Golf Ball Diving

[pasley]

Well, to be exact, I do not believe the "creek" is public property. The water may be, but the mud and dirt under it may not be. The downstream people may have a right ot the water that it can not be dammed, but I am just not certain the creek is public property. But I am sure an attorney will chime in on this with certain knowledge.

I have done a quick search of the California laws and I don't see where creeks are public property to the high water mark. I see where the Costal Zone states the Ocean and beach up to the mean high water mark are public property, but no mention of creeks. That does not mean it aint so, it just means I did not find it in my state. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html

I do believe the creek does lie on PRIVATE prperty and you had to trespass to get to it.

Here is the article I referred to before about diving for balls. Pay particular attention to the crime and punishment section

http://www.scubadiving.com/feature/200211waterhazards/

Bopttom line is you have already answered your own question, without a contract and permission, you could find yourself on the wrong end of a citation.

 

[mogwai]

Don't know about where you are, but in Scotland, the lost golf balls on a course belong to the course itself. As it has been lost on there property and they allow you to play there, taking the balls without permission constitutes theft. Hope this helps.

 

[Harvo]

I saw a show on TV and a guy was making a lot of money diving for balls. So i called around to a couple couse in the area. Within a half hour of calls one said come down and talk. Long story short. They wanted $200 from me to dive 7 lakes. The first lake I found 120 ball it took 1 1/2 hours and a tank of air.

The vis was "0" and I was diving in about
2 feet of muck. Half of my body was in the muck. I was sitting GATOR BAIT. I live in Cape Coral Florida. I was a experance.

Lastly, I got to keep the Balls and did not have to pay the $200, I did not go

I'll keep my night job at the Postal Service.

 

[sidd]

I saw a show on TV and a guy was making a lot of money diving for balls. So i called around to a couple couse in the area. Within a half hour of calls one said come down and talk. Long story short. They wanted $200 from me to dive 7 lakes. The first lake I found 120 ball it took 1 1/2 hours and a tank of air.

The vis was "0" and I was diving in about
2 feet of muck. Half of my body was in the muck. I was sitting GATOR BAIT. I live in Cape Coral Florida. I was a experance.

Lastly, I got to keep the Balls and did not have to pay the $200, I did not go

I'll keep my night job at the Postal Service.

Hey, I just wanted to hear the long story of your golf ball diving adventure. Email if you like, Sidd@myway.com

Thanks Sidd

 

[pipedope]

Golf ball diving is really commercial diving and is subject to the rules and regulations for commercial diving. Most water hazards would also qualify as contaminated water so it gets a lot more complicated and expensive to do safely.

I have spent a lot of time in zero vis muck in central FL working. Everybody thinks of the gators (minor hazard) but not so many think of the microscopic critters that may be in that soup. I have some friends who spent time in the hospital after a salvage dive in Lake Apopka. In fresh water the biggest danger is from things you can see without a microscope. Even with a microscope, you can look at the water and miss the things living down in the bottom muck.

Personally I would want something with better safety and profit margins.

 

[rab]

Funny this thread should come up. I was diving Casino Point on Catalina the other day and found a golf ball under a rock. Decided to video tape it for humor.

Locals here often hit golf balls into the ocean (a practice I have tried to discourage with little success). Perhaps you could try diving in the ocean!

Dr. Bill

On two shore dives in Ft.Lauderdale, I found at least a dozen golf balls in the Atlantic. I stopped picking them up when the pocket of my BC was FULL. I'd find them is groups of 2-4 where they'd collected in a depression in the reef.

-Rob

 

[MikeC]

As others have said, it's not fun. There was a show on Discovery Channel about these guys in Florida who do this. On top of the lovely chemicals in the water, they have to deal with gaitors, snapping turtles and poisonous snakes. What a great way to make some money. After they recover the balls, they wash them with some "mild" acid and then bleach, more EPA fun. Then they get to grade the balls and pack them and then try to sell them. Yes they pay a percentage to the course where they recover the balls.

IF everything goes right you can make good money, but there are some serious drawbacks as well.

 

[rmediver2002]

Another article on golf ball diving (June 2004) for those interested.

http://www.travelgolf.com/departments/clubhouse/golf-ball-divers-531.htm

 

[gfisher4792]

Another article on golf ball diving (June 2004) for those interested.

http://www.travelgolf.com/departments/clubhouse/golf-ball-divers-531.htm

Now that's a nice picture of leeches on that girl's face :freak:

 

[scubaplacer]

golf balls found on any private property are just that. property of the owners of said realestate. Finders Keepers on private property is theft. At 61 years old, I have done everything from washing dishes to being a correctional officer at San Quentin. Diving for golf balls is the best proffesion I have ever had. It is an underwater easter egg hunt for white gold. Even at my age I net from 25 to 35 dollars per underwater hour. But the best money and personel satisfaction comes from teaching certified scuba divers my system of diving for golf balls.