[Kim Haneul's FunFun Golf] ① Use the Same Product and Model for Golf Balls

Disqualification Threat in 2009 Hillstate Seogyeong Open 1R Due to No Ball
'One Ball Rule' Applied... Barely Completed Round with Gallery's Help
Amateurs Using Same Brand and Model Increase Consistency

Editor's NoteHello! This is Kim Ha-neul. I have won 8 times on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour and 6 times on the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA) Tour before retiring last year. These days, I am actively involved in broadcasting that combines golf and entertainment, as well as personal YouTube activities. Over 15 years of tour life, I have gained various experiences. Through Asia Economy Newspaper, I plan to share golf etiquette, rules, and practical tips. I ask for your continued interest and support.

① Use the same brand and model of golf ball

This is an episode about golf balls. Even now, thinking about it makes me nervous.

It happened during the first round of the Hills State Seogyeong Open, a KLPGA Tour event held in May 2009 at the Lakeside Golf Club East Course in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. As usual, I prepared four golf balls in my caddie bag, but my shots were off. After hitting out of bounds on the 4th hole, I lost tee shots in the water on the 12th, 15th, and 16th holes. I ran out of balls and could not finish the remaining holes.

Golf rules require players to use the same ball manufacturer and model throughout an 18-hole round. This is called the "One Ball Rule." If all balls are used up, players can borrow from playing partners or buy from the pro shop inside the golf course. Assistance from spectators is also allowed.

I was using the 2008 Titleist Pro V1x, my playing partner Yoo So-yeon (32) was using Titleist Pro V1, and Seo Hee-kyung (36) was using TourStage golf balls. I asked the players in the group ahead for help, but no one had the same ball because I was using last year's model.

I was at risk of disqualification. Fortunately, a spectator helped. One of the spectators had golf balls identical to mine that his junior golf player daughter used for practice. The spectator took the balls out of a plastic bag, and I barely managed to finish the round. After this incident, I started carrying nine golf balls to tournaments.

Amateur golfers often use various balls on the course. If they lose a ball on a hole, they sometimes borrow a different model from their playing partners. This is not to point out a rule violation. The point is to use the same brand and model. This allows for consistent shots. Golf balls differ in performance depending on the manufacturer and model. There are differences in distance and spin control. If you want to score well, play all 18 holes with a specific brand ball that suits your swing speed. You will get satisfying results.

Sportainer and 14-time champion on both Korean and Japanese tours

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.