Here’s a new gadget that every golfer is sure to want. It’s the latest in mini-robotics, a tiny robotic “person” that can locate any lost ball quickly and easily. They are on the market now for just under $100,000.00. Just kidding! There really are ball locators, but they aren’t mini-robots, like the little orange guy in the picture. And they won’t cost you nearly that much money.
Of course, money isn’t everything, but can you imagine how much money you’d save, not to mention your sanity, if you could locate those golf balls that are sent spinning into out of bounds areas whenever you hit the links?
They go by several names, including golf ball finders, golf ball locators, and golf ball retrievers. They are now routinely used on the course by newcomers and veteran golfers who don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars a month replacing balls that were sent spiraling off into no-man’s land.
Sometimes a golf ball can be right in front of your nose and you just can’t see it. It might be hiding under a leaf or blocked by your view because of a rock or tree. They’re small enough that they get lost all over the course, and a lost ball locator can often be your best friend.
How Do They Work?
How does a lost ball locator work? It’s simple technology using a transmitter that finds the ball’s code using receivers. When the receiver gets the signals from the ball, it shows you where the gadgets calculates your ball to be and then you can go and locate it easily and quickly.
Some lost golf ball locators are simple in nature, giving the golfer coordinates of where his or her ball is resting. Others are high-tech and offer verbal instructions to the golfer on where they should continue traveling to reach the destination of the ball, much like a GPS unit.
The processor of the lost ball locator uses triangulation calculation to determine where the ball winds up after it is struck. Usually, the receiver will display the location of the ball in accordance with the layout of the course.
Saves Your Sanity
This kind of golf gadget cuts down on the embarrassment and frustration a golfer feels when they hit a shot and then can’t find the ball anywhere. Not only is the situation embarrassing, but it also disrupts the concentration of the golfer on his or her next shot, and they also have to incur penalties for losing the first ball.
With some gadgets, you may have to put yourself within a certain distance to the ball before the transmitter can work and the lost ball locator can work to your advantage. Some systems cost upwards of $250, but there are a variety of lost ball locators on the web to choose from, giving you flexibility in maintaining your budget.
