It is a fact that a warm golf ball will travel further than a cold ball all things else being equal.
The reason for this is the fact that the added heat affects the compression of the ball.
It is hard to say how much heat would be needed to gain extra length and the gain in distance would be relatively minimal anyway.
Having said that, golf is all about making gains, no matter how big or small in as many areas as possible.
There are some golf pros who prefer to carry their golf balls in their pocket as this helps to retain heat in the ball, so whether it helps mentally or actually enhances the actual distance they get, it is going to benefit them at the end of the day.
If you are playing in particularly cold conditions the ball will lose it's heat quite fast so you will only get the benefit of the first shot in all likelihood.
Once again, even if you can make one gain in one area of your play on each hole, that can add up to a lot of good when the score card is tallied after a round.
You can always heat the balls before a tournament but you had better be sure that you don't damage the inner core while doing so or you will be doing more harm than good.
With the mental part of golf being such an important part of the game, having your golf balls warm might just be the edge you need to give you the confidence to pay better.
If that is the situation, then the benefits will be far more than any increase in distance you might possibly get.
You could always practice with a few balls having heated some of them and the others at normal temperature.
If you notice a difference then you should run with it.
