Stealing Golf Balls

[Shindig]

There is an even that really grinds my gears like no other. This happened to me during my round Sunday, I pushed my drive on the 10th tee into a group of trees to the right, I watched the ball settle down into the grass knowing exactly where it ended up and proceeded to let my playing partners hit. So as I walk up to where my ball landed I see a ball right there, but it was not the brand new TP Red I hit, it was a top flite xl. I had noticed the group on the 18th hole which is adjacent rumaging around there and thought nothing of it, but they had obviously pulled the old switcheroo on my ball.

Or he hit the first ball he found, and didn't bother to check if it was his?

This has happened to me multiple times this year alone, and if I count the number of times my ball has been picked up, this has probably happened over 5 times this year alone. I had to take a lost ball penalty and ended up triple bogeying the hole, after the round I was so po'd that I just ripped up the score card and threw it away. So from now on I hit a cheap ball off the tee and I switch to a decent ball after that, I am tired of having my stuff jacked. I've even watched someone come to the FAIRWAY and jack my ball before while I was watching. So what if it isn't in the "rules of golf" I dont really see an advantage in it other than people wont want to pick up my drives anymore. Anyone else have problems with people picking up your shots?

First, where are you playing that people are taking your balls this regularly? It isn't even happening to me on L.A. municipal courses that often. Second, see the rule post below about outside agency: it isn't a lost ball if someone took it.

Most often people don't identify the ball and play the wrong one. If you have reason to believe someone played your ball, take a free drop because they are an

Wow, good marshal. Someone took Kevin Na's earlier this year during a domestic (U.S.) event and claimed it was O.B. when she found it, although the truth of her statement was dubious at the time. I forget the details. He was in contention that week, too, but had to play as if it had been O.B..

[JRoberts]

A few weeks ago in Baytown I had a guy come from another fairway and hit my ball from the middle of my fairway. I was not sure imediately as the ground was blind to me from where he was. When I got up there I found his ball in the rough, it was a Callaway ball which is what I was hitting only it had a different different color symbol, and he had put a line on his. Mine was clean. So a few holes later when we were parallel again I gave him his ball back and let him know that the ball he smacked into the lumberyard was mine. I was a little pissed as that was one of the few drives that actually was in the fairway.
JR

[2bGood]

This happens once and a while, i like to think that the player the hits YOUR ball does do it on prupose but just hit it be accident thinking it was theirs. I find marking you ball well helps stop this.

A few weeks back I hit ball to edge of a fariway get to the ball (A bridgestone e6+ - #2) and I find a bridgestone e6+ #4 in the area where I landed. I wish I had marked my ball as I am sure it was an honest mistake that someone played my ball

[is2linda]

I find that its all the noob players that pick up balls. Sometimes when i push my shots and end on the other fairway, they assume, "1 2 3 4 5 balls?! no wait... this isnt right... imma keep this one!" I had to stop this teenage from stealing my ball.

This is one of my biggest pet peeves.

[Dub]

I've never lost one or had one stolen when I hit the fairway on the hole I was playing.

Wayward shots are where the trouble occurs, though.

[grizfan]

I had a bad run a while back with other people picking up my ball, so now I mark my ball by writing "not yours" on my golf balls with a green sharpie.

[jaragon126]

Oh I didn't know you had to actually SEE someone take it. If I hit my drive 230 yards into the trees and can't actually see the ball ... but I see someone over there in the area from another whole ... I can't assume he took it because I cannot see him?

What if I see him bend over which would indicate that he is either getting a closer look at the ball or maybe picking it up?

What if I get to the area that I think my ball is in, but find a different ball in that area? Can that be assumed that someone took my ball so no penalty? Or since I didn't see it I still have to take penalty?

[Drifterland]

Stealing is bad!

[pittpanther]

Oh I didn't know you had to actually SEE someone take it. If I hit my drive 230 yards into the trees and can't actually see the ball ... but I see someone over there in the area from another whole ... I can't assume he took it because I cannot see him?

We need someone more well-versed in the rules than me (iacas, you out there?). But my thinking would be that "If you did not absolutely SEE someone take YOUR ball, then you have to take the penalty." From 230 yards, do you KNOW that the guy you saw bending over actually took your ball?

How many times have we thought our ball was in one place, and yet found it somewhere else?

[SubPar]

This happens once and a while, i like to think that the player the hits YOUR ball does do it on prupose but just hit it be accident thinking it was theirs. I find marking you ball well helps stop this.

Players on public courses are notorious for playing the first ball they find without looking to see if it is in fact their own.

SubPar

[Fat Slice]

I am not going to mention any groups, as I don't want to be inflammatory...BUT...if I hit my ball near another fairway and I see some certain kind of people heading that direction, I ZOOM down there to guard my ball. I've just had too many STOLEN (not mis-hit).

[Chief Broom]

This happens once and a while, i like to think that the player the hits YOUR ball does do it on prupose but just hit it be accident thinking it was theirs. I find marking you ball well helps stop this.

I play at the local muni and you've got all different types who play there. You've got the careful players who pay attention to what they are doing, you don't have to worry about them taking your ball. You've got the golfing noobs who it never occures to them that the ball they are about to hit may not be theirs, or when they see a ball in the rough automatically assume someone lost it and it's free for the taking. Then you've got the ball hawks. Those are guys who spend a lot of time looking for balls and if they see one and there isn't someone right there by it they swoop down and pick it and are on their way. Those last two groups are the ones you really have to watch because they will make off with your ball before you know it. The best way I've found to combat this is to put your own mark on every ball you play (unless it's one you simply don't care about losing), and keep a close eye on your ball or where it went. The worst incident with this that I ever had was with a noob. I saw him head over to my ball, which was well within the fairway I was playing, and bend over and pick it up. I was a good 100yds away from him but I called out to him and hustled over to make sure he left my ball alone. As I neared him it was obvious he still believed it was his ball. He asked me what I was playing and I told him the brand. He claimed to be playing that brand too. I then described my mark to him and he grudgingly looked the ball over and then put it back down and trudged away. While noobs like that can be very annoying it's the ball hawks that will filch your ball if they have the opportunity without being seen (they know their craft). There isn't much you can do about them other than to confront them if you are sure they got your ball, and that may or may not turn out well. The good news is this is a fairly uncommon ocurrance, even on my crowded muni. Being proactive about it (marking your ball, and keeping a close eye on things as you play) helps to prevent problems those rare times that it happens.