Is this stealing?

[Voyager EMH]

By collecting the balls and returning them you are stealing somebody's job.

You probably would not take your own booze down the pub or your own sandwiches to a cafe. Or booze and sandwiches that you had "found".

Nothing too much wrong about returning the balls, but you should not be dodging proper payment for the proper way to use the range.
Unless the range states clearly that you can bring your own balls, like places that do allow you to bring your own booze.

 

[Mandofred]

People wonder how other people can "believe" something that they don't agree with (politics, religion etc). Something as simple as this topic and there are a million different views. It's lucky anybody is still alive on this planet.

 

[Slab]

It’s a fair cop… At the range this morning I hit my bucket of 55 and about half a dozen of the unused ‘leftovers’ from the bucket in the next bay

 

[Voyager EMH]

It’s a fair cop… At the range this morning I hit my bucket of 55 and about half a dozen of the unused ‘leftovers’ from the bucket in the next bay

Well, just remember to leave 6 balls for someone else next time or Santa will know that you have been naughty and there will be no presents for you next Christmas.

 

[DeanoMK]

I don't see an issue with either scenario tbh, you're most probably saving the club money as they don't need to ask a member of staff to retrieve them and they're getting more of their stock back rather than having to replace it.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Better vfm if you take 100 and use them in multiple sessions, but they make a right racket rolling around in the boot.
Half the balls at our place aren't even range balls anyway.

Problem with that is that the range would run out of balls if many did as you suggest. Range balls on my club’s range are free and we don’t have to collect. We occasionally have an issue running out…often down to some members (juniors usually) spending hours on the range hitting hundreds of balls.

 

[The Squirrel]

Answering the original question:
On a strict legal interpretation it is likely using a paid-for facility and intentionally failing to pay, so "illegal".
Scenario 2 feels, and is, different in that if you haven't paid to be on the course (remember any paid membership likely grants you access to play the course by reservation, not to wander onto the land any time you feel like) and are now wandering round a golf course without permission to pick up balls then you are now trespassing too.
On a realistic level the club likely don't care or are even grateful.

The pragmatic approach is surely to ask this question at the payment counter. 99.9% chance they tell you, particularly as a regular, that they are very happy for you to hit whatever stray balls you find during a round back onto the range for them. Once they've said this the legal issue is settled and your conscience can also be completely clear

 

[RichA]

Problem with that is that the range would run out of balls if many did as you suggest. Range balls on my club’s range are free and we don’t have to collect. We occasionally have an issue running out…often down to some members (juniors usually) spending hours on the range hitting hundreds of balls.

It wouldn't run out. Like I said, half the balls are random old ones rather than range balls anyway which the club make no effort to weed out - so they've got twice as many balls on the range as they've actually provided.
I don't actually use the range anymore but started doing this a couple of years ago on the advice of a member of staff. The dispenser was broken so they were providing baskets of balls in the shop. I wanted the smallest size but they only had the largest filled up... "Use what you want and take the rest home for next time. Please just don't take the basket away."

 

[Crazyface]

No. Cor that was easy. NEXT!

 

[Petercool]

This was my thinking. Technically stealing a range session, but also doing them a favour by clearing balls off a fairway and returning them to the range? Maybe the two things balance out.

As a sidenote, this 9-hole course sounds lethal if it's being peppered with range balls all day! Reminds me of the second hole at Little Hay. Have to play it with a crash helmet on.

When coming up the 9th I always hit left away from the range as there are always balls flying over the fence

 

[Petercool]

I think it all depends if the range charges for the balls you hit, if it does then it is out of order really but stealing, not really, if the range is free, as some are at members clubs are then I don't really see anything wrong

As a member we get 100 balls a day free.

 

[stymied]

You probably would not take your own booze down the pub or your own sandwiches to a cafe. Or booze and sandwiches that you had "found".

Depends on the circumstance. I bring my own water bottle almost everywhere. A lot of US courses have signs specifically stating no outside food or drink permitted (water is usually acceptable).

To me your scenario is more like bringing your own balls to the driving range and hitting them. I used to work the range and a lot of people hit their own balls into the range at the end of the round.

I don't really use the range. A course I previously belonged to had the driving range down the left side of the first hole. There were regularly balls along the left side of the fairway and I always hit a yellow ball off the first tee. I never collected the balls but would often throw, back hand and occasionally take full swings (understand this is not within the rules of golf) to get balls back toward the range. Really doubt anyone would have a problem with those actions.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Depends on the circumstance. I bring my own water bottle almost everywhere. A lot of US courses have signs specifically stating no outside food or drink permitted (water is usually acceptable).

To me your scenario is more like bringing your own balls to the driving range and hitting them. I used to work the range and a lot of people hit their own balls into the range at the end of the round.

I don't really use the range. A course I previously belonged to had the driving range down the left side of the first hole. There were regularly balls along the left side of the fairway and I always hit a yellow ball off the first tee. I never collected the balls but would often throw, back hand and occasionally take full swings (understand this is not within the rules of golf) to get balls back toward the range. Really doubt anyone would have a problem with those actions.

Nothing too much wrong about returning the balls, but you should not be dodging proper payment for the proper way to use the range.
Unless the range states clearly that you can bring your own balls, like places that do allow you to bring your own booze.

 

[Orikoru]

In order to steal something you have to assume the rights of the owner to their property and intend to permanently deprive them of it. There’s no permanent retention if you hit the balls on the range. So no theft.

What you have more likely done is committed what is known as a bilking, by not paying for the use of the range balls, assuming that payment is required. It’s the same principle as eating a meal at a restaurant and doing a runner, or filling up with fuel and driving off without paying.

Regardless, I shouldn’t think the club are really that bothered.

I've literally never heard the word 'bilking' before in my life. I thought theft was theft, whether you were stealing an object, or a service or use of a facility. Learn something new every day.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I've literally never heard the word 'bilking' before in my life. I thought theft was theft, whether you were stealing an object, or a service or use of a facility. Learn something new every day.

Theft is theft, as far as I know.
The intention to permanently deprive.

Not paying for something is not necessarily theft. The aggrieved party has to take action to recover money owed.

 

[Deleted member 36735]

Although not the world's worst crime, as I see this it is using the range without paying for the service.

The fact that you picked up their balls is pretty irrelevant as they would have done this anyway at less cost than selling a bucket of balls.

 

[Neilds]

Although not the world's worst crime, as I see this it is using the range without paying for the service.

The fact that you picked up their balls is pretty irrelevant as they would have done this anyway at less cost than selling a bucket of balls.

The OP has stated they get 100 balls a day free so I don't see how picking up a few more can be seen as crime .

 

[Deleted member 36735]

The OP has stated they get 100 balls a day free so I don't see how picking up a few more can be seen as crime .

Well, he didn't mention that in the original post, so if he did then the whole question would be irrelevant.

Plus, when someone says "at a 9 hole course near me", that is not the normal wording of someone who is a member of that course, normally we'd say "at my club" or something like that.

 

[sunshine]

More like unlawful borrowing than stealing to me - after all, you aren’t taking the balls, just giving them back. You could also argue you are doing the club a favour by returning the balls to the range.

I agree... unless you then slice them back on to the golf course

 

[sunshine]

If you get a bucket of balls at the range, and find a brand new pro V1 amongst the range balls, do you put it in your pocket? This is theft too I imagine?