returning golf balls

jim8flog

jim8flog

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Following on from another thread.

If you find a ball on the course that has definitely been abandoned, from the markings you know whose ball it is, do you return the ball the owner or do you keep it for your own use.

I've got 2 mates with one of mine in theirs and have had to warn them not to play it when playing with me because it could lead to a wrong ball being played.

I have to admit for me it depends on type and make of ball and attitude of the other person.
 
It's unlikely I'll know whose ball it is from markings as most people just used generic two black dots, three black dots or whatever. If it had initials or something more distinctive then I'd probably pick it up and give it back to the guy if I saw him. Especially if it's a ball I'm unlikely to use.

If it's a ball I would use, I'll probably chuck it in the bag, and then use it if I run out of my other balls - and then if I haven't lost it by the time I see the guy whose it was, then I'd give it back to him.
 
If I definitely know whose ball it is, I give it back. If not, it goes in my bag and I play it during a practice round. The balls I play in competitions are always ones I have marked with my clover leaves and a purple alignment line, they are pretty recognizable (never got one back from somebody who found one, though).
 
I've had balls returned to me because the markings are quite different to most. I have also returnedothers balls back to the original owner too:)
 
If its someone I play withs then will save it until next time and declare the markings on the first tee as the ball Im playing, then throw it back to them and tee up my own ball

Had one guy refuse once, said the ball clearly didnt want to be found by him and it was too late to take it back haha
 
If I know who it is, I normally return it. But that rarely happens as most just have dots on them. There is one guy I know who has his initials on the ball and I have returned a couple to him. When I return it he normally gives me one of his other pickups as a reward! I have quite distinctive markings on mine but never had one returned to me. Not really expecting it either!
 
I bought four dozen in a special offer a couple of years ago, with my name on them. Still got over a dozen left and most of the others ended up in the practice bag but I've lost a fair few and none returned yet. In fairness, I'm dreading that happening. I know if I found a ball with the name of someone I knew on it I couldn't wait to return it to them!
 
That's one of the perks of being the only person at my club to play truviz, they always make there way back to me!!

Had a funny situation the other week where I played with a guy I don't normally play with. Used a Pro V1 out my bag that I had found the week before and we hit our balls on a very similar line (albeit mine was fat so obviously the shorter of the two) and he walked straight up to my ball and was about to play it before I stopped him. Turns out it was his ball I had found the week before and we were both playing the same ball! I did return it after the first hole.
 
I regularly get my balls returned to me, which is quite nice.

Did have one returned last week at Captains 'prayers' (just the Sunday announcements) which had a big red knob drawn on it.. (it was a provisional) so that created a bit of a giggle!
 
I was on about this only yesterday when Baghead played a provisional, we let through a two ball whilst looking for his first ball. One of the two ball walks past and looks at bag heads ball and says that's mine. It was (previously). Baghead said he would give it him back in the clubhouse but he lost it. 😁

Outta interest. Could you actually give it him back during a hole or would you have to wait til the end of the hole.
 
Tashyboy said:
I was on about this only yesterday when Baghead played a provisional, we let through a two ball whilst looking for his first ball. One of the two ball walks past and looks at bag heads ball and says that's mine. It was (previously). Baghead said he would give it him back in the clubhouse but he lost it. 

Outta interest. Could you actually give it him back during a hole or would you have to wait til the end of the hole.
Click to expand...
If you're playing a comp round you would have to finish the hole with the ball I would think. Replacing it would be a penalty stroke wouldn't it? Certainly on the fairway - not sure about the green though, if you mark it and pick it up, I would guess you have to put the same ball down again to play. Otherwise you could constantly have two balls on the go, one that was best for striking and a different one that was best for putting...

If you're just playing a friendly with mates though just change whenever you like as long as they're ok with it?
 
I play Callaway Truvis or Vice Pro Flamingo.....im forever getting them handed back to mr in the bar.

I'm not sure whether that says more about the goodwill of my fellow club members or the amount of balls I leave out there!!
 
i would say once lost its lost and keep any I've found.

i did return a ball to someone i know though, was marked stolen from " so and so" he was amused it gave it to him. But it was a crap WarBird though;)
 
I always keep one of Fragger's lost ones in my pocket - just in case I need to make him think he's played a wrong ball....😁😙
 
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