Have you ever wondered why you don’t see colored golf balls on professional tours? Yellow, Pink, and all sorts of other colored golf balls are found at your local course so why is it tour players don’t use them?
In the article below, we are going to cover why we don’t see colored golf balls on the PGA tour. We’ll look at if colored golf balls are legal and why we predominantly see white golf balls on tour. We have a lot to cover so let’s jump in!
Can Pro Golfers Use Colored Balls?
Professional golfers are allowed to use a whole host of colored balls, despite most players electing to use white golf balls. The PGA tour has no restrictions in place regarding ball colors, meaning professionals have a relatively open choice as to what color ball they use.
The PGA tour has a list of “conforming golf balls” that each player must refer to when picking a ball to use in competition. Using a ball, not on this list can result in serious punishment, including fines, disqualification, and suspension.
This list makes it very clear that colored balls are allowed during professional tournaments. Colors that appear frequently on this list include:
- Yellow.
- Blue.
- Gold.
- Orange.
- Pink.
- Green.
Despite over 750 balls on this list being colored, it is still considered a rarity to see any professional use one during a tournament. Bubba Watson is the biggest name in professional golf to use colored balls and has frequently been seen using green and pink balls. The reason for Watson using these different colored balls is down to his sponsorship deal with Volvik.
Are Colored Golf Balls Legal?
Colored golf balls are legal in both professional golf and amateur golf. At professional level, as long as a player’s ball adheres to the requirements outlined by the PGA’s “conforming golf balls” list then they are free to choose any color they like.
In amateur golf, players have to adhere to different rules depending on what the rules are at each individual course they play at. However, the majority of courses have no issue whatsoever with players using golf balls that aren’t white.
Certain players will need to use brightly colored golf balls if they suffer from color blindness or any other condition which affects their eyesight. Meanwhile, certain colors such as pink are used to raise awareness for good causes. Therefore, it would be morally wrong for organizations and courses to ban colored golf balls.
Why Do Most Pro Golfers Use A White Ball?
White balls are most commonly used by professional golfers due to familiarity. Growing up, they’ll have watched professionals use white balls and played with them throughout their amateur careers. Therefore, they aren’t going to suddenly change their ball color when they become professionals.
Consistency and routine are important parts of golf. Players get familiar with seeing the flight of a white golf ball and switching this up can throw their whole game off-kilter. Therefore, for the sake of their sanity, they try to keep as many parts of their game the same.
The top brands in golf also make far more white balls than they do colored golf balls. They do this because the demand is far higher for white balls, and it costs more to make colored balls due to the dyes used. Therefore, access is also a key reason for white balls being used more often than other colors.
Finally, white is a color that contrasts well against grass and sand. This means that providing your ball is nice and clean, white balls are easy to spot on a golf course regardless of whether you’ve hit it into some rough or a bunker.
Why Do Senior PGA Golfers Use Yellow Balls?
You are more likely to see yellow golf balls during senior PGA tour events because as people get older, their eyesight tends to worsen. As a result of this worsening eyesight, players struggle to see white balls as clearly as they once did. Therefore, some players elect to use yellow balls because some people find that they stand out more and are easier to see.
Final Thoughts?
Choosing what color golf ball you play comes down to preference. There are multiple approved conforming colored golf balls that you and the pros can play. If you are interested in playing a colored golf ball, check out our article on ‘What Color Golf Ball Is Easiest To See?’
Hopefully, you liked this article and found it informative. Check out our other blog posts if you liked this one!
