Review of the Sixth Episode of “Fore Inventors Only” on The Golf Channel – Snooze…I Wish I Was Watching a Recording So That I Could Have Fast-Forwarded Through the Sales Training (i.e. the first 30 minutes)
The show is down to 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
Someone at The Golf Channel decided that watching the inventors refine their sales pitches would make interesting television. WRONG! I felt like The Golf Channel couldn’t land the famous pitch-man Ron Popeil, so they found a Ron Popeil wanna-be named Bob Circosta and his sidekick Chelsea. Bob and sidekick listened to the inventors’ sales pitches and offered constructive criticism (most of which was really good advice, but made for boring TV).
I actually almost fell asleep. No kidding. This segment made me wish I were listening to judge Bill Harmon drone on about how great he is. Wow, that was 30 minutes of my life that I will never get back.
Next, the finalists made a trip to the Orlando GolfSmith store… OK, at least it is starting to get interesting again.
The first inventor to make a sales pitch to the GolfSmith crowd was the inventor of the Club Caddie club stand. Something about this inventor would enable him to sell ice to Eskimos. I can’t put my finger on it, but it is hard to dislike this guy. Unfortunately he was followed by the inventor of the Shaft Skinz shaft decoration system (who incidentally could not sell ice in the desert). I actually felt bad for the Shaft Skinz inventor because viewers could actually see him getting more and more nervous until he actually froze. Poor guy.
Next, Joe pitched his Power Stance alignment training device… there is no shortage of enthusiasm from Joe. He was followed by the inventor of the GyroSwing… the GyroSwing inventor should just keep his mouth shut and let people try the product because everyone seems to like it. The president of GolfSmith gave it a try and his response was “wow.”
The GyroSwing was followed by the pitch for the Z-Factor Perfect Putting Machine. When the inventor gets people to try the Z-Factor Perfect Putting Machine, it sells itself (to people that actually practice putting and have a lot of disposable income).
Next, the inventors of the ProPlay GPS portable swing video recorder and software made their pitch… After a rough pitch during the training session, the inventors decided to switch which inventor made the pitch to the GolfSmith crowd. Probably a good idea but the pitch still struck me as odd because the show’s editing made it seem as though no one in the crowd actually got to record and view their swing (which is hard to believe).
The inventor the Strike N Swipe reusable impact tape followed the ProPlay GPS pitch. The Strike N Swipe inventor droned on, and on, and on… (I think I saw people trying to sneak off the set). Most pitches try to make complex inventions appear simple, his strategy seemed to be making a nice simple invention seem complex.
Next, the inventors of HillShot Golf gave one of the best sales pitches and demos, but I just can’t see this product being sold in a GolfSmith. Additionally, when watching the HillShot Golf duo I always find myself thinking “is this tall brunette lady really the daughter of this short blonde guy?”
Then, the inventors of the Clean and Drop Towel multi-purpose towel struggled with their pitch and didn’t have anyone from the audience to actually try the invention. Do they really even need a sales pitch? Just have a dozen dirty balls and a dozen dirty wedges and let the potential customers give it a try. Sounds simple enough.
Lastly, the inventor of the Club Glider travel bag made his pitch. I think anyone could pitch this product, after all it really does sell itself to anyone that has struggled to lug a club case through an airport.
Ahh, now the real excitement… narrowing the 10 inventions down to 5!
The twist… the president of GolfSmith was allowed to select one of the inventions for immunity. In other words, he got to select one invention to automatically make it into the final 5. So which one did he select… the Club Glider travel bag, which I am pretty sure would have made it to the next round anyway (but it is interesting to see which one the GolfSmith president really likes).
The panel and the inventors then headed back to the studio to select the other 4 inventions that will advance to the next round. Then the show just ended. Apparently selection of the other 4 inventions will make up the next show.
If I had to choose the 4 additional inventions that would join the Club Glider travel bag to move on to the final 5 (from the perspective of a GolfSmith salesman)… I would keep the Z-Factor Perfect Putting Machine and the GyroSwing, not because I think they would sell a lot, but because I think a lot of people would come to the store to try them out (you know… generate that foot traffic). Then, I would bombard the increased store visitors with the ProPlay GPS portable swing video recorder and software, the Club Caddie club stand, and the Club Glider travel bag. Unfortunately, that means only one out of my final five would be an impulse purchase item… looks like I better stick with practicing law for now (although I would love to open up one of those giant PGA Superstores in Columbus… I would include a full inexpensive driving range and a coffee bar to get golfers addicted to coming to my store).
Don’t forget… The Golf Channel is currently accepting applications for the second season of Fore Inventors Only show.
David Dawsey – The Golf Invention Lawyer
PS – check out my review of the first episode here, the second episode here, the third episode here, the fourth episode here, and the fifth episode here.
PPS – now the disclaimer… the opinions above are not legal opinions and are not supported by any research!