Taking Unused Balls Home from Driving Range (MERGED)

[tatertot]

Is it right or wrong.

One of the 2 driving ranges I go to offers a "Jumbo" bucket of balls - basically, 4 "big" buckets for the price of 2. A good deal, but the only people who get through them are the machine gunners who just smack one ball after another or groups of guys who share.

Anyway - I saw a sign up that said "Please do not take buckets with you." I thought this was odd, and asked the guy behind the counter if someone was stealing buckets.

He said no, kids (high schoolers and college guys) were buying a "jumbo", hitting a few balls, and then taking the buckets home with them. They'd come back the next day, hit a few more, and load up the bucket in their car again. They'd repeat till they ran out of balls, and then do it again.

I started to watch out for it -- and a BUNCH of these younger guys are doing it, even though the sigh clearly is asking them not to.

Is this a problem anywhere else?

[mesquite2]

Yes, happens all the time at a 2 course county complex where I used to be a starter. A bucket of balls is $4.00( about 40 balls). many people would buy $20 worth of tokens & hit until they couldn't stand up anymore, whatever was left went into their trunk, if we saw them we stopped them, but this is a VERY busy place. So busy that our range pickers never stopped picking, just kept going around & around. Every spring the course had to purchase new buckets to replace the ones that are in somebodies garage.

[NateTheGolfer]

never heard of this

or thought of it lol

[Golf_Beauty]

Wow. I've never heard this before...now I'm going to keep an eye out at my range. Funny.

[Ace In The Hole]

Can't say I have ever seen that at our range, I have a range pass so I don't have a problem with getting a bucket and only hitting a few balls to warm up.

[Blackfinn]

Buckets always disappearing at my course. Kids drive up, take empty buckets then drive to the end of the range. In one back corner, there is a low fence after a downslope, so they can climb over without being seen and steal all the balls that run down the slope. they take the buckets AND the balls.

[larrybud]

I'm probably going to get hell for this.... Now, I've never taken a *bucket home*, but on my league course they eliminated the small bucket, which IMO is just ridiculous. So to warm up before the league, you have to buy a $6 bucket of 50 or 60 balls. I've got maybe 15 minutes to warm up... so I'll hit 20 balls, throw the rest in the bag, bring them back the following week.

Ok, give me your best shot!!!

[Ghost_Orchid]

If I run out of time or get too tired, what am I supposed to do? Leave the balls that I paid for? I'll stick em in my bag and use them the next time. If you take the range balls from one range and hit them on another range, then that's a huge problem.

[InTheHole]

Man, how low do you have to be to steal stuff from the driving range. Damn. Leaving the premisis with a bucket and/or range balls is stealing, plain and simple- yeah, you intend to go back to hit the rest, but there's no guarantee you'll do that. Until you return, this stuff is stolen.

The other day I saw an empty bucket in the parking lot. I didn't think anything of this except to wonder why it was there. Now I'm wondering if people are doing this at my range.

The range I go to has only one size and they give you tokens which are used to dispense a bucket (about 80 balls) from a vending machine.

The idea is you only dispense one bucket at a time and hit it. If you bought too many tokens, you can leave with them and come back. I'm thinking this cuts down on this type of thing. At least I hope it does- this type of thing only hurts the other golfers at the range.

Another range I used to go to has a "no golf bags on the range" rule. I asked them why and they said it was because people were stealing range balls by hiding them in their golf bag. I stopped going there. Nastly ol' coots running the place, anyway.

Pay it forward, I say- if you can't hit the whole bucket, give the remaining balls to the guy next to you or just leave them there for the next person. I've done it and I've also been the recipient of "extra balls." It all evens out in the end.

[Keith31]

[quote name='InTheHole' date='11 March 2010 - 09:04 PM' timestamp='1268359456' post='2310429']
Man, how low do you have to be to steal stuff from the driving range. Damn. Leaving the premisis with a bucket and/or range balls is stealing, plain and simple- yeah, you intend to go back to hit the rest, but there's no guarantee you'll do that. Until you return, this stuff is stolen.

The other day I saw an empty bucket in the parking lot. I didn't think anything of this except to wonder why it was there. Now I'm wondering if people are doing this at my range.

The range I go to has only one size and they give you tokens which are used to dispense a bucket (about 80 balls) from a vending machine.

The idea is you only dispense one bucket at a time and hit it. If you bought too many tokens, you can leave with them and come back. I'm thinking this cuts down on this type of thing. At least I hope it does- this type of thing only hurts the other golfers at the range.

Another range I used to go to has a "no golf bags on the range" rule. I asked them why and they said it was because people were stealing range balls by hiding them in their golf bag. I stopped going there. Nastly ol' coots running the place, anyway.

[b]Pay it forward, I say- if you can't hit the whole bucket, give the remaining balls to the guy next to you or just leave them there for the next person. I've done it and I've also been the recipient of "extra balls." It all evens out in the end.
[/b][/quote]


Good for you!!! I am the same way. If I am done hitting balls and there are some, or even a lot left, I will either see who is around me that wants to hit them, or leave them there for the next guy or gal who comes along.

[md7716]

I have never heard of this. Seems crazy to me. If I'm done warming up or don't feel like hitting anymore balls, I'll just leave the extras for the next guy. I just figured that was an unwritten rule. Man, stealing range balls or taking extras home with you for the next time just doesn't seem right to me. But that's just my two cents.

[highergr0und]

Even the large bag at my range is so small that there's not a chance of it happening.

[B Keller]

If I am at a range then I leave anything I don't want to hit.

But if I am at a course and either don't have time or am warm before they are gone, I will put them in my cart and work on any problems that arise during my round with the extras after I putt out on 18. There have been many times that I have, say, a 1:30 tee time and show up at the starter to check in/get balls that I have already paid for just to be told, "Here are your range balls, but you are being moved to 1:10 so be back in 5 minutes."

I'm not surrendering those ball/that money.

[chadfox]

[quote name='Keith31' date='11 March 2010 - 06:18 PM' timestamp='1268360313' post='2310461']
[quote name='InTheHole' date='11 March 2010 - 09:04 PM' timestamp='1268359456' post='2310429']
Man, how low do you have to be to steal stuff from the driving range. Damn. Leaving the premisis with a bucket and/or range balls is stealing, plain and simple- yeah, you intend to go back to hit the rest, but there's no guarantee you'll do that. Until you return, this stuff is stolen.

The other day I saw an empty bucket in the parking lot. I didn't think anything of this except to wonder why it was there. Now I'm wondering if people are doing this at my range.

The range I go to has only one size and they give you tokens which are used to dispense a bucket (about 80 balls) from a vending machine.

The idea is you only dispense one bucket at a time and hit it. If you bought too many tokens, you can leave with them and come back. I'm thinking this cuts down on this type of thing. At least I hope it does- this type of thing only hurts the other golfers at the range.

Another range I used to go to has a "no golf bags on the range" rule. I asked them why and they said it was because people were stealing range balls by hiding them in their golf bag. I stopped going there. Nastly ol' coots running the place, anyway.

[b]Pay it forward, I say- if you can't hit the whole bucket, give the remaining balls to the guy next to you or just leave them there for the next person. I've done it and I've also been the recipient of "extra balls." It all evens out in the end.
[/b][/quote]


Good for you!!! I am the same way. If I am done hitting balls and there are some, or even a lot left, I will either see who is around me that wants to hit them, or leave them there for the next guy or gal who comes along.
[/quote]


Exactly how it should be!

[InTheHole]

[quote name='B Keller' date='11 March 2010 - 09:58 PM' timestamp='1268362684' post='2310555']
If I am at a range then I leave anything I don't want to hit.

But if I am at a course and either don't have time or am warm before they are gone, I will put them in my cart and work on any problems that arise during my round with the extras after I putt out on 18. There have been many times that I have, say, a 1:30 tee time and show up at the starter to check in/get balls that I have already paid for just to be told, "Here are your range balls, but you are being moved to 1:10 so be back in 5 minutes."

I'm not surrendering those ball/that money.
[/quote]


That's a little different- a) you're at a facility with a golf course and b) you're not leaving.

I think we're talking about dedicated driving ranges with no golf course and people taking balls/buckets home with them.

[youngwaldo]

I thought peolple took couple or a few balls but taking more than that to hit later is wrong. I would have to agree that you leave the balls for the next person but leaving with the balls is stealing. my 2cents.

Wk

[TM_HOYER]

It always amazes me on the excuses people will use to justify their actions to make an illegal act legal in their minds. The balls and buckets are owned by the driving range and you pay money to use them at that driving range. If you leave with the bucket or any of the balls, you are stealing and can be charged if caught. At one private course I play, you even take a driving range ball to use on the course, you can lose your membership privileges. But their range balls are Callaway Tour series, not your typical range ball.

If you cannot finish and there is a kid hitting balls, ask it they would like the rest of the balls, otherwise leave them for someone else.

[usfbulls09]

If I ever do have range balls left over, I generally just offer them to whoever is left on the range, since people have given me their remaining buckets about 50% of the time I practice. The farthest I'll take them is to the chipping range to practice before hitting, but I never take them from the facility. But I know people definitely steal from the range because, a) I've seen it happen, and b) there is a new sign saying that the balls used at the range are limited compression and won't fly as far as the real balls and not to take them (they are real balls though, I hit these as far as my gamers). The only time I've taken range balls was when my friend who works at the course handed me a couple buckets since they were getting rid of the really bad condition balls, but I've never stolen golf balls from them.

[MatthewT]

Not a bad idea, haha

[MtlJeff]

[quote name='larrybud' date='11 March 2010 - 08:52 PM' timestamp='1268358720' post='2310402']
I'm probably going to get hell for this.... Now, I've never taken a *bucket home*, but on my league course they eliminated the small bucket, which IMO is just ridiculous. So to warm up before the league, you have to buy a $6 bucket of 50 or 60 balls. I've got maybe 15 minutes to warm up... so I'll hit 20 balls, throw the rest in the bag, bring them back the following week.

Ok, give me your best shot!!!
[/quote]

it's their own fault for taking away the small bucket, they're basically asking for it.

[T-Gates]

Yearrrrrrrs ago when I was working at a driving range in high school, I caught a regular taking range balls home. We had just gotten brand new Top Flite XL 2000 range balls (top of the line for the time) and he was filling his trunk with them.

[B Keller]

[quote name='InTheHole' date='11 March 2010 - 09:13 PM' timestamp='1268363624' post='2310590']
[quote name='B Keller' date='11 March 2010 - 09:58 PM' timestamp='1268362684' post='2310555']
If I am at a range then I leave anything I don't want to hit.

But if I am at a course and either don't have time or am warm before they are gone, I will put them in my cart and work on any problems that arise during my round with the extras after I putt out on 18. There have been many times that I have, say, a 1:30 tee time and show up at the starter to check in/get balls that I have already paid for just to be told, "Here are your range balls, but you are being moved to 1:10 so be back in 5 minutes."

I'm not surrendering those ball/that money.
[/quote]


That's a little different- a) you're at a facility with a golf course and b) you're not leaving.

I think we're talking about dedicated driving ranges with no golf course and people taking balls/buckets home with them.
[/quote]
I know, that's why I wrote the first sentence. Just trying to add a wrinkle to the range/course facilities.

[Speedly]

The idea of taking balls home doesn't seem bad to me. If you've paid for them, and you do come back to the same facility and hit those balls, it's the same as hitting the entire bucket in one sitting, as far as paying for the balls is concerned. The course doesn't lose money that way.

But of course, there are the idiots that will take them home and keep them. That is something I adamantly disagree with as stealing is never ok. But the quandry is, how do you know who's going to do what? Ascertaining that is, of course, impossible to do.

If I were the range owner, I'd be completely supportive of stopping those people taking them home except for my close friends, people who I could knock on their door and tell them to give me my damned balls back if they abuse the privilege. But I don't think that those here that have bought a bucket, and -brought it back later- aren't doing anything wrong, as they haven't stolen anything.

[Sean2]

We used to have NXT Tours...until people started taking them, and not returning them. Those days are long gone.

[TM_HOYER]

[quote name='Speedly' date='12 March 2010 - 12:14 AM' timestamp='1268370858' post='2310851']
The idea of taking balls home doesn't seem bad to me. If you've paid for them, and you do come back to the same facility and hit those balls, it's the same as hitting the entire bucket in one sitting, as far as paying for the balls is concerned. The course doesn't lose money that way.

[/quote]

You paid to hit the balls at that time, not over a period of time. And the range does lose money because of this. Because of the people that take balls home, they have to pickup the balls more frequently, costing more money. They have lost use of those balls, costing the range money. They look at the number of balls they have, see a loss in the number and order more balls, costing the range money. Plus when you go back, you are not getting another bucket, costing the range money.

[bigred90gt]

[quote name='B Keller' date='11 March 2010 - 08:58 PM' timestamp='1268362684' post='2310555']
If I am at a range then I leave anything I don't want to hit.

But if I am at a course and either don't have time or am warm before they are gone, I will put them in my cart and work on any problems that arise during my round with the extras after I putt out on 18. There have been many times that I have, say, a 1:30 tee time and show up at the starter to check in/get balls that I have already paid for just to be told, "Here are your range balls, but you are being moved to 1:10 so be back in 5 minutes."

I'm not surrendering those ball/that money.
[/quote]

I think if I wanted to warm up, I would explain to them that I made my tee time for 1:30, and that I will not be teeing off in 5 minutes, as I would prefer to warm up first. Then again, I have a bad back, and I HAVE to warm up, or else I run the risk of really hurting myself on the course.

[kesler]

I am sorry but golf is one of the last honorable games. If we do not pull people like this up and explain we try to act proper at the range and on course they will never get it. Same as pace of play.

[Speedly]

[quote]You paid to hit the balls at that time, not over a period of time. And the range does lose money because of this. Because of the people that take balls home, they have to pickup the balls more frequently, costing more money. They have lost use of those balls, costing the range money. They look at the number of balls they have, see a loss in the number and order more balls, costing the range money. Plus when you go back, you are not getting another bucket, costing the range money.[/quote]
I'm sorry, but I must disagree. I don't know about your range, but at all the ranges around here, the price is for a bucket of balls of a certain size, and nothing else. The signboard does not say the balls must be hit before the range closes.

I cannot really dispute the pick-up-balls-more-often point. I can only say that the difference for a few people doing it every once in a while is nearly insignificant. I do recognize, though, that if a large number of people do it, then your point does indeed apply.

The order-more-balls point isn't part of the issue. To illustrate this, let's say someone takes 100 balls home for, oh, a month (which is a ridiculous amount of time to keep the balls even if it were allowed). The range notices these 100 balls missing somewhere, and orders 100 more to make up for it. The person then comes back to the range, and hits the 100 balls out. The range now has 100 more balls than it did before the person took it home. This can result in increased revenue for the course, but the main point of this is that when 100 of the balls end up going missing (shanked over the net, balls in poor condition, etc.), it will not have to order more balls at that point to stay at their desired stock level. In the end, it's a zero-sum game. So the range does not lose out on that money.

It is true that the range loses money on another bucket if you take your current one home. But if there were a range that allowed temporary take-home of balls and one that didn't, you'd better believe I'd be giving my money to the one with the more convenient rules.

But none of it matters anyhow - no range owner in his right mind is going to open the door that widely for the possibility of theft. Plus, I clearly said I completely agree with and understand ranges doing everything they can to stop this practice. After all, my argument isn't in favor of ranges taking up this practice, but rather, that the guys in here that have admitted to doing it aren't bad people or stealing from the range.

[The Gachet]

If I don't finish a bucket I will usually just give them to the person in the next bay or a youngster who seems determined and hungry enough to hit as many balls as he possibly can.

[TM_HOYER]

You paid to hit the balls at that time, not over a period of time. And the range does lose money because of this. Because of the people that take balls home, they have to pickup the balls more frequently, costing more money. They have lost use of those balls, costing the range money. They look at the number of balls they have, see a loss in the number and order more balls, costing the range money. Plus when you go back, you are not getting another bucket, costing the range money.

I'm sorry, but I must disagree. I don't know about your range, but at all the ranges around here, the price is for a bucket of balls of a certain size, and nothing else. The signboard does not say the balls must be hit before the range closes.

 

I cannot really dispute the pick-up-balls-more-often point. I can only say that the difference for a few people doing it every once in a while is nearly insignificant. I do recognize, though, that if a large number of people do it, then your point does indeed apply.

 

The order-more-balls point isn't part of the issue. To illustrate this, let's say someone takes 100 balls home for, oh, a month (which is a ridiculous amount of time to keep the balls even if it were allowed). The range notices these 100 balls missing somewhere, and orders 100 more to make up for it. The person then comes back to the range, and hits the 100 balls out. The range now has 100 more balls than it did before the person took it home. This can result in increased revenue for the course, but the main point of this is that when 100 of the balls end up going missing (shanked over the net, balls in poor condition, etc.), it will not have to order more balls at that point to stay at their desired stock level. In the end, it's a zero-sum game. So the range does not lose out on that money.

 

It is true that the range loses money on another bucket if you take your current one home. But if there were a range that allowed temporary take-home of balls and one that didn't, you'd better believe I'd be giving my money to the one with the more convenient rules.

 

But none of it matters anyhow - no range owner in his right mind is going to open the door that widely for the possibility of theft. Plus, I clearly said I completely agree with and understand ranges doing everything they can to stop this practice. After all, my argument isn't in favor of ranges taking up this practice, but rather, that the guys in here that have admitted to doing it aren't bad people or stealing from the range.

 

As I said in a previous post, that is nothing more than an excuse to justify the reasoning of taking the balls from the range. The range owns the balls and the range owns the bucket. If you take the balls and buckets from the range that owns those, YOU ARE STEALING. Saying I will bring them back later to finish hitting them is not justification unless you have permission of the range owner. If you cannot hit all of the balls, give the rest of the balls to a kid to hit.