golfrewind.com

Hi everyone,

I am a Business student and my group and I were a given an assignment to create a new venture and I would like your opinions and advice on the product we created. We decided to start a new product in the golf industry called Auto Caddy.

Auto Caddy is an electric pull cart that, through the use of depth perception technology, has the ability to follow you along the golf course without having to drag it along. It comprises of all the mechanics of an electric pull cart as well as a receiver that the golfer wears, with the receiver also having the capability of counting strokes for the golfer.

Some of the features of our product include:
• made from recycled plastics and alloys
• special design that allows it to be folded up and down for easy storage and assemble
• “kill switch” enables golfer to stop the cart at any time
• Integrated rear stabilizer for increased stability
• Four wheel drive
• Multi-faceted receiver acts as both a communication to the cart and stroke counter
 3” x 5” receiver that can be clipped-on to a belt

Benefits:
• injury prevention: do not need to carry heavy golf bags
• less energy usage while travelling on the golf course
• improving golfer’s health and fitness while enjoying the view while waking
• preserves the tradition of the game as the game of golf was meant to be walked
- eco friendly[/list]
Would you be interested in this product? How likely is it that you would purchase it? Any advice that may further this product?

Thank you!

that actually sounds pretty awesome, I don't know if I'd purchase one, just because it'll probably be cheaper for me to just rent a $3 cart at the course I usually play whenever I don't rent a golfcart , but if I had to guess, something like that could be pretty popular.

Ok, I can't tell yet if you're a spammer so, for the sake of discussion, I'll bite.

First of all, you should know that this product already exists...maybe you have features unique to your product that mean you're not infringing on someone else's patent.

I'm not a tree-hugger but I like that it's made from recycled materials.
Four-wheel drive is good, as stability was an issue with early models.
I don't need a stroke counter but I suppose there's a market for an electronic marker.
3" x 5" transceiver is kinda big, especially for this day and age...could get in the way.

Questions:

• You didn't mention battery life...good for how many holes?
• How heavy is it?...folding is great but weight matters.
• Again on weight...can you pull it if you want to?
• You never mentioned a price...that matters too.
• Have you actually built a prototype or is it still in development?...or is it an actual product you're spamming?

Shade

Thank you for the feedback.

No, this is purely a concept for a business project, no spam at all. We are not actually making the product itself, it is a research assignment, We just need opinions from our target market (average golfers)
To answer your questions,
it should weigh about 20 pounds (b.c of the 4th wheel) and yes you can pull it if needed so.
price: aprox. $1000 (but it is a one-time price and do not need money for continuous rental fees .. its cheaper than Stewart Golf (about 5000 dollars)
battery life: we are using lithium ion-one of the most efficient in the battery market ...how many holes... we are still working on that sorry.
And you mentioned another product like this already exists, do you mean Bat Caddy? We have introduced new features they do not have and we are using them as our major competitor in our analysis of competition.

Thank you!

Actually it can last for theoretically 27 holes

FYI they make self propelled motorized carts that have a wireless controller. The person has to use it like a controller of a remote controlled car. It's ok, cost $2K - $3K. And even if your wealthy, I think older people have to much fun driving around in those carts :)

As you know, There ALREADY is a hand cart that WILL FOLLOW THE GOLFER ALL OVER THE COURSE BY ITSELF. Don't remember the name of it, but I've seen a video of it following the golfer all over the course. It is designed to STOP when it gets inside a certain distance of the golfer, and the golfer CAN shut it off by the remote control, for around the greens or tee box.
I really doubt you can make your cart with a battery powerful enough to last 18 holes PLUS, and have the total cart weight only 20 pounds. You need a decent size electric motor to power it up and down hills. That alone will add enough weight to a regular 3 wheel hand cart to get it up to over 20 pounds. I just weighed my 3 wheel push cart and it weighs 19 pounds. It's made of light weight aluminum tubing. So unless you plan to make your cart out of some kind of plastic, I don't see you being able to make your cart weigh less than my cart. And then you have to add in the motor and battery. Not going to happen in my opinion.
The cart I mentioed also had the ability to navigate AROUND objects on the course, like other golfer or trees. Something you have not mentioned. Don't know the name of this cart, but I do know it was not a BAT cart I saw a video on.
PRICE? I don't know about any one else, but I would never think of paying $1000 for an electic golf cart. Not when I can buy a hand cart for less than $20 on sale. Or buy a better 3 whell push cart for under $100 just about anywhere I look.

NEW VENTURE? You state that your group was given an assignment to create a NEW venture. But what you are doing is nothing more than COPYING what has already been built and sold in the market place.

Stroke Counter? Are you serious? I don't know of ANY decent golfer that needs a stroke counter. And I don't know of any golfer that would be will to spend $1000 for a cart that would want or need a stroke counter. The only stroke counter a decent golfer NEEDS is a pencil, a score card, and the brains to count and write. Sorry, but this just isn't worth anything to a half way decent golfer.

Four wheel drive? Great idea. Would make the cart able to go up hills a two wheel drive cart couldn't. But for 4 wheel drive you NEED the ability to have the right wheels spin at a different rate than the left wheels. And yoo need the front or reat wheels to be able to rotate so as to STEER the cart right and left. All this will ADD more weight to your 20 pound cart.
Bottom line is I don't believe you can Build it. I don't know anyone that would Buy it for $1000, And it's ALREADY ON THE MARKET. Sorry, you just failed your assignment.

As you can tell, golf2468, it's a tough market.

Shade