Did you know that it can take up to a thousand years for one golf ball to decompose?
On average, 300 million golf balls are lost annually in America alone. Imagine the space that would take up if no one tried to collect them – we’d all be ankle-deep in golf balls within a few years!
A Commitment to Recycle
While you already know that we value recycling here at Lost Golf Balls, you may be surprised to find that we are not alone in our quest to give golf balls new life after their first hit.
Aside from sharing our hometown of Houston, Waste Management also shares our passion for recycling and golf. They host the annual Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale and last year they came up with one of the most unique ways for repurposing used golf balls that we’ve ever seen.
If you had to find a use for 140,000 golf balls—end-to-end they would reach almost four miles—what would you do with them? You could tee off with a few, give others to family and friends, and even donate thousands to high schools and YMCAs. But we bet you wouldn’t think of making a giant, floating logo out of them!
That’s exactly what Waste Management did at their tournament last year when they left their golf ball logo floating on the 18th hole. If you’re wondering how they managed to get even one ball to stay in place, let alone thousands, you can watch them in action here.
After the tournament, the balls were saved for next year to be recycled once again. We love a happy ending for some deserving golf balls!
The “Greatest Show on Grass”
Of course, there were plenty of other things to note about the 2014 Waste Management Phoenix Open besides the creative golf ball art. Kevin Stadler shot 16 under par to secure his first PGA Tour event victory and Bubba Watson tied for second, at 15 under par.
This year, the tournament is starting a new environmentally-friendly initiative: the “Green in 15” contest. Attendees can submit 15-second videos on Instagram that demonstrate their commitment to staying green in four ways: reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover. Based on the fan’s votes, the grand-prize winner will receive a remodel to “Green Your Home”! All finalists will also receive a prize.
The tournament is traditionally the best-attended event in all of golf. Who will come out on top this year? Catch the 2015 tournament from Thursday, January 29th to Sunday, February 1st.
Saving the Planet, One Golf Ball at a Time
Opting for used golf balls eases the demand on the market for new ones, helping the environment and saving you money without sacrificing your game.
When it comes to the four R’s, allow Lost Golf Balls to recover your lost balls so that you can rediscover them—“because all golf balls are used after one hit”.
