirt doesn’t matter is a common mistake that can subtly sabotage your performance, shot after shot.

Here’s what’s happening on a technical level:

• Aerodynamic Integrity: The dimples on a golf ball are not just for show, they are a finely tuned piece of engineering. Their job is to create a thin layer of turbulent air around the ball as it flies, which reduces drag and increases lift. When these dimples are caked with dirt, they can't function properly. The result is a less stable, lower ball flight that won’t carry as far and can be more susceptible to wind. A pristine ball gives you the predictable flight you need.
• Consistent Spin and Roll: This is especially apparent around the greens. When you strike a wedge, you want the grooves of your club to cleanly "grip" the clean cover of the ball to impart spin. If there’s a layer of grime between the clubface and the ball, that connection is compromised, leading to less spin and a ball that might "skid" or release unpredictably upon landing. The same principle applies to putting. Even a small speck of dried mud on your putting line can be enough to nudge a perfectly struck putt offline.

Consistently playing with a clean ball removes these unnecessary variables. It allows you to trust that the golf ball will perform as intended, so you can focus on the thing that actually matters: making a good swing.

When to Clean Your Golf Balls

Understanding when to clean your ball is just as important as knowing how. There are two primary opportunities: during your round and after you’re finished playing.

During the Round

Maintaining a clean ball throughout your 18 holes is ideal. Most golf courses provide ball washers at each tee box for exactly this reason. Make it a part of your pre-tee routine to give your ball a quick wash before you start the hole.

The Rules of Golf also permit you to lift and clean your ball in specific situations on the course. You are always allowed to mark, lift, and clean your ball when it is on the putting green. In most other circumstances, like when your ball is in the fairway or the rough, you must play it as it lies. However, courses sometimes have a local rule in effect for "lift, clean, and place" (often called "winter rules"), typically when course conditions are wet or muddy. Pay attention to the course rules for the day, but always take advantage of cleaning your ball on the green and between holes.

After the Round

If you prefer to clean in batches, or if you regularly collect stray balls from the course or driving range, then a more thorough cleaning session at home is the way to go. This allows you to give every ball a deeper clean than the quick scrub from a tee-box washer can provide, preparing them perfectly for your next outing.

Method 1: The Quick On-Course Clean

This is your first-line of defense against dirt and the method you'll use most often. Making this a regular habit will have a real impact on your consistency.

Using the Tee-Box Ball Washer

These units look like a box on a stand and are usually found near the tee markers. They seem simple, but using them correctly makes a difference.

1. Grip the top handle and pull the plunger mechanism straight up.
2. Drop your golf ball into the water-filled opening.
3. Forcefully plunge the handle up and down several times. The bristles inside will scrub away all the surface grime.
4. Pull the plunger up one last time and retrieve your now-sparkling ball.
5. Most ball washers have a towel attached to the stand. Use it to dry your ball completely before teeing it up.

Using Your Golf Towel

If the ball washer is out of soap or water, or if you just need to clean your ball on the green, a towel works perfectly. The key here is proper preparation.

Pro Tip: Before your round starts, wet one half of your golf towel while leaving the other half dry. Clip it to your bag. This gives you a dedicated wet side for cleaning and a dry side for drying throughout the round.

1. Use the wet portion of your towel to vigorously rub the ball.
2. For stubborn, caked-on dirt, use your thumb or fingernail through the towel to apply more focused pressure on the dimples.
3. Once clean, switch to the dry half of your towel and wipe it completely dry.

Method 2: The Deep Clean at Home (The Bucket Method)

This is the gold standard for getting your golf balls looking factory-new. It’s perfect for a weekly cleaning ritual or for restoring a big haul of found balls. It’s gentle, safe for all ball types, and highly effective.

What You'll Need:

• A bucket or large bowl
• Warm water
• Mild dish soap
• A soft-bristle brush (an old toothbrush, vegetable brush, or dish brush works well)
• An old towel for drying

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Fill the bucket with warm (not hot) water. Add a generous squirt of dish soap and give it a quick stir to create some suds.
2. Add your golf balls to the bucket. Letting them soak for 15-30 minutes will do most of the work for you, loosening even the most stubborn grime. For really dirty balls, you can let them soak for a few hours.
3. Take each ball out one by one and use your soft-bristle brush to scrub it clean. Focus your effort on the dimples, as this is where dirt hides. The pre-soak should make this step quite easy.
4. Once you've scrubbed a ball, rinse it under cool, clean water to remove any soap residue.
5. Lay all the clean, rinsed balls on an old towel and let them air dry completely. Don’t store them while they're still damp.

Method 3: The Bulk Clean (The Dishwasher Method)

DISCLAIMER: This method has risks and should be used with caution. The high heat of some dishwasher cycles can potentially damage the integrity of a golf ball's cover and internal layers, especially on premium, multi-piece balls (like a Titleist Pro V1 or Callaway Chrome Soft). This technique is best reserved for large quantities of durable, two-piece range balls or older balls you use for practice.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Gather your golf balls and place them in a mesh laundry bag to keep them contained. Alternatively, you can carefully place them in the utensil compartments of your dishwasher tray so they can’t roll around.
2. Add a small amount of your normal dishwasher detergent.
3. Set your dishwasher to its gentlest, lowest-temperature setting. A "quick wash" or "eco" mode is often a good choice.
4. This is the most important step: disable the 'Heated Dry' cycle. This high-heat phase at the end is what poses the biggest risk to the balls. Let them air dry instead.
5. Once the cycle is finished, remove the balls and lay them on a towel to air dry completely, just like in the bucket method.

What to Avoid When Washing Golf Balls

To protect your golf balls and ensure they perform well for as long as possible, avoid the following:

• Harsh Chemicals: Never use bleach, acetone, paint thinner, or other powerful solvents. These can weaken and crack the urethane or ionomer cover of a golf ball. Mild dish soap is all you need.
• Abrasive Scourers: Avoid using steel wool, brillo pads, or stiff wire brushes. These will scratch and scuff the surface of the ball, negatively impacting its aerodynamics.
• Boiling Water: Extreme heat is the enemy. Soaking balls in boiling water is a bad idea and can alter their compression and performance characteristics. Warm water is sufficient.

Final Thoughts

Taking the time to wash your golf balls is a surprisingly simple habit that pays real dividends, leading to truer flight, more predictable spin, and better consistency on the greens. Whether it's a quick scrub on the course or a deeper clean at home, prioritizing clean equipment is an easy win for your game.

Once your gear is in order, removing guesswork from your on-course strategy is the next step to playing with more confidence. For that, we built Caddie AI to act as your personal golf coach, giving you instant answers to your questions and smart strategy for tough shots, so you can focus on simply executing with a clear mind.