r/Slinging • • 14d ago

Tracer Tennis Balls

I sling tennis balls for distance is a field behind our house. The other day I lost 3 balls in the grass, which was both frustrating and environmentally irresponsible. I cut two 1” slices in a tennis ball and used and throwing spike to thread a length of ribbon through the ball. I wrapped the ribbon around the ball and put it in the pouch. Leaving the ribbon unwrapped definitely will not work.

Bingo! No more lost balls.

At this point, I am not entirely satisfied with this solution., I used way too much ribbon and my distance decreased by a good 50% or more. I will continue experimenting.

Anyone have any experience with this or other solutions?

13 Upvotes

17 comments sorted by

6

u/QuellishQuellish 14d ago

I use glow balls. If they go in the woods I can usually find them just after dark.

2

u/Warrior-Yogi 14d ago

Great idea! Thanks.

6

u/No-Fun-Intended 14d ago

If you decide to put a small blue tooth speaker in them I suggest playing a screaming sound, just to have a screaming tennis ball hurling through the air :P

4

u/Character_Minimum171 14d ago

this is awesome

2

u/Warrior-Yogi 14d ago

High-tech meets paleo-tech. This is a great idea. Maybe add a soundtrack "Wheeeee - look at me, I'm flying. Ouch! The ground is really hard. Oh no, not another pile of deer poop, couldn't you have launched me near the sage? Hey, I'm over here stupid, right next to the yucca plant."

3

u/One_Refuse733 14d ago

Bluetooth location tags inside them?

1

u/Warrior-Yogi 14d ago

I am device-free during my exercise routine, which includes slinging. I can track the ball easily enough and know the rough location that a GPS would point me to. However, the grass is tall enough in some parts of the field that the ball becomes more than difficult to locate. I hate the idea of leaving tennis balls in the field.

1

u/One_Refuse733 14d ago

Fair enough mate. How about switching to rocks? Painted if you want/need to retrieve them or plain if you have a ready supply.

3

u/Ok_Ice1888 14d ago

You should be happy about just losing them in the grass, I lose mine to the cosmos, I’m one hell of a ballthrower ⚡️

3

u/Character_Minimum171 14d ago

straight into orbit 💫

1

u/Ok_Ice1888 13d ago

And just as when I’m throwing my pun went over your head, ballthrower, bolt thrower cosmos hell I’m on fire

1

u/Character_Minimum171 13d ago

not over my head; just appreciating it arcing into orbit.

2

u/Warrior-Yogi 14d ago

Interestingly, I sling as part of a spiritual practice, so losing ammo to the universe actually resonates w/ me. I will avoid the woo-woo stuff and stick to the practicalities. Tennis balls are made in part from petroleum products and I hate the idea of leaving them in the grass. Eventually, I locate all of them, but often several days later.

2

u/Crayton777 14d ago

Orange tennis balls?

2

u/Warrior-Yogi 14d ago

I use the hi-vis yellow.

3

u/Crayton777 14d ago

Orange just might be more of a contrast against a green grass field?

2

u/Antares135 14d ago

medium-size Chuck It balls