Children collect golf ball mementos

The golf balls Ragen Simmons collected at the 17th green will help her in a family competition.

Ragen, 10, perched in a chair at the walkway between the No. 17 green and the No. 18 tee box, patiently and politely waited for souvenirs from her trip to the Masters Tour­nament. Each ball handed to her by players or caddies was a cherished item.

“I like to prove that I went to the Masters, and I like to compete with my brothers and sisters,” Ragen said.

She rotates attending the Masters with her three siblings. Her goal: Bring home more golf balls than they did during their trip. Ragen collected at least two balls Friday and six during her trip two years ago.

Like Ragen, other children find success at the walkway between Nos. 17 and 18 where golfers near the end of their round. Most children never ask for a ball, just smile and wave at players.

“It’s fun to interact with them and for them to talk back,” Chase Venn, 13, said Saturday. “I’ll usually say, ‘Nice par’ or ‘Nice shot’ or ‘Finish strong.’ ”

Chase has collected golf balls for four years at No. 17, where he says the short walkway allows him to get closer to golfers. He has about 70 balls from his ventures displayed in a case at home.

His favorites are those from past Masters champions, including Zach Johnson, Vi­jay Singh and Fred Couples.

Taylor Elwood, 16, of Co­lum­bus, Ind., staked out a spot at the end of the 18th green. His strategy was to ask caddies, instead of players, for balls as they headed to the clubhouse.

“I thought this would be a good place to get them because they don’t want to be distracted during their round,” he said.