The golf ball retriever is a retrieval device for recovering golf balls from water hazards or the like. The golf ball retriever has a handle connected to a ball receiving body. The ball receiving body has a pair of posterior fingers, several anterior fingers and a cavity. The cavity holds the golf ball once a user has drawn or forced the ball into the cavity. The user forces the golf ball into the cavity by pressing the golf ball retriever down upon the golf ball, allowing the flexible anterior fingers to flex outward then enclose about the golf ball. Additionally, the user may position the golf ball retriever in front of the golf ball and pull backwards over the ball. The posterior fingers guide the golf ball into the cavity where the ball becomes trapped. Further, the inner surface of the retriever has at least one protuberance to assist the golf ball into the cavity and to retain the ball in the cavity.