We all lose golf balls from time to time. But some of the sting can be taken away if you find a few more golf balls than you lose along the way.
On a tough course I usually find 5-10 balls. (Sadly, I might also lose one or two along the way.) So I come out ahead on golf balls, and way ahead on expenses (many balls I find are in nearly-perfect condition).
You can do the same. And you can be a great help and asset to your playing partners if you become a ball-finding expert! An expert ball finder is first on the call list when trying to round out a foursome!
7 Time-Tested Golf Ball Finding Tips
Here’s some proven ball-finding pointers — give them a try next time you play:
Help Look. Always help your playing partners look for their lost balls. Hopefully you will find their ball. But undoubtedly, theirs is not the first errant shot into the tall grass or the woods in this general area. You will likely find several other balls as you hunt for your friend’s ball.
Widen the Search. Don’t be afraid to look further away than they are looking. I often hear “I’m sure it’s right here” but in fact they are off by ten yards or more. So widen the circle of the search and you may come across an extra ball or two.
Walk the course if you can (it’s better exercise and you will stay more limber during the round). Walk the right side of the fairway, or even in the rough, as you approach your ball (even if you are in the fairway). Most lost balls started out as big slices by right handed players.
Get down the hill. Gravity and water make grass grow and lay downhill. You need to be looking uphill, into the grass, to see the ground and the balls beneath. They will be hidden under the matted grass from the high or uphill side. This is an important point that most novice ball finders overlook.
Use your feet. Shuffle through the grass rather than just walking, and you will sometimes inadvertently kick a surprise ball from the undergrowth.
Use your club. Probe in the grass with your club, scraping the ground and probing for balls. Often you will hit a ball with your club that you would not have seen.
Go where few others will. Most people just won’t climb that hill, hack that grass, or ford that stream to find the elusive white ball. If you are an adventuresome soul, you can reap the rewards. Like this thrill-seeking golfer (be sure to watch all the way to the end):
If I happen to lose my ball due to bad luck or a bad shot, it does take some of the sting away when I find three more dimpled, pristine, willing volunteers, eager to get back in the game! I’ll bet it will for you too.
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