the art of ball hawking

As we are sitting here, my uncle Doug and I, in the dark, on the couch, sipping on our chocolate banana shakes, we are discussing how to reap the benefits of other's misfortune. How to take one man's sliced tee shot into the woods or someone who shanked a ball into the pond, and use their poor play to your advantage. What I am talking about my friends, is a family past time, a legacy, what I am talking about, is a little thing called ball hawking.

Living here in Columbus at my aunt and uncle's house has given me the opportunity to spend a lot of time ball hawking. Hole 10 is directly outside their front door and so several times a week you can find us on the course around dusk. I have only been here a little over one week and I have already taken my ball hawking skills to the next level. What skills and tools do you need to be a successful ball hawker? Keen eyes, patience, tollerance to snakes and ticks, are just a few of them.

My first time out this season I found 21 balls and my average find per outing is about 15. Among my collection this year are Nike, Callaway, Titleist, Noodles, and I have even found a dozen Pro V 1's. It saves me so much money by not having to buy golf balls and always having a hefty stash in the ol' bag. About 85% of all ball hawking balls are useable or playable.

A typical ball hawking expidition may go as follows. Start on a hole you know there are bunkers, water, and trouble on both sides. Follow along the entire left or right side of the hole zig zagging back and forth in the thick rough or out-of-bounds. Use an iron to comb through the tall stuff to aid your search for the jewels. An iron may also be used to defend yourself against snakes. When you approach water make sure you have appropriate foot wear on. Golf spikes would be ideal but it's up to you. Scan the water right along the shore line to find the goods. Once a ball has been pin pointed, use preferably a wedge to scoop the ball from behind or underneath up onto dry ground. Personally, I like to have a spotter when I am rescuing a water ball just to eliminate any chance of falling into the pond.

Ball hawking is not for everyone, but if you do have what it takes, then it is one of the most amazing things. I would put it in a class with sky diving, rocky mountain climbing, and riding a bull named Fu Man Chu. Thanks for reading my Ball Hawking 101 and I trust it will be usefull for your next or first ball hawking experience.