Published: May 24, 2023
By Andrew Turski
Source: GolfWRX
Five years ago GolfWRX.com published the story about OnCore’s Genius golf balls that were in development. As reported, the company raised $110,000 to develop a golf ball that has a GPS tracking device inside a hollow-core design. The concept was that the tracker would connect to a phone app to help find the golf ball, as well as provide data such as ball speed, spin speed, spin direction, transfer, and more. OnCore even released one of the prototype golf balls PGA 2018 exhibition.
While the smart golf ball has yet to hit the retail market, OnCore has been able to reach new heights with its latest prototypes and is getting ready to hit the market in 2023.
On Wednesday during the 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge, many PGA Tour players were spotted testing golf balls at the Colonial Country Club golf course. For now, the Genius’ new “G50” prototype – which stands for “under 50 yards” – is throwing-only and, along with the app, records data points such as spin, skid start, and speed.
OnCore golf balls are already being played on the PGA Tour by employee Erik Compton using a VERO X2 golf ball. With the ball, however, Genius OnCore has loftier goals than participating in the PGA Tour – it wants to take the golf ball market, instruction, game improvement and enjoyment into the future.
While the company is still making improvements to the design of the golf ball, one PGA Tour Top 50 player told me after testing the ball at the Colonial, “It’s going to be something great.” When I asked him if putting putts were wobbly and if the golf ball felt weird, he replied, “No, not at all, it feels great.”
OnCore Chairman/CEO Keith Blakely was personally on-site during the Charles Schwab challenge, running tests with players for feedback. Later I met up with Blakely to get a better understanding of what a golf ball is, what it does and what the future plans are for the technology…
