Losing a golf ball can be painful and at the same time annoying looking back at the cost of the ball if you’re a regular visitor to a golf course with a lot of water you’ll always need a golf ball retriever to help get your lost ball out of the water, bushes or mud.
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Golf ball retriever is one of the best golf accessories you need to own as a golfer for it will save you countless nearly-lost golf balls and some extra cash along the way.
There are so many models on the market and they come in a range of sizes and colors but with a clever mechanism at the end that can grab golf balls from any position.
However, whether you are a professional or a newbie, it is hard to decide which golf ball retriever is worth buying. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best golf ball retrievers ranging in prices and sizes so you can find the one that suits your needs.
As the golf game continues to grow, various manufacturers of golf accessories evolve, and the golf ball retriever is no exception to an endless amount of brands and models.
The Best Golf Ball Retriever To Buy In 2022
- Callaway Club Golf Ball Retriever– Overall best golf ball retriever
- IGOTCHA Golf Ball Retriever– Alternate best golf ball retriever
- prowithlin Golf Ball Retriever– Best value for the money
- JP Lann Golf Ball Retrievers
- Pelican Golf Ball Retriever– Longest golf ball retriever
- SisterAling 3-Prong Golf Ball Retriever – Best Golf Ball Retriever For Putter
- Nickel Putter Golf Ball Pick-Up
- Izzo Golf Ball Retriever for Putter
- Original Shag Bag Practice and Range Golf Ball Shagger– Best golf ball shag bag
- Callaway Pro Caddie Premium Golf Ball Shagger
- HOW TRUE Golf Ball Retriever, Portable Shag Bag Golf Ball Pick Up
The best golf ball retrievers provide a reach of over six feet to lift and scoop the ball out of the water or mud, you might have loose several balls in the past, but it will save you some cash as there won’t be a need for a new ball.
Read on to check out the best brands that we’ve reviewed below.
See Also: Best Women’s Golf Balls For Distance
1. Callaway Club Golf Ball Retriever– Overall best golf ball retriever
This ball retriever is very well made as one might expect from Callaway. I like the fact that it came with a head cover. It extends easily and locks to the length that is needed. It is also very light weight.
Verified Buyer
Callaway brand needs no introduction in the golf game world, with various golf accessories from them that deliver outstanding and excellent performance. This golf ball retriever from them comes in a design that looks perfectly like your club.
It is incredibly well built, with a premium, ergonomic sure-grip handle that makes it easy to hold on to while you’re fishing your ball out of the water, or trying to grab it in those hard-to-reach areas.
This best golf ball retriever extends fully out to 6ft and the easy-to-use twist and lock mechanism provides stability while offering unmatched durability.
Why You Should Buy:
- The Callaway Golf Ball Retriever comes in 6 and 15-feet lengths for extended reach and a collapsible shaft, which means you don’t have to worry about the hard-to-reach areas on the course.
- It has an ergonomic handle that makes it comfortable to handle and use during retrieval even when it’s extended to 6’
- The stainless steel retriever mechanism it possesses makes the picking up of balls clean and easy.
- Comes with a dual zip head cover so it looks like a normal club in your bag.
What We Don’t Like
- The stainless steel body makes it one of the heaviest on the market
- Much more expensive than other options
2. IGOTCHA Golf Ball Retriever– Alternate best golf ball retriever
Nice and Compact….. Great compact golf ball retriever. Small enough to fit in a golf bag pocket and yet extends to reach balls that are a great distance away
Verified Buyer
Next on our list is the nicely design, easy-to-use IGOTCHA golf ball retriever which we recommend for both beginner and professional golfers.
This best golf ball retriever can retract to just 15 inches, this makes it a perfect fit in the side pocket of your bag or wherever you want it to be.
The spring release head can lock the ball sturdily once it goes inside like a trap also, the stainless steel shaft makes this retriever more stable and can extend to full length without bending or snapping.
Why You Should Buy:
- Super lightweight golf ball retriever with 10-21 feet long that weighs just eight ounces.
- IGOTCHA golf ball retriever collapses to just 15.5 inches making it easy to store in a side pocket of your golf bag.
- The stainless steel shaft and spring release head keep the ball secure till it is retrieved.
What We Don’t Like
- Not as strong as other high-end ball retrievers
- Harder to use when retrieving golf balls from surfaces like mud
3. prowithlin Golf Ball Retriever– Best value for the money
Great design. It is easy to extend and retract for ease of retrieval for creeks, bushes, under bridges, and lakes. Even in a very large mud puddle saving your shoes from the mud.
Verified Buyer
How do you feel when you buy one product and you are getting three pieces in one? You might count it as luck or bargain, whichever way you call it, The ProWithlin Golf Ball Retriever is yet another short collapsible retriever specifically designed to help you grab your golf balls that are not within your reach.
This brand provides you with a golf ball retriever in two types of length and also two solid grabbers come with your purchase with the sole aim of saving you some extra cash by getting a new ball.
Its stainless steel shaft’s maximum length reaches 9 feet and won’t get rust even when immersed in water. The scoop cup design helps a lot when retrieving a golf ball in a soft place like mud.
Why You Should Buy:
- The automatic locking scoop design on the cup locks the ball in place without wasting time when retrieving your ball.
- Its stainless steel telescopic technology won’t make it get rust even when immersed in water, which means you don’t have to worry about getting a new ball retriever in years.
- Comes with a ball grabber which can easily be switched with the retriever head.
- Prowithlin golf ball retriever can easily fit in a small pocket in your bag and the metallic looks match that of your iron.
What We Don’t Like
- Shorter in length which might not be best for some golfers.
4. JP Lann Golf Ball Retrievers
Nice golf ball retriever for the money. Retrieved golf balls stay in ball holder. Nice extension of the 15 footer.
Verified Buyer
The JP Lann brand is also a popular brand among golfers when it comes to ball retrievers. Golf ball retriever from them comes with two types of cups: hinge and pressure cup, for you to choose from, and each type has different kinds of length.
The shortest length can extend to 9 feet enough for you to grip balls from bushes, mud, sand, or even underwater without getting your luxury wet, all of these at a little under 20 dollars. The metal hinge cup design has a unique mechanism lock to secure your ball easier.
This best golf ball retriever unlike other brands has a rubber handle that helps you grab your tool tightly without slipping out.
The aluminum shaft of this retriever makes it lightweight, which is perfect for even the smaller junior golfer to use on the course.
Why You Should Buy:
- Its locking mechanism safely secures golf balls until retrieval.
- The lightweight aluminum body makes it durable and stops it from rusting.
- The orange-hinged cup makes it easy to be spotted easily.
- Lastly, it comes in four different length sizes, you can pick which best suit you.
What We Don’t Like
- The hinge cup doesn’t secure balls well
- Construction quality doesn’t match top ball retrievers.
5. Pelican Golf Ball Retriever
The retriever is long enough to get back that precious ball and easy to handle
Verified Buyer
Are you still on the look for the best golf ball retriever? The Pelican can be what you are looking for, a functional retriever that will help you recover your lost ball.
This outstanding retriever comes in three types of lengths for you to choose from, with the longest reaching about 18 feet. It can extend, and retract fast and easily.
The head has a golden yellow color, so it is easy to see in dark places. The Pelican uses a twist turn locking mechanism to grab the golf ball, so you need less force.
Why You Should Buy:
- Lightweight and collapsing down to 18 inches, you can easily store it in your bag.
- The robust golden yellow cup makes it visible even in dark places.
- Anti-rusting technology won’t make you consider buying another in years.
What We Don’t Like
- Not good for soft surfaces.
Golf Ball Retriever For Putter
The countless backaches on the course are over! Do you know why? Will you love to know? We now have a golf ball retriever for putters. You do not have to bend over again to retrieve your ball.
All you need to do from now henceforth is get yourself a golf ball retriever for your putter, easily screw the ball grabber into your putter’s handle, then push the cup of the ball grabber to the golf ball, there you have your ball.
How do you know the best golf ball retriever for putter to buy, we have reviewed and summarised the best brands to buy from in this article. Read on to explore.
6. SisterAling 3-Prong Golf Ball Retriever – Best Golf Ball Retriever For Putter
It was easy to attach to the end of my putter and works just great.
Verified Buyer
SisterAling 3-Prong Golf Ball Retriever is our best pick, a quality retriever made with quality plastic and a strong bottom screw, which is strong and durable for long-time service.
This golf pick-up tool adopts widen durable plastic three claw design, which can catch the ball easily, quickly, and accurately, grasp accurately, and not fall easily. It is specifically engineered to help golfers grab golf balls without bending. A better solution to eliminate your back stress
Suitable for any golf putter handle and easily retrieves the golf ball from the cup.
Why You Should Buy:
- Lightweight and simple to use, making it suitable for any golf putter.
- Can be given as a gift to golf lovers especially senior golfers that complains of backaches, hips, or knees problem.
- All-round functionality even when not used with the putter.
7. Nickel Putter Golf Ball Pick-Up
Works as advertised, easy to attach to putter, makes golf ball pickup from the cup easy with no touching of the flagstick.
Verified Buyer
The Nickel Putter Golf Ball Pick-Up fits almost any putter grip and is highly engineered to retrieve your golf ball after a putt has been made.
This discrete golf ball pick-up enables you to retrieve your golf ball without bending over, hence saving you from back pain. It can be used as a golf gift for golfers of any age, and it attaches easily to almost every golf putter within minutes.
The patented design allows golfers to retrieve the golf ball quickly and securely out of the cup without bending over.
Why You Should Buy:
- Wear-resistant and extremely durable synthetic material, which means no case of wear and tear.
- You no longer have to bend over to retrieve your ball
- Simple to use, it fits on any golf putter grip, and you don’t have to worry about putter sizes.
- Makes a unique gift for any age golfer and it’s discreet
8. Izzo Golf Ball Retriever for Putter
Good ball retriever….. It fits perfectly on the end of my putter shaft, putter grip. It grabs the ball tightly and is easy to pick up the ball.
Verified Buyer
Izzo is our next list again this time around not as golf cart bags or stands bags but as one of the best golf ball retrievers for putters. This sturdy retriever design easily secures the butt end of your putter grip allowing you to simply flip your putter and retrieve your golf ball from the green.
The claw-like design easily picks up the golf ball, solidly enough so the ball will not fall out after being retrieved from the green.
Your back must never ache again with the Izzo Golf Ball Retriever
Why You Should Buy:
- With a pre-installed metal screw, you won’t need to add any unnecessary holes to your putter grip.
- You will easily retrieve your golf ball without having to bend over.
Golf Ball Shag Bag
Just like the golf ball retriever, Golf Ball Shag bags are extremely useful golf accessories to own when you are practicing your golf game on a long golf course or chipping practice area.
They are primarily used to store a large number of golf balls for you to quickly and easily pick up balls after a practice session. However, they come with Golf ball shaggers that pick the golf balls into the shag bag without you having to bend down.
Check out our list of the best golf ball shag bags you should get for premium golf practice in the year 2022.
9. Original Shag Bag Practice and Range Golf Ball Shagger
Have been wanting a Shag Bag for a long time. Glad I spent the extra money for the original. This thing is as sturdy as they come. Even the zipper is made with quality. It does the job well. Has saved time and my lower back from having to bend down to pick up 30 balls.
Verified Buyer
Having to bend to collect golf balls is a bit tasking and atimes it might hurt your back and neck. The perfect and lasting solution to this is the Original Shag Bag, which allows you to remain standing upright while picking up your golf balls.
It possesses a clip on the bottom of the shagger which allows golf balls to be picked up without being damaged or scratched. The sturdy canvas bag won’t stretch, even when storing up large golf balls.
The Original Shag Bag has been on the market for several years now and its uniqueness and the effective system keep it up to date. Luckily, the handle of the shag bag is also very sturdy and has a formed grip for your fingers.
Why You Should Buy:
- Steel plates on the top and bottom of the bag provide extra support to prevent ripping.
- You can purchase this shagger in multiple colors, no matter what your choice of color is, you’ll get one that meets your desire.
- Gives you more productive practice sessions by reducing time spent on picking golf balls.
- You can store up to 80 golf balls at a time.
What We Don’t Like
- Zipper breaks often
10. Callaway Pro Caddie Premium Golf Ball Shagger
I love this shagger and ball dispenser all in one. Easy to use and is a quality item. Holds 30+ balls and folds away for easy storage when not in use.
Verified Buyer
You can make practicing your golf swings easier and more convenient with the Callaway Pro Caddie Premium Ball Shagger. It will easily enhance your golfing practice experience by making it easier to pick up and feed your golf balls.
This golf training tool automatically feeds you one ball at a time with a simple tap of your club and can hold up to 35 balls.
The training aid helps you to slow down and focus on every swing you take, and every approach you might be using. Its unique patented design makes it easily portable, so you can easily take it to the range or course with no hassle.
Why You Should Buy:
- Enhances your golfing practice experience by focusing on your practice swing.
- With a simple tap with your club, it feeds you with a ball quickly and easily.
- Portability
What We Don’t Like
- Can’t hold up a large number of golf balls.
11. HOW TRUE Golf Ball Shag Bag
This golf ball retriever has many likeable features: the tube screws together and apart, making storage very compact. The bag is very good quality material and large, so you don’t need to worry about emptying it frequently.
Verified Buyer
The How True Golf Ball Shag Bag is a portable and lightweight bag that can hold up to 60 golf balls when fully extended. You can easily detach the shagger from the shag bag, whichever way you choose to have it.
It also comes with an external pocket on the outside of the bag where you can conveniently store other accessories like phones, keys, etc.
The bags easily drains out water even if you decide to practice on wet days and can be stored separately until the next practice session.
Why You Should Buy:
- Lightweight, affordable and durable.
- The formed grip handle ensures a comfortable and easy grip
- With a simple press, the mechanism stores the ball in the tube without it falling out
What We Don’t Like
- Not made with durable materials.
What To Consider When Choosing A Golf Ball Retriever
When getting a ball retriever for the first time, there are some factors to consider as they will help you make better purchasing decisions.
Let’s take a look at these factors quickly;
1. Length
The first thing you should consider when buying a golf ball retriever is how far the length of the retriever can go. Generally, they range from six feet to as far as eighteen feet so you need to therefore think about what length of retriever is best for you.
Short ball retrievers measure around six feet and they are great for grabbing golf balls from short distances. They are more stable, easy to store in your side pocket, and less flexible than longer shafted retrievers.
However, long ball retriever shafts are lengthened by collapsable pieces that fold into each other. The longest shaft lengths on ball retrievers can measure up to 18 feet, giving an extension for securing a hard-to-reach golf ball.
Whatever your decision might be, we suggest you always look at the maximum length of retrievers before anything else. It will help you determine whether you can get to the “hard-to-reach” places on the course.
2. Ball Security
Another most important thing to consider is the security of the ball you want to retrieve. Golf ball retrievers’ sole goal is to grip the ball in the easiest way it can, which is why the head design (scooping mechanism) must be considered.
There are two types of head design: the scoop (cup-like) and the spring release. The spring design holds the ball tighter, but it needs you to put more pressure when catching a ball while the scoop design is vice versa.
Each type of head is suitable for different hazard conditions. The scoop one will work well on a softer surface, while the spring one can work better in water or bushes.
The spring head retrievers are higher priced but offer more security on longer retrievals. Depending on the course you play, you should buy one that is suitable for you.
3. Handle
When buying a ball retriever, we urge you to pay attention to the handle. Some golf ball retriever features an ergonomic grip that is easy and comfortable to hold while others have a solid grip that may slip out of hand.
Retrievers’ handles are usually made from composite rubber materials that offer flexibility, cushion, and tackiness. You need handles that will provide comfort while holding, and create the grip needed to leverage the retriever when collecting the golf ball.
Retrievers handles should work well in all types of weather conditions. Grips that deliver well in the rain as in dry conditions are a bonus for golfers looking for a high standard retriever
4. Material
The material used for a retriever determines the durability and overall performance of the golf ball retriever. You should consider a retriever made from metal like aluminum instead of stainless steel. The tip here is to avoid rusting.
Whilst we would recommend going for a light model, it also has to be strong and durable as well. If you prefer something lighter plastic, fiberglass, etc., are suitable for you.
5. Stability
The stability of a retriever is measured by the quality of the shaft. Retrievers with a short shaft offer more stability than longer-shafted retrievers.
Since most shafts are made from aluminum, the shorter ones have more strength with less flex while the longer retrievers need more flexibility to help the enclosure reach golf balls farther away.
The stability of retrievers can only be judged by you, select the best golf ball retriever to enjoy the best stability.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does a golf ball retriever do?
A golf ball retriever is used by golfers to retrieve lost or misplaced balls. They allow one to retrieve balls from water hazards, deep rough, or even the occasional sand trap, where they would not otherwise be able to reach them.
Golf ball retrievers use telescopic extensions to extend up to 4.5 meters, enabling balls to be lifted from water using the swiveling cup at the end. This piece of equipment is invaluable especially if playing on golf courses where water hazards are prevalent.
Should you carry a golf ball retriever?
Yes, golf ball retrievers are legal under the Rules of Golf. You are not breaking any rule by carrying one or using one on the golf course.
Is a ball retriever considered a golf club?
As specified in Appendix II of the Rules of Golf, a golf club is required to have a head and a shaft. Umbrellas or ball retrievers carried by players are not counted as clubs as these objects do not meet both of those requirements, even though they might have golf grips on them.
CONCLUSION
Losing golf balls are always painful but having one of the best golf ball retrievers will save you from new golf balls. It might not be compulsory equipment but you sure need it to help you grab out lost balls from water, mud, bushes, and some hard-to-reach places on the course.
If money is not a problem, Callaway Golf Ball Retriever is what we recommend you buy for excellent deliveries of features and if you want value for your money, consider the Prowithlin Golf Ball Retriever
However, if bending down is the problem or your neck aches anytime you want to retrieve your balls from the ground, ensure you own the SisterAling Golf Ball retriever for putter to give you a long-lasting solution to both back and neck aches.
If you want to store your balls and you are on the look for a golf ball shag bag, look no further than the Original Shag Bag which will store up to 80 balls for you at once while you remain standing upright.
Whatever your search may be, there is something in this article that will meet your desire. Save some extra cash today by getting a ball retriever. Do well to share these reviews among your buddies.
