Don't worry: You've probably just scraped off some paint, and while you might not like looking at it, a scuff or a scrape isn't going to affect the ball's performance.

How much distance do you lose with a scuffed golf ball?

Its results confirmed that in the absence of visible damage, repeated use had no effect on a ball's performance. However, it also found that even small scuffs led to a measurable loss in distance, reducing driver distance as much as 6 yards.

Does a scuff on a golf ball make a difference?

Scuff marks

Either way, a scuff mark is not a sign the ball needs to be removed from play. Our advice would be to clean the ball and then see how bad it looks. Play with it for a hole or two and you are likely to find the scuff mark does not affect the performance of the ball.