Hannah is a seven-year-old Springer
Spaniel who,since she started hunting for lost balls as a
puppy,has found a grand total of 23,000. Many golfers trudge into the rough looking for their ball,never to discover it.
Lost balls run into thousands a year at most courses - but at the East Devon golf course,the vast majority ARE found again,thanks to Hannah the Wonder Dog.
Hannah is a seven-year-old Springer
Spaniel who,since she started hunting for lost balls as a
puppy,has found a grand total of 23,000.
She goes searching only when instructed by her owner,keen golfer Richard Williams,who makes sure she doesn't touch balls that are in play.
Only when she hears the words "find
the balls" does she dive into the rough - and can find as
many as 80 a day.
In all,she has donated 4,500 to the club's junior section,and the rest have been sold,for up to 50 pence each - with all the profits going back to the club.
At first,Richard used the balls himself or gave them to friends,but such was Hannah's capacity for finding them that he realised he had to reduce the stocks in his garage.
"In April 1993,I brought the idea before the club committee and it was accepted.
"There was some grumbling right at the start,but I have only ever received one formal letter of protest,and that was a long time ago.
"The protests,such as they
were,quickly died down when people realised just how much they
were benefiting from the operation."
The cash she has made totals around £5,500,and has helped pay for a drinking fountain and set of teak furniture,while there are now plans to build a shelter.
In fact,Hannah has now been so well accepted by members that a framed photograph of her hangs over the bar!