By Leonard Finkel
OnCore Golf Technologies, a Buffalo, New York-based company is developing the Genius Ball with embedded electronic sensors and measurement systems, including a GPS chip, that will determine a wide range of data for each shot, including the ball’s distance, flight path, velocity and spin rate and will communicate over Bluetooth to mobile devices in real time. Beyond the ability to locate an errant shot anywhere on the course, the Genius Ball will deliver an array of shot data that the company expects will initially include:
– Ball location
– Time in the air
– G force at impact
– Angle of descent
– Initial velocity
– Carry distance
– Roll distance
– Degree of draw or fade
– Spin rate
– Height apex
In addition to developing their own proprietary software interface for mobile devices, OnCore expects to work with other golf app developers to allow the Genius Ball data to be easily integrated with other GPS and course visualization applications.
While several companies have attempted to create “smart” golf balls, the extreme g-forces encountered at club-impact are enough to damage or destroy most embedded electronics. OnCore has solved this issue utilizing an advancement of its patented hollow metal core technology. Creating a protective housing that won’t interfere with the performance or feel of the golf ball, the OnCore engineering team is confident that golfers will be very impressed with playability of this unique ball. The project was accelerated following OnCore’s receipt of a recent US Patent which describes one of several approaches to the protective shell. The company expects to demonstrate a prototype of the ball at the 2018 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando and begin delivery in the second quarter of next year.
States Bret Blakely, OnCore Golf co-founder, ” The intent of the Genius Ball is to provide data that helps golfers understand their performance on the course in real time to help them become better golfers. We are confident that what a launch monitor can do for a golfer on the driving range is what the Genius Ball will do on every hole and for every shot. Golfers crave technology and information and our new “Ball with a Brain” will deliver both.”
The company is providing golfers an opportunity to become the first to experience the product through their Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. All participants will be notified when the Genius Ball is ready to ship and have priority in placing orders for the initial production run. To learn more about the Genius Ball Project, visit geniusball.com.
Leonard Finkel is the author of The Secrets to the Game of Golf & Life and former editor in chief of Golf Journeys Magazine. His work has been featured in almost 200 publications including Golf Magazine, Golf Digest, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Golf Illustrated, Golf Tips and Player Magazine. He has written more than a dozen cover stories for Golf Today Magazine. He has written extensively about golf and travel and has added poker to his writing repertoire. Finkel also works as a marketing and public relations consultant. His specialty niche is writing advertorial copy. Prior to his career in golf, Finkel owned a chain of retail stores and a consulting and import company based in Asia. He attended the University of Utah.