Knetgolf brings credibility to used-ball market

I tend to laugh at folks who buy those used balls culled from ponds. These bargain hunters sift through the bucket in the pro shop before a round, searching for that magic bullet that hasn’t become cracked and yellowed.

I’m cheap on a lot of things but not golf balls. You get what you pay for there, and simply, the more expensive the ball, the better it performs (as a general rule).
My theories have been put to the test by Knetgolf. The company, under the wholesale moniker GolfBallsOnly, has become a major force in the used golf ball market. If there is such a thing as “high-end” used golf balls, they’re it.

The company reports that recent independent tests conducted by Advanced Golf Solutions – the top-rated test facility for major ball manufacturers – confirmed that Knetgolf / GolfBallsOnly-refurbished Titleist, Callaway, Nike and others showed behavior consistent with new golf balls. Carry distances of driver, six-iron and wedge differ by only seven, five and three inches, respectively. With more than 200 brands to choose from, Knetgolf is e-Bay’s largest refurbished golf ball seller in both the United States and Canada with a 99.5 percent feedback rating. It sold 20 million balls in 2009.

I decided to create my own un-scientific test. I took a dozen refurbished Titleist Pro V1s from Knetgolf on a golf trip to San Antonio in January. For nine holes, I played two balls – a new one and a refurbished one – on the Resort course at Westin La Cantera. For the back nine, I alternated playing the balls every other hole. I hit the same great shots – and bad shots – with both types. I lost one each. There was no noticeable drop-off with the used balls.

The company, founded in 1995 with factories in Arizona and Toronto, Canada, recovers golf balls from more than 2,000 exclusive golf resorts mainly in Arizona, California and Nevada, taking in roughly 80,000 daily. After a thorough cleansing process, the refurbished balls are then graded Mint, “A,” “B” or “C” and offered at half price or better to individual customers at knetgolf.com or in larger quantities at golfballsonly.com.

There are plenty of bad golfers whacking $4 golf balls into the desert on a regular basis. They’re misfortune could be your gain. I’ll bet a third-of those balls have been struck 40 times or less. I know I’m guilty of blasting a new ball into the junk off the first tee from time to time.

If you’ve been too cheap to jump on the Pro-V1 bandwagon in the past, now’s your chance. Impress your friends by pulling them out of your bag. Feel more confident facing that 200-yard carry off the tee knowing there’s a refurbished rocket sitting on your tee.