Maybe some of you might know why ...

[Davis937]

I'm not a golfer but I'm watching a telecast of the U.S. Open golf championship ... I got to wondering ... as you know, golf is as tradition bound and conservative as tennis ... however, tennis took the quite controversial step a few years back (... does anyone know when this occurred) to replace the "all white" tennis ball with yellow balls for all of the major tournaments (... was Wimbeldon the last to capitulate) ... anyway, I was wondering why golf does not follow suit and replace the traditional white balls with fluorescent yellow balls (... would definitely be easier to see ... and ... to find if you're in the rough) ... thanks in advance for your thoughts/comments!

 

[zapvor]

please dont mix a awesome sport like tennis in same sentence as golf

 

[Tina]

please dont mix a awesome sport like tennis in same sentence as golf

LOL, Zapvor. It's about freedom of sport. Hey, don't forget to say "Hi" to Sobad for me. I think he was pretty angry at me in regard to "Hello People" thread.

 

[West Coast Ace]

I'm not a golfer but I'm watching a telecast of the U.S. Open golf championship ... I got to wondering ... as you know, golf is as tradition bound and conservative as tennis ... however, tennis took the quite controversial step a few years back (... does anyone know when this occurred) to replace the "all white" tennis ball with yellow balls for all of the major tournaments (... was Wimbeldon the last to capitulate) ... anyway, I was wondering why golf does not follow suit and replace the traditional white balls with fluorescent yellow balls (... would definitely be easier to see ... and ... to find if you're in the rough) ... thanks in advance for your thoughts/comments!

Golf tried orange and yellow balls - I believe it was the early 80's. Went over like a lead balloon.

And zapvor is right: morbidly obese guys make millions in golf; they walk, the ball doesn't move, they can take plenty of time to think about their next shot, etc... They are a step above dart throwers.

 

[myservenow]

Not that I've ever watched women's golf, but I believe their is at least one woman golfer on the pro tour that uses a pink golf ball during tournaments.

 

[ollinger]

I've played a little golf with people who had yellow balls years ago.....it's really not easier to find in tall grass, the white ball stands out pretty well there.

 

[Aldi Patron]

The golf ball companies wouldn't want to make the balls any easier to see or find. They probably hedge on rich people going through a box of balls every nine holes.

 

[BullDogTennis]

I'm not a golfer but I'm watching a telecast of the U.S. Open golf championship ... I got to wondering ... as you know, golf is as tradition bound and conservative as tennis ... however, tennis took the quite controversial step a few years back (... does anyone know when this occurred) to replace the "all white" tennis ball with yellow balls for all of the major tournaments (... was Wimbeldon the last to capitulate) ... anyway, I was wondering why golf does not follow suit and replace the traditional white balls with fluorescent yellow balls (... would definitely be easier to see ... and ... to find if you're in the rough) ... thanks in advance for your thoughts/comments!

its easier to see white, in green grass, than yellow in green grass...and when it gets closer to winter, it gets even yellower, so it'd be even harder...

 

[zapvor]

LOL, Zapvor. It's about freedom of sport. Hey, don't forget to say "Hi" to Sobad for me. I think he was pretty angry at me in regard to "Hello People" thread.

why cant you say hi yourself?

 

[Tina]

why cant you say hi yourself?

I thought you two are best friends forever

 

[jamesblakefan#1]

Not that I've ever watched women's golf, but I believe their is at least one woman golfer on the pro tour that uses a pink golf ball during tournaments.

Yes, that is Paula Creamer.

 

[skip1969]

the change to yellow balls was really about the visibility of the moving ball for the television audience at a time when tennis was really growing in popularity on tv. you know, they did their studies, found that the yellow contrasted more on the screen, and made the switch in the early '70's.

you're right that wimby was the last to change to yellow. but then, i guess they figured that white against green had been working forever and a day, so they didn't feel compelled to mess with what was working.

http://www.itftennis.com/technical/equipment/balls/history.asp

 

[1stVolley]

... I got to wondering ... as you know, golf is as tradition bound and conservative as tennis

HUH?? I wonder why nobody jumped on this. I don't think tennis is, with the possible exception of Wimbledon, very tradition bound and conservative. Golf banned the square grooves. Sure, tennis banned Nastase's spaghetti-strung racquets but not 110 sq in behemoths, nor the two-handed racquet for folks that want TWO forehands.

Tennis allows behavior that would get a golfer thrown out of a tournament. You could argue that throwing a singles player out ends the match, a disadvantage that golf does not have. Regardless, the effect that has plus the reduced power the tennis associations have in comparison to the golf associations make for a wide divergence of "maintaining tradition." Heck, they even put a roof on Wimbledon. What did they do to St. Andrews?

 

[SoCal10s]

they sell all kinds of color golf balls but only old guys and new amateurs use those bright color golf balls .. the color golf balls reflect too much sun when you are staring hard to focus when trying to hit a putt...

 

[Dave M]

the change to yellow balls was really about the visibility of the moving ball for the television audience at a time when tennis was really growing in popularity on tv. you know, they did their studies, found that the yellow contrasted more on the screen, and made the switch in the early '70's.

Thats what it is, white golf balls show up ok on tv so no need to force a change and players can use what they like.

 

[OrangeOne]

the color golf balls reflect too much sun when you are staring hard to focus when trying to hit a putt...

Really? I would have thought there'd be an argument to say that white would indeed reflect the most light....

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

the change to yellow balls was really about the visibility of the moving ball for the television audience at a time when tennis was really growing in popularity on tv. you know, they did their studies, found that the yellow contrasted more on the screen, and made the switch in the early '70's.

you're right that wimby was the last to change to yellow. but then, i guess they figured that white against green had been working forever and a day, so they didn't feel compelled to mess with what was working.

http://www.itftennis.com/technical/equipment/balls/history.asp

This makes sense. The optic (green) yellow ball does not provide the best contrast against a green court for the player (but perhaps it does for the TV viewer). The yellow balls stand out better against the blue courts of the US Open series (for the players).

I would prefer to see an orange ball (or an orange-yellow) for green colored courts. I noticed that balls appear to have an orange cast on many TV broadcasts these days. Wondering if that is done in the studio or with a special lens.

 

[Enzo]

It's the player's choice to use whatever color ball they want, as long as the ball itself conforms to USGA rules.

 

[Davis937]

Yes, that is Paula Creamer.

I'm thinking that Maria S. would also look good in pink, no?

 

[Davis937]

Too bad Graham McDowell's ball wasn't kelley GREEN, no!

 

[Feña14]

Woooo, first European winner in 40 years!