Standing Out on the Course with Orange Golf Balls

I'm not a pro golfer by any means, but I have been spending a lot more time on the course lately with my daughter. As a 5th grader, she has been playing on her school's golf team over the summer, and has been participating in a metro parks league. She has really taken a liking to the game, and even took second place in the Catholic School Athletic Association Tournament in the 5th Grade Girls Division.

My daughter is definitely into bright, flashy colors (from the clothes that she wears to the paint on the walls in her room). Her love of bright colors has extended to the golf course where she uses a selection of pink, yellow, and orange golf balls.

If you have ever been on the golf course, you have probably noticed that most people use a white golf ball. I will occasionally run across someone using a colored ball, but they are not the norm. There can be some big benefits from using a brightly colored ball though. They can be more visible than a white ball under certain conditions, but did you also know that they could possibly help you to avoid a two stroke penalty? Read on, and I'll explain more about that below.

(Image Credit to © Lisricka | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images)

Did you know that you will be assessed a two stroke penalty if you accidentally hit another player's golf ball? That's right! The official United States Golf Association rule 15-3 specifically addresses this issue.

In Match Play, if a player makes a stroke at the wrong ball, he or she loses that hole. If the wrong ball belongs to another player in the party, then the owner must place a ball on the spot from which the wrong ball was first played and continue play. The owner of that ball is not assessed any penalty.

In Stroke Play, if a player makes a stroke at a ball that does not belong to them, he or she incurs a penalty of two strokes.

The player must correct their error by playing the correct ball after being assessed the penalty. If they fail to correct their mistake before making a stroke on the next tee, they are disqualified.

If the wrong ball belongs to another player in the party, then the owner must place a ball on the spot from which the wrong ball was first played and continue. They are not assessed any penalty, as the error was not theirs.

A two stroke penalty in match play can make the difference between winning and losing the match. That is my daughter to the left, holding her trophy from the CSAA tournament. She saw this error happen first hand during this tournament when one of her competitors accidentally putted her ball on the green. Her competitor was assessed the penalty.

No body wants to win or lose a game over an error like this. Luckily, my daughter's margin of victory was more than two strokes, so it didn't make a difference in the overall outcome. But it could have...

By using a colored ball, you can ensure that you don't get your ball mixed up with another players, and can avoid this costly penalty.

(Image Credit to InterRev - Personal Photo)

Never get your golf ball mixed up with another player's ball again. By using a colored ball, you can easily keep track of which ball is yours on the fairway or the green. The high visibility orange color can be seen from long distances and will stand out.

Most major golf ball manufacturers make colored balls. Browse the selection of orange golf balls below.

Visibility isn't the only reason that golfers are drawn to colored balls, but it is probably the most notable reason. Different colors can serve a variety of purposes including ease of identification, visibility, and just being more fun to stand out from the other golfers.

They may help you spend less time searching for your lost ball, because colored balls can stand out against the green and brown backdrops that you often find on the golf course. In rainy weather, during frosty conditions, and in low light conditions colored balls are proven to be more visible. Colored balls are also known to be easier to track when they are in flight, giving you immediate feedback on your swing allowing you to make mental corrections from the tee box.

So which color golf balls are easiest to track? Well, I have a list of several colors that you may want to consider, but metallic golf balls with a reflective finish will make for easier visibility whether they are in flight or on the course.

The list of "easier to track" colors provided by LiveStrong.com are as follows:

• Pink
• Neon Pink
• Orange
• Blue
• Aqua
• Yellow
• Neon Orange

(Image Credit to mikemgar - Licensed via Creative Commons with Attribution)

Golf Digest published a 2010 article called "Brace yourself for the return of the colored ball". They reported that at the PGA Merchandise show, Srixon unveiled its line of Tour Yellow Z-Star golf balls. The Z-Star is Srixon's flagship premium ball, but they released it in a yellow color which many saw as a novelty.

Srixon stated that studies have shown that yellow is one of the most visible colors in the spectrum, so that is why they chose to release a yellow ball. In fact, it was twice as easy to see at 210 yards, and three times easier to spot at 250 yards than a standard white ball.

So if orange isn't your color, then consider the Srixon Z-Star Tour Yellow ball.

Or you lady golfers may want to use a pink ball, and the Wilson Hope ladies golf balls are a great choice. These balls carry a pink ribbon on the side as a symbol of breast cancer commitment.

Would you golf with a colored ball?

Still not sold on using high visibility golf balls? Then take a look at the following video from Chromax. Chromax is the maker of the M1 75 Compression Golf Balls.

In this video, PGA professional Jay Golden explains the benefits of using a high visibility golf ball, and why he uses the Chromax ball. A high visibility ball makes it easier to observe your ball's flight path and the landing position of your ball.

You can find some great deals on eBay from a variety of different sellers. Check out some of the deals below on orange golf balls.

Are you a golfer?

What do you think about using a golf ball in a color other than white?

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