LuckyEns:
Why take balls out of play at all. if I paid for it I should be able, to use it till I lose it.. just away for them to make a buck..
Because WGT is set up for tournament/professional golf play, not the game as it is played by casual, weekend players.
The professional set up scenario includes us all having a stroke average instead of a handicap.
Golf balls lose compression as they are hit and as they age.
Most advanced amateur and pro players don't use old, worn out golf balls.
Back in the day I opened a sleeve of new balls on the first hole. Each of the 3 balls got played for just 6 holes on an alternating basis (if I didn't lose/damage 1). The ball I used on the first hole got played again on the 4th, 7th, 10th, 13th and 16th holes.
I don't know about balls today, but back when I played serious golf I checked balls to make sure they were round using a ball ring. I checked the 3 when I opened a sleeve on the first hole, and I re-checked them again to make sure they were still round before I started an new hole with them.
Balls I still had at the end of a round got dated and went into my practice ball bag. About once a month I went through my practice balls and tossed out the oldest ones.