Abstract: A ball trap comprises a carrier about which is spaced a number of suspended flaps so as to be positioned, in use, about the surface on which the ball travels and which are configured, so that when a—or the—flap is impacted by a ball, the flap is pushed aside to a position where, provided the impact force is sufficient, the ball passes underneath the flap and the flap falls back to its position of rest to prevent the ball from escaping; characterised by the feature that the flap region which the ball pushes aside on impact is spaced sufficiently, radially outward from the carrier that the same region can subsequently come down behind the ball and act as the escape-preventing means.