Thousands of Lost Balls

 

 

No wonder you tend to spot loads of Thais swimming around in the lakes at the hundreds of golf courses around Thailand.

 

That shot where you lose your ball into the water hazard, is big business for the re sale market in golf balls.

 

Assume that an average of 60 players book a tee time on a typical Saturday at all 250 courses. That’s potentially 15,000 rounds of golf. So if you are like the most of us, at least 2-3 balls either end up in the water, or lost in the rough or out of bounds. That’s between 30,000 and 45,000 lost balls just on a Saturday.

 

Therefore, over an average 7-day period it is likely that close to 100,000 golf balls are lost every week.

 

OK, so some balls maybe second hand already, but if you add up the number of new balls and the value is quite staggering. For example, a box of 12 Titleist Pro V1 golf balls retail at THB2,500.

 

Even if you have just seen your ball drop into the drink, the Thai swimmer will just smile when you ask for your ball back, as he knows you will probably end up buying your ball back at one of the many roadside shops selling second hand balls.

 

It would be interesting to find out how many golf balls you lose every month? It soon adds up of a 12 month period!

 

 

 

Maybe 3 a month playing weekly.  And I almost never buy new balls, rather the 10 balls for 100 or 200 baht at the course.  

 

On 7/27/2020 at 10:39 AM, Thaivisa Golf said:

Thousands of Lost Balls

I just looked ... mine are still there ...

you make the grand assumption i had any balls to begin with.

I do have two balls 

Pro V’s ?

My ex wanted me to leave them in a jar by the door before I left to play, but then I asked her how many holes I was playing and if she could answer correctly she would get her wish.  36 holes later I came home spent from the first 18 and then the following 18 I picked up from the 19th watering hole....lol

Thousands of Lost Balls.

Title of the article put me on the wrong foot.

First thought it was about the Bangkok Transgender Clinic. ????

Although I only play once a month, I average 4 balls per round in the drink. Also I don't buy new balls. I can buy as good as new ( mainly 1 & 2 hit wonders ) top brand, top of the range balls ( Titleist, Callaway, Srixon ) for 350 baht per dozen.

Ok with my frank n beans (balls) but seems I have lost my marbles....

You were warned...

 

Well I know how many approximately I have lost in the last 3 years in Thailand golf course water hazards. 

 

1,100 balls donated to the water dragons over 3 years.

 

Even more scary I am a 15 HC'er so it's not like I am a novice at the game; been playing for over 50 years.

 

Back in my home country over a three year period I would have lost maybe 150-160..... playing the same number of days each week as I do in Thailand.

 

 

 

 

I thought that this post was about foreigners urging to visit immigration, so scare that they are to be on overstay after september 26 !

But maybe they cannot lose what they never got !

 

 

3 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

You were warned...

 

Now we know where the Katoeys have been finding loosing there balls..

I believe for many lost, or temporarily lost balls, and scavenging for those that have found the rough or trees over the years, I have emerged with one or two extras. Lose 50 in a year, find 40 extras....so it takes awhile to need to re-load. It's supplying your partners on a bad day that eats into the stash. ????

Worked as caddy back in the day in Ohio. Firestone, Turkeyfoot championship courses and lesser. I knew guys who would go out at night to collect lost golf balls from the ponds. Nobody got rich doing it but it provided beer money.

10 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

I just looked ... mine are still there ...

Yep ,same here ,,, Never lost one Yet.  ????

9 minutes ago, digger70 said:

Yep ,same here ,,, Never lost one Yet.  ????

I usually drive at least two into the water on any hole with water in front.