If you have own or operate a driving range, then you are already aware of one of the major downsides of the job. Every ball that gets hit has to be picked back up. This can be hundreds, if not thousands of balls a day that have to be scooped up, cleaned, and made ready for delivery to the next golfer interested in practicing.

There are multiple ways of fetching the balls back, with the easiest being a ball picker. Ball pickers make it easier for your employees to clean up balls faster, resulting in a faster turnaround of balls and more cost effective labor. Here is a look at the different types of pickers that are used and what they are used for.

Towed golf ball pickers

No wheels
If you have a relatively flat driving range, then a no wheel ball picker is often your best bet. These pickers are designed to be towed by any golf cart and work extremely well on level and rolling ranges. This style of golf ball picker is designed to require as little maintenance as possible, and will often feature replaceable combs for ease of maintenance. It allows your employees to pick up balls quickly and easily by simply driving back and forth across the range.

Front wheel
If your driving range is a little more uneven, then a front wheel golf ball picker is usually your best option. These golf ball pickers are designed for use on driving ranges that are rough and uneven, and they can be attached to any golf cart. Reinforced elbows keep it sturdy while you are driving along, helping to keep the golf ball picker low maintenance.

Hilly terrain
If you have hilly or uneven terrain, then your best choice for a golf ball picker is a hilly terrain ball picker. These pickers are designed to contour with the terrain so that all of the balls are picked up. They are also among the most maneuverable and versatile of golf ball pickers, and can be towed by a golf cart or a tractor. Barely any maintenance on them means man hours saved for other projects.

Carried/Pushed Ball pickers

Hand pushed
Even with the best towed golf ball pickers there are going to be some areas where you just can't fit the picker. Smaller areas, like practice areas, and along the fence line are often difficult places for a towed picker to reach. For these situations, a pushed golf ball picker can makes it easier for your employees to pick up balls. Following the same basic idea as a lawn mower or a vacuum, you simply push the picker ahead of you and it picks up the balls. These come in a couple of different sizes depending on your individual needs.

Carried
For a smaller range, it might make more sense to just send one or two employees out to pick up the golf balls along the perimeter and/or the range. If that is the case, then a Bagshag ball retriever is a good option. It holds up to 100 balls depending on the style and helps to eliminate stooping, making it safer and easier to use than picking up balls by hand.

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