taking lost golf balls found in the woods, ethical or not?

[Kenny Lee]

I keep two scores for my round.

How many strokes over par.

How many balls I find.

I like it when the latter is higher than the former.

Nice scoring system. I do something similar.

How many strokes over par.

How many beers I drink.

And like you, I prefer the latter higher than the former.

Cheers, brother.

[9wood]

My rule of thumb is never pick up a stray ball until it has stopped rolling.

Totally disagree

jk

Seriously, if I loose two balls and find two lost balls, both I and the course are equal. Just so long as the balls I found are of equal quality as the balls I lost which is rarely the case

[rkim291968]

Not only do I pick them up if I find balls in the woods, weeds and rough - I take 1 stroke off my score for each ball found.

I figure if someone had to add a penalty stroke for losing the ball that it only makes sense that finding a ball should mean deducting a stroke, right?

This is a great idea!  You can get the added distance too where it applies since lost ball means penalty + distance.

[newtogolf]

I think you're good.  Most of the courses that I notice do sell "recovered balls" have water hazards and send divers down to grab the ones lost in the water and don't bother with combing the woods for them as it's not worth the risk of ticks and poison ivy / oak.

I don't bag any I see only because I prefer to play a particular ball and they aren't that common.  At my home course we use forecaddies so there aren't that many balls lost on the course, but they are all usually Pro V1's if you do find one.

When I play away courses most I find are cheaper balls, Nike Mojo's, Pinnacle, MaxFli, Tommy Armour, etc.  One of the guys I play with weekly at an away course doesn't care what ball he plays as long as it's free so he has a party when he hits his ball into the woods (sometimes I wonder if he does it on purpose).

[Hatchman]

Two thoughts on this: I don't like seeing ball hawkers when playing. Some have covered this already. And, some courses @ here have posted signs prohibiting trespassing in ponds, etc for balls due to contracts with ball recovery companies. Ours does. Thus, I don't go in people's yards, course pond edges, or woods chasing my bad shot and pocket balls. Just my POV.

[gregsandiego]

What is everyone's opinion on taking balls from the woods when playing? Do you consider it stealing from the course? Or finders keepers?

Bear in mind almost all courses typically have the 2 for 1 used ball bucket that undoubtedly is from their own staff finding balls around the course?

For example, I rip a drive hard right into the woods, take a minute or two (if there is no group right behind) to find the ball and come across a couple pristine ProV1s. What is the right thing to do?

Too easy. Even the golf course probably doesn't care about these for the most part. Maybe they take the easy picking out of the lake edge.

You should start another thread to deal with the scum that take lost clubs. I left my $25 7 iron on the range last weekend.Nobody turned it in so I had to buy a replacement on ebay.

[John S]

What is everyone's opinion on taking balls from the woods when playing? Do you consider it stealing from the course? Or finders keepers?

Bear in mind almost all courses typically have the 2 for 1 used ball bucket that undoubtedly is from their own staff finding balls around the course?

For example, I rip a drive hard right into the woods, take a minute or two (if there is no group right behind) to find the ball and come across a couple pristine ProV1s. What is the right thing to do?

The right thing to do is put them in your pocket. Finders keepers! Unless it's a crappy ball. They can keep that!

[Hatchman]

As I stated. Signs started going up all over Hampton Roads in 2013, as reported by The Virginian Pilot. Still looking for the culprit or culprits. Maybe TST?? :-D Clubs left behind are different, if you wanted them you wouldn't have left them! Just kidding, return them unless their thrown into the pond or woods by the player then finder must apply ethical lost golf ball recovery rule under ordinance below. Coming to a town near you! Beware. BTW - The golf course gets recycled packaged balls (mixed or brand) to resell back to players to lose again for participating to help generate revenue and the cycle continues. :-O http://media.hamptonroads.com/cache/images/1011211000.jpg

[boogielicious]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wally Fairway

Not only do I pick them up if I find balls in the woods, weeds and rough - I take 1 stroke off my score for each ball found.

I figure if someone had to add a penalty stroke for losing the ball that it only makes sense that finding a ball should mean deducting a stroke, right?

This is a great idea!  You can get the added distance too where it applies since lost ball means penalty + distance.

I've heard this referred to as, "Canadian golf rules!". Is that correct @Ernest Jones ?

[ccotenj]

[QUOTE name="rkim291968" url="/t/83690/taking-lost-golf-balls-found-in-the-woods-ethical-or-not/72#post_1180842"]   [QUOTE name="Wally Fairway" url="/t/83690/taking-lost-golf-balls-found-in-the-woods-ethical-or-not/54#post_1180821"]   Not only do I pick them up if I find balls in the woods, weeds and rough - I take 1 stroke off my score for each ball found . I figure if someone had to add a penalty stroke for losing the ball that it only makes sense that finding a ball should mean deducting a stroke, right? [/QUOTE] This is a great idea!  You can get the added distance too where it applies since lost ball means penalty + distance. [/QUOTE] I've heard this referred to as, "Canadian golf rules!". Is that correct @Ernest Jones ?

i like those rules.... :beer: i knew my canadien heritage would come in handy someday... :-D

[Bryan Kasper]

It's like the 'take a penny, leave a penny' next to a cash register. I've left more pennies than I can remember.

i 100% agree with this statement, i will usually only grab balls to get myself back to even on my ball count for the day. haha

[rob0225]

What is everyone's opinion on taking balls from the woods when playing? Do you consider it stealing from the course? Or finders keepers?

Bear in mind almost all courses typically have the 2 for 1 used ball bucket that undoubtedly is from their own staff finding balls around the course?

For example, I rip a drive hard right into the woods, take a minute or two (if there is no group right behind) to find the ball and come across a couple pristine ProV1s. What is the right thing to do?

Why would you even consider this as an ethical dilemma?

[Pete F]

What is everyone's opinion on taking balls from the woods when playing? Do you consider it stealing from the course? Or finders keepers?

Bear in mind almost all courses typically have the 2 for 1 used ball bucket that undoubtedly is from their own staff finding balls around the course?

For example, I rip a drive hard right into the woods, take a minute or two (if there is no group right behind) to find the ball and come across a couple pristine ProV1s. What is the right thing to do?

[turtleback]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtsalmela80

What is everyone's opinion on taking balls from the woods when playing? Do you consider it stealing from the course? Or finders keepers?

Bear in mind almost all courses typically have the 2 for 1 used ball bucket that undoubtedly is from their own staff finding balls around the course?

For example, I rip a drive hard right into the woods, take a minute or two (if there is no group right behind) to find the ball and come across a couple pristine ProV1s. What is the right thing to do?

Why would you even consider this as an ethical dilemma?

Actually very little of this thread has to do with ethics, it deals more in practicality and personal standards, IMO.

[ccotenj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rob0225

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtsalmela80

What is everyone's opinion on taking balls from the woods when playing? Do you consider it stealing from the course? Or finders keepers?

Bear in mind almost all courses typically have the 2 for 1 used ball bucket that undoubtedly is from their own staff finding balls around the course?

For example, I rip a drive hard right into the woods, take a minute or two (if there is no group right behind) to find the ball and come across a couple pristine ProV1s. What is the right thing to do?

Why would you even consider this as an ethical dilemma?

Actually very little of this thread has to do with ethics, it deals more in practicality and personal standards, IMO.

yea, there aren't any ethical questions at all in this thread...   i'm struggling to find an "ethical issue", and i can't find one...

pick up the ball...  either use it, give it to one of your buddies, hit it at the range, or toss it in the ball bucket at the pro shop...

but don't ponder the "ethical dilemma of doing so", as there is no ethics involved...

[pumaAttack]

yea, there aren't any ethical questions at all in this thread...   i'm struggling to find an "ethical issue", and i can't find one...

pick up the ball...  either use it, give it to one of your buddies, hit it at the range, or toss it in the ball bucket at the pro shop...

but don't ponder the "ethical dilemma of doing so", as there is no ethics involved...

The ethics are if you believe a lost ball is actually property of the course.

If you believe it is another persons/groups property, then is it ethical to "steal" that property.

I don't think anybody really thinks its the course's property, so no ethics are involved.

[Moppy]

When I abandon the search for a ball, I renounce ownership of that ball. It's yours if you find it. Feel better now?

[pumaAttack]

When I abandon the search for a ball, I renounce ownership of that ball. It's yours if you find it. Feel better now?

Hell, the way I have been playing lately, I never owned the damn ball in the first place.