You should change your golf ball very often - many professional golfers change their ball every hole or every few holes. Change your ball when you notice a change in performance.

Let’s say you get lucky and manage to go a full round of golf without losing your golf ball. And then, miracle of miracles, you get through another one. And another one…

If you’re good at keeping your golf balls like this then you’ll eventually have to ask yourself the question: should I change my golf ball?

We’re here to help. If you aren’t sure how often to switch an old golf ball for a new one, then join us as we discuss the most important factors of golf ball integrity. Do scuffs and dirt matter? Let’s find out.

Signs that you should change your golf ball

When trying to figure out if you should change your golf ball, a golf towel is your best friend. As a general rule of thumb, if any damage or dirt can be wiped away by a towel, then it shouldn’t cause you too much trouble. Small scuffs that can be mostly wiped away probably won’t impact your ball too badly.

You’ll probably want to swap out your golf ball if the ball’s surface is significantly damaged or particularly scratched. This isn’t always necessary – quickly test if the ball rolls as-expected when hit. If the scratch is causing the golf ball to lean in any particular direction, then it’s time to change it.

Inspect your golf balls whenever you get the chance to. As long as the ball isn’t badly misshapen or performing strangely, then you should be able to continue using it. The only real exception is professional or competitive games of golf. In these cases, you may wish to swap out your ball just in case - you wouldn't want any damage ruining your win!

Do balls perform worse the longer you use them?

In a theoretical scenario where your ball survives with no dents or scratches, can you keep using it forever? This really depends on the ball itself. Most modern golf balls have great durability, but golf balls that are constructed from cheaper or softer materials may not be able to last as long as premium balls.

Golf balls may also lose compression over time and can deteriorate due to different factors like heat or moisture. However, this is usually only a problem if you store golf balls incorrectly.

This is why pro golfers change their golf ball every hole, or every few holes. They can't afford the risk of failing a shot over a broken or damaged golf ball. However, swapping balls this often can seem expensive and wasteful for a beginner golfer. If you are confident in the durability of your golf ball then you can probably keep using it without any issue for a good while. If you can feel it getting worse as you play, then swap it out.

Is it time to change your golf ball?

Whether you want to change your golf ball every hole or not, you’re going to have to change it eventually. It’s best to keep a few high-quality spares in your bag just in case. At gimmeballs, we offer a range of great golf balls at low prices so you won’t have to worry as much about losing or damaging a couple of balls.

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FURTHER READING: How Many Golf Balls Should I Carry in My Bag?

Logo overrun golf balls are balls that are sold at a discounted price because they have a printed logo or image on them.

This will often happen if a company accidentally orders too many logo golf balls, or if somebody cancels an order of personalised golf balls. Sometimes, logo overrun balls will be misprints, where the ball just has an ink stain rather than any specific image or message. In all cases, the ball itself is still perfectly usable.

Are Logo Overrun Golf Balls Tournament Legal?

Yes, logo overrun golf balls can be played in golf tournaments, games, and tours. Since these are essentially just normal balls with random images printed onto them, they are considered completely legal.

Customised golf balls of any kind, including logo golf balls, are generally welcome at tournaments. Some professional golfers even use personalised golf balls! For example, Rory Mcllroy is known for having RORS printed on his Taylormade TP5x balls.

What’s the Difference Between Logo Overrun Golf Balls and X-Out Golf Balls?

Unlike logo overrun golf balls, X-out golf balls are not tournament legal. X-out golf balls have defects that will likely have an impact on the ball’s performance. Because of this, they don’t conform to most tournament standards (though if you really want to use one, you can always check the rules for the event in question).

Logo overrun golf balls are much more similar to practice balls than they are to X-out golf balls. Practice golf balls are legal balls that conform to all the relevant standards, but have an aesthetic or cosmetic imperfection that means they can’t be sold for full price.

Logo Overrun Golf Balls: Pros & Cons

So, why do people buy logo overrun golf balls? Well, people purchase logo overrun golf balls because they are sometimes a little cheaper than blank balls. They are usually bought second-hand from sellers who have too many of these balls, so it’s possible to get a good deal.

However, in many cases, the discount you will get on overrun golf balls is too insignificant to be worth it. This is especially true when you have to take the time to find a reliable seller of overrun golf balls. If you’re buying them from a marketplace like eBay, you have to be quick enough to get the overrun balls before somebody else does. Additionally, when buying balls from random sellers you always run the risk that the balls have been used before, which can lower their quality.

You also might struggle to find the exact golf ball brand you want when shopping for logo overrun golf balls, because you have to go for whatever balls are available. Playing with golf balls that you aren’t used to can really impact your game.

If you are looking for cheaper golf balls, it might be better to look for clearance golf balls than to risk receiving used logo overrun golf balls. Plus, you can add your own logo to these high-quality balls, which results in a much more meaningful ball than buying a ball with somebody else’s branding.

Are Logo Overrun Golf Balls Worth It?

Though some golfers are happy to use overrun logo golf balls, they are not always worth the risk.

The main problem with logo overrun golf balls is that you have no say over the logo that you’ll receive. Most of the time, these balls are bought in bulk, and the logo will be completely random. This means that you could easily end up with a design that is embarrassing or ugly, and you’ll probably have a lot of them to get through.

This is why golfers will generally order their own logo golf balls instead of gambling on logo overrun golf balls. It’s okay to admit that one of the best parts of golf is the aesthetic of it all: crisp collared shirts, shiny golf clubs, and the sun rising over a pristine green. This visual isn’t really complete without a new, fresh golf ball. Most golfers wouldn’t want to ruin this with a misprinted ball, particularly when it may have been used before.

With normal logo golf balls, you get to add a logo of your choice to the golf ball. This could be a purely cosmetic design, or it could be the logo of your own business. This is a fun way to show off and even get a bit of advertising out there while you play.

Logo Golf Balls

We can print logos on the majority of the golf balls on our website, meaning you won’t have to settle for a ball that isn’t your usual or worry about the ball arriving pre-used. You can enjoy a high-quality ball with a clear logo of your choice.

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Do you have old golf balls laying around that you don’t know what to do with? Instead of throwing them away, why not get the creative juices flowing and use them for a quick craft?

This blog will teach you how to do two super easy golf ball crafts – perfect if you have bored kids around this summer holidays!

What You Will Need:

• White acrylic paint
• Orange acrylic paint
• Pink acrylic paint
• Black permanent marker
• White craft foam
• Orange craft foam
• Red craft foam
• Googly eyes (optional)
• Glue

Bunny Ball

1. Use white acrylic paint to paint the entire surface of the ball – this make take a few layers!
   
   
2. If you’re using googly eyes, stick them on the top half of your golf ball. Alternatively, you can use a black permanent marker to draw on two dots.
   
   
3. Using pink acrylic paint, add one small pink dot for the bunny’s nose.
   
   
4. Using your permanent marker again, draw on your bunny’s smile and whiskers – don’t forget to add the buck teeth!
   
   
5. Using your white craft foam, cut two long ear shapes.
   
   
6. In the centre of each ear, add a pink streak.
   
   
7. Now to finish your bunny, all you need to do it glue the ears on top! Voila!

Golf Fish

1. Use orange acrylic paint to paint the entire surface of the ball – once again, this may take a few layers!
   
   
2. If you’re using googly eyes, stick those to the top half of the ball. If not, just draw two black dots with a permanent marker.
   
   
3. Using red craft foam, cut out a small mouth shape and use your permanent marker to draw the outline of the lips.
   
   
4. Using your orange craft foam, cut out three fin shapes and one tail shape.
   
   
5. Then all you need to do is stick a fin on each side and the tail on the back! Voila!

Hopefully these hole-in-one golf ball craft ideas have inspired you to repurpose your old golf balls; however, if you still have an abundance of worn-out balls in your kit bag, it may be time to treat yourself to some new ones!

At gimmeballs, we stock a huge variety of top-quality golf balls from the best names in golf, including Titleist, Srixon and Callaway. Click the button below to start shopping!

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As temperatures drop and clouds turn grey, many golfers put their golf gear away, assuming that wet and cold weather is too harsh for a round of golf. While adverse weather itself can make the game less enjoyable, there’s another key factor that is often forgotten: how the weather affects your golf balls.

Like any sporting equipment, golf balls need to be in optimal condition in order to perform at their best. Although they don’t have a specific expiration date like perishable goods, golf balls can deteriorate with age and use. This blog will dive into how golf balls are affected by a range of factors including age, storage and the environment.

What Causes Golf Balls to Deteriorate?

Environment

Golf balls are exposed to a variety of environmental conditions that can speed up their deterioration. For example, UV radiation from sunlight can break down the polymers in the golf ball cover, leading to cracking and discolouration and reducing the ball’s durability and performance.

Extreme heat can cause the inner core of the golf ball to soften, decreasing the ball’s rebound and distance off the clubface. Extremely low temperatures, on the other hand, can cause the core to harden, making it more difficult for the ball to compress properly when struck.

Other environmental factors like moisture, dirt and debris can also deteriorate golf balls overtime and affect their flight and spin characteristics.  

Storage

Golf balls stored in direct sunlight, fluctuating temperatures or damp environments will deteriorate far quicker than those stored elsewhere. To help prevent your golf balls from deteriorating, store them in a cool, dry, temperature-controlled environment, ideally in a storage case or container.

Age

Over time, the materials used in the construction of golf balls naturally degrade. The rubber in the core may harden and lose its elasticity and the cover can become cracked and worn out. The rate at which a golf ball deteriorates depends on factors like the type of ball, how it is stored and how often it is used.

However in general, a high quality golf ball should last around 7 rounds before it starts to lose its original characteristics and performance.  Even an unused golf ball can begin to gradually degrade if stored for more than a few years.

How to Tell if a Golf Ball Has Deteriorated

1. Cracks or visible damage

Any cracks or cuts on the ball’s cover can negatively affect the ball’s performance and is a clear sign that your ball is deteriorating.

2. Loss of compression

If your ball feels hard or doesn’t compress well when hit, it has likely deteriorated and lost some of it’s core elasticity.

3. Discolouration

If your ball has changed colour, particularly to yellow or brown, it has likely been exposed to UV radiation and the cover has degraded.

4. Decreased distance and control

If you’ve noticed a loss of distance or control in your shots, it might be time to retire your ball.

While golf balls can last for several years, the performance can deteriorate with age and use. If you’re playing with balls that show signs of wear and degradation, it is probably worth investing in a fresh batch to help better your performance.

At gimmeballs, we stock a wide range of golf balls from top brands, so you’re sure to find the perfect replacement in our collection!

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Many golfers will tell you to go straight for the Titleist Pro V1 as this is the most popular ball in tournament play and it’s specifically designed for distance. However, there are lots of other distance golf balls on the market, and depending on your skill level, you may find that your shots go further if you look beyond the Pro V1. Many golf balls are even specifically designed to travel long distances, like the TaylorMade Distance+ Tour Response golf balls - but do these designs actually work out on the course?

An experiment by My Golf Spy in 2023 used a robot arm to figure out the best balls for different swing speeds. So, if you want to know which golf balls will go the furthest for you, it helps to know your swing speed first.

Asses Your Skill Level

Distance is impacted by your swing speed. Most new golfers will have a slow swing speed, and in this case, it can be helpful to use a softer golf ball. Softer balls tend to be more forgiving, flying further when hit at low speeds.

However, if you find that you’ve got a very high swing speed, a soft ball could actually result in less distance. You’ll usually want a harder ball if your drives are connecting at high speed.

Soft Golf Balls    Hard Golf Balls

Whatever your swing speed, it’s a good idea to test different balls to see what works well for your skill level. Once you know your swing speed, you can use the below information from My Golf Spy as a guideline for the kind of ball you may need.

Farthest-Flying Golf Balls for Fast Swing Speeds

According to the golf ball experiment, the Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash went the furthest when using a high swing speed driver (115 mph). This was closely followed by the Titleist Pro V1x and the Mizuno RB Tour X golf balls.

Farthest-Flying Golf Balls for Medium Swing Speeds

With a mid-swing speed driver (100 mph) the balls that went the longest distance were the Titleist Pro V1x, the Callaway Chrome Soft X LS, and the Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash golf balls.

Farthest-Flying Golf Balls for Slow Swing Speeds

With a low swing speed (85 mph) the ball that went furthest was the Vice Pro Plus, followed by the Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash, and then the Srixon Z-Star Diamond golf balls.

Which Golf Ball Is Right For You?

Since these results were under test conditions, you might find that you get different distances on the actual course. These distances were achieved using a driver – results may vary when using other clubs.

There are also a couple of other factors to consider when choosing a ball for distance.

If you’re an experienced golfer, you may be used to a particular ball already, and suddenly switching balls could negatively impact your game. This doesn’t mean that you should never switch! But you might need to practise a bit with the new ball before you take it into any tournaments.

Budget can also be a big factor. Though we mentioned the Titleist Pro V1 balls earlier, these are high-end balls that are usually for experienced players. You’ll see that many of the balls mentioned above are also from top brands. If you are a new player, you’ll probably want a ball that travels a lot, but costs a little.

Golf Balls That Go The Distance

At gimmeballs, we offer a huge range of brands at different price points, to cater to all sorts of golfers. Have a quick scroll through our golf balls page to see which balls are right for you!

You can even filter specifically for “Distance Balls” when shopping with us, so you’ll only see balls designed for this purpose.

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If you’re interested in sampling multiple balls to see which one would work best for you, then you can try our Build a Box! This way, you can order a selection of great balls in one helpful package.

Build a Box

This November, we’re collaborating with one of Wales’s greatest golf clubs to bring you two huge golfing competitions. If you want to win some great prizes and step up your golfing game then this is the perfect opportunity.

Cardiff Golf Club has been around since 1921, offering both a great golfing experience and welcoming clubhouse facilities. We are giving away some of their high-quality items in our competitions this month!

We’re giving you the chance to win two excellent golf prizes. The first is this Limited Edition Vokey Design Tour Golf Bag by Cardiff Golf Club.

This beautifully designed bag is also incredibly functional. With 9 storage pockets and an additional 6 club dividers, there’s plenty of room for all of your golf accessories. It’s lightweight, and made to be ergonomic with a comfortable handle and strap. Entry is a great deal at only £1.00 per ticket.

Enter Golf Bag Competition

The other competition is just as exciting. You have the chance to win a PING Anser Putter 2021 with a headcover by Cardiff Golf Club.

This is a reliable putter, that offers a consistent feel from a popular golf club brand. If you’re looking for a golf club you can trust, enter our competition here. This contest is only £0.50 a ticket!

Enter Putter Competition

A massive thank you to Cardiff Golf Club, and their PGA Head Professional, Chris O’Neill!

Not looking for a new bag or club, but still interested in winning? We have a handful of other contests going right now. A variety of golf ball bundles are available for three of our most popular brands: Callaway, Titleist, and Srixon.

Of course, if you really want to test your luck, you are more than welcome to enter multiple competitions at once. For a full list of our available prizes, visit our competitions page below.

 View All Competitions 

Golf balls may seem like a small piece of equipment but their longevity can impact both performance and costs. So, how many rounds should a golf ball last? In general, a high-quality golf ball should last for around seven rounds, with the ball’s durability depending on different factors like the ball construction, playing conditions and the player’s skill level.

Let’s take a closer look at how long a golf ball should last…