How to Make a Homemade Golf Ball Washer

A clean golf ball flies truer, spins better, and simply performs with more consistency than one caked in mud or grass stains. Instead of relying on the often-grimy station at the course or spending money on a bulky commercial unit, building your own highly effective golf ball washer is a straightforward and rewarding project. This guide will walk you through two simple methods for creating a homemade golf ball washer, giving you everything you need to keep your golf balls in perfect condition for every round.

Why A Clean Golf Ball Matters More Than You Think

Before we get into building, let's talk about why we're even doing this. As a golf coach, I see players spend hours perfecting their swing but neglect the very piece of equipment they hit on every shot. A dirty golf ball is a problem for two main reasons:

• Aerodynamics: The dimples on a golf ball are engineered to create a turbulent layer of air around the ball, which reduces drag and helps it fly farther and straighter. When those dimples are filled with dirt, grass, or sand, that aerodynamic design is compromised. The result is a less predictable flight path - you might get a 'flier' that goes too far, a shot that knuckles, or one that loses distance unexpectedly.
• Spin and Control: On shots into the green, a clean surface allows the grooves of your irons and wedges to properly grip the ball, imparting backspin. This backspin is what helps control distance and stop the ball on the green. When there's a layer of dirt between the clubface and the ball, spin is significantly reduced, making it much harder to hold greens.

Making your own washer isn't just about saving money, it’s about taking control of a small but significant variable in your game. It’s a simple setup you can keep in your garage or on your back patio to quickly clean dozens of balls after a practice session or a muddy round.

Method 1: The Bucket and Brush Washer

This is the classic, time-tested DIY design. It’s incredibly effective, easy to build, and uses materials you can find at any hardware store. It functions using stationary brushes inside a bucket, while you use a plunger-like device to agitate the balls and water.

Gathering Your Supplies

Here’s what you’ll need for this build. Try to get everything together before you start to make the process smoother.

• A 5-Gallon Bucket with a Lid: This is the housing for our washer. Make sure it's clean and sturdy. Any standard bucket from a home improvement store will do.
• 2-3 Stiff-Bristled Toilet Brushes: Don't go for the soft, flimsy ones. Look for brushes with strong, dense plastic bristles. These will provide the scrubbing power. The ones with a small dish at the base are actually ideal, as the dish can be used as a mounting point.
• A Toilet Plunger: A simple, standard-cup plunger is all you need for the agitator.
• Hardware: You'll need about 6-9 short bolts (around 1/4 inch diameter and 1 inch long), with corresponding nuts and washers for each. Stainless steel is a great choice as it won’t rust.
• Tools: A power drill with a drill bit sized for your bolts, a wrench or socket set, and a marker.

Step-by-Step Building Instructions

Follow these steps carefully, and you'll have a fully functional ball washer in under an hour.

Step 1: Mark and Drill the Brush Holes

First, decide on the placement of your brushes. You want them to be evenly spaced around the inside of the bucket. Three brushes create an optimal cleaning zone. Place the brushes inside the bucket and use your marker on theoutside of the bucket to mark where you need to drill through the brush's plastic base. Two to three bolts per brush is plenty to hold it securely.

Once your spots are marked, take the brushes out and drill your holes through the bucket from the outside in.Pro-Tip: Start with a smaller pilot bit to create a guide, then use the proper-sized bit. This prevents the plastic from cracking.

Step 2: Secure the Brushes

Now, place a brush back inside the bucket, aligning the base with the holes you drilled. From the outside, insert a bolt through the bucket and the brush base. On the inside, add a washer and then tighten the nut. Don't overtighten and crack the plastic, but make sure it’s snug. A wrench on the nut and holding the bolt head with pliers or a screwdriver usually works best. Repeat this for all bolts and all brushes.

When you're done, the brushes should be firmly mounted to the sides of the bucket, with their bristles pointing inward, creating a tight channel for the golf balls.

Step 3: Modify the Plunger (The Agitator)

The plunger's job is to move the water and balls up and down against the brushes. To make it more effective in water, take your drill and create several holes (about 8-10) in the rubber cup of the plunger. This allows water to flow through it easily, creating a powerful jet-like action that forces the balls into the bristles.

Step 4: The Final Assembly

Your golf ball washer is essentially complete. The bucket holds the brushes, the plunger is your agitator, and the lid is there to prevent splashing while you’re "plunging" and to keep debris out when you're storing it.

Method 2: The Upgraded Plunger Scrubber

This second method is simpler to build but requires a slightly different approach. Instead of static brushes in a bucket, the brush itself moves. It’s less of a "washer" and more of a dedicated handheld scrubbing tool meant to be used inside a bucket of water.

Gathering Your Supplies

The list for this version is even shorter and simpler.

• A 5-Gallon Bucket with a Lid: Just to hold your water and golf balls. No modifications needed.
• A Heavy-Duty Toilet Plunger: This time, opt for a flange plunger (the kind with the extra lip at the bottom) or one with a very thick rubber base.
• 2 Stiff-Bristled Replacement Brush Heads: Look for the kind you’d screw onto a cleaning pole. You want just the round brush heads, not the long handles.
• Epoxy or a Strong Waterproof Adhesive: Something heavy-duty like a two-part epoxy is best.
• Zip Ties or Stainless Steel Screws (Optional): For extra security.

Step-by-Step Building Instructions

This design comes together very quickly.

Step 1: Prepare the Plunger Head

Your goal is to attach the brush heads to the inside of the plunger cup, essentially turning the plunger into a scrubbing bell. Position the two brush heads inside the cup so their bristles face each other. You may need to trim the plastic backs of the brush heads so they fit snugly side-by-side inside the plunger cup.

Step 2: Attach the Brush Heads

Mix your epoxy according to the package directions. Apply a generous amount to the back of each brush head and to the inside of the plunger cup where they will sit. Press the brush heads firmly into place inside the cup. For added grip, you can pre-drill a few holes through the plunger's rubber and brush bases and use small stainless steel screws to bolt them together before the epoxy sets. Zip ties pulled very tight around the outside of the rubber cup can also add clamping pressure while it cures.

Be sure to let the epoxy cure completely, which might take 24 hours. The last thing you want is for it to come apart mid-wash.

How to Use Your Homemade Washer

Regardless of which model you built, the process for using it is essentially the same. Performance here comes down to technique.

1. Add Water and Soap: Fill your bucket about one-third to one-half full with warm water. Hot water works even better at loosening caked-on dirt. Add a small squirt of dish soap to help break down grease and grime.
2. Add Your Golf Balls: Don’t overfill it. A couple of dozen golf balls is a good amount for a 5-gallon bucket. You need enough room for them to move around and get scrubbed.
3. Get to Washing: Place the lid loosely on top to avoid splashes. With the bucket-and-brush method, insert your agitator plunger and start plunging up and down vigorously for 30-60 seconds. You'll hear the balls grinding against the bristles. With the plunger-scrubber method, you're doing the same motion, but the scrubbing action is all contained within that plunger head you’re moving around.
4. Rinse and Dry: Pull the balls out - a wire straining basket for frying works perfectly for this. Give them a quick rinse with clean water to get any soap residue off. Lay them out on a towel to air dry, or give them a quick wipe-down if you're in a hurry.

Your golf balls are now perfectly clean, with clear dimples ready to fly right and grab the green.

Final Thoughts

Building your own golf ball washer is a simple, cost-effective way to take charge of your equipment's performance. Whether you choose the bucket-and-brush method or the plunger-scrubber, you've created a tool that will keep your golf balls in top shape, leading to more predictable shots and added confidence on the course.

Feeling prepared on the course goes beyond just having clean equipment, it's also about knowing you can handle any situation the course throws at you. It’s why we designed Caddie AI. The feeling of uncertainty when facing a tricky lie in the rough or choosing a club on a blind tee shot can be tough. We built our app to give you instant, expert-level advice right on your phone. Snap a photo of your ball's lie for a shot recommendation, or ask for a smart strategy to play a difficult hole - all so you can eliminate doubt and swing with total confidence.