Press
Area businessmen vie for spot in golf market
By Alan Blondin
The Sun News
The Carolinas PGA Merchandise Show at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center on Sunday and Monday featured the expected major golf equipment manufacturers, including Nike, Ping, TaylorMade and Callaway.
But alongside golf's giants were a couple small companies with area ties and new ideas seeking a place in the industry.
One of the more innovative products at the 11th annual show was AutoLinx, a golf bag transportation device that attaches to the back of automobiles like a bike rack.
It was invented by Ron Hesmer, who founded Feat First Inc., a small product development company in Wilmington, N.C., with his wife in 1997. He previously created a product for the preservation of children's artwork, and AutoLinx is Hesmer's first foray into golf products.
Three years ago his wife had a small Volkswagon convertible and the couple had trouble getting two sets of clubs in the car. "So I made a prototype that looked like two trash barrels strapped to the back of the car," Hesmer said. "I had people stopping me saying, 'Hey, where did you get that? Where can I get one?' So I thought, 'Maybe I'm onto something.'"
AutoLinx won't be available to consumers until March 15, so Hesmer was at the show with pre-production models. The product includes a hardshell travel case that has a removable top and can also be used for airline travel, and a frame that attaches like a trailer hitch. Models have been created to carry one, two or four bags.
AutoLinx was popular at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando a couple weeks ago. It was filmed by a Golf Channel crew for a segment on the program "What's in the Bag", several companies expressed interest in buying rights to the product, and Herrington catalog approached Hesmer about including the product in its next publication.
The company's Web site is www.drivelikeapro.com.