I played in my first real individual stroke play event in a couple of years this past weekend. Before I teed off the first day I thought I'd ask whether I could play a Pro-V marked "Practice". The Pro told me No and a fellow competitor said "You can't Play that". I took it ok and just just played with some old Nike TA2 Spins and beat that other guy's a@#. Well, it was kind of eating at me this week so I looked up on the USGA website and found a ruling that allows for balls marked "practice" to be played even if the tournament requires the use of balls from the list of conforming golf balls. So it was an educational experience for me and now I can save $30 and buy more "practice" balls.

Here is the ruling if you are interested:

5-1/4 Status of “X-out,” “Refurbished” and “Practice” Balls

Q. What is the status of “X-out,” “refurbished” and “practice” balls?

A. “X-out” is the common name used for a golf ball that a manufacturer considers to be imperfect (usually for aesthetic reasons only, e.g., paint or printing errors) and, therefore, has crossed out the brand name. A “refurbished” golf ball is a second-hand ball that has been cleaned and stamped as “refurbished.”

In the absence of strong evidence to suggest that an “X-out” or “refurbished” ball does not conform to the Rules, it is permissible for such a ball to be used. However, in a competition where the Committee has adopted the condition that the ball the player plays must be named on the List of Conforming Golf Balls (see Note to Rule 5-1), such a ball may not be used, even if the ball in question (without the X’s or without the “refurbished” stamp) does appear on the List.

In most cases, “practice” balls are simply listed, conforming golf balls that have been stamped “Practice,” in the same way that golf balls often feature a club or company logo. Such balls may be used even where the Committee has adopted the condition that the ball the player plays must be named on the List of Conforming Golf Balls. (Revised)