Find More Golf Balls
Outside of carding a hole in one or actually catching the beer cart on the back nine, I think one of my favorite feelings on a golf course is finding a lost golf ball. And the way this Caveman plays, I spend quite a bit of time looking!
Here are some tips to help you come back from your next round with more golf balls than you started with. (Just remember to keep up with the pace of play around you!)
* Buy a good ball retriever. If you don’t have one, get one now! There are hundreds of different types and you can’t really go wrong with any. You might be surprised how often you can find a use for it. (I’ve usually got a bunch of different golf ball retrievers in The Cave – check ’em out here if you like.)
* Think like a ball snoop. Every course has a couple spots where balls tend to accumulate, and it’s up to you to find ’em. Along fences or any place with long grass, around water hazards, and in the roots of trees are well-known spots to check. Walk instead of ride, and be sure to keep your eyes on the ground about 15 yards ahead of you.
* Stay right. Since most golfers are right handed and the most common problem is a slice, chances are you’ll find more balls on along the right than anywhere else. The law of averages also says the most balls will be 150-250 yards out from the white tees. Keep looking a little further out, say 220 or more, and you’ll find fewer but they’ll probably be more expensive balls.
* Be a smart scheduler. If you can get on a course after a large league or outing, your chances of finding a few golf balls are better.
Oh, and try to wait until the ball stops rolling to pick it up.
-Scratch
PS: Any other tips for your fellow ball hounds? Share your secrets in the comments below!
If you have thickets out of bounds, be sure to wear long pants, and carry a wind breaker in your bag. Slip on the wind breaker before you head into the thickets. That way you can kick around and get burrs all over your clothing without get all scraped up. A dedicated golf ball hunter will go to any means, even picking burrs off between holes, to recover a Titleist Pro V1.
*** Response From Scratch ***
Great tip Burnz! Long pants & sleeves will also help defend against poison ivy and any other hostile plants you may encounter in the deep rough. There’s nothing worse than coming home with a rash!
-Scratch
I also find,when playing down south like Myrtle Beach, be careful around that water’s edge. Gator’s are known to place new Pro V1s very close to the shore, trying to trap unsuspecting thrifty golfers!!
*** Response From Scratch ***
Heh heh, maybe I should have included a disclaimer – “not responsible for injuries sustained while huntin’ golf balls!” Adding a few alligators to the course is a great way for management to discourage ball hawks.
-Scratch
PS: Check out John’s blog The Golfer’s Trip for some great pictures of those Myrtle Beach water hazards!
If you have a home course, try talking with the pro shop guy, the cart kids, and the rangers. Chances are they’re swimming in golf balls and can point you in the right direction or even slip you your favorite brand of golf balls for next to nothing. Make sure they know who you are though, it doesn’t come across well if you ask a total stranger!
Be nice (also generous) to your caddy, if your course has caddies. Hell, they’re paid to tromp into the deep rough and help their golfers find their own balls, but usually find dozens more while they’re looking for the one that’s in play.
*** Response From Scratch ***
Thanks for the tip Carl! I guess you could say caddies are the ultimate ball hawks….
-Scratch
I take my retriever into the hazards to reach through briars and bramble. A really thick growth of briars discourages most golfers from going after an errant ball but 5 minutes with your retriever can be a gold mine of freebies.
*** Response From Scratch ***
You said it all Moonman, but I’ll say it again: a ball retriever is a must-have for any golf ball hunter and never even has to get wet to earn its keep.
-Scratch
Check the areas either side of an unnetted driving range.Besides range balls one can also find playable balls that a number of folks use in addition to whats in the bucket.I have several boxes of Srixons,Titleists,& Callaways due to searching where the ball sweeper doesn’t go.Be sure to check water hazards too,unless it contains snakes or gators or both.