A ball mounting apparatus and method for mounting a plurality of balls sucked up and held by a head onto a workpiece. The apparatus includes a positioning mechanism for the workpiece, a ball supply device for supplying the balls, the head for sucking up the balls, a force generating device for urging the head upward, a clamping device for clamping the head in a condition in which this force generating device stores the force, and a moving mechanism for moving the head. The force of the force generating device is able to lift the head above a lower stop which is a component of the clamping device.