I just put together and installed the first 9 baskets of the course I'm working on and realized that the lock on the basket is basically just a visual deterrent! If someone wants to steal the basket, all they have to do is take the bolts off the collar and slide the basket out of the sleeve. Is there any way to prevent this? Welding the collar to the pole?

You should also have self-tapping set screws that prevent this from happening. The set screws, once installed, cannot be removed without a hack saw or drill.

The set screws are normally supplied with a set of baskets. While not an absolute theft preventative, they make such a theft more difficult. Welding is good if you can get it.

Flaring the pipe above the baskets prevent sliding the hardware from the pole.

The locking collars on poles are there to stop basically honest people.

The best method I've seen is to use a hardened locking trailer hitch pin through the pole. If these are installed below ground in irrigation valve covers, they are very difficult to defeat.

It becomes easier to cut the pole than remove the lock.

Then you have to add concrete and rebar to the pole to make it harder to cut.

Then you have to add more concrete to the base to make it harder to just steal the whole thing concrete and all.

Then you add angle iron or rebar crosses to the bottom of the pour so that anyone pulling the whole thing out of the ground has an unweildy package to load.

I've seen a lot of things done to prevent stolen baskets, nothing that is 100% effective.

Is there any way to prevent this? Welding the collar to the pole?



Welding the collar won't entirely prevent theft, but it's a must for any course. It won't take an experienced welder very long to do all 18 holes. You can probably get a guy to do it for a case of beer. :cool: