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2018 BALL RETRIEVER BUYER’S GUIDE
What if we told you that we could save you money playing golf?
According to CNN and Golf.com, 300 million golf balls are lost every year in the United States alone. On average, golfers lose 1.3 balls per round. The average golfer plays 23 rounds per year. That’s 29.9 lost golf balls per golfer. If you’re playing Titleist Pro V1s, that’s $124 annually on golf balls alone. That’s not a massive amount of money for one season, but over a decade or a lifetime, it adds up to a big chunk of change.
While it elicits its fair share of eye-rolls, the numbers suggest that a ball retriever is a sound investment. There are likely dozens of models on the market, but some designs are inarguably superior. Some have a scoop design where others have a clip mechanism to secure the ball. They vary in size; and in this case, size really does matter!
If you’re in need of a quality ball retriever, and that’s most of us – this guide is for you.
2018 Ball Retriever Features Chart
| Name | Distance Covered | Weight | Retracted Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callaway 15FT | 15 FT | 1.5 lb | 4 FT |
| I Gotcha 14 FT | 14 FT | 1.1 lb | 20.5 Inch |
| JP Lann 9 FT | 9 FT | 0.6 lb | 4 FT |
| Olimar 15 FT | 15 FT | 1.1 lb | 4 FT |
| Pro Active 15 FT | 15 FT | 1.2 lb | 4 FT |
| Samyo Portable Retreiver | 9 FT | 0.4 lb | 20 Inch |
| Search N Rescue Blue Rescue | 14 FT | 1.7 lb | 4 FT |
| Search N Rescue Magic Gripper | 14 FT | 1.2 lb | 24 Inch |
| Search N Rescue Orange Trapper | 9 FT | 0.5 lb | 22 Inch |
| Signstek Scoop Pick Up | 9 FT | 0.4 lb | 20 Inch |
FEATURES THAT MATTER
Ball Security: You can’t retrieve it if you can’t secure it. The ones that have a scoop design work best for soft mud, but the ball can fall out when turning upside down. Well-designed options like the I Gotcha excel at securing the ball, but sometimes struggle if the ground is soft.
Shaft Length: Size does matter because if you have a ball retriever that is too short, you won’t be able to reach balls that travel deeper into hazards. Granted you might not be able to reach the one that is in the middle of the lake, but the longer the shaft, the greater the chance you have at retrieving your ball.
Handle: When retrieving your golf ball, you want to be able to do so without getting pain or imprints from the handle. Once extended, some models get heavy and dig into your palms. We noted that the Search N Rescue Magic Gripper features an especially comfortable handle.
Sturdiness: When extended to full length, does the ball retriever droop or even snap? Some models like the I Gotcha are made from sturdier materials and hold their posture. Products that are lightweight tend to bend more and are less durable than ones that are slightly heavier like the Samyo.
HOW WE SCORE
We’re always fine-tuning the process to make sure we’re collecting the best data possible. Continuing that trend we’ve updated and refined this year’s analysis to bring you the best buying advice to improve your game.
We put in hours of testing, utilizing data-driven protocols to test new metrics.
Over the course of the test, we used the same protocol for every ball retriever in the test. To limit bias, we paid careful attention to the phrasing of the questions as well as the timing of when particular questions were asked.
Extension (25) – Does size really matter? Within this test, it does! The goal of a ball retriever is to collect you ball that has finished in any kind of water. Some retrievers have a shorter reach than others which can hinder your ability to reach your ball. The bigger the pond, the bigger your ball retriever needs to be.
Ball security (35) – After locating your stray shot, the next task would is to retrieve the ball. You want a retriever that holds your golf ball securely and can keep it secure until it reaches dry land. Not all products do this as well as they claim.
Sturdiness (30) – When extending the retriever, gravity tends to take a toll which can cause the retriever to bend and in some cases snap. Some retrievers use sturdier materials which hold their shape when extended. Products that are lightweight tend to bend more and are less durable than ones that are slightly heavier.
Handle (5) – The handle might not seem important to retrieving a golf ball, but it plays into effect more than you might think. A handle must be comfortable once retrieving the ball because all the weight is at both ends and can dig into the palm of the individual using it.
Storage (5) – In some cases, carrying a retriever is like carrying an extra club. Some are the same length as your driver, while compact models are the size of your forearm. The retrievers that performed well in this category are the ones that fold down to the smallest size possible. The ones that did not perform as well tend to be the same length as a driver and took up space.
Final grades were awarded based on total scores. Best Overall is our highest overall scoring the best ball retriever, and awards are awarded to the top three retrievers.
THE BEST BALL RETRIEVER OF 2018
2018 Ball Retriever Buyers Guide
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Jim Neuendorf
5 years ago
Not that I need more golf bolls :) Ive used various retrievers. My favorite is the Search N Rescue.. HOWEVER, the lever popped off of mine and I could not find it.. NOR could I find a way to replace it without having to BUY another Search N Rescue. Would be nice to just be able to get a replacement part as these are expensive retrievers.