How to Find a Lost Golf Ball

How to Find a Lost Golf Ball

We have all been there before. You buy a brand-new box of golf balls and with that first tee shot send a sparkling white ball into the rough.

You spend the next 15 minutes searching for it to no avail and must dig into your golf bag for another new Titleist golf ball.

A dozen Titleist Pro V1 golf balls can set you back $35 a box, so losing that one begins to cut into your golf fun. Losing a ball can not only cost you money, but it can ruin a great day out on the course.

There is a method to finding that lost golf ball and to ending the madness of losing those expensive little items.
Sure, you can buy a gadget to help you, but you can do it all yourself with a little golf college knowledge.

Not only will finding a lost ball improve on your mood during a golf outing, but it will also prevent you from taking a stroke penalty.

So, once you have hit your new Titleist Pro V1 into the thick, overgrown rough, what should you do to locate it and get on with your game?

• Watch it all the way
  One of the most common mistakes that golfers make once they slice or pull a shot is to turn their back on the ball. Of course, you are mad at the shot you just took; but losing sight of the ball means it will be far more difficult to locate it. Don’t let your emotions get in the way when you make a bad shot, it will only cause more problems as you continue your round. By keeping your anger in check, you can watch where the ball lands. If you are playing with a partner, they too can watch for the area in which it falls.
• Follow the flight
  By following the flight of the ball, you can see where it lands; or at the very least, the vicinity. You may need to move around in the tee box to see just exactly where the ball drops. Once you have followed its flight to the ground, don’t lose sight of the spot.See How to Lower Your Ball Flight in the Wind.
• Don’t expect distance
  While your playing partners may have hit the ball a good distance from the tee, it doesn’t mean you have done the same. Don’t expect to have hit your shot as far as the others in your group, and don’t be afraid to veer off to find the ball closer to the tee box. A mis-hit may not go as far as you believe it has; or as far as you normally it a shot. Remember, it is a mis-hit.
• Get some help
  If you are looking for a lost golf ball in the rough by yourself, you could be there all day. Your search may hold up another golfer’s game, and they will be begging to play through. Get your partners to join in to help find the missing ball, but remember, you must return the favor. It doesn’t take a golf degree to know it is important to help out those who help you.
• Don’t search wildly
  The mis-hit golf ball maybe sitting in a thicket of tall grass, and by searching wildly you can make it less visible by knocking the grass over on top of it. If it is completely covered, the chances of finding the missing ball are even fewer unless someone walks over. Searching wildly and thrashing around in the rough can also result in the ball being moved. A moved golf ball means a penalty, which results in your day getting worse.
• Walk more than one direction
  When searching the area where the ball came down, be sure to walk in different directions. Searching one way can make it difficult to spot the ball depending on how it is lying. Move in one direction and then back the opposite way. This will enable you to see the ball if it is being obscured by grass, light or rock.

Even the best PGA Tour pros mis-hit the occasional ball.

It can be a frustrating thing, but staying calm and watching just where the ball lands can be the difference in finding a lost golf ball and buying new a box of Titleist Pro V1 balls.

If you’d rather find a golf career instead of a golf ball, give us a call at 888.355.4465 or contact us online.