
Is there an industry behind golf ball diving?
It turns out there’s definitely an industry behind golf ball diving — but don’t quit your day job and grab your swim fins just yet. 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 do you become a golf ball diver?
How they prepare. 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 old do you have to be to scuba dive a 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.
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.

How much does a professional golf ball diver make?
between $50,000 and $100,000 annuallyOver the past couple of decades, golf ball retrieval and recycling has become a multimillion-dollar industry, in which hardworking divers can earn between $50,000 and $100,000 annually, depending on the economy and a diver's stomach for harsh conditions. Still, the wealth does not come cheaply.
How much do golf ball picker uppers make?
Golf Ball Picker SalariesJob TitleSalaryNot Applicable Golf Ball Picker salaries - 1 salaries reported$11/hrStrongsville Golf Golf Ball Picker salaries - 1 salaries reported$10/hr
What is the farthest driven golf ball?
"On September 25, 1974, Austin, then sixty-four, unleashed all hell on the ball, sending it 515 yards before it finally came to rest-sixty five yards beyond the flagstick on the par-four fifth hole. Thirty years later, it's still the longest drive ever." The Physics of Golf. Golf Swing Club.
What is the most popular golf ball on tour?
Starting with the clear majority winner a Titleist golf ball is used by 69% of the top 100 players on the PGA Tour – by far the most of all the major brands.
How do golf ball divers get paid?
Typically, golf ball divers earn money for each ball they recover. Buyers include the golf course, retailers, and golf ball companies. Anecdotal information suggests that divers earn about $200 a day.
How do you become a 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.
Who hit the longest golf drive ever?
Mike Austin's 1974 strike is recognized by Guinness as the official world record golf drive. And the historic shot had several unique elements to it. Firstly, the absurd 515 yards drive at the National Seniors Open Championship was made by a 64-year-old man with a wood driver.
Who hit the longest drive in golf history?
Mike AustinMike Austin holds the world record for the longest drive in professional play, driving 515 yards at the Winterwood Golf Course in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1974, blasting it 65 yards past the flag on the par-4 fifth. His golf swing, known as The Mike Austin Swing, is practiced and taught by current golf professionals.
What is Bryson DeChambeau's longest drive?
In Capital One's The Match, Bryson DeChambeau's 402-yard drive wins the Longest Drive.
How many golf balls can a PGA player carry?
nine golf ballsUnder the Rules of Golf, a golfer can carry as many golf balls as they want in their bag. Really, they can carry as many golf balls as they're willing to carry around themselves or their caddie is willing to lug around for them. Most PGA Tour golfers carry in the area of nine golf balls in their bag per round.
What is the hardest golf ball?
The hardest golf ball available is the Mizuno RB Tour X, which has a compression rating of 110. This ball produces low-mid driver spin, high wedge spin, and is ideal for better golfers with swing speeds above 105 MPH. Another option for a hard golf ball is the Titleist Pro V1X Left Dash.
Do any pros use Chrome soft?
Although other brands of balls like Titleist are preferred by the majority of tour players, there are still some pros who choose the Chrome Soft X like: Xander Schauffele. Marc Leishman. Alex Noren.
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.
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.
Do divers work on their knees?
For example, divers are often on their knees in mud when searching for balls. A diver's work schedule depends on golf course events. Divers may have to work when the course has nothing else scheduled, so they must be available any day of the week. Employment and wages.
Who is Dennis Vilorio?
Dennis Vilorio is an economist in the Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, BLS. He can be reached at (202) 691-5711 or at [email protected] . Dennis Vilorio, "Golf ball diver," Career Outlook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 2014.
Stickney: The evolution of necessary technology in golf instruction
Over time technology has improved so that we (as teachers) can see and understand motion and forces in action during the swing.
The Wedge Guy: You can change your stripes
Over my 40-plus years in the golf industry and a lifetime in the game, I have had the opportunity to observe thousands of recreational golfers of all skill levels. I believe the common thread between all of us – from scratch player to high-handicapper – is that we all would like to get better.
Fingerprints of your swing: More thoughts from Phil Blackmar (with Tom Stickney)
One of the biggest debates in the instructional world is the “way” in which people should use technology within their lessons. Some of the older pros are dead against it and say we have gone too far (Brandel Chamblee). Other pros like to blend feels and science (Phil Blackmar).
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.
Who is Jamie Cattanach?
Jamie Cattanach is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder and a Florida native. She’s never played a game of real golf — and she’s so bad at putt-putt that if she did, golf ball divers would be making millions easily.
How much does Rossbauer make a day diving?
Unlike Goodley, he uses scuba tanks and calms himself by singing through his regulator for hours at a time. He claims to earn between $250 and $1,000 a day diving in one of the top golf destinations in the world. Rossbauer describes gators as more of a nuisance than a danger.
How many golf balls are lost in the US each year?
An estimated 200 million golf balls are lost in the U.S. each year, said Jeff Wall, vice president of procurement with PG Professional Golf, which bills itself as the world's largest recycled golf ball company.
What does Rossbauer mean by gators?
Rossbauer describes gators as more of a nuisance than a danger. He isn't above ramming the aggressive ones in the snout or cracking them in the eyes with a fist full of sand. "You have to let them know who's boss.". Really, it's all about what stands in the way of making a living.
Is it like diving in the Caribbean?
It's not like diving in the Caribbean," said Don Beardsley, the vice president of golf operations at Heritage Hills. "I've done some scuba diving in my time, but I'm not going in there.". Goodley said he once accidentally grabbed a snapping turtle so large it took him for a short ride along the bottom.
What Does A Golf Ball Diver Do?
Finders of submerged golf balls in the water are people you call golf ball divers, to put it simply. They work in groups and crews. When you hear it’s diving for golf balls, You’ll be thinking it a piece of cake. But it is not. Many factors make this job difficult such As the Visibility underwater, which is almost zero.
How To Be A Golf Ball Diver?
Still, wondering how to become a golf ball diver?. You have to have a driving license And insured liability, and some hands-on experience.
How Much Money Can You Make?
Now coming to the Golden part of the job. The output of all of your stinging and burdensome hard work. Money. Usually, divers get money for each collected ball. You have to keep a count of each ball you have collected. Give them to the contractor or employer. After that, you are paid accordingly. You can also sell them online.
