TopGolf

[Cavlaw]

My wife and I discovered a pretty cool place called TopGolf last night. It's a two-level driving range, but everyone gets golf balls that are electronically coded to you, so that when you hit a ball out towards the target a computer in your bay will tell you how far you hit it and how close you were to the pin. You get points depending on how close you are to a pin, and you can program the computer for the particular pin you're shooting at if you want to, so it won't count other targets.

They have 3 locations in the UK and 3 in the United States, one of which is in the Chicago suburbs (other two in the US are outside of DC and Dallas). It's a fun place, so I thought I would share the find.

[oaker57]

That sounds like a great driving range, I wish there was one close to me here in PA.
However my big question is, if they can put somthing in those golf balls to track the "stats", why can't they put somthing in balls to help locate all those errant shots that we duffers lose into the rough or the woods???
We all don't have a gallery to point and say: "here's your ball Tiger, it's hiding under this log, and you would have never found it if it hadn't bounced of my leg" A nice little tracking device would be worth it's weight in gold, and imagine how it would speed up the play of that group in front of you....

Just a little wishfull thinking

[rthomas]

That sounds like a great driving range, I wish there was one close to me here in PA.
However my big question is, if they can put somthing in those golf balls to track the "stats", why can't they put somthing in balls to help locate all those errant shots that we duffers lose into the rough or the woods???
We all don't have a gallery to point and say: "here's your ball Tiger, it's hiding under this log, and you would have never found it if it hadn't bounced of my leg" A nice little tracking device would be worth it's weight in gold, and imagine how it would speed up the play of that group in front of you....

Just a little wishfull thinking

The golf ball industry would die if everyone could find there ball. They depend on us losing them.

[captmojo]

I used to keep my score by comparing the number of lost balls to the number of found balls. Back in the old days, when I had Mondays off, I used to walk a local course where many golfers took the attitude that "They're makin' brand new ones every day" and let them lay cold and lonely in the woods. I made friends with these balls and was more than happy to add them to my collection.








Shankasauruses

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I used to keep my score by comparing the number of lost balls to the number of found balls. Back in the old days, when I had Mondays off, I used to walk a local course where many golfers took the attitude that "They're makin' brand new ones every day" and let them lay cold and lonely in the woods. I made friends with these balls and was more than happy to add them to my collection.

Shankasauruses

Shankasauruses - that's funny!

I don't buy new balls. I get my Pro V's from used ball stores, like the one on I-95 South Carolina exit 8 (the Hilton Head exit, which is very convenient! ) Also bought some on line. I spend ~$15/dozen for balls that have been hit a time or three, rather than $45/dozen. They hit just as well, and after I've played a hole or two with them, new ones would look the same anyway, to say nothing if I happen to hit a cart path (or tree) with my shot. If you go this route, be sure NOT to buy reconditioned golf balls. These have had the paint stripped off of them and are then repainted - you don't really know what you are getting. Rewashed used balls are just that - they don't look quite as pretty, but you know you are hitting a Pro V1, or whatever you buy.

[bjornolf]

You can get them pretty cheap at Costco too. A couple years ago, I bought a pack of 20 new collegiate-stamped balls (which included USC, UCLA, Michigan, Duke, UNC, Navy, Penn State, Texas, and a bunch of others) for like $12. I think they were Top Flight XLs, but it was a while ago, so I'm not sure.

I played my best round of golf with that darn UNC ball. I kept wailing away at it, TRYING to lose it, and it just kept flying down the middle of the darn fairway. I'm one of those gorillas that crushes the ball about 300 yards forward, but it could be anywhere within a 120 degree cone. I was TRYING to knock this ball into the deep stuff, but it just refused to get lost. I had that ball for about three rounds before I finally whiffed and knocked it into a water hazard. I'm normally lucky if I have a ball last 6 holes. I cheered when that happened. Darned ball just wouldn't give up! It still haunts my dreams some nights. My Duke ball, on the other hand, which I TRIED to take care of (never even pulled out my driver with it), barely lasted two holes before I lost it. Just goes to show I guess.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I kept wailing away at it, TRYING to lose it, and it just kept flying down the middle of the darn fairway. I'm one of those gorillas that crushes the ball about 300 yards forward, but it could be anywhere within a 120 degree cone. I was TRYING to knock this ball into the deep stuff, but it just refused to get lost.

The old saying "swing hard in case you hit it" is not all wrong. There is a lot to John Daly's philosophy of "grip it and rip it". Don't over think your golf swing.

See, this wasn't frivolous!

[captmojo]

Due to a lack of time I haven't been able to play for quite a while.

With all that's on the market, for me and my swing, it's tough to beat a low compression Titleist.

Oz, I admit to stealing "Shankasaurus" from one of the latest E-Trade commercials. That kid is great.

[dukeforester]

I lose enough balls (though not as many as a few years ago) that I purchase mine off ebay. Usually pay between $.25-.30/ball. Brand names vary, but I'm a Sunday duffer, so doesn't make a whole lot of difference to me. Never knew that about reconditioned balls. I'll remember that for all future purchases. Thanks Ozzie!