Golf ball you’ll never lose in the rough

GOLF can be a notoriously frustrating game – and few things are more annoying than losing a ball in the rough.

But two entrepreneurs claim to have solved the age-old problem – by inventing a trackable golf ball. Instead of hunting through the long grass – often in vain – when a shot goes astray, golfers can just pull out their smartphone and launch an app that will tell them exactly where their ball lies.

The app works by picking up a Bluetooth signal emitted by a small transmitter inside the ball – and guiding the player to its source. The signal can be detected up to 150 yards away, so a golfer should have no trouble finding their ball if they have a vague idea where it landed.

Swiss inventors Thomas Sandel and Alex Raimondi claim future versions of the ball will also allow players to check where their opponent’s ball is – and ensure they do not cheat by surreptitiously nudging it into a better location. The Never Lost ball, which complies with the rules of golf, is expected to be available in shops by Christmas and will cost about £13.

Previous attempts to produce a trackable ball have failed because they were either too heavy or the transmitters within them could not withstand the shock of a golf club impact.

‘We have invented a ball that will allow golfers to play faster and score better,’ Mr Sandel said.

Nearly half a billion balls are estimated to be lost on the world’s 35,000 golf courses each year.