A FAMILY who walked around a closed golf course near their home for their daily exercise during the coronavirus lockdown found more than 1,000 balls.

Claire and Stuart Anderson and their six-year-old son Jack, from New Haw, started their strolls in March.

They soon had an impressive a collection of balls, most of them hit “out of bounds” by people playing at the Topgolf driving range in Addlestone.

Balls used there have microchips implanted that enable the places where they land to be shown on giant dartboard-like targets in a field. This allows players to take part in a variety of games and challenges.

The collecting of golf balls became a game for the Andersons, who started to know where they might be and took sticks on their walk so they could dig them out of the long grass.

“I couldn’t believe how many we were finding. I thought we might get to 300, but we collected 106 in one day,” Claire said.

When the collection had reached about 1,100, the family contacted Topgolf to ask them if they wanted their balls back and were invited in.

“It was really lovely and my son was so chuffed,” said Claire. “They made it really special and gave us free food and drink and two free games on the driving range.”

The family were also given sunglasses and caps and Jack was presented with two golden golf balls that came from Topgolf in Los Angeles.

Lauren Hayne, the administrator for Topgolf in Addlestone, said they were grateful to the Andersons for collecting the lost balls and bringing them in. “We have high nets, but some people are so powerful that they hit the balls over them,” she said.

The Andersons’ daily walks also sparked an interest in nature for Jack, who enjoyed spotting ladybirds and deer around the golf course.

Claire, who was brought up in Addlestone and has lived in the area all her life, said the walks have continued and sometimes include family and friends.

“I now have one rule,” she said. “Anyone who finds a golf ball has to take it home.”