Review of the Seventh Episode of “Fore Inventors Only” on The Golf Channel – A Pleasant Surprise… America Gets to Vote on the Winner
The show begins with the following 10 finalists (out of over 1000 inventions):
1. Strike N Swipe (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
6. Club Glider Travel Bag
7. Z-Factor Perfect Putting Machine
8. HillShot Golf
9. Shaft Skinz (shaft decoration)
10. GyroSwing
Last week the president of GolfSmith was allowed to select one of the inventions for immunity. He selected the Club Glider travel bag to get his pass into the final five.
The panel and the inventors then headed back to the studio to select the other 4 inventions that will advance to the next round. The panel, and Jim (the GolfSmith president), quickly ran through the remaining inventions in the following order: Club Caddie, ProPlay GPS, GyroSwing, Z-Factor Perfect Putting Machine, HillShot Golf, Shaft Skinz, Power Stance, Clean and Drop Towel, and Strike N Swipe. Guess what… Jim loved all of the inventions (in a very politically correct manner).
All of the inventors were then brought back into the studio for another elimination. The field of 9 was then narrowed to the following 4 (plus the Club Glider).
1. Club Caddie (clothes pin club stand)
2. ProPlay GPS (portable swing video recorder and software)
3. Z-Factor Perfect Putting Machine
4. HillShot Golf
What! How on earth did HillShot Golf make it to the final five? It is huge and costs $750! OK, sixty seconds of Googling tells me that there are roughly 17000 US golf courses and roughly 2800 stand-alone ranges. Let’s say that GolfSmith would bank $150 per unit and they sell one to each course and range. This best case scenario would have them pocketing roughly $3 million (assuming that no individual consumers would purchase the product). That is best case! I assume that GolfSmith also makes in the vicinity of $150 per set of irons that they sell… so it begs the question… how many sets of irons fit in the floor space of one HillShot Golf device and how many potential consumers are there for iron sets (possibly more than 19800)? I thought GolfSmith was a retailer directed to the golfing consumer? Very odd choice. (but I have to admit that I like the inventor… he just seems like a nice guy)
Next, Annika Sorenstam made a celebrity appearance and checked out the final five inventions. She was very polite and told each of the inventors how much she loved their products. Personally, I would have rather watched Charles Barkley try out the inventions… now that would be entertaining.
The inventors then made their own one minute commercials. As much as I hate to admit it… it was actually kind of interesting to see the commercials made.
Then, the big news… the panel is not going to decide the winner, America is! (thank goodness!) The live finale is September 4th at 10:00 EST. Make sure to cast your vote at The Golf Channel website.
Which invention do I think America will choose to win… either the ProPlay GPS portable swing video recorder system or the Club Glider travel bag.
PS – check out my review of the first episode here, the second episode here, the third episode here, the fourth episode here, the fifth episode here, and the sixth episode here.
PPS – my prediction from last week of the four inventions that would join the Club Glider travel bag to move on to the final 5 included the Z-Factor Perfect Putting Machine, the GyroSwing, the ProPlay GPS portable swing video recorder and software, and the Club Caddie club stand. That is 3 out of 4! Not too bad.
PPPS – Don’t forget… The Golf Channel is currently accepting applications for the second season of Fore Inventors Only.
PPPS – now the disclaimer… the opinions above are not legal opinions and are not supported by any research!