The automatic golf ball return is sort of the toaster of the golf gifts world. It's a fallback position. And if you know that the golfer you are shopping for wants one - or is age 16 or under - great. But take it from someone who's received a few ball returns over the years - they aren't as exciting as non-golfers seem to think they are.

So what is this particular ball return doing here? Unlike most ball returns, the RoboCup - its makers, Fine Tune Golf, call it a "ball return robot" - is designed for use on real putting greens.

Golfers who love to practice can spend hours a week (or even a day, if they're trying to emulate Vijay Singh) on the practice putting green. And the RoboCup can come in handy on a practice putting green. It fits down inside any standard cup. If the golfer hits the hole, the RoboCup flings the ball back to him or her.

A "caddy cord" can be placed behind the cup to act as a backstop, corralling balls that miss the cup and, in some cases, directing them into the cup for return.

It's costs a little too much (around $60 at the time of this writing, which includes the "caddy cord") to qualify as a stocking stuffer. But if you know that the golfer you're shopping for loves to practice, it's a ball return worth considering.

See the RoboCup Web site or:

Buy on Amazon