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High handicappers, one PGA Tour star has a question for you.

Byeong Hun An, the world No.35, has caused a bit of a stir on social media overnight, as curiosity got the better of him.

Picture this. Full of confidence, you tee up driver and pipe one out of bounds. So, after realising your first ball is gone, you head back to your bag to grab another.

It’s not a good look, but according to some, it’s not as bad as carrying a spare in your pocket.

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That’s where An disagrees.

“As I’m playing a few holes and watching the group in front,” he writes on X, “why do high handicappers not bring at least two balls to the tee?

“I see them walking back to the cart to bring the ball again.” Can of worms: well and truly opened.

One user replied: “How do you know they’re high handicap and not just drunk or took a bad shot?”

An hit back: “I can see by their swing, and they are constantly hitting 100yd slices starting at the right rough.”

We’ve all been there, and the most common response was that it’s bad luck. Carrying a second ball implies you’ve thought about hitting a bad shot.

That’s where An, a five-time tour winner, admits all golfers need to understand their capabilities better.

“All the golfers think they are better than they are,” he continued. “Including us, the pros.”

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At this point, everyone’s thinking the same thing. Do tour pros carry an extra ball? Well, kind of. According to An, caddies always have an extra ball in their pocket.

But whether amateur golfers do it or not, can be irrelevant. As pointed out by one X user, high handicappers should be taking a drop to move the game forward.

Now, we’re talking – An got behind that notion.

“Thats what I do when I play with my dad,” he said. “We’d play a match and when he hits in the water, I let him drop the nearest where it went in. Instead of the “pro” rule. He seems to like that rule.”

Something to think about next time you’re out there.


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John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.

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