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Is it Worth it to Buy a Ball Retriever?

Uncle Peter
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Uncle Peter Dedicated Member

Uncle Peter

I was interested in getting a nice 15 foot Ball Retriever. Do you think it's worth it to buy one?

Driver: :cobra: BiO Cell (10.5º)

Wood: :ping: G15 3 (15.5°)

Hybrids: :callaway: Diablo Edge: 3 (21º), 4 (24º)

Irons: :callaway: Diablo Edge: 5-PW

Wedges: :cleveland:588 RTX CB 50º, Paradise Black Chrome II Sand Wedge 56º

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Fourputt Incredible Member

Fourputt

It depends. I've got one that I've carried for 20 years. I think I paid about $5 for it, so I've gotten my money's worth out of it many times over. I don't fish for balls, just retrieve my own or those of my playing companions, but in 20 years I've rescued a lot of water shots. I wouldn't pay for one of the $30 - $40 types... they won't save any more balls than a cheap one.

Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

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Keg0brew Member

Keg0brew

I carry one.

I'm not embarrassed to hit balls I find on course. In fact, I buy probably one box of balls a year for use in 2-3 tournaments a year. All the balls I play with on a regular basis are ones I find on course.

Having one also gives you something to do when you are waiting on the group in front of you.

Whats in my Four5....

10.5 degree R7 460
Great Big Bertha 3W
Bazooka Geo Max 3H MP-32 3 - PW 588 Raw Tour Grind 52 degree 588 Raw Tour Grind 56 degree BC1

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Chief Broom Great Member

Chief Broom

Or you could just walk the course when playing. This way you get exercise and find a lot of balls at the same time!

Nike Vapor Speed driver 12* stock regular shaft
Nike Machspeed 4W 17*, 7W 21* stock stiff shafts
Ping i10 irons 4-9, PW, UW, SW, LW AWT stiff flex
Titleist SC Kombi 35"; Srixon Z Star XV tour yellow

Clicgear 3.0; Sun Mountain Four 5

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Uncle Peter Dedicated Member

Uncle Peter

  • Author
Or you could just walk the course when playing. This way you get exercise and find a lot of balls at the same time!

At my local golf course, there's a fence going around the course. I would primarily use it to get the balls that I'd hit over the fence.

Driver: :cobra: BiO Cell (10.5º)

Wood: :ping: G15 3 (15.5°)

Hybrids: :callaway: Diablo Edge: 3 (21º), 4 (24º)

Irons: :callaway: Diablo Edge: 5-PW

Wedges: :cleveland:588 RTX CB 50º, Paradise Black Chrome II Sand Wedge 56º

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James_Black Great Member

James_Black

At my local golf course, there's a fence going around the course. I would primarily use it to get the balls that I'd hit over the fence.

sure go ahead and get one but don't bother getting an expensive one, what's the point? As already stated it's not going to get you any more golf balls.

I remember my pro shop was trying to sell a Titleist golf umbrellan for 40 euro (60 dollars) I went to another store and got a normal golf umbrella for 3 euro (5 dollars). It still kept out the rain.

My Clubs
Driver - LV4 10* R flex
Wood - sam snead persimmon 2 wood (for windy days)
Hybrid burner tour launch 20* stiff flex.
Irons - Tour Mode 3i,4i stiffIrons - FP's 5-PW R-flexWedge - spin milled 54.14Wedge - spin milled 60.07Putter - Victoria Lowest round 2010: 79 (par 70)Latest rounds at...

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Uncle Peter Dedicated Member

Uncle Peter

  • Author

I also had a question about the 15' Ball Retriever?

How does it work? There's a lever-like thing inside, and I haven't figured out how it works yet. Any help?

Driver: :cobra: BiO Cell (10.5º)

Wood: :ping: G15 3 (15.5°)

Hybrids: :callaway: Diablo Edge: 3 (21º), 4 (24º)

Irons: :callaway: Diablo Edge: 5-PW

Wedges: :cleveland:588 RTX CB 50º, Paradise Black Chrome II Sand Wedge 56º

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billysandy Dedicated Member

billysandy

Depends on the time you have, the course you play on, and whether it has places where people hit balls, but don't even try to retrieve. When i started golf at 16, one summer night i found 40 golf balls in 45 mins on an empty course. All along the left hand side of our 7th hole, where people always hook into, but never bother retrieving. Having played golf for 16 months, i have never bought new golf balls.
What I Play:
Wilson Mini Stand Bag | PING G10, 10.5°, Proforce V2 HL S | PING G5, 15°, 18°, Aldila NV 75 S | PING G5, 19°, Aldila VS Proto By You 80 S
Mizuno MX200 4-PW S | Ping Tour W 50/12 X | Ping Tour W 58/TS X | A selection of putters, all 35.5 inches.
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Uncle Peter Dedicated Member

Uncle Peter

  • Author
You know I have one of those at my local course on the 3rd hole. The course hooks left. If I get the retriever, I'm definatly going to look for some balls.

Driver: :cobra: BiO Cell (10.5º)

Wood: :ping: G15 3 (15.5°)

Hybrids: :callaway: Diablo Edge: 3 (21º), 4 (24º)

Irons: :callaway: Diablo Edge: 5-PW

Wedges: :cleveland:588 RTX CB 50º, Paradise Black Chrome II Sand Wedge 56º

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  • Administrator
iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

  • Administrator
No. No. No.

Erik J. Barzeski — ⛳ I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • Author, Lowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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Dub Great Member

Dub

Never owned or carried a retriever...but on occasion used someone elses.
909D Comp 9.5* (house MATRIX OZIK XCON-6)
Burner Superfast 3 & 5 woods (house MATRIX OZIK XCON-4.8)
G15 Hybrid 23* (AWT shaft)
G5 5 iron-PW-46*, UW-50*, SW-54 & LW-58 (AWT shaft)
Studio Select Newport 2 Mid SlantGrips: PING cords & Golf Pride New Decade Multi-Coumpound Bag: C-130...
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imtomtomim Great Member

imtomtomim

no. I like playing the same brand ball (all bought slightly used and discounted) and I pick up loose balls in the woods every time I need to go in there. Even if I don't find my ball, I usually come out with at least 1 if not 3 or 4 extra balls, recently, been finding pro v1's all over the place. I also play my balls way past it's life, basically to no cover except inside the dimples, so losing one is just an opportunity to finally break in a new one.
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treebound Dedicated Member

treebound

As long as it doesn't slow play I have no problem with retrievers. I've used a couple different types over the years, some work well, some don't. Try one in the store if you can to figure out how they work.

Another benefit I've found while living out west in rattlesnake country is for moving various critters out of the way or for reaching into brush or deep grass if the patch looks sketchy.

Taylormade M2 driver @ 9.5*+2

TM M6 D-type 3wood 16*, 
TM M2 Rescue 3H@19* and 4H@22* ,
TM RocketBladez irons 5-9,PW,AW, SW(23*,26.5*,30.5*,35*,40*,45*,50*,55*),
TM Hi-Toe 60* wedge,
Ping Karsten 1959 Craz-E, or a Scotty
Bushnell Tour V3 rangefinder

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Jay-Bird Great Member

Jay-Bird

Please don't ever play in front of me and have me waiting on you to fish out balls while I'm trying to play golf.

driver: FT-i tlcg 9.5˚ (Matrix Ozik XCONN Stiff)
4 wood: G10 (ProLaunch Red FW stiff)
3 -PW: :Titleist: 695 mb (Rifle flighted 6.0)
wedges:, 52˚, 56˚, 60˚
putter: Studio Select Newport 1.5

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IcemanYVR Dedicated Member

IcemanYVR

hate fishing poles... another device created to slow down play. ( not saying you're slow, just in general )

If I hit my ball in the water, it's gone. I hit a bad shot and deserve to lose the ball.

Cheers, Allan

In my Ping Hoofer II bag: Titleist 975J | Callaway Big Bertha 3 Wood S2H2 | Mizuno Fli-Hi 18˚ Hybrid | Mizuno MP-33 3-PW | Cleveland Tour Action 900 54/60 | Ping Anser II BeCu | Titleist ProV1

My Playground: Northview G&CC

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KD Epic Established Member

KD Epic

I'll never use one but uh... I do know I'm going to hit awful shots... Whether I use a ball retriever or not doesn't change that, unfortunately.

In the Sasquatch Bag:


Driver: R9 460cc 9.5°
Hybrids: Big Bertha Diablo 21° 24°Wedges: SV Tour 52° 56° 60°Irons: Power Max TRX Ion Control 5-PWPutter: tm100 Tour PreferredBall: e6

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chilly Dedicated Member

chilly

Absolutely worth it. My wife got me the Callaway model for Christmas. Home course has an island green on #9, this spring I found two Pentas when they'd first come out. It's a great way to find balls you'd like to try out, without having to buy them. I can find 10-12 about every time I troll on #9, usually a couple ProV1/ProV1x and Bridgestones in there, and a mix of others. The rough looking ones go in the shag bag.

Driver: i15 8* UST Axivcore Red 69S
3w: CB1 15* Grafalloy Prolaunch Platinum 75s
5w: G10 18.5* UST V2 HL
3h: HiFli CLK 20* UST V2 Hybrid
4h: 3DX 23* UST V2 Hybrid5i-pw: MX-23 TT Dynalite Gold S300GW/SW: RAC 52*and 56*Putter: SabertoothBag: KingPin

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