Noodle golf balls are some of the most common golf balls on the course. They are very popular amongst casual golfers. While it is likely you will see them every time you go to the course, many speculate that Noodle golf balls are not legal. In other words, some believe that Noodle golf balls are not conforming and illegal. So I decided to do some research to figure out whether or not Noodle golf balls are illegal.
To find out, I took a look at the USGA and R&A equipment database.
Are Noodle golf balls Legal? According to the USGA and R&A, Noodle golf balls are legal to use in any casual, high-level amateur, and professional golf tournaments and outings. Noodle golf balls conform to the equipment rules, which make them legal to use on the course.
For reference, the USGA and R&A are both considered governing bodies of the golfing world. Any rule or regulation that they put into place is considered law by all other golfing entities. So, because they deem the Noodle golf ball as legal, it should be considered legal by every other golf organization.
The way that I figured out that Noodle golf balls were legal was by checking the R&A’s equipment database. As you can see below in the picture, I searched for “noodle” under the category “conforming balls”. There were 4 different models of this golf ball that were approved by the USGA/R&A. This is the best and fastest way to check on the legality of a piece of equipment.
Other “Legal” Golf Equipment Resources
Aside from the database, the USGA also has a PDF list that stores the information for all legal golf equipment. It is updated very frequently and it contains the exact same information as the R&A database, just in a list format. Both of these are great resources if you are looking to find out if a certain piece of equipment is legal.
What Makes A Golf Ball Illegal?
For those wondering, there are a few sets of rules that the ball must follow in order to be considered legal.
From the USGA Equipment Rules:
- Golf balls may have a single, concentric core with a diameter of ≤ 0.9-in
- The ball must not be designed, manufactured or intentionally modified to have properties which differ from those of a spherically symmetrical ball
- The weight of the ball must not be greater than 1.620 ounces avoirdupois
- The diameter of the ball must not be less than 1.680 inches
If the golf ball breaks any of these rules, then it is considered illegal. In this case, the Noodle golf ball follows each rule, so it is legal to use.