What precautions are made so animals don't choke on balls?

[buttputt40]

I am thinking alligators in the water or birds walking on the course. 

[Piz]

1 minute ago, buttputt40 said:

I am thinking alligators in the water or birds walking on the course. 

Animals are all issued a warning: Do not attempt to eat golf balls.  That does not prevent some animals from trying to do exactly that.  That being said...my Labrador never choked on a tennis ball.  

[dennyjones]

I thought they had to sign a waiver when they came onto a golf course.   No?

[Swooshgolf]

I guess that's where all my lost balls go..

[buttputt40]

The ball looks like a scallop for smarter animals. 

[rehmwa]

Perhaps Congress should write a law - "Animals shall not choke".  That should do it.

I also believe Darwin had some kind of rule there too.

[colin007]

On 12/27/2018 at 2:40 PM, Swooshgolf said:

I guess that's where all my lost balls go..

Interesting...my wife has mine.

[Patch]

One of our pets 16+/- years ago was a 100lb yellow lab. A big guy. 

Noticing that he seemed to be in some distress, I took him to our Vet to have him checked out. He wasn't real sick. He was eating, drinking, still playing around. Just was something different about him. 

After his check up which included some x-rays, we found he had swallowed a small round object of some sort. The ball was actually in his intestines. 

We had two choices. Cut the boy open and remove the round object, or watch and see if he could pass it. We decided against an operation, making it a second option. . 

A couple of days later he passed a golf ball during his morning chore. 

Two more Vet visits, and he was deemed healthy, with no internal problems.

Those of you who are familiar with the term  "balling a sewer line" get the idea. 

After that, I made it a point to account for all my golf balls when finished practicing in our back yard. 

 

[Sandy Divot]

On the back of the signs that warn golfers about snakes and alligators is a warning for the animals not to eat the golf balls.

[dennyjones]

49 minutes ago, Sandy Divot said:

On the back of the signs that warn golfers about snakes and alligators is a warning for the animals not to eat the golf balls.

It's apparent you aren't from Michigan!     We don't have snakes (much) and alligators.   

[millsan1]

Several Federal agencies, the FDA, the EPA and a blue ribbon panel of lobbyists and relatives of Congress were convened and spent $72 Billion dollars on a study that determined ingesting golf balls is bad for animals.  Therefore, and from here on out, animals are forbidden from ingesting golf balls, with a fine of $1,000 for first infractions, and $10,000 for subsequent infractions.  If an animal is found to be a chronic ball ingester, there will be a new agency established to study the causes of ball ingestion abuse, possible resolutions and treatments and the Fed will declare a "War on golf ball ingestion by animals" that wil run for 30 years, resulting in an increase in animal golf ball ingestion.  The only solution will be to expand the war and the dollars spent.

[TN94z]

I say after the first offense, lock them up. That will teach them,

[DaveP043]

Have you guys ever tasted a golf ball?  They COULD make them really delicious, that terrible taste is there specifically there to stop animals from eating them.

[Lihu]

7 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

Have you guys ever tasted a golf ball?  They COULD make them really delicious, that terrible taste is there specifically there to stop animals from eating them.

I’ve actually never tasted one before, could you describe the flavor to me? 😂

[DaveP043]

10 hours ago, Lihu said:

I’ve actually never tasted one before, could you describe the flavor to me? 😂

Sorry, you're on your own.  SOME of us actually learn from our experiences. 

[Lihu]

4 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

Sorry, you're on your own.  SOME of us actually learn from our experiences. 

Some prefer to learn through others...😂

A gator ate a ball and looked visibly disgusted after doing so. 🤓

🤪

[BamaWade]

It comes down to two things: education and evolution...but mostly evolution.  In a few thousand years, it'll all be okay.  I personally lather my (golf) balls with in nail polish remover as a deterrent.  But at least once a round--and it never f'in fails--a deer or marmot of some kind or rarely an antelope will dart from the woods--almost ALWAYS after I've lasered one 280 down the center--and eat my ball as I run screaming at it to stop.  Whether they spit or swallow, I don't know; I never can quite catch up.

[Lihu]

13 minutes ago, BamaWade said:

It comes down to two things: education and evolution...but mostly evolution.  In a few thousand years, it'll all be okay.  I personally lather my (golf) balls with in nail polish remover as a deterrent.  But at least once a round--and it never f'in fails--a deer or marmot of some kind or rarely an antelope will dart from the woods--almost ALWAYS after I've lasered one 280 down the center--and eat my ball as I run screaming at it to stop.  Whether they spit or swallow, I don't know; I never can quite catch up.

Hmm, more than once has man blamed his misfortunes upon the forces of nature for a hook or slice...😂

Good tip with the nail polish remover for making the ball less appealing to animals...