It's a ball thrower. It throws balls pretty far. It is my lab's favorite toy. I love this length too and now own one for every car and an additional couple with the old handle that I've picked up at garage sales. The new handle is much more comfortable. It fits regular tennis balls which we buy in bulk at Costco. Did I mention that my lab LOVES tennis balls. It fits perfectly in my day pack and allows me to throw balls comfortably almost as long as my lab is willing to fetch them. (That last statement is probably not true, she will fetch forever.)