Three Shire boys have just returned from the US on top of the golfing world-not as players after a big victory but as a business team trying to crack the biggest sport market in the world.
Cronulla golfer Brett Arnold created a golf company in 2019 with two of his best mates,Tane Butterworth and Robb Beckmann and launched in America last month with their first golf training aid at the PGA Golf Show in Orlando Florida.
It was the first golf training innovation for the local business team and they have another eight to be released,whilst also also trying to lock down the Europe China japan and New Zealand markets.
Brett said he'd always had an inventive brain and their first product 'The Gatekeeper' an aid for your golf putting path and tempo,was a Bronze medal winner in the product design catagory in the 2019 I Design Awards in the Education/Self learning devices category.
The Gatekeeper is a hugely effective device for golfers who want to improve their putting path, face rotation, and tempo.
This simple tool has helped many golfers hone in on the weak spots in their putting, achieve a more consistent game, and make more birdies than ever before.
The Gatekeeper snaps easily onto the shaft of any putter. When your putt follows a smooth, straight path, the weighted ball will pass through the frame without contact. If the stroke is off, it will cause the ball to strike the gate, alerting you to flaws in your technique.
"I first patented a golf training aid when I was 22 and when I met my now business partners we decided to make a real go of it and make it happen" Brett said
"Next we look at swing,and all manners of the game"
Robb Beckmann is the Business development brain in the business and said golf is a massive world wide market and they are always looking for good opportunities with good people.
"There is a big training aid market, but our innovation is a quite simple and novel addition- we will initially be a small fish in a big pond,but the Arnold family network has been a godsend " Rob said
Tane Butterworth is the financial investor and he has ensured the company can survive the initial Chinese production costs-the samples are done and the boys will have 20,00 units ready to go and into the US market.
Rob said he had spent ten years in the product start up space and now the Shire trio has a plan and are going to make it really happen with some good Aussie products.
They believe golf should be experienced by many, and improvement should be available at every stage, If you improve, you are inspired to play more, if you play more you are inspired to improve.
There is a big training aid market, but our innovation is a quite simple and novel addition
- Robb Beckmann