Golf Ball Tracker?

[TipTopGolf]

Hi all just thinking then how hard would it be to put a little chip in a golf ball so we dont lose them?

I mean come on how hard is it?

Personally i would buy them,but i think they havnt made them because no one would re buy them cause they wont lose them lol

Whats your thoughts?

 

[CarpeDiem]

I think that it might affect the properties of the balls and they wont sell as many I think, but a good idea none the less.

 

[SS2]

You might not lose such a ball but you might

- break the transmitter
- damage the outer skin of the ball
- hit it into a lake or other inaccessible location

Manufacturers would never do this as their entire business is built upon the fact that people lose balls and that balls that aren't lost degrade with use until they are retired to the practice bag.

There might also be problems in putting a transmitter inside the ball without affecting the balls dymanics upon impact.

 

[OldWindy]

Biggest problem I can see is that such a ball would put loads of people out of work. Titleist etc would never make it until another independent manufacturer forced their hand.

It could be possible if the RF tag was in a gel at the centre of the ball therefore eliminating direct impact. The tag itself could be spherical (all flat ATM for merchandise). You would need a device to switch it off once the ball is knackered. The tags could be in a very wide range of frequencies to help distinguish one from the other on the course. The range of the tag would be limited anyway so you wouldn't get chatter from the lake, as it were; if you roughly know the line then you're more likely to find it again.

It could fly.

 

[USER1999]

The balls used at 'top golf' in watford are chipped, so the 'game' knows where the ball went. It doesn't affect the flight or anything, I guess that doing this is not going to work for the manufacturers, and also, from a playing point of view is a lot like cheating.

One of the things that seperates out lower h/caps is they keep their score going by not loosing many balls. What advantage would there be for players who are tidy, none. This is part of the skill of the game, hit it where you can find it. No need for electronic tags.

 

[haplesshacker]

But surely there are times when you want to find your oppenents ball. In match play for example.

"Sorry mate you can't use the provisional as I've found your 'lost' ball. Play it as it lies!"

 

[viscount17]

One of the things that seperates out lower h/caps is they keep their score going by not loosing many balls. What advantage would there be for players who are tidy, none. This is part of the skill of the game, hit it where you can find it. No need for electronic tags.

as is being able to estimate distance, hence no need for gps?

switching on/off is easy, you compress the ball at impact so use the piezoelectric effect to power it for a finite time, max 5 minutes(?).

 

[Smiffy]

How long would you want to play with one for though?
I normally use a new ball each round, and for me the expense involved would be too great

 

[SS2]

switching on/off is easy, you compress the ball at impact so use the piezoelectric effect to power it for a finite time, max 5 minutes(?).

I like that idea; something you switch on by hitting it hard with a golf club. If only cars worked in the same way...

 

[haplesshacker]

The technology already exists. There was an articule in TG last year about it. But then again, you guys might not have read that