38 inventions have advanced to the field testing stage… 20 are field tested in this episode… 8 advance to an odd intermediary stage… finally, 5 of the 20 are selected to go forward.

Next week the remaining 18 will be field tested.

Three former Big Break contestants performed the field tests (and frankly, I liked their evaluations of the inventions better than those of the panel of judges). First, let’s look at a rundown of the 20 products that were field tested in this episode.

1) Power Stance Alignment Device (view here)
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: Good training tool. Consider extending it back. I would buy one of those.
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: While it may improve your game, the market is tiny. How many could GolfSmith sell in a year? Simply no market and the scope of potential patent protection would likely be miniscule, at best.

2) Sit and Stand Bag
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: It’s great. I like it.
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: Not bad, since at least 80% of golf bags sold are carry bags… it already has a potential market that is 16 times larger than that of the training aides. Unfortunately, unless the product is aligned with a major supplier of bags, it will never make it. Plus, if the inventor’s exact embodiment is protectable (a big if), it would be too easy to introduce a similar competing product.

3) Time Ball
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “Five minutes goes fast.” “I would love to see it in action, but I don’t see it catching on.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: How did it even get this far? Come on!

4) Golf Telebag (view here) 
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “A bit of a struggle to get it on.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: I think this is a great invention, but again… a limited market. On the plus side, they do have an actual patent (USPN 7077266) on the product, and the patent is fairly broad (i.e. not too easy to get around).

5) Glove Grabber
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “I don’t think I really need it in my bag.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: How did it even get this far? A good illustration of America’s fascination with Velcro.

6) Fairway Fan
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “I don’t like touching batteries.” “Good invention, but it is a fan.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: How did it even get this far? I don’t see anyone buying this product, carrying it to the course, and hooking it up to a rental cart.

7) Load and Explode
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “A little slippery.” “You have got to be sh##’in me.” “I firmly believe this is not a good machine.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: How did it even get this far? Bad product, no market.

8) ProPlay GPS (view here) 
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “I thought it was a wonderful product.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: Great product. One I would buy, but again… how big is the market. Well, upon reflection… the market would have to be at least as large as that of the satellite GPS distance products.

9) Twister Ball Cleaner
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: (nothing memorable)
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: Neat novelty product. I wouldn’t buy one, but know some people that would.

10) Strike N Swipe Impact Tape (view here)
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “Very simple.” “Very creative.” “I think it is a very good invention.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: Interesting product, but the potential market just seems so limited. I hope this inventor can at least recoup his million dollar investment. After all, I know a lot of golfers, yet I don’t know any recreational golfers that have spent more than $10 on impact tape in their whole life.

11) Power Reactor
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “The stretching you can feel.” “I see his point. I would definitely try something like it.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: How did it even get this far? Who would buy this?

12) The Golf Cradle
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “A pretty nice product.” “I don’t see the purpose of putting it in a car trunk.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: How did it even get this far? No market.

13) One-Time Training Aid (multi-laser alignment system)
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “I can barely see the lines.” “I lost it… I don’t see it. Too much thinking.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: Who would have guessed… it is hard to see the laser when you are outside in the daylight on an actual green.

14) Clean and Drop Ball and Club Cleaner (view here) – The Multipurpose Towel
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “I really like it.” “This is a wow.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: Neat product. Large market. But guess what, I bet it would be a piece of cake to knock-off.

15) Glove Caddie
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “It might distract me a little bit.” “Do I think it will be a great invention… not really.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: How did it even get this far? Oh, I remember… Fulton and Bill fell for a cute inventor. Basically the same as invention #5 above, but it clips on your belt. Come on!

16) Convert a Putter (transform blade putters into modern mallet putters)
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “It feels weird.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: Please! Maximum potential market… 100.

17) Divot Repair Putter
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “The classic ‘why didn’t I think of that?’” “I think that there is a product there.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: Great idea, but would need to partner with a major putter brand to really take-off.

18) Net Return (view here)
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “I don’t see my ball trajectory.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: Not a bad product, but such a limited market.

19) Club Caddie (the 8” clothes pin)
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “Pretty simple.” “Sold.” “A nice product.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: Good idea, but I suspect anyone could compete in this market.

20) Golf Cart Caddie (tilt your bag off the back of golf carts)
Big Break Contestant’s Comments: “Kind of neat.” “I would not buy this.”
Ramblings of The IP Golf Guy: How did it even get this far?

Now, let’s be realistic. What is the goal of the show? Is it to find the next golf product that sells a lot, or is it to find the best invention in terms of ingenuity rather than sales? It doesn’t seem that anyone on the show really knows what the goal is.

I would bet that GolfSmith knows their goal. Wouldn’t they want the product with the largest potential market? Would GolfSmith rather occupy shelf-space with a really great training aide that appeals to the 5% of the golfing market that actually practices, or perhaps a product that is not quite as creative but one that would be considered by a much larger percentage of the golfing market? (I still contend that at least 80% of weekly golfers do not purchase training aides or travel cases… but we all have bags, towels, hats, etc.)

Taking the GolfSmith perspective even further… do they really want exclusive rights to a product that cannot be protected? If the product can’t be protected, what is going to keep Edwin Watts (and every other competitor of GolfSmith) from launching an identical product under a different name? If I were an executive at Edwin Watts I would say “thank you GolfSmith for promoting these products… creating a buzz around them… and since they aren’t protectable, I will quietly create my own identical brand of product and have it on the shelves within a week.”

After the “field testing,” the panel narrowed this episode’s field to the following 8 inventions:

1. ProPlay GPS (portable swing video recorder and software)
2. Club Caddie (clothes pin club stand)
3. Power Stance (alignment training device)
4. Sit and Stand Bag (carry bag with fold out seat)
5. Power Reactor (medicine ball with sideways trampoline)
6. Strike N Swipe (the million dollar reusable impact tape)
7. Golf Telebag (telescoping hard case travel bag)
8. Clean and Drop Towel (multi-purpose towel)

Next, the panel made a second cut to 5 inventions. I am not sure what was the significance of this step. It seemed awkward and out of place. I am sure next season the format will be different. The final 5 survivors are (in the order listed on the show… no particular significance):

1. Strike N Swipe (the million dollar reusable impact tape)
2. ProPlay GPS (portable swing video recorder and software)
3. Club Caddie (clothes pin club stand)
4. Clean and Drop Towel (multi-purpose towel)
5. Power Stance (alignment training device)

Now, putting on my imaginary GolfSmith salesman hat… how do I size up these inventions?

a. Strike N Swipe (the million dollar reusable impact tape): It doesn’t take up much shelf space and probably has a pretty nice margin. Has a decent “buzz” about it from the show. I would consider putting it on the shelf knowing that the “buzz” will be gone in 12 months. I would give it a couple months in a display by the check-out line.

b. ProPlay GPS (portable swing video recorder and software): Doesn’t take up much shelf space, but it is a small pricey item so might warrant a special “secure” display to ward off shop lifters. I would love to be the only store that could sell this product. Even if consumers don’t purchase it… it will get people to come into the stores and check it out. Great product, but I would want to make sure our competitors couldn’t copy it and undercut the price. Definitely gets some shelf space.

c. Club Caddie (clothes pin club stand): Again, a nice small product… but it also has a small price point (which can be both good and bad). The product is a good “impulse purchase” type of item, but anybody and everybody is going to come out with their own version of this product. I would give it a couple months in a display by the check-out line.

d. Clean and Drop Towel (multi-purpose towel): Also a nice small product with wide appeal. Another great “impulse purchase” product, but again… I suspect everyone will launch their own version. I would give it a couple months in a display by the check-out line.

e. Power Stance (alignment training device): The mass appeal just isn’t there.

Personally, I would buy all of them (except the Power Stance). I can't wait to watch next week's field testing of the other 18 inventions.

David Dawsey - The Golf Invention Lawyer

PS – check out my review of the first episode here, the second episode here, and the third episode here.

PPS – now the disclaimer… the opinions above are not legal opinions and are not supported by any research!