ABOUT THE BALL POP
An Innovative Idea "Pops" onto the Golf Market
A junior golfer's dream comes true years later.
Picture this......An 11-year-old golfer from New Jersey walks from the cart barn to the driving range carrying her bag of clubs and her large bucket of range balls. It’s awkward, it’s heavy, and this junior golfer is praying to make it to the range without dropping the majority of the balls and embar-rassingly having them scatter all over the place. It’s the mid-80’s and that 11-year- old, wearing a pink cotton polo shirt and pleated khaki golf shorts, is me.
I'm Meaghan McLaughlin, and this is where my dream of inventing The Ball Pop begins.
Growing up at a country club is quite fun. But with fun comes responsibility, and as an aspiring junior golfer, it was important to know the niles and follow the rules when you went out to play. I learned to play “regulation” golf which for me, meant having two golf balls on hands at all times and in all situations.
So I would squeeze those two balls into my pocket along with some tees and a ball marker hoping for one thing... that my belt was going to be tight enough to hold my pants up during the round! From those early days, I was determined to develop a golf ball holder that would eliminate carrying two balls in your pocket and would provide a sleek, cool, convenient and colorful, wearable accessory.
Fast forward to the year 2007. I am now working as a feature film Assistant Director and I begin to put money aside to develop the golf ball holder.
After mocking up a couple of sketches, I was able to employ an engineer in 2014 who created the prototype.
Next came filing a utility and design patent. This was the biggest challenge. We went through three rounds of patent examinations before finally being granted the Utility Patent in June 2020.
As the country started abruptly shutting down due to COVID-19 last year, the film industry was one
of the first to be immediately and severely impacted. My business partner, Katye Kalivoda and I, decided that despite the serious and unprecedented circumstances going on all around us, and our day jobs coming to a stand-still, we remained committed to our golf venture and pushed forward.
The first step was to purchase a 3-D printer and we started producing prototypes. It took three hours per unit, but we perfected the design and knew we had something special.
To test the market, we launched our website (www.theballpop.com) and sold our 3-D Prototypes. The demand was quite high, and the feedback very positive.
At the same time, we filed for a foreign patent and a trademark on what is now, The Ball Pop.
To keep up with the demand, it was time to take “our baby” to the next level. In December 2020, we hired a manufacturer, started mass production and officially launched the Ball Pop on Amazon.
The Ball Pop comes in four colors: red, white, blue and black, with more on the way. The Ball Pop can be printed on demand allowing tournaments and events to customize It as a promotional item or unique tee gift.
The Ball Pop eliminates the frustration of fumbling for a ball in your pocket. The durable, light-weight and flexible design makes it easy and comfortable to wear; while the quick-release ball socket is fast and convenient. The Ball Pop slips onto your belt or the waistline of your pants, shorts or skirts keeping your pockets clean and golf ball easily accessible.
Ball Pop is a female owned and operated company based in Sarasota, FL. We believe the enthusiastic acceptance of the Ball Pop will soon make it an integral part of your golf game just like your glove or ball marker.
For more information or to place an order, contact us!
Challenge your game, not your patience
Golf has been a recreational passion of ours for as long as we can remember...
We have hit thousands of balls at the range, enjoyed the camaraderie of Golf Leagues, and have been lucky enough to play countless rounds of golf throughout the United States of America and beyond.
However, no matter where our golf adventure takes us, one thing in our game is always problematic....Carrying golf balls in our pockets!
After years of complaining about this problem, our team has finally decided to do some thing about it!
Meet your new golf pal...
The Ball Pop!
Reach to your waist and there’s your ball,
just POP!
- Meaghan F McLaughlin, Katye Kalivoda, & The Ball Pop Team
