Man claims $15 million earned by fishing golf balls from water hazards
Golf Culture

Man claims $15 million earned by fishing golf balls from water hazards

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Glenn Berger is the golf equipment of a dumpster diver. He puts on his SCUBA gear and fishes for golf balls in water hazards at courses throughout Florida. It's a dangerous job, one that brings Berger up close and personal with fish, snakes and alligators.

But, the job pays well. Berger claims in a video that he makes about $1 per ball retrieved, cleaned and resold, saying that he gathers anywhere from 1.3 million to 1.7 million balls per year. The annual salary math, then, is simple, with Berger easily making over $1 million each year. Over the course of his career, Berger claims, then, that he's made at least $15 million.

That's a pretty astounding claim because that amounts to anywhere from to 3,561 to 4,657 balls per day, every day. However, that's not how the industry works, with most courses hiring divers like Berger to work just a few days each year. That said, Berger has also likely refined his craft to know the hot spots at his local contracted courses, managing to avoid time-wasting missions in hazards with little bounty to offer. He's making the most of his ball-picking days on what is probably 30-40 courses.

With the risk of losing a body part or dying via drowning or animal attack, however, we'll go ahead and let Berger stick with it -- even if he has made as much as he claims.

Via For The Win

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Ryan Ballengee

Ryan Ballengee is the founder, owner and operator of Golf News Net.

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