Returning lost golf ball etiquette

[HiTrajLoSpin]

I'm just curious what you think about this situation. I'm playing in a foursome with a guy from our usual group of 12-16 golfers. On the green I notice that he's playing with one of my golf balls (which have a unique name imprinting in red (Boom!) and blue dots on either side of 'Titleist'), so there's no doubt that it's one of my lost balls.

 

I said, "hey, that's one of my lost balls", and he said, "yeah, I found it by the water the other day". However, this guy never offered to return the ball. FWIW, in the past, I've found other people's balls with their names imprinted and returned them later. Am I wrong in assuming that proper golf etiquette would have been to offer to return my ball?

[SteelieD]

Tough one. Normally I’d say finders keepers. But me personally?…  I can’t think of any scenario (especially in a regular group!!) where I wouldn’t just give a guy his ball back if he identified it. 

[caniac6]

It’s happened to me. Finder’s keeper.

[PJE]

If I knew it was yours, I’d give it back to you.

I was confused though by your description; was your name or was it a catchphrase printed in the ball? 
If it was a catchphrase, maybe he didn’t know or remember it was your ball?

[Murphy76]

 

I will return any ball that has the following printed on it:

 

Name

Address

Daytime phone #

Date of Birth

SSN

Mother's Maiden Name

3 Character References

 

 

[caniac6]

21 minutes ago, Murphy76 said:

 

I will return any ball that has the following printed on it:

 

Name

Address

Daytime phone #

Date of Birth

SSN

Mother's Maiden Name

3 Character References

 

 

No registration number?

[jomatty]

I’d always give it back but I wouldn’t necessarily expect someone else to.  People are weird and life is too short to worry about something like that.  

[Klubster]

It is just a ball, no big deal, but I would have given it back without a thought.  

[bekgolf]

 

If I know someone's marking I will try to give it back, I don't play balls found on the course.  Yes, I'm picky.

[llewol007]

Nope, why would you expect it back. For your sake, he told you he found it. Not that he reached in your bag and took it. He didn’t know it belonged to you. So to expect him to return it is kinda funny in my book.

[MtlJeff]

I always return balls to people if i know their marking. If i don't know whose it is i'll keep it if it's in good shape

[tssgj65]

As a D2 college golf coach, I sometimes give out some of my personalized balls (sleeves) as prizes for various practice competitions.  I tell the sleeve winners make sure you don't lose these as I don't want people around town thinking I lost the ball with my bad shot........  Ha! 

 

If I lose one myself I don't want it back!!!

[nicoy3k]

He should have given it back… but you shouldn’t give a s*** about getting it back 

[Jwin323]

Bad karma to play someone else’s logo ball. I predict he will rinse it at a most in opportune time.

[cgasucks]

If I'm playing with a foursome and I hit my ball offline and try to find my ball but can't.  I tell my playing partners "If you find my ball it's yours".  It's their reward for having the determination to find one, especially if my ball is deep in the woods or in some impassable creek.

[SNIPERBBB]

11 hours ago, cgasucks said:

If I'm playing with a foursome and I hit my ball offline and try to find my ball but can't.  I tell my playing partners "If you find my ball it's yours".  It's their reward for having the determination to find one, especially if my ball is deep in the woods or in some impassable creek.

Actually their reward is making you go back and hitting it or having you take an unplayable lie if its not in a penalty area. 

[lefty1978]

I wouldn't care either way. I personally would have let them just keep it. After all they found it, apparently you couldn't.  

[Dpavs]

To me, once I abandon a ball as lost... it's time to get over it and move on.... period.

[StudentGolfer4]

34 minutes ago, Dpavs said:

To me, once I abandon a ball as lost... it's time to get over it and move on.... period.

Golf balls are like significant others. Once I declare it lost and move on I don’t care what others do with them 😂 

[Robert72]

My balls all say Titleist Pro V1.  

 

So if you find any, I'd appreciate their return.

[HiTrajLoSpin]

SMH at those of you with the juvenile assertion that just because you find something it then automatically becomes yours, despite the fact that the actual owner has positively identified it to your face via its personalized markings.

 

Is that any different than if you were to find sunglasses/wedge/rangefinder/etc under similar circumstances and believe that you’re entitled to keep them?

[larrybud]

Yes, losing a golf ball by an errant shot IS absolutely different than losing your sunglasses/wedge/rangefinder.

 

100% absolutely different.

[Billy_shears]

If you were my friend (or anyone really) I’d  give it back. Especially since you could identify it as yours with specific markings. I mean sure it’s just one golf ball but I feel that on a friend level you should at least offer to give it back. Though if one of my buddies found my ball i’d tell them to keep it. My loss is their gain. At any rate though I can definitely understand how you feel especially since it’s someone you know it seems like just a friendly courtesy anyway.

Edited August 21, 2022 by Billy_shears

[Imp]

"Oh, it was your lost ball?" (Throws it into the water)

[StudentGolfer4]

3 hours ago, HiTrajLoSpin said:

SMH at those of you with the juvenile assertion that just because you find something it then automatically becomes yours, despite the fact that the actual owner has positively identified it to your face via its personalized markings.

 

Is that any different than if you were to find sunglasses/wedge/rangefinder/etc under similar circumstances and believe that you’re entitled to keep them?

Hahaha yes it’s completely different. It’s not something that you simply left behind. Losing golf balls during the course of the round is part of the game. It’s not that deep. 
 

Full disclosure, if I found a buddies golf ball I would start by talking about how this ball was nowhere in play, had to be the result of the worst golf shot in history, was embarrassing to even be that far away from the fairway/green, etc, and then toss it back to them. 

[mdgboxx]

Golf balls are marked for identification purpose ONLY. If it's lost anywhere, It's lost to you.

What do Titleist Pro V and cheap Top-Flite (I'm 78 today) golf balls have in common?

They all have to be replaced.

I would have given it back. But, if the situation was reversed, I might mention that it was one of mine, I wouldn't expect to get it back. I lost it, he found it.

I once forgot a wedge on the side of the green. My name is etched, by PING, on all of my clubs, except for the woods. The man behind me drove up to bring it back...I bought him lunch.

Edited August 22, 2022 by mdgboxx

[Augster]

I’d have given it back if I knew it was your ball. Anyone that wouldn’t give it back is an absolute clown. They need to go have a discussion with their parents and identify where in their upbringing it went wrong. Maybe their parents can grow as people too. 
 

But to say a lost ball is the same as sunglasses, a range finder, or a forgotten wedge is preposterous. 

[deadsolid...shank]

I’d give it back. I always have when that has occurred. 
 

Ive also had a couple of mine returned, but I certainly never expected it. It’s still just a golf ball. 

[Imp]

5 hours ago, Augster said:

I’d have given it back if I knew it was your ball. Anyone that wouldn’t give it back is an absolute clown. They need to go have a discussion with their parents and identify where in their upbringing it went wrong. Maybe their parents can grow as people too. 
 

But to say a lost ball is the same as sunglasses, a range finder, or a forgotten wedge is preposterous. 

 

 

Agreed. One part of the OP that's left out is "did the OP ask for it back or just assume." Some people are HORRIBLE at picking up on social/situational cues, like the person that had the found ball. Sure, the OP identified it, said it was theirs, but stopped short of asking for it back. To the other person that had it, missing the implication/assumption by the OP that they think it should be offered back, is simply agreeing with them that it probably is their ball and waiting "well, he didn't ask for it back,..." missing the cue. OP missed the same cue, that personalities handle things differently, and neither is right, nor wrong. 

 

Personalities are fun. 🙂

 

[trilerian]

I once heard someone say that we don't own golf balls, we only rent them for awhile.  However, I have had quite a few golf balls given back to me by people who know my markings.  I have also found and given golf balls back to other people whose markings I know.  Personally, I find it a courtesy and the polite thing to do, but it isn't by any means something I would get upset over if I saw someone else playing my ball and they didn't offer it back.  As far as I am concerned, if I hit a wayward shot and can't find it, it is a free ball to the next person who does find it.