[bahrain41]

I was playing today (OMG - the daytime temperature actually hit 50 degrees in NC, it is a miracle!) at a course that I play only rarely. As we were leaving the course and at the clubhouse I looked back at a small lake that is in view from that position. I saw a guy on some kind of "small tractor thing" looking intently at the lake. Every once in a while he would adjust something and then continue "to stare". I was mildly curious and then noticed that directly opposite him on the other side of this small lake (maybe 75 yards across) was another guy doing the same thing.

Then a couple minutes later I saw a ball retriever contraption get pulled from this small lake. I've seen similar devices on ranges. Imagine taking a cylinder that is (in this case) 5' wide and 2' in diameter and put it on its side so that it will roll. Then take a whole bunch of slices out of it where each slice is slightly (very slightly) smaller than a golf ball. Then when you roll this thing over a bunch of golf balls they tend to get "caught up" in the slices.

What they were doing is pulling this thing across the bottom of this small lake. Maybe this thing had gone across the lake a number of times, but the device that I saw get pulled from the lake (and emptied of golf balls) easily had 100 balls in it. And while the guy on the far side stripped out the balls, the guy on the near side moved down the lake for what was clearly "another pass".

I'd never seen this before - interesting.

dave

[homerdienru]

Very interesting...Welp, now they have more balls to add to the range I suppose

[bahrain41]

Very interesting...Welp, now they have more balls to add to the range I suppose

GC, I am guessing that they sell them to folks like

Lostgolfballs.com - Brand Name Premium Recycled and Used Golf Balls

and Used Golf Balls - Premium Used and Recycled Golf Balls


I have bought "used balls" from both of these sources (mint quality) and have not noticed an obvious difference in performance. IMHO there probably is a difference on somewhat rare occasions. But just my opinion.

dave

[textarchive]

I've never seen that before, but I have seen someone scuba diving for balls before.

[arindiruppya]

I've never seen that before, but I have seen someone scuba diving for balls before.

Haha, were you with us the day I drilled the divers cart that was parked next to the pond at Shirkeys? We were teeing off on 15 (elevated tee) and I saw the cart parked there but nobody was around. I teed off and hit the roof of the cart, of course if bounced into the pond. He wanted to bet me that I couldn't hit it again.

[textarchive]

No, I missed that. I've actually seen it at several courses, but I missed that one!

[Britiobby]

Growing up near a small course in Kansas that set along a lake, my brother and I would swim over to the area that people lost the most golfballs. We were not supposed to be there and got kicked out pretty often, but not before taking more than our share of water balls. It was a blast for us and that was our supply for each year. We never bought golfballs as kids. When ever dad got low he'd send us over for his supply, lol.

[Shark&Nike]

Several times I have seen the scuba guy getting balls. I was a member at a course that had 3 clear water creeks braided through the course and it was always full of balls. After a big rainstorm, they would collect by the hundreds in particular areas of the creek. Easy pickings for the ball hunters.

[prearpaccew]

Someone should buy one of those ball harvesters for Nessie!

[lorryuncori]

GC, I am guessing that they sell them to folks like

Lostgolfballs.com - Brand Name Premium Recycled and Used Golf Balls

and Used Golf Balls - Premium Used and Recycled Golf Balls


I have bought "used balls" from both of these sources (mint quality) and have not noticed an obvious difference in performance. IMHO there probably is a difference on somewhat rare occasions. But just my opinion.

dave

golf ball paul is another one. i love when that guy calls. he's is a riot. he is seriously not right. he LOVES ball fishing.

[homerdienru]

That's right, these are the "experienced" balls that they sell at the pro-shop!!

[education]

I have a family friend who has contracts with several courses in orange county to collect balls from water hazard. However he does it strictly by diving. I would think that barrel device would miss allot of balls but I could be wrong.

I just wish my friend could "HOOK" me up with some balls unfortunately everything he gathers goes back to the course for resale.

[YpbWF5Yo]

we have divers at our course too... ive seen some of the old guys with their own contraptions that they throw into the ponds... they literally get buckets full