srellim234:The USGA One Ball Condition does not apply to lower level competitions. It does not apply to practice. It does not apply to 1 on 1 competitions when a tournament is not involved. WGT should not be the self appointed tournament committee for country clubs and their internal club tourneys. The one ball condition should be up to the competitors and the country clubs. If WGT wants to enforce a one ball condition on their own tournaments, fine.
You are absolutely correct, srellim.
Before you go spouting off about committees, Apex, learn to read the rules thoroughly when you Google them. I have a hard copy of the rules if you want me to mail one to you.
The Rules of Golf do not require a player to use the same brand and type of golf ball throughout the stipulated round. A player may use a different ball to start each hole. However, the Committee may adopt as a Condition of a Competition, the 'One Ball Condition.' When this condition is adopted, players are required to use the same brand and type of golf ball throughout the stipulated round.
(If this is the case, then WGT should afford the player time to "buy" more balls after losing one. Correct?)
‘The One Ball Rule’ is generally adopted only in events that are limited to professional golfers or highly-skilled amateur golfers. Generally, this condition of competition is not adopted in club-level competitions.
They should not be allowed to replace your lost ball with a dimpleless starter ball. Period. In any comp I have taken part in (and I've played in many USGA events), you have no more than 5 mins to replace your ball with one of the same type you started the hole with (this Ruling also applies to looking for a lost ball). As stated above, you are permitted to change from, let's say, a ProV1 to a Callaway at the next tee, should you so choose. You may not change balls on a putting surface, however.
To have to play out a round with a ball, not of your choice, is a joke here and against any USGA rule I know of.
As far as committees go, the person creating the conditions of the tournament is the committee by USGA definition. Period. If WGT wants to invoke the 'One Ball Rule' in their events, then so be it. If JoeBawbag ("the committee') wants to invoke it when he creates a CC event, then that's the way it is.
@ Alosso - speaking as a software engineer, programming the game to allow these changes is easier than WGT makes it out to be; there would be no need for extra slots as you called them. You could load two variations of golf balls before play, just like you can change clubs beforehand. Easy peasy.