How much can you earn diving in the golf industry?
Buyers include the golf course, retailers, and golf ball companies. Anecdotal information suggests that divers earn about $200 a day. But, as independent contractors, divers must account for taxes and benefits (such as insurance, paid leave, and retirement savings) from that amount.
How do I become a golf ball diver?
Becoming a golf ball diver is relatively simple. All you really need is entry-level certification from a diving agency, active liability insurance, and a bit of experience.
What do golf ball divers do?
What they do. Golf ball divers are professional recyclers: They retrieve golf balls, which are then cleaned, repackaged, and resold. Before beginning work at a golf course, they meet formally with its owner or manager to agree on the terms of the job.
What are the dangers of being a golf ball diver?
Golf ball divers work in crews for safety reasons. They may face danger from wildlife, such as alligators, and from objects hidden underwater. And scuba equipment is heavy, so obstacles such as a fishing line could trap and drown divers. The tasks are also physically demanding, repetitive, and tiring.
Is diving for golf balls a job?
Golf ball divers are professional recyclers: They retrieve golf balls, which are then cleaned, repackaged, and resold. Before beginning work at a golf course, they meet formally with its owner or manager to agree on the terms of the job.
How much can you make scuba diving for golf balls?
Such pricy balls resell well, even after they've been submerged, and ESPN reports that golf-ball divers make an annual income between $50,000 and $100,000.
How much do golf ball collectors make?
Golf Ball Picker SalariesJob TitleSalaryNot Applicable Golf Ball Picker salaries - 1 salaries reported$10/hrStrongsville Golf Golf Ball Picker salaries - 1 salaries reported$10/hr
How do you become a professional golf ball diver?
To become a golf ball diver, an individual must be certified for unrestricted commercial scuba diving, which may require up to 200 hours of diving experience. They must also be certified in first aid and dive rescue, in good physical health, and should enjoy working outdoors at all times of the year.
How many golf balls are in a pond?
Weynand, 28, averages about 200 to 300 balls per pond but said many variables can affect the amount of balls in a lake, from the season to the location to whether they came from a left-handed or right-handed shot.
How does a golf ball retriever work?
0:432:54Super Small Golf Ball Retriever Review - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd it is being kind of pulled. In place by this spring now it'll rotate in either direction. And soMoreAnd it is being kind of pulled. In place by this spring now it'll rotate in either direction. And so when a ball hits this spring it kind of pushes up on it. And this traps it in there.
Is selling golf balls a good business?
There are even some companies that hire people to find them used golf balls. Selling used golf balls is a great way to make money. But before you sell them, it is important to know how much to charge and how to make sure that they are ready for sale. Golf Ball hunting is a very lucrative business.
Are old golf balls worth anything?
Because of the age and the craftsmanship put into these balls they are among the ones that have the highest price tag of collectible golf balls. These balls are referred to as antique, and goes for sums upwards of +$5000! See example from eBay below.
How long do golf balls stay good?
You can usually get about 10 years out of an unused golf ball, again, provided that it is stored properly. The best temperature for golf ball storage is around 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit.
How far does Zach Johnson drive the ball?
Not one of them belonged to Zach Johnson. His average drive is so far back of that you almost need a range finder to locate it. Certainly a measuring device would come in handy if comparing Johnson's typical drive, 273 yards, to the longest poke of last season, 424 yards, belonging to Bubba Watson.
What do golf courses do with balls in the water?
A number of businesses have started to collect old golf balls and turn them into profit. The most common way to find success in the golf-ball-recycling world is to employ divers to scavenge the balls from the lakes on and around golf courses. John Weynand is one of those divers.
How much is a golf ball?
The average cost of a golf ball is around $2. Of course, the golf balls can go much higher in the $4 range, and sometimes you can find the balls for less than $2 as well. The average cost of the golf ball is going to depend greatly on the type of golf ball it is and how it was manufactured.
How much do golf ball divers make a day?
Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t collect statistics on golf ball divers specifically, its website suggests divers might earn about $200 a day.
How much does Glenn Berger make retrieving golf balls?
Money doesn’t grow on trees. But maybe it lurks in shallow waters. Glenn Berger says he earns about $15 million a year retrieving golf balls from water hazards in golf courses around Florida. He dives for balls, collects them, cleans them and resells them to driving ranges for a buck a piece.
What is the golf capital of Florida?
Florida is the home of The Player’s Club, Sawgrass and the PGA TOUR’s headquarters, and is widely considered the golf capital of the nation. Because of the elite reputation of the course, players — even amateurs — who visit the TPC-Sawgrass course use high-quality balls that might sell for almost $50 per dozen.
How much money can a golf ball diver make?
How much money could you make as a golf ball diver? A golf ball diver usually earns from $50,000 to $100,000 a year, which is what we at MoneyMagpie call a decent sum. The independent diver or the company they represent usually signs an esclusive contract with 10-20 courses to retrieve their water hazard’s balls.
How many golf balls are recycled each year?
Every year, around one billion balls are produced, but nearly 100 million of these are later salvaged and recycled.
How much do golf ball divers make?
Buyers include the golf course, retailers, and golf ball companies. Anecdotal information suggests that divers earn about $200 a day.
Why do golf ball divers work?
Golf ball divers work in crews for safety reasons . They may face danger from wildlife, such as alligators, and from objects hidden underwater. And scuba equipment is heavy, so obstacles such as a fishing line could trap and drown divers. The tasks are also physically demanding, repetitive, and tiring.
How do two person dive crews work?
Roller. Two-person dive crews may work with a roller, which consists of metal discs on wheels. The roller’s metal grooves grasp balls as it moves through the water. Crewmembers stand on the ground at opposite ends of the pond and guide the roller by pulling on a wire connected to it.
How old do you have to be to dive golf ball?
Golf ball divers must be at least 18 years old and be certified for unrestricted commercial scuba diving. Certification may require up to 200 hours of dive experience, including low visibility diving, underwater navigation, and search and recovery.
How many ponds are there in a golf course?
A typical golf course has between 4 and 12 ponds. Divers spend 8 to 10 hours per day harvesting the ponds and may need multiple days to finish a job. Depending on the size of each pond, divers recover balls with the help of a dive crew or a roller.
Why do golfers dive?
Golf ball divers enjoy working outside. Because golf courses are generally well maintained, the manicured landscapes are attractive and designed for comfortable walking. But the conditions that draw golfers to the course are often the ones that challenge divers.
What do you need to know before you start working at a golf course?
Before beginning work at a golf course, they meet formally with its owner or manager to agree on the terms of the job. For example, the course charges the diver a fee for the opportunity to harvest the ponds.
