You could try getting a pinpointer with a very long and narrow point. Or you could try the flap method. Get an old handkerchief or 12"x12" rag and cut a 4 inch equilateral triangle in the center of it and lay it on the ground - with the cutout over the target site. Carefully cut a 2-sided triangle into the soil ( /\ ) and flip the flap back, with the uncut side as a sort of hinge. Then place all loose soil on the handkerchief so it stays off the lawn and can be easily poured back into the hole. Then use your probe or pinpointer to find the target in the hole or the flap. Remove the target, replace the soil, flip the flap back down and step on the flap when finished. One final step would be to use some water (from a plastic bottle that you'd have to carry with you) to wet down the flap and help the grass roots remain moist. (Dry roots die off and leave brown spots in the lawn.) With some practice, this method is almost impossible to spot in a nice lawn.
What type of probe are you using? I use a standard screwdriver with a long shaft. It can be used to best advantage by getting the tip under the target and then flipping it out of the ground. It does take some time to find the target, especially if the ground is dry or the grass is tall. I have found that the flap method actually does less harm and makes a smaller mess than probing - particularly if probing is proving unsuccessful for target recovery.
