Honest opinion wanted: Would you want a trackable golf ball?

[ThomasDM]

Hello fellow golf enthusiasts,

I'm reaching out to gather your insights on a potential new golf product. As a recent golf convert frustrated by the frequent loss of golf balls, and with a background in science and engineering, I'm considering founding a company to address this issue—if there truly is a need for such a solution.

 

Concept Overview:

No Charging Required: This ball is battery-free

Easy to Track: With the capability to locate your ball within a 20-meter radius using your regular smartphone, which will vibrate increasingly as you near the ball, this feature aims to reduce time spent searching and improve game efficiency.

 

Potential Benefits:

Improve Your Handicap: Reduce penalty strokes from lost balls.

Economical and Eco-Friendly: Minimize the need for replacements, saving you money and reducing environmental impact.

Enhanced Game Experience: Focus more on playing and less on searching for lost balls—a common frustration I share with many of you.

 

As someone who has started playing golf recently, I've quickly recognized a gap that might be filled with this innovative product. However, I want to ensure that any business I start effectively meets the needs of its potential users.

Thank you for your time and valuable feedback. It is crucial to shaping this concept into a product that could enhance our golfing experience.

[GolfSpy_APH]

Price is the main thing - If it is going to be even double the price of a normal golf ball I am sticking with that. 

Most places I loose golf balls are in Biotop (not allowed to enter) or water. Meaning regardless of tracking I won't be able to retrieve the golf ball. 

[Josh Parker]

I personally wouldn't buy them but price is going to be your biggest hurdle. Also, 20 meters is a large area when most of the time you see the general area a ball goes out of play. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

8 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

I personally wouldn't buy them but price is going to be your biggest hurdle. Also, 20 meters is a large area when most of the time you see the general area a ball goes out of play. 

The 20 meters is a big hold up for me as well. Needs to be far more accurate as I generally know my spots and distances within that as well. 

[Josh Parker]

3 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

The 20 meters is a big hold up for me as well. Needs to be far more accurate as I generally know my spots and distances within that as well. 

If you could build them cheap enough and more accurate, I could see a need for them with higher handicaps.  But it has to almost pinpoint location.

[Coulter]

It’s a great idea and one I have wished at times was available but not sure how feasible it would be. Price, a much smaller area to be able to pinpoint its location, and how exactly that technology is in each golf ball would be the most important factors in my opinion. 
 It seems like a lot of manufacturers have a hard enough time getting the quality of their balls just right to have to add another piece to the puzzle but if done just right who knows it could be the next big thing.

[Rob Person]

I remember and year or two ago Rick Shiels tested one of these types of balls.  And as someone who was green to the golf world at the time, I thought this would be awesome for me. 

But now, as a mid-high handicapper,  I realize that these could still be beneficial,  but also a hindrance when playing.

Best example I can give is losing a ball in an open fairway. I've lost dozens of balls over the last few years, knowing darn well the ball was in the fairway!

On the other hand, the amount of time spent looking for the ball, holding my phone, walking around , and only a chance of possibly finding it within that 60 foot radius could be time consuming. Same goes for if it went into the rough, OB, tree line, etc.

Price is also a factor, as iirc, they were quite high priced.

Of course, if it was more accurate, say half that radius, stay be more useful? Then there is the issue if someone else is also playing one of these balls and it detects that one instead of your own.

It would be interesting to see it tested out.

Technology aside, what kind of rating, cover, performance the ball has, etc, also matters.

Welcome to MGS @ThomasDM

[RyanGi]

As other have said, there are some hurdles in think the one not yet mentioned (unless I missed it) is performance nod you’re embedding something into the core of a ball, it’s going to effect compression and rebound. If you’ve read through some of the golf ball reviews you’ve seen that balls are cut open to examine the core. Balls with deficits are usually less accurate. It would be a neat trick to get a ball with a complete core and have a tracker inside. But, price not withstanding, it would be a cool product!

[William P]

8 hours ago, ThomasDM said:

Hello fellow golf enthusiasts,

I'm reaching out to gather your insights on a potential new golf product. As a recent golf convert frustrated by the frequent loss of golf balls, and with a background in science and engineering, I'm considering founding a company to address this issue—if there truly is a need for such a solution.

 

Concept Overview:

No Charging Required: This ball is battery-free

Easy to Track: With the capability to locate your ball within a 20-meter radius using your regular smartphone, which will vibrate increasingly as you near the ball, this feature aims to reduce time spent searching and improve game efficiency.

 

Potential Benefits:

Improve Your Handicap: Reduce penalty strokes from lost balls.

Economical and Eco-Friendly: Minimize the need for replacements, saving you money and reducing environmental impact.

Enhanced Game Experience: Focus more on playing and less on searching for lost balls—a common frustration I share with many of you.

 

As someone who has started playing golf recently, I've quickly recognized a gap that might be filled with this innovative product. However, I want to ensure that any business I start effectively meets the needs of its potential users.

Thank you for your time and valuable feedback. It is crucial to shaping this concept into a product that could enhance our golfing experience.

Personally, I wouldn't but them for the same reasons mentioned by others, however, as technology improves this could become a feasible product.

Welcome to MGS and the Forum!