Are Recycled Golf Balls or Lake Balls Still Good to Play?

When golf balls are shot into course lakes and ponds, they are most likely hauled out, recycled, and refinished to be re-sold. A lot of golfers use these recycled lake balls as a cheap alternative to brand new, branded balls. To many recycled golf ball users, lake balls are just as good to play as mint condition balls. Some even go as far as testing them against new balls to see just how well they fair. 

Recycled balls are classified according to their quality rating. Sellers use different grading systems and standards, but they don't vary much. Some common terms that recycled golf ball retailers use to grade recycled and lake balls include mint, grade A, grade B, pearl, AAA, near mint, and practice balls, among others. Their conditions vary from near perfect (those that have only been hit one or two times before plunging into lakes) to those that are cosmetically challenged with visible blemishes. On the surface, these balls may look scratched and damaged, but they are definitely playable. Many advocates even testify that it is hard to tell the difference between brand new balls and mint/pearl grade balls. Some even say that they are indistinguishable from new balls in terms of their playability and how they feel when hit. 

Those who take their time to test out recycled golf balls against brand new balls say that while recycled balls may have a few scuffs on the surface, these are nothing that would necessarily impact the ball's feel, distance, and trajectory. Grade As, for instance, may look like a broken-in golf ball but their performance is just as good as their brand new counterparts, at a fraction of the cost. 

Recycled golf balls are widely available online and they are offered at the most affordable prices. Many golfers find great value in these recycled balls, especially with the fact that they are virtually indistinguishable in performance from new balls. Additionally, beginners who are prone to losing balls because of their lack of control benefit greatly from these practice-grade balls, as they save a great deal on balls that they are bound to lose in the course. While their appearance might be marked with obvious wear and scuffs, these golf balls are perfectly good for use for practice and for actual game play. When it comes down to economy, they are the obvious choice, especially when you have the tendency to lose the majority of your balls while playing.