|
 |
Eco Golf Balls
dissolve in water.
 |
|
Do you know how you can tell who the golfers are on cruise ships? They're the ones standing at the back of the boat, imagining how fun it would be to launch golf balls into ocean.
I'm not a huge fan of golf cruises, so I don't know exactly how, in 1997, the idea to create water-soluble, environmentally friendly golf balls occurred to me. But, I figured if I could make them approximate the feel and flight characteristics of regular golf balls, I could sell a lot of them to cruise lines, the Navy, etc.
Well, while I was daydreaming about this, someone else was actually doing something about it. Fast forward to a month ago when I received not one, but two emails from friends (one of whom had to endure my idea pitch 10 years ago) telling me that they had read about Eco Golf Balls (ecogolfballs.com).
I can't say I wasn't a little bit disappointed, but as a wise person once said, "If it's truly a good idea, chances are someone else has thought of it, too."
That "someone else," was Indiana-based Todd Baker, who had originally found success in the late 90s in the biodegradable golf tee business (which he has since sold). His Eco Golf Balls began getting significant media attention in 2002, but I guess the world's recent move to all things "green" has revitalized interest.
The original balls were made of rawhide, but the material's hardness was caving in people's expensive drivers. Now, the balls are made mostly of polyvinyl alcohol, or PVA (think Elmer's Glue), which has some elasticity. Baker says the balls are pretty lifelike when hit with wedges and other lofted irons, but admits they only travel a little more than half the distance of a person's typical driver shot. Hey, you can't have everything.
More importantly, when submerged in water, the balls break down in three to five days into non-toxic elements, carbon dioxide and water. Imagine the drama Seinfeld's George would have been spared if Kramer had hit one of these babies into the ocean!
If you travel in Europe and Asia, you may start seeing Eco Golf Balls, er, floating around more and more (Baker just inked a sizeable deal to supply a Korean ferry line). For now, however, he mainly sells to golf facilities which put on floating-green events, and people who own boats or live on lakes. Baker's small production facility can't yet handle a big order from a major cruise line, but he foresees a day when it will. Based on his track record, that's probably not just a daydream.
Want more insider insight on golf vacations before the rest of the world? We publish our best secrets and expert advice in our monthly, sister publication, Golf Odyssey. Click here for a free trial and I'll mail you the next two issues, absolutely free!
Did you know?Golf Vacation Insider and Golf Odyssey are the world's only golf publications that travel anonymously and do not accept advertising, discounts, or "freebies" from golf courses, resorts or restaurants in order to provide you with expert, unbiased, and trusted advice.
Not already a subscriber to Golf Vacation Insider? Click here to receive our free newsletter filled with insider travel tips on the world's finest golf courses and resorts. As a bonus, we will send you a free copy of Planning the Ultimate Golf Vacation, a 40-page book filled with insider tips from the editors of Golf Odyssey.
