Night golf?

[lefthack]

Sure it has been mentioned, but i didn't see it. The club does a night scramble on July 3rd. BBQ starts at 8 tee off at 10. 4 different colored LED balls and LED cup rings. I didn't get in on this round, but I will. 

 

I played forever ago with chem light balls, but the LED's are awesome. They light up when you hit them and stay lit for like 5 minutes.

[Oufcfan]

We had it at our club for 4 holes during our captain’s charity day in June 2018. The captain played for 24 straight hours and members signed up to play 4 holes with him throughout the night. We had the 01:00-02:00 slot. Playing a par 3,4,5&4 again. I just wish my iphone at the time did it justice with the quality of the photos. 
 

it was such good fun, especially seeing the tracer style flights of the balls. Although on a couple of occasions, the ball stopped flashing as it was hit which led to a bit of searching based on feel of the strike alone!

 

this was during the peak of the heatwave/ drought of ‘18 in England so the course was bone dry and as well as the ball flights, you could actually see the sparks coming off the tee box when we hit a driver.

they had some chem lights around the greens and edge of fairways/ bunkers, and the flashing LED pins as you can see below, but the headlight was the only way to actually see your club head.

 

I really hope they do it again at some point…

[samwm]

I live on a course, so any time that the moon is full and some beverages have been consumed, you can guarantee I’m heading out for some late night holes.
 

Those LED balls sound handy, usually been wearing a headlight and playing coloured balls.

[2four22]

Father's Day is coming up here in Australia and the kids would like to buy me some glow-in-the-dark golf balls.  

 

Has anyone tried the Night Eagle LED golf balls: https://www.golfbox.com.au/balls/night-eagle-cv-night-golf-ball-multi/

 

Are there any better ones out there?

 

TIA!

[Ghostwedge]

I can tell you the balls that take the stick absolutely suck.

Like hitting a 1960 Rock Elite found in the bottom of a sewage pond.

Playing golf under the lights is fun, glow in the dark golf, one and done.

[EddieEdwards]

I did it once the balls that take the stick suck. They are rock hard, don't perform, do not fly as far.  The stick comes out, comes out in the air.  If I do it again I'm bringing the other ones with me.

[MtlJeff]

There's a place around here that did night golf for many years, i assume they still do...It was called UFO. It wasn't serious golf, it was mostly people who wanted to go smoke weed, eat mushrooms and play some version of golf at the same time

[lefthack]

14 hours ago, 2four22 said:

Father's Day is coming up here in Australia and the kids would like to buy me some glow-in-the-dark golf balls.  

 

Has anyone tried the Night Eagle LED golf balls: https://www.golfbox.com.au/balls/night-eagle-cv-night-golf-ball-multi/

 

Are there any better ones out there?

 

TIA!

 

I think these are the ones the club used.

 

 

[PDWALKER]

Only night golf i have done is with one of those balls when you hit it stays lit for like 5 minutes and it was a blast!

[MattM97]

I want to try the night golf that they have in the middle east and asia under giant flood lights. 

 

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CS_eBGUnf3V/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 

[lefthack]

12 hours ago, MattM97 said:

I want to try the night golf that they have in the middle east and asia under giant flood lights. 

 

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CS_eBGUnf3V/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 

 

Vegas.

 

https://lasvegasgolfcenters.com/play-tee-times/

[Yrrdead]

So I've used a few different balls over the past few years. 

 

The best feeling ball that I wouldn't hesitate to use all my clubs with are the most inconvenient ie they require a UV light to "charge" them. 

 

My favorite night golf ball though so far are some of these led balls. You don't have to hit them they just stay on until you turn them off. Super convenient ;  https://amazon.com/gp/product/B083G6T1M2

 

They can be turned on and off by shining a light at a certain spot and have rgb so they have 7 colors that you cycle through so everyone knows which ball is theirs. Though they are not the best balls to hit. I wouldn't use any woods or hybrids just an iron. We generally play it as a 1 club deal after significant "hydration".

 

If you are getting a little more serious the glow v1's are pretty legit;  https://smile.amazon.com/GlowV1-Glow-Ball-Charger-Light/dp/B08PMRCZFS

 

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

All I can say is the balls that are impact-ignition are burning for a set amount of time (8 minutes with the ones we tried). After that, they turn off, no „recharging“ in between with further hits.

It can get awkward waiting for the 8 minutes to pass and then reignite with the next shot. Otherwise, the light turns off when you’re on your way to the ball and you have no chance to find it. 
It‘s great fun, though!

 

[RayGorman]

Night Golf? You mean with lights or... "night putting with the 14 year old daughter of The Dean..."

[aenemated]

39 minutes ago, RayGorman said:

Night Golf? You mean with lights or... "night putting with the 14 year old daughter of The Dean..."

 

Mitch Comestein ... my roommate. Good guy. 

[Bonneville85308]

I played in a night tournament at my club maybe 5 years ago with the LED balls. It was kinda fun but I wouldn't get too excited about doing it again. I found it difficult to put a good swing on the ball without being able to see my own takeaway, plus little of the typical visual "picture" while standing over the ball. We played it as a scramble so you would always have someone to shine a flashlight at your feet when you were swinging, which helped. We played a modified 9-hole round on my home course that eliminated all of the holes with water hazards, creeks, ditches, etc. It was walking-only which meant 80% of our membership was immediately uninterested but we had maybe 25 people signed up.

[dokex]

My club used to have an annual night golf tourney, but it was cancelled after the same blind guy won it every year.

Edited September 9, 2021 by dokex
poor writing

[jackmfarrow]

In my limited experience, the fun of night golf is much more closely linked to the quality of play than daytime golf. LED is not as easy to see in the rough as the fairway. 

[Golfbit2X]

Reading through the posts from this topic, I think that there may be a lot of room for improvement in order to play effectively at night. Out of all the posts, I think the only thing mentioned that has worked for me is using UV golf balls. 

 

I also agree that the LED golf balls, while providing a good amount of light, are not playable due to the weight imbalance which significantly affects distance and accuracy.

 

I guess everyone knows that golf is a demanding and difficult sport so I've made adjustments so that I play on my own terms which is why I play night golf (back nine holes only) more often now to play at the time I prefer (late afternoon). I hate playing early because it means no late night out/TV, early to bed is a must the night before. I like to dictate my own terms to make it more enjoyable for me and make it less demanding.

 

Other benefits include:

 1.) 9 hole Twilight rate (half-off 18 hole green fees) for 18 holes

 2.) Play at your own pace on the back nine most of the time as I'm the only person on the course

 3.) Contours/Breaks of the green are revealed by the light

 4.) Confidence to start late in the afternoon and no fear of not being able to complete a round due to darkness

 5.) Launching the ball like a tracer round 

 

I've been playing night golf for more than a year now and the optimal equipment (investment: less than $ 170.00) I've been using has been able to provide more than enough effective illumination for at least 2.5+ hours in the essential areas: hitting area, Fairways (up to 250 yds) and Greens.

 

Here's my equipment for night golf:

(Note: I'm a walker and this will only work on a golf push cart)

 

1.) Beam flashlight (Fairway and Greens illumination): 

Nitecore MH25 v2 

1300 lumen max output with a throw of 519 yards

Link: https://a.co/d/fCBXv9F

=================================

2.) Articulating rig arm: SmallRig Clamp w/ 1/4" and 3/8" Thread and 9.8 Inches Adjustable Friction Power Articulating Magic Arm with 1/4" Thread Screw for LCD Monitor/LED Lights - KBUM2732B

Link: https://a.co/d/6SRNtIY

=================================

3.) Clamp (for beam flashlight):

SMALLRIG Super Clamp with 1/4 and 3/8 Thread 

Link: https://a.co/d/as7aAmk

=================================

4.) LED Floodlight (front illumination)

Manufacturer ‎FEIT ELECTRIC

Model #: wlr2000/2

Item Weight ‎3.32 pounds

Light Color ‎White 

Link: https://a.co/d/dGiYxNh

=================================

5.) UV Ball: R&L Glow Golf Balls for Night Sports - Tournament Fluorescent Glowing in The Dark Golf Ball - Long Lasting Bright Luminous Balls 

Link: https://a.co/d/irHbQ0l

=================================

6.) LED Headlight (side illumination)

MOER SKY Headlamp Flashlight, LED Headlight 

Link: https://a.co/d/511FNeK

 

If anyone is interested in outfitting their push cart for night golf, I'd be glad to assist or if anyone would like to give night golf a try, PM me and I can arrange a round.

Edited March 1, 2023 by Golfbit2X
Added benefits

[ksher84]

I really want to try to organize a night par 3 scramble at my home course, not sure the residents would be happy about it though.  This looks like so much fun

[naval2006]

On 3/3/2023 at 11:07 PM, ksher84 said:

I really want to try to organize a night par 3 scramble at my home course, not sure the residents would be happy about it though.  This looks like so much fun

We organized one last week and we had a great time. 3 par 3s and bbq after. 60 players, a hot summer night and people staying late into the night. Great fun, indeed. We’re repeating before the end of summer. 

[Golfbit2X]

On 3/1/2023 at 3:34 AM, Golfbit2X said:

Reading through the posts from this topic, I think that there may be a lot of room for improvement in order to play effectively at night. Out of all the posts, I think the only thing mentioned that has worked for me is using UV golf balls. 

 

I also agree that the LED golf balls, while providing a good amount of light, are not playable due to the weight imbalance which significantly affects distance and accuracy.

 

I guess everyone knows that golf is a demanding and difficult sport so I've made adjustments so that I play on my own terms which is why I play night golf (back nine holes only) more often now to play at the time I prefer (late afternoon). I hate playing early because it means no late night out/TV, early to bed is a must the night before. I like to dictate my own terms to make it more enjoyable for me and make it less demanding.

 

Other benefits include:

 1.) 9 hole Twilight rate (half-off 18 hole green fees) for 18 holes

 2.) Play at your own pace on the back nine most of the time as I'm the only person on the course

 3.) Contours/Breaks of the green are revealed by the light

 4.) Confidence to start late in the afternoon and no fear of not being able to complete a round due to darkness

 5.) Launching the ball like a tracer round 

 

I've been playing night golf for more than a year now and the optimal equipment (investment: less than $ 170.00) I've been using has been able to provide more than enough effective illumination for at least 2.5+ hours in the essential areas: hitting area, Fairways (up to 250 yds) and Greens.

 

Here's my equipment for night golf:

(Note: I'm a walker and this will only work on a golf push cart)

 

1.) Beam flashlight (Fairway and Greens illumination): 

Nitecore MH25 v2 

1300 lumen max output with a throw of 519 yards

Link: https://a.co/d/fCBXv9F

=================================

2.) Articulating rig arm: SmallRig Clamp w/ 1/4" and 3/8" Thread and 9.8 Inches Adjustable Friction Power Articulating Magic Arm with 1/4" Thread Screw for LCD Monitor/LED Lights - KBUM2732B

Link: https://a.co/d/6SRNtIY

=================================

3.) Clamp (for beam flashlight):

SMALLRIG Super Clamp with 1/4 and 3/8 Thread 

Link: https://a.co/d/as7aAmk

=================================

4.) LED Floodlight (front illumination)

Manufacturer ‎FEIT ELECTRIC

Model #: wlr2000/2

Item Weight ‎3.32 pounds

Light Color ‎White 

Link: https://a.co/d/dGiYxNh

=================================

5.) UV Ball: R&L Glow Golf Balls for Night Sports - Tournament Fluorescent Glowing in The Dark Golf Ball - Long Lasting Bright Luminous Balls 

Link: https://a.co/d/irHbQ0l

=================================

6.) LED Headlight (side illumination)

MOER SKY Headlamp Flashlight, LED Headlight 

Link: https://a.co/d/511FNeK

 

If anyone is interested in outfitting their push cart for night golf, I'd be glad to assist or if anyone would like to give night golf a try, PM me and I can arrange a round.

Update on equipment configuration for NIGHT GOLF (03/18/2023):

 

(Note: I'm a walker and this will only work on a golf push cart)

 

1.) Beam flashlight (Fairway and Greens illumination): Nitecore MH25 v2 

- 1300 lumen max output with a throw illumination range of 519 yards

Link: https://a.co/d/fCBXv9F

=================================

2.) Articulating rig arm: SmallRig Clamp w/ 1/4" and 3/8" Thread and 9.8 Inches Adjustable Friction Power Articulating Magic Arm with 1/4" Thread Screw for LCD Monitor/LED Lights - KBUM2732B

Link: https://a.co/d/6SRNtIY

=================================

3.) Clamp (for beam flashlight): SMALLRIG Super Clamp with 1/4 and 3/8 Thread

Link: https://a.co/d/as7aAmk

=================================

4.) LED Floodlight (side illumination when hitting the ball)

Manufacturer ‎FEIT ELECTRIC

Model #: wlr2000/2

Item Weight ‎3.32 pounds

Light Color ‎White 

Link: https://a.co/d/dGiYxNh

=================================

5.) UV Ball: R&L Glow Golf Balls for Night Sports - Tournament Fluorescent Glowing in The Dark Golf Ball - Long Lasting Bright Luminous Balls 

Link: https://a.co/d/irHbQ0l

Note: I think using UV balls instead of LED balls will allow players to have the same range as standard golf balls and avoid using the heavier and questionable balance of LED balls.

=================================

6.) LED Headlight (front illumination): MOER SKY Headlamp Flashlight, LED Headlight 

Link: https://a.co/d/511FNeK

=================================

7.) UV flashlight: R&L UV flashlight

Note: Included with purchase of an R&L Glow Golf Balls sleeve (3 balls).

=================================

8.) DIY Magnetic tee mount for UV flashlight

 

Edited March 19, 2023 by Golfbit2X

[hoselrocket256]

always wanted to try night golf!

[infinii]

I've played night golf and it was a nice way to avoid the heat but it's definitely not as enjoyable for people who can't hit fairways as the flood lights are only aimed at fwys and greens.

 

[bcjim]

Did it once,  not really much fun.  The balls suck and my depth perception gets wonky in low light.

[Golfbit2X]

4 hours ago, bcjim said:

Did it once,  not really much fun.  The balls suck and my depth perception gets wonky in low light.

Did you use the LED or the UV balls? I've been using the UV balls (see my previous post for specs) and it's close to the performance of regular golf balls. LED balls are the worst as the battery and electronic parts in the ball doesn't provide a balanced ball at all and will reduce the range by at least 50-100 yards compared to a regular ball. 

 

With the right LED flashlights (see my previous post for specs), you can have a really good amount of illumination so you may want to consider upgrading your lighting equipment (see my previous post for specs).

 

Paying half the green fee while practically having the whole course to yourself while playing under the stars is definitely an enjoyable experience if you set it up properly...

 

Edited July 19, 2023 by Golfbit2X

[Golfbit2X]

Been playing night golf for close to 2 years. I only play the last 6 holes or so  in darkness since I have to start playing when the twilight time starts which is at 4pm in late summer.

 

I can walk up and don't need to pay $6.00 for reservation fees to reserve my tee time so I can add this as another fringe benefit. However, the best thing is half off the green fees.

 

I've adjusted to playing in darkness but the tricky part is the twilight time where it is not totally dark so the UV balls will not be as effective when in total darkness.

 

Also, I learned that playing night golf at Bethpage Black is not good as I almost got locked-in the course!😲😬

 

I was fortunate that the greenskeeper was still there waiting for me and was able to unlock the gate after I finished up on the the Par 3 hole on the back nine.

 

However, playing on the Bethpage Red will work as there are no roads to cross and I've played there as late as 9:30 pm.

[tatertot]

I've heard the balls can damage clubfaces, especially drivers and fairways ... any experiences?

[Golfbit2X]

26 minutes ago, tatertot said:

I've heard the balls can damage clubfaces, especially drivers and fairways ... any experiences?

Nope, not true... the UV balls I use are similar to standard golf balls, same material except that they've added UV coating to allow light absorption and illumination. 

 

However,  there may be a slight difference in range as the UV balls will be shorter by 10-15 yards. 

 

On the other end of the spectrum, LED golf balls are a little bit harder,  heavier and not balanced due to the electronics and battery in the core so that may be your culprit. 

Edited September 7, 2023 by Golfbit2X

[Golfbit2X]

I wanted to get out on the course by 4PM ($25 18 hole twilight rate) but was only able to start my round by 5:20 pm as I had to finish up on some chores around the house and spoon feed my Lhasa Apso.

 

She has been finicky w/ her appetite for the past few weeks and only way for her to eat is to force feed her. 

 

Shot 41 (+5) on the front and 50 (+14) on the back yesterday @ Eisenhower Park - white course for a 91 (+19).

 

Not bad for a 17 handicap...but it would have been really good were it not for an 11 on hole # 13 (Par 4) and a triple on hole # 14 (Par 3).

 

Golf is hard as it is but if you throw in playing the last 7 holes at night then the difficulty goes up several notches.

 

I already have a good setup with my night golf equipment w/ multiple high intensity floodlight and long throw LEDs but there are limitations.

That limitation exposed itself on hole # 13 when I topped my second shot from the right rough using my Cleveland  utility wood. 

 

I was fortunate that it didn't go into the two other fairway bunkers on the right but it was still in a bad spot when it settled in a narrow strip of rough between the 2 fairway bunkers.

 

In order to use my LEDs that are hooked into the side of my bag, I would need to position my cart/bag to my right but that was not an option this time around.

 

I had to unhook my LED floodlight and place it on the ground close to the ball. While the ball was somewhat illuminated, the angle was bad and consequently, I mishit it again into the tall fescue/brush about 75 yards to my right leading to my only lost ball of the round.

 

Dropping a replacement ball and taking 1 stroke penalty (following my golf league rules), I hit another bad shot, this time 25 yds. over the green.

 

It took me 3 shots to reach the green and 2 putts to hole it for an 11!😖🤪😮‍💨🤬

 

On the next hole, hole # 14, I thought I had a good solid shot...ball was tracking towards the pin on a slight draw.

The Grint app had it at 143 yds. and my stock 7-iron range is 150 yds. so I choked down .25" on the grip.

 

I was shocked that it was short and landed in the middle pot bunker. It took me 2 shots to get out as my 1st was fat and failed to get out of the bunker. 

 

The ball now was a foot closer to the front lip, about 6+ feet deep.

I opened up my 60 degree wedge and thankfully, I hit it out but took me 3 putts to hole out. 

 

I'd still pat myself on the back as I was able to recover and play steady golf on the last 4 holes, finishing Par, Par, Bogey, Bogey.

 

I also think that my chances will be better at my golf league tournament on this same course next week so the reps I had yesterday will be helpful.

Edited September 11, 2023 by Golfbit2X