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Allow for backup balls when ball taken out of play

• AceHoler26 350 Posts

  Sun, Jun 23 2013 6:01 AM

  When the life on one of my premium golf balls expires during a round and it is my last ball of that type, I automatically have to finish the round with house balls.

  Many times I have other premium golf balls in my bag though they are a different brand or type.  How about letting players select any types of premium balls they have in their bags as replacement balls for the above situation ?  Can be done for lost balls as well (I have an issue with lost balls but that can be left for another discussion).

  Sometimes I am using balls that I don't want to get another sleeve of at this particular time.  Maybe I am trying out a new ball, or maybe am using a more expensive ball for now but don't want to use that expensive ball a lot.  When I am down to my last ball in this circumstance, I would like to begin the round with the last ball of this type and use it's remaining hits.  But once used up would like it to be replaced with my usual premium balls if I have some but my bag was not euipped with them at the start of the round.

  I would think this would be a fairly easy programming change by letting players equip their bag with 2 different types of balls and allowing them to flag one type as the MAIN ball and the other type as BACKUP, which would be used if the last of the MAIN balls ran out of hits or was lost.

  Any thoughts ?

• courteneyfish 15,796 Posts

  Sun, Jun 23 2013 11:03 AM

  Just carry more balls of the same type. It gives you a warning when you are on the last ball and you can even buy more during the round. See also the WGT version of the one ball directive.

• alosso 21,094 Posts

  Sun, Jun 23 2013 11:22 AM

  AceHoler26:

  I would think this would be a fairly easy programming change by letting players equip their bag with 2 different types of balls and allowing them to flag one type as the MAIN ball and the other type as BACKUP, which would be used if the last of the MAIN balls ran out of hits or was lost.

  Nice idea!

  Alas, would the programming work (and time and costs) turn out to be profitable for WGT? I think not.

  Dead idea I fear :(

• AceHoler26 350 Posts

  Sun, Jun 23 2013 11:33 AM

  alosso:

  AceHoler26:

  I would think this would be a fairly easy programming change by letting players equip their bag with 2 different types of balls and allowing them to flag one type as the MAIN ball and the other type as BACKUP, which would be used if the last of the MAIN balls ran out of hits or was lost.

  Nice idea!

  Alas, would the programming work (and time and costs) turn out to be profitable for WGT? I think not.

  Dead idea I fear :(

  I was a programmer/analyst for aboout 30 years.  While not a software developer for graphics based games the programming is essentially similar.  Sure it would cost a little to re-code that piece, but they already employ software designers and analysts for development and bug fixes, etc.  So it's not like they would have to hire consultants or hire additional resources.

  The cost would hardly be prohibitive and I think it would be a nice enhancement, especially for those folks that play several different types of balls :)

• AceHoler26 350 Posts

  Sun, Jun 23 2013 11:40 AM

  courteneyfish:

  Just carry more balls of the same type. It gives you a warning when you are on the last ball and you can even buy more during the round. See also the WGT version of the one ball directive.

  Yes, but as I said in my original post, I may use some of the more expensive balls more sparingly and don't want another full sleeve at that particular time.

  Give you an example.  I have one Nike ball left that would go for 500 credits a sleeve.  I also have 3 Calloway balls which are my standard fare that are less expensive at 300 credits per sleeve.  I want to use the remaining hits on that Nike ball but if it doesnt make it thru the round I get stuck with the house balls for the rest of that round.  My idea would let me select my Calloway balls as backup and if the Nike runs out of hits after hole 8 of 18 holes, it will automatically be replaced by one of my Calloways.

   

• alosso 21,094 Posts

  Mon, Jun 24 2013 12:30 AM

  AceHoler26:

  alosso:

  [...]

  Alas, would the programming work (and time and costs) turn out to be profitable for WGT? I think not.

  I was a programmer/analyst for aboout 30 years.  While not a software developer for graphics based games the programming is essentially similar.  Sure it would cost a little to re-code that piece, but they already employ software designers and analysts for development and bug fixes, etc.  So it's not like they would have to hire consultants or hire additional resources.

  The cost would hardly be prohibitive and I think it would be a nice enhancement, especially for those folks that play several different types of balls :)

  You are talking down the costs, but they remain costs, company resources to be spent in such project. I still see no ROI for the company, why should they do it then?

  And it's not that hundreds of credits are waisted in your bag, that would have been the price of the sleeve. If a ball of 200 crs would not last for a nine hole game of 20 strokes any more (e.g. a 32 score with 12 putts) or less, more than 100 of 120 strokes would have been used up, leaving a "waste" of <1/6 => 16% or less. That's a max of 32 crs (32 Cents for some). And if this ball would be lost in water or OOB, the score would be ruined anyway, no need to whine because of the Starters.

• courteneyfish 15,796 Posts

  Mon, Jun 24 2013 12:37 AM

  Tournaments still don't let you change balls during a round though as I alluded to in my first post. Not in real life or here. Honest.

• AceHoler26 350 Posts

  Mon, Jun 24 2013 1:35 AM

  First off....I am not "whining".....this is a place for product suggestions is it not ?  I'm sure there are other people that would think this would be a nice enhancement.

  Sometimes a company will make a change without getting a direct financial benefit because they know it will make their customers happier.  It's called good marketing.  When you make customers happy they tell others about the product and maybe even urge them to partake of the product.

  I think it would be a very nice enhancement to the software and I stand by my statement that it would be a relatively easy software change.

  If you don't care about it, you are entitled to your opinion, but I suggest you use a little more tact in your replies.

• Pipeous 720 Posts

  Tue, Jul 2 2013 4:13 PM

  I think it is a brilliant idea. I like to experiment with balls too and hate wasting them. credits are hard enough to come by these days. 

• alanti 10,564 Posts

  Tue, Jul 2 2013 5:57 PM

  As pointed out, WGT have adopted the "one ball rule" that covers all Championships and even some local golf club competitions. WGT use courses as per the set up from either the US Open or The Open and follow the rules thereof (albeit allow you to finish with a starters ball to allow you to complete a round).

  We are given fair warning that it is our last ball, so if we ignore that, it is at our peril. Yes WGT could change the programming to use another ball, but as most players will buy a new sleeve, this is in their best interest. Then there is the cost of re-programming for no return (and I agree that this could be classed as "marketing" or goodwill).

  One point I would like to make is all balls have variances, so by the time you make TM or higher, you are probably better off sticking to one ball to try and avheive consistency.

  I am OK with the current system, but would like to see how many hits you have with a certain ball, BEFORE you tee off. Currently it is hit and miss (unless you have a better memory than me - quite probable lol). As long as we are aware of the rules, I don't think we can gripe too much about it - and yes I have been stung by it before as well - was my fault thinking I could get 18 holes out of an oily rag!