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Ball Changes Mid-game

• duckman8228 7 Posts

  Thu, Jul 31 2014 2:37 PM

  I had a ball that was partially used when I started 18 at St.Andrews. It broke, and I was reverted back to the starting unlimited ball, tried to change mid-game, could not. So I saved and quit, but every time I try to change equipment, I can't because it first asks to end or continue round. I had a really good game going, so I tried to use the very first ball I was stuck with and ruined my decent game. Correct me if I'm wrong, but its already very hard to get a good 18 hole scorecard as it is due to network lag, making it impossible to do anything accurately for more than 2 shots at a time. Not being able to change the ball mid-game and having it revert to the very first one, is absurd at best. Thanks WGT for ruining my one in a million decent score.

• Deedan13 51 Posts

  Thu, Jul 31 2014 3:25 PM

  First, you would have been given the opportunity to purchase new balls before you started, and can buy them in the pro shop during your round. Second, wgt says it is "the most realistic golf game" and its rule reflects the "one ball rule", used in real tournaments.

  Dan

• TarheelsRule 5,566 Posts

  Fri, Aug 1 2014 9:46 AM

  Yeah hard to feel sorry for you since every WGT player knows the score on how balls tend to work.   You have the chance to edit your equipment before the round and if it is your last ball you get the opportunity to rebuy on the first tee.

  I could argue that WGT should default to your best ball when you run out but that is not in the spirit of the one ball rule.   The real fact is that if you run out of balls in mid round, you should be disqualified at that point since the WGT plain ball is a different ball.

  I try to monitor the balls and where they are before I play, it would be helpful if the ball meter would show the number of hits left instead of a red line but I don't see this as a major issue for WGT.    The player is responsible here.

• SweetiePie 4,925 Posts

  Fri, Aug 1 2014 11:10 AM

  TarheelsRule:

  The player is responsible here.

   

  I agree William. It has happened to us all, and it is funny how quickly you adapt if you have a good one going on..LOL

• colorstorm 12 Posts

  Fri, Aug 1 2014 12:31 PM

  Dan true enough,

  however,

  the point is being made  that a 'new' ball is not an option if u happen to run out during a game. Sure the one ball rule makes sense  but if u put one in a hazard , u should be given the opportunity to replace with a ball of the same caliber.

  There are many balls in ones inventory that should be able to be put in play, instead of the lame free one,  that screws up the meter.

  A player should be given the option of WHICH ball to use,  IF there are any in the equipment bag. Seems easy enough. There are a ton of reasons why people do not buy balls before a round, and one should not be penalized IF he has good balls to select from.

  I have many new balls in inventory, some given as gifts, and why should I be given a starter ball when clearly I 'own' others. I think this is the original poster's main point, and it is a good one.

  cheers 

• ApexPC 3,164 Posts

  Fri, Aug 1 2014 12:47 PM

  We can only equip our bag with only 1 make/model of golf ball.

  We may have other makes/models of ball in our inventory, but those balls aren't in our bag once we have started a game. Think of them as being stored at home in your garage.

  As mentioned WGT provides a warning and an opportunity to stock up on the ball you started the game with. WGT also has a graphic that shows how much durability a ball has remaining

  Such is life in the virtual golf world if you chose to ignore the durability indicator and the LAST BALL warning from WGT that is displayed at the beginning of or during a round if it applies.

  The 'One ball condition'  was mentioned (Rules of Golf, Appendix 1 - Local Rules: Conditions of the Competition, Part C, 1., c.). The penalty for beach of the condition is disqualification. WGT doesn't disqualify the player. Instead WGT provides a free ball so we can complete our round. Perhaps it would be better to just disqualify those who ignore the warning and durability indicators.

   

• CerinoDevoti 3,232 Posts

  Fri, Aug 1 2014 6:01 PM

  If WGT DQ'd us from tourneys and ranked rounds it wouldn't take more than once to learn to manage our equipment much better. Letting us revert to the free ball is a learning disability to members.

• colorstorm 12 Posts

  Fri, Aug 1 2014 6:32 PM

  A lot of things c,an be fine tuned. For instance: a ball in the brush one yard off the fairway is not 'lost' so there could be an unplayable rule with the SAME ball. If u are talking real golf here, then fair is fair.

  But the idea of not equipping a round is an oversight for many, and perhaps a option would be a pop up  up to select from 'a suitable ball in inventory.' For God's sake, it's just a game. 

• srellim234 2,077 Posts

  Fri, Aug 1 2014 7:35 PM

  If WGT DQ'd us from tourneys and ranked rounds it wouldn't take more than once for someone leading late in a match or on the 18th hole of a great ranked round to leave the site and never come back. 

  The starter ball is a compromise to let people finish the round. Recreational players probably take their chances and complete it. Serious players don't.

  Either way the complaints will continue.

  BTW, how are they going to explain DQ'ing players from practice rounds? There is no basis in the rules for the One Ball Condition to be applied to practice in the first place.

• spdemon 1,588 Posts

  Fri, Aug 1 2014 7:59 PM

  duckman8228:

  Not being able to change the ball mid-game and having it revert to the very first one, is absurd at best.

  well as for this it has been answered here already 

  duckman8228:

  Thanks WGT for ruining my one in a million decent score.

  but this ^^^^ will change when you learn the game and get better clubs just a matter of time