Nicky Dörfel has a lucrative job: Dutchman dives for golf balls

Tiger Woods prepares for his winning shot on the last hole of a golf tournament. The fans in the stands hold their breath. Woods hits the golf ball. But instead of hitting, Tiger Woods hits the ball into the water hazard. But don't worry, because Nicky Dörfel dives after the ball! Who is this Dutchman who makes his living by turning up golf balls?

Nicky Dörfel pops up golf balls for work

At golf tournaments, he's the guy who wades into ponds and water features to find lost golf balls. He attaches the oxygen tanks to his back, lowers the goggles and enters the water, like a treasure hunter in search of sunken gold. Nicky isn't looking for gold though, he goes looking for lost golf balls, often finding hundreds of them from each course.

When he's not diving for balls off the golf course, Dörfel takes care of Golf-Square, his own company that sells golf-related equipment, including used golf balls. The company, which he founded, claims to offer more than three hundred types of used golf balls of varying quality.

Where does Nicky Dörfel's passion come from?

Dörfel says collecting golf balls from lakes and puddles combines two of his greatest passions, golf and scuba diving. He says: “I grew up near a golf course, so from the age of 12 I was always there and played every chance I got. When I was 18 I first became interested in diving”.

The man has used his skills for the DP World Tour, a golf tournament in Dubai. The golf balls he collected during the Soudal Open and the Porsche European Open have been added to the DP World Golf Ball Container. In addition to the golf balls collected by Dörfel, used and unwanted golf balls will also be donated in the container by spectators, golf players and others. The balls will then be distributed to golf clubs and organizations that help take golf off the ground and increase its popularity.