A ball washer or ball shagger is a piece of equipment for cleaning dirty golf ball

Golf ball

A golf ball is a ball designed to be used in the game of golf.Under the Rules of Golf, a golf ball weighs no more than 1.620 oz , has a diameter not less than 1.680 in , and performs within specified velocity, distance, and symmetry limits...

s. Because golf balls have a dimpled surface to improve their aerodynamic properties, increasing both distance and control, and are used primarily on grass

Grass

Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...

y surfaces, they tend to collect dirt and grass easily, which can adversely affect their aerodynamic characteristics. Ball washers are typically found on golf course

Golf course

A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...

s; on some courses, there is one at every hole. To maintain these aerodynamic properties balls are usually inspected for dirt before play, and washed if required.

Ball washers can be operated either manually or electronically. Ball washers for cleaning individual balls consist of a cylindrical

Cylinder (geometry)

A cylinder is one of the most basic curvilinear geometric shapes, the surface formed by the points at a fixed distance from a given line segment, the axis of the cylinder. The solid enclosed by this surface and by two planes perpendicular to the axis is also called a cylinder...

 housing, in which the ball to be cleaned is inserted. The cleaning of the ball takes place via circulating brushes. For cleaning a larger number of golf balls, machines are used which suck up the balls like a vacuum cleaner

Vacuum cleaner

A vacuum cleaner, commonly referred to as a "vacuum," is a device that uses an air pump to create a partial vacuum to suck up dust and dirt, usually from floors, and optionally from other surfaces as well. The dirt is collected by either a dustbag or a cyclone for later disposal...

, wash them, and put them in a separate net afterward.