I've Perfected The Touchless Ball Return

[NEhomer]

Hi everyone, I haven't posted much lately 'cause I've been pouring my soul, my time and a good chunk of change into promoting a ball return design that will get us back to playing without compromise. Kudos to the folks who developed lift systems and who modified their cups in all sorts of ways to get us back playing this spring. That's all much appreciated but I think that I speak for the great majority of golfers when I describe foam filled holes as an approximation of the game. The end result of any well played hole is the ball resting at the bottom of the cup.

What has been available to date has been a device that uses a rigid rod to connect the ball plate with the lifter. These rods have already turned away shots that bounced off of them. Our Patent Pending design durably tethers the lift disc to the ball plate with a very fine, nearly invisible, nylon-coated steel wire that remains loose and thus doesn't interfere in the slightest with the ball dropping in. The lift disk smoothly lifts your ball from the hole from any direction around the flag.

We're just getting going and trying to balance advertising with production. We've set up an LLC and are in the process of launching our website so it'll be just a tad before we'll be fully up and running but if your club is considering the rigid rod lift system, do yourselves a favor and hold off a bit. Just check out how quickly and simply our touchless return drops the ball at your feet.

We re-posted pics and vids from Erik Tiele's facebook page and it's linked below. Erik's the head professional at the Waubeeka Golf Links in Williamstown, MA and a wonderful fellow who is truly committed to making his course the best. It is by far the finest conditioned public access course that I've ever played. If you're ever in Western MA, don't miss an opportunity to meet Erik and play this fantastic course.


https://www.facebook.com/pg/Touchless-Golf-LLC-109479744119393/posts/?ref=page_internal


So give me a shout if you think your club may wish to look into purchasing a set for your club. Our pricing is very competitive.

 

[Hang_On_Sloopy08]

I LOVE THIS. Very genius and much better than what we're working with. I'm going to email your link to my GM now and see if they'll consider this. We have these ridiculous foam noodles restricting the ball from even dropping in the cup. Thanks for sharing and best of luck with your marketing efforts, this is by far the best contraption I've seen.

 

[MTVike]

That's a good idea. And since we don't have to take the pin out anymore, maybe this device can still be used after the virus goes away.

 

[NEhomer]

Thanks guys.

Yeah, it's slick as hell and that damn rod isn't in the way. It's also a lot cheaper than the easy lyft devices that are being sold with the rod style.

Just PM me here if you have interest...as I said, we're just getting going but these are the absolute best choice.

 

[Hang_On_Sloopy08]

Our idiot GM already shot me down because he said our system is "flawless" since nobody comes near the flag

We have fucking pool noodles in the cup, every member hates them and has sent him numerous messages. I even offered to pay for them. Fucking moron.

 

[NEhomer]

Our idiot GM already shot me down because he said our system is "flawless" since nobody comes near the flag

We have fucking pool noodles in the cup, every member hates them and has sent him numerous messages. I even offered to pay for them. Fucking moron.

Well that's bound to happen and we've experienced it at our own club. Thanks for advocating for it though. For any course manager to wish to use this device, they have to admit that what they came up with for a solution was not as good. Some guys have a hard time with that so we just have to give it some time with those guys. You're a player and it matters to you. The good folks at Waubeeka are the same way, they genuinely wanted to get back to proper golf.

The week I made my first prototype, I emailed our pro. He replied that their mechanic had already made lift-outs and he showed me a video. Well the fellow used a full 5/8ths tube that slid down the shaft and severely limited the space for the ball. If you hold a ball between the flagstick and the rim of the cup you'll see that there's precious little space to spare. I pointed that out to my pro who agreed to look at mine. He was amazed how how sweet it worked and I agreed that I would make a set for our club free of charge. Later in the week he told me that they were going to go with what they had. Hurt feels....dude went ahead and made 18 of these crappy things.

My first putt at one of them on the 1st hole stuck and wedged between the flag and the edge of the hole. Players were pissed and the village torches were coming out. Dude pulled them all and cut away the tube while attaching the plates instead with a metal rod. Now everyone's displeased with those. He even used electrical tape on them....yeah, that's gonna hold up well in the sun. The lift rods are bending...oh, and he also stupidly made the ball plate go all the way to the edge of the cup so they scraped like hell. When he pulled them, he ran around the edge with snips and now there's jagged metal in the hole.

I could be frustrated or angry and I am disappointed but I'm just biding my time. At some point the call for something better will prevail. You and your membership might be in the same place. Give it some time, show the vid to your friends and perhaps some slow and steady pressure will eventually give way.

 

[SteelersPride]

I got a broken link...

 

[THUNDER]

GAY.

 

[gob]

Looks nifty.

 

[NEhomer]

I got a broken link...

You could search Erik Tiele on facebook. Pro at Waubeeka Golf Links. He'll come up right away and it's at the top of the page.

 

[Hang_On_Sloopy08]

Well that's bound to happen and we've experienced it at our own club. Thanks for advocating for it though. For any course manager to wish to use this device, they have to admit that what they came up with for a solution was not as good. Some guys have a hard time with that so we just have to give it some time with those guys. You're a player and it matters to you. The good folks at Waubeeka are the same way, they genuinely wanted to get back to proper golf.

The week I made my first prototype, I emailed our pro. He replied that their mechanic had already made lift-outs and he showed me a video. Well the fellow used a full 5/8ths tube that slid down the shaft and severely limited the space for the ball. If you hold a ball between the flagstick and the rim of the cup you'll see that there's precious little space to spare. I pointed that out to my pro who agreed to look at mine. He was amazed how how sweet it worked and I agreed that I would make a set for our club free of charge. Later in the week he told me that they were going to go with what they had. Hurt feels....dude went ahead and made 18 of these crappy things.

My first putt at one of them on the 1st hole stuck and wedged between the flag and the edge of the hole. Players were pissed and the village torches were coming out. Dude pulled them all and cut away the tube while attaching the plates instead with a metal rod. Now everyone's displeased with those. He even used electrical tape on them....yeah, that's gonna hold up well in the sun. The lift rods are bending...oh, and he also stupidly made the ball plate go all the way to the edge of the cup so they scraped like hell. When he pulled them, he ran around the edge with snips and now there's jagged metal in the hole.

I could be frustrated or angry and I am disappointed but I'm just biding my time. At some point the call for something better will prevail. You and your membership might be in the same place. Give it some time, show the vid to your friends and perhaps some slow and steady pressure will eventually give way.

I assume your plastic plate sits at the bottom of the cup so the ball can fall to the bottom like a normal hole? I have't seen that anything like that yet, mainly because they're scared of people sticking their hand in the cup I bet(oh god forbid lol). But with your cup lift it's a touchless system that works as good if not better than any I've seen.

A friend of mine who's a college golfer just played a tournament and when I asked how he did, he finished 2nd and was furious about the contraption their cups had that knocked several just 2-3 footers out of the cup.

What you should do is market them for tournament golf, you know like junior tours and state golf associations. For the competition, we need a full proof COVID compliant cup that will work well in tournaments. Tournament players don't want to get screwed and every shot counts. So having something that actually works like a regular cop with the flag is in much needed going into this summer.

 

[NEhomer]

I assume your plastic plate sits at the bottom of the cup so the ball can fall to the bottom like a normal hole?

Yes, that's exactly right. The lower ball lift plate is carved out of 1/2" pvc plastic and it rests all the way at the bottom of the cup. No chance of lipping it from that depth. The upper lift disc is a re-purposed spool for now that slips over the stick and works on both 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch shafts. It's a nice flexible nylon that can take some punishment and the inevitable direct hit from a ball. I'll include extra tops just in case that happens and one of them does break. The upper lift disc rests on a black oxide split ring collar clamp. You just adjust it so there's a slight tension on the wire and they hang straight....like I said, nearly invisible.

The thing is, I have to be a tad patient but I'm putting the system onto another course tomorrow. Every serious player who uses them will be impressed. There's a fem above who thinks it's gay 'cause bouncing the ball off of foam and calling it good is golf for him. That's cool....golf has those guys. I'm the tortoise in this race. I clearly have the better device for much less than what the others cost. This weekend, the course I'm going to, The Country Club of Greenfield, MA will have a tournament and those players will play actual golf on that course for the first time in 2020.

 

[NEhomer]

Well we did an installation at The Country Club of Greenfield, MA today.

...Cool layout with terrific tees and greens. They are now the second golf course in Massachusetts that will begin to play proper golf for their Tournament that will launch tomorrow morning!

Talked with one fellow who had just seen/used them for the first time today "They're awesome...hope you make a million bucks!" I said my money back and the smile on your face is all I'm after!

 

[ill]

but I like touching my balls...

 

[NEhomer]

But do you like touching balls with other touched balls?

 

[ill]

But do you like touching balls with other touched balls?

meh...I don't think about it really.

how often my ball is in contact with another surface that was in contact with another ball is minimal, and I don't think there is much transmitted there.

your best bet is to just clean your hands a couple times during a round.

 

[NEhomer]

meh...I don't think about it really.

how often my ball is in contact with another surface that was in contact with another ball is minimal, and I don't think there is much transmitted there.

your best bet is to just clean your hands a couple times during a round.

Um, have you golfed this spring? I don't know of any course with the holes not converted to something that avoids/reduces touch.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

@NEhomer

Great job man!

I like it...Our club is using the foam inserts and we've already had several issues with money games have disagreements over holed or not holed. Our group has been more liberal...if the ball goes below the rim of the cup and it's "reasonable" holing speed and comes out...we give it. For our weekly 3some it works, but I won't be that comfortable with it for a larger group with multiple tee times.

I don't know if it will fly...but I do want to make sure the guys running the club see it. They just bought two additional course I hear so they are spending money.

 

[ill]

Um, have you golfed this spring? I don't know of any course with the holes not converted to something that avoids/reduces touch.

I have golfed this spring. I do miss the ball dropping in the hole. That sound is unmatched.

Your device keeps us from putting out hand into the hole and potentially touching the cup or the flagpole, which may have been touched by someone else who may have COVID. I get that.

Balls touching other balls is not the issue though.

 

[NEhomer]

@NEhomer

Great job man!

I like it...Our club is using the foam inserts and we've already had several issues with money games have disagreements over holed or not holed. Our group has been more liberal...if the ball goes below the rim of the cup and it's "reasonable" holing speed and comes out...we give it. For our weekly 3some it works, but I won't be that comfortable with it for a larger group with multiple tee times.

I don't know if it will fly...but I do want to make sure the guys running the club see it. They just bought two additional course I hear so they are spending money.

It would thrill me to send a set to your course! This really does bring back the entire hole and the entire experience and with no arguments. It drops or not the same way it always has.