May 2—MITCHELL — When a friend gave John Doescher about 100 custom logo golf balls, the collection began.
Doescher, 71, is serving his third term on the Mitchell City Council for Ward No. 2 and started collecting golf balls shortly after building his house at Wild Oak Golf Course in 2005. He now has 9,000.
To be admitted into Doescher’s collection, golf balls have to be logo’d and be unique in some way from any other ball in his collection, which lines the walls of his two-stall garage. Logo’d golf balls are grouped by categories, be it sports teams, banks, insurance providers, automakers, gas stations and Mitchell-based companies.
Word got out that Doescher started a collection, and friends saved back logo’d golf balls to see if it would make the cut.
Some golf balls are goofy-looking, with emoji faces. Some are themed, such as Disney characters. Some have figures, like Abe Lincoln or a rose or a tuxedo.
“They have to be a little different. And sometimes they’re just slightly different in size or color — lighter green, little darker green,” Doescher said.
Doescher doesn’t look up which company commissioned their logo to be put on a golf ball, so there are many that remain in an uncategorized grouping.
Golf ball manufacturers such as Callaway, Titleist, Ultra and Top Flite brand their own name onto the ball first and then promotional companies stamp a business name onto the ball for a fee.
“It’s a good promotional deal if you’re in business. ‘You’re a golfer? Have a sleeve of balls,'” Doescher said.
Titleist balls are worth more and favored by golfers, according to Doescher. He’s only purchased about 10 of the golf balls in his collection.
“Last count I had just over 8,100 up,” Doescher said as he then pointed to a plastic tote full of individually-printed logo’d golf balls, “I gotta build more racks.”
Additionally, an 18-gallon plastic storage bin holds duplicate golf balls, which he doesn’t count as part of his collection. Instead, Doescher utilizes these to trade for more unique golf balls.
When Doescher built his duplex on the Wild Oak Golf Course, right next to the green, it was the first house to be built, and everything else around the golf course was a hay field with a couple rows of trees.
Doescher worked at the Wild Oak for about 20 years, and lives on Quiett Lane, a street named after then-golf course owner Dave Backlund Sr.’s wife Deanell’s maiden name of Quiett.
Some of the balls in Doescher’s collection are found by Doescher’s dog when out on walks around the perimeter of the golf course.
Doescher has golf balls from Fire Steel Country Club, the predecessor to Wild Oak Golf Course, as well as Lakeview Golf Course and the various golf courses that Doescher has played at throughout the world.
Favorite golf balls come from courses that he has played, Doescher said.
His row of three- and four-leaf clover golf balls started with his trip to Ireland to play golf there. His Duke University golf ball set came from his time while visiting a friend in North Carolina.
Doescher has a section dedicated to logo’d golf balls from Mankato, Minnesota, where he grew up.
“Businesses from Mankato, which aren’t even open anymore, are kind of fun to have,” Doescher said.
While in North Carolina in 2004, Doescher went to the Masters golf tournament and then framed a memento ball and a photo of himself with a buddy in front of hole No. 12, which hangs with his golf ball collection.
There are some 50- to 60-year-old balls in Doescher’s collection, which are more of a light tan color than white. Golf balls weights and sizes are regulated by the United States Golf Association.
“The only thing that’s changed over the years are maybe dimple patterns,” Doescher said.
When Doescher told his wife that he was running out of room and hinted at turning a wall in their living room into another display of logo’d golf balls, she had one response.
“Don’t you even think about it,” she told him.
MITCHELL — When a friend gave John Doescher about 100 custom logo golf balls, the collection began.
Doescher, 71, is serving his third term on the Mitchell City Council for Ward No. 2 and started collecting golf balls shortly after building his house at Wild Oak Golf Course in 2005. He now has 9,000.
To be admitted into Doescher’s collection, golf balls have to be logo’d and be unique in some way from any other ball in his collection, which lines the walls of his two-stall garage. Logo’d golf balls are grouped by categories, be it sports teams, banks, insurance providers, automakers, gas stations and Mitchell-based companies.
Word got out that Doescher started a collection, and friends saved back logo’d golf balls to see if it would make the cut.
Some golf balls are goofy-looking, with emoji faces. Some are themed, such as Disney characters. Some have figures, like Abe Lincoln or a rose or a tuxedo.
“They have to be a little different. And sometimes they’re just slightly different in size or color — lighter green, little darker green,” Doescher said.
Doescher doesn’t look up which company commissioned their logo to be put on a golf ball, so there are many that remain in an uncategorized grouping.
Golf ball manufacturers such as Callaway, Titleist, Ultra and Top Flite brand their own name onto the ball first and then promotional companies stamp a business name onto the ball for a fee.
“It’s a good promotional deal if you’re in business. ‘You’re a golfer? Have a sleeve of balls,’” Doescher said.
Titleist balls are worth more and favored by golfers, according to Doescher. He’s only purchased about 10 of the golf balls in his collection.
“Last count I had just over 8,100 up,” Doescher said as he then pointed to a plastic tote full of individually-printed logo’d golf balls, “I gotta build more racks.”
Additionally, an 18-gallon plastic storage bin holds duplicate golf balls, which he doesn’t count as part of his collection. Instead, Doescher utilizes these to trade for more unique golf balls.
1/10: John Doescher talks about his collection of golf balls on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
2/10: John Doescher talks about his collection of golf balls on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
3/10: John Doescher talks about his collection of golf balls on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
4/10: Golf balls line the walls of John Doescher’s garage on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
5/10: Golf balls line the walls of John Doescher’s garage on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
6/10: Golf balls line the walls of John Doescher’s garage on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
7/10: Golf balls line the walls of John Doescher’s garage on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
8/10: Golf balls line the walls of John Doescher’s garage on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
9/10: Golf balls line the walls of John Doescher’s garage on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
10/10: Golf balls line the walls of John Doescher’s garage on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
When Doescher built his duplex on the Wild Oak Golf Course, right next to the green, it was the first house to be built, and everything else around the golf course was a hay field with a couple rows of trees.
Doescher worked at the Wild Oak for about 20 years, and lives on Quiett Lane, a street named after then-golf course owner Dave Backlund Sr.’s wife Deanell’s maiden name of Quiett.
Some of the balls in Doescher’s collection are found by Doescher’s dog when out on walks around the perimeter of the golf course.
Doescher has golf balls from Fire Steel Country Club, the predecessor to Wild Oak Golf Course, as well as Lakeview Golf Course and the various golf courses that Doescher has played at throughout the world.
Favorite golf balls come from courses that he has played, Doescher said.
His row of three- and four-leaf clover golf balls started with his trip to Ireland to play golf there. His Duke University golf ball set came from his time while visiting a friend in North Carolina.
Doescher has a section dedicated to logo’d golf balls from Mankato, Minnesota, where he grew up.
“Businesses from Mankato, which aren’t even open anymore, are kind of fun to have,” Doescher said.
While in North Carolina in 2004, Doescher went to the Masters golf tournament and then framed a memento ball and a photo of himself with a buddy in front of hole No. 12, which hangs with his golf ball collection.
There are some 50- to 60-year-old balls in Doescher’s collection, which are more of a light tan color than white. Golf balls weights and sizes are regulated by the United States Golf Association.
“The only thing that’s changed over the years are maybe dimple patterns,” Doescher said.
When Doescher told his wife that he was running out of room and hinted at turning a wall in their living room into another display of logo’d golf balls, she had one response.
“Don’t you even think about it,” she told him.
