In this guide, we’ll briefly cover the benefits of playing with recycled balls, and how you can identify their quality by grade, before outlining the best place to buy used golf balls.
If you’re looking to cut the costs of your golfing lifestyle then used golf balls, in all their recycled glory, are a shining example of how you can do just that.
Why Buy Used Golf Balls?
Aside from the obvious benefits of saving money, there are plenty of reasons why buying used golf balls is a good idea. For one thing, there’s less pressure when you’re playing with used balls rather than brand-spanking-new, premium golf balls; if you fire a used ball out of bounds, or into the water, you’ll feel less bad about it.
If you’re keen on playing with the likes of Titleist Pro V1s, Srixon Z Stars, or Callaway Chrome Softs, then you can get a sizable, practically mint condition batch of them for a greatly reduced price.
Plus, used balls are the perfect tool for practice, allowing you to experiment with new clubs and swings on the course without the fear of throwing wads of cash down the drain.
Another perk of buying used golf balls is that you’re doing your bit for the environment. The increased use of used golf balls means that there’s less demand for newly manufactured golf balls, which consequently reduces factory footprint. Every little helps.
Used Golf Ball Grading System
It’s handy to know about the grades, as most sellers on the majority of websites will label their batches as such. Grading systems may vary slightly from website to website, but the most universal system is the one that follows.
Mint Condition (AAAAA)
Mint condition balls are basically as good as new. They’re clean and bright, with minimal or zero sign of visible wear, and they perform as well as a freshly unboxed ball.
Near-Mint Condition (AAAA)
There may be minor blemishes and a loss of gloss or coloration, but there are no cuts or damages that could alter any aspect of the ball’s performance.
Value Condition (AAA)
Noticeable wear and tear, including scuffs and abrasions – but no cuts or cracks. Definitely still viable for play. Great for beginners, or as practice balls.
Refinished
Balls that have been reconditioned in a factory, often involving replacing the exterior coating, bringing them up to a level where they look and perform as close to brand new as possible.
Best Places to Buy Used Golf Balls
While you may be able to buy some second-hand golf balls from the pro shop of your local club, you’ll find a far greater selection – and far superior deals – on the wonderful wide web. With that in mind, here are some of the best websites to browse for superb deals on used golf balls.
1. Found Golf Balls
Found Golf Balls sell just about every kind of golf ball under the sun, from Titleists to Srixons, to Nikes, to Noodles. You can search by quality as well as brand – their grading ranges from ‘pristine mint’ to ‘good’.
You could easily find a set of premium balls for roughly 80% less than their original value. And thanks to their frequent flash sales, coupon offerings, and ‘5 dozen specials’ offers, you might end up saving even more than that. There’s also free shipping for orders over $69.
Additionally, they offer free personalization on many of their batches, allowing you to customize the balls with your own image, logo, or text. But most importantly, the balls arrive in excellent condition, with hundreds of customer reviews attesting to the accuracy of Found Golf Ball’s grading descriptions.
2. Golf Ball Planet
Golf Ball Planet has been in the used golf ball game for quite a while now – since 1997, to be precise – and they’ve always been a trusted supplier. Offering just about every brand of golf ball, with extra discounts on packs of 50 or 100 balls, there’s the potential to make huge savings on any kind of golf ball you like.
They also offer free fast shipping on orders over $89.99, for both the USA & Canada. Many of the customer reviews report good packaging as well as speedy shipping times. The reviews also widely confirm that the balls are of the same quality as described by their grading system. It’s hard to go wrong with Golf Ball Planet.
3. Lost Golf Balls
Lost Golf Balls offer some of the best prices for used golf balls on the market. Coupled with excellent customer service, their massive range of quality, discounted golf balls have been a blessing for many bargain-hunting golfers.
As well as by brand, you can also search by quality, quantity, and color. Their deals section is always worth checking out, as you can often find a set of mint condition Pro V1s for an unbelievably generous price.
There’s free fast shipping on orders over $69. The packaging, speed of delivery, and grading system of Lost Golf Balls have been widely appraised.
4. Golf Balls Direct
With an exceptionally user-friendly website and excellent prices on all brands of balls, Golf Balls Direct is certainly one of the leading players in the used golf ball game. They offer a wide variety of grades, including ‘refinished’ balls (on which a thin layer of clear coating has been added to make them look brand new again).
You can shop by brand, grade, model year, color, and women’s. There’s also the option to buy in bulk, which can lead to even greater savings. The website is updated daily with specials, whereby you can get discounts of up to 50%, so be sure to check every day to see what’s on offer.
5. Lake Golf Balls (UK)
Across the pond, Lake Golf Balls are providing an excellent service with their many offerings of used golf balls. They stock all of the top brands, as well as some more budget-orientated balls, batching them in variable sizes with really generous prices.
Keep an eye out for their seasonal sales. There are plenty of discounted golf balls, ready for the taking.
Their grading system is somewhat unique – but thorough. From Pearl graded balls that are basically as good as new to C graded balls which are perfect for practice rounds, there’s a wide selection available to suit every need. There are also some ‘rejects’, which did not pass their quality controls, but can still be used for practice, and are thus sold at give-away prices.
6. eBay
There’s rarely a shortage of potential bargains on eBay, and used golf balls are no exception. Most sellers follow the grading system that we have listed above, so it should be easy to find the exact kind of used golf ball you’re looking for.
And you can find all sorts. Mostly, it’s the likes of Titleist Pro V1s and Callaway Superhots, but you can also get large batches of mixed brand, value condition balls, which are great for practicing and/or beginners. 100 golf balls for $30? Thank you very much.
Final Thoughts
Buying used golf balls is a great way to save some of your hard-earned cash. Considering that most of them can offer the exact same performance as a brand new ball, it’s practically a no-brainer to buy second-hand.
If you’re a beginner or are just looking for some practice balls, then keep an eye out for value condition graded balls – you can get large batches of them for very good prices. Any of the websites we’ve listed should provide a good service, so have a look around, and see for yourself just how much money you can potentially save!
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Nick Lomas is the founder of GolfSpan, an avid golfer, not quite a pro but has over 15-years of experience playing and coaching golfers from all over the world. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience then it comes to choosing the right golf gear, and finding the right set up for your game.
