best golf ball retriever

Best Golf Ball Retriever 2024: (Reviews & Comparison)

No matter how hard you try, some golf balls are going to find themselves in some hard to reach locations. Whether they’re in bushes, water or somewhere else, retrieving them can be a pain. Thankfully getting the top rated golf ball retriever can help.

We aim to find just that and have reviewed and compared the top four options out there. They are going to save you a huge amount of money in lost balls and speed up your time. Once you’ve finished reading, you know which one is the best golf ball retriever for you in 2024.

Golf Ball Retrievers: Quick Comparison

WINNER Gotcha VOICE
  • 14ft
  • Telescopic
  • Security: spring trap
  • Metal
  • Silver
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RUNNER UP Callaway Golf Ball Retriever
  • 15ft
  • Telescopic
  • Security: spring trap
  • Metal
  • Black
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BEST LIGHTWEIGHT ProActive Super-Lite Golf Ball Retriever
  • 9ft
  • Telescopic
  • Security: friction
  • Fiberglass
  • Black/Green
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BUDGET OPTION IGOTCHA Datrek
  • 14ft
  • Telescopic
  • Security: friction
  • Metal
  • Silver
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golf ball retriever review

Best Golf Ball Retriever in 2024: Reviews

IGotcha 

Winner

Gotcha has been able to make a brilliant retriever that has plenty of quality.

It’s highly durable and therefore you’re not going to have to worry about searching through thick bushes or fishing around for a ball in the water.

The retriever is able to extend up to 14 feet and with your arm length, which means that you can reach balls up to 18 feet away.

The secure spring system will be able to trap the ball and keep it safe until its back in your hands.

Compared to other retrievers this still feels quite stable, even when fully extended. That comes at the price of being quite heavy but it will still be comfortable for most people to use.

Overall it’s a brilliant retriever and the lifetime guarantee should give you peace of mind.

Pros

  • Good durability
  • Long reach
  • Secure spring system
  • Lifetime guarantee

Cons

  • A bit heavy

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Callaway Golf Ball Retriever

Runner up

Callaway is a great name in golf and they’ve been able to make the longest golf ball retriever.

It has a level of construction that you rely on and it’s going to be able to stand the test of time in even the most challenging of conditions.

While style may not be the most important factor in a ball retriever, you want your accessories to look good.

With the sleek back design, this won’t look out of place in any golf bag. It also has a Callaway headcover that’ll make it look like one of your regular clubs.

Its handle is easy to grip and it’s been made from high-quality materials.

The head makes it very easy to trap the ball and it keeps it very secure. It can feel a little flimsy when it’s fully extended, which can make it a little difficult to grab your ball.

Pros

  • Sure grip handle
  • Headcover included
  • Solid construction
  • High-quality materials

Cons

  • Can be flimsy

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ProActive Super-Lite

Best Lightweight Golf Ball Retriever

ProActive is another company that has made an extendable golf ball retriever that looks great.

It has a black handle with a green head that will allow you to easily direct it in murky water.

It’s a great design feature that’ll give you a better chance of finding your ball.

A brilliant design feature of this golf ball scooper is that it’s made from fiberglass instead of the usual metal that you see.

That makes it extremely lightweight which can be important when you’re reaching out with a fully extended retriever.

It’s not quite as long as some of its rivals but that compact design allows it to be very easy to store.

The push-button shaft makes it very easy to use. The ball will be securely held by the head which will trap the golf ball when a small amount of pressure is applied.

Pros

  • Lightweight design
  • Compact design
  • High visibility
  • Push button shaft

Cons

  • Lack of length

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IGOTCHA Datrek

Cheap Golf Ball Retriever

Here we see a unique take on the golf ball grabber design.

It’s a circular trap where a ball will fit snuggly in the circle when a small amount of pressure is applied.

This can be a little difficult if you have to press it into the loose ground but it’s usually not an issue.

It’s able to extend up to 14 feet and when you have it all the way out, the pole still feels stable in your hand. I

t’s very easy to extend and you should be able to retrieve your ball in no time at all. The grip is also simple and comfortable to use.

With it being cheaper than plenty of its rivals, it does represent brilliant value for money. The cheap golf ball retriever is made from durable metal and should be a feature of your bag for many years to come.

It’s a great option for anyone who doesn’t like the usual retriever designs.

Pros

  • Stable design
  • Great grip
  • Easy to extend
  • Keeps the ball secure

Cons

  • Can be hard to trap

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shaft length
Sometimes the club just isn't long enough...

What’s important when shopping for a golf ball retriever?

Shaft length

You want to make sure that you’re going to have enough reach to be able to retrieve your golf balls from anywhere.

All of the golf ball water retrievers that we have looked here are a telescopic golf ball retriever and therefore able to collect balls that have strayed a lot way from their path.

If you’re looking for the ultimate in shaft length then the Callaway Golf Ball Retriever is a great choice at 15 feet.

If you play in bushy golf courses or those with large water hazards then it’s going to be ideal. If you think that’s too much or just need a golf ball retriever from hole and need something more compact, then you can opt for one that is a little shorter.

Ball security

There’s nothing more frustrating than thinking that you have a ball securely in your grasp only to see it pop out of the retriever.

All the four options that we have looked at here each secure the ball in a different way but are all highly effective.

The Gotcha and the Callaway Golf Ball Retriever that we looked at here both work via a sprung mechanism which will then be able to cradle before.

This allows it to be very secure but it does mean there are more moving parts that can fail.

The ProActive Super-Lite Golf Ball Retriever is probably the most simple solution as this works in the same way as a dog ball launcher here you press the ball into the head which then traps it.

IGOTCHA cheaper golf ball retriever is a circular model that can be a little harder to trap but highly effective.

security stability
Golden ball retriever. Great stability.

Stability

One issue with telescoping retrievers is that when fully extended, they can be a little flimsy.

When you are trying to secure the ball, this makes it harder to both put pressure on it or keep it steady enough to be able to secure the ball.

The Callaway Golf Ball Retriever can feel a little flimsy but as its spring system encompasses the ball, no pressure is required.

With the Gotcha VOICE you don’t get that flimsiness but that is partly due to the fact it weighs more than a lot of its rivals, which is a tradeoff you have to accept.

Both the ProActive Super-Lite Golf Ball Retriever and the IGOTCHA Datrek need the pressure to be applied on the ball but both of them have a good level of stability.

With the ProActive, that is partly due to it not having the same level of extension.

golf balls grabber

Handle

When trying to reach something that can be up to 18 feet away from you, a ball retriever can become quite heavy and hard to control.

You need to be able to have a strong grip on it to be able to keep it steady and prevent your hand from aching.

You don’t want to be setting up for your next shot with a tired arm from using your retriever. If you do there’s a good chance you’ll duff your shot and have to use the retriever yet again!

You want to have a close look at the handle to make sure it’s comfortable for you.

In order for it to be comfortable you’ll want it to be quite wide to be able to grip it tightly. The Callaway probably has the best grip we have seen here but the two other metal models both have wide metal handles that don’t have the same grip but are wide enough to be secured.

The ProActive Sports model doesn’t have a specific grip but with its wide shaft, this doesn’t really matter.

golfer ball water scooper

Conclusion

It’s easy to overlook a ball retriever thinking that they are all the same but that’s far from the truth.

There are many cheaper models out there that will cause plenty of frustration as they are flimsy and have low ball security.

If you’re looking for maximum length then the Callaway Golf Ball Retriever would be a brilliant choice.

On a budget? The IGOTCHA Jawz is still an excellent model and has a high level of build quality. If instead, you’re looking for a super-compact retriever then the ProActive Super-Lite Golf Ball Retriever would be the best bet.

The four options we’ve looked at here are all brilliant but the Gotcha VOICE stands out above the rest. It has excellent durability, a great reach and has excellent ball security.

Once you have the best golf ball retriever you’ll be able to save a fortune on golf balls and get back to playing the game you love.

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