The new Twilight Tracer.
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Golf has always been the target for eccentric inventors. Clubs that hinge in the shaft, putters with branding iron heads, trolleys with seats that take clubs stuffed in, head first.
Remember the shoes, with built up heels that got John Huston disqualified from a tournament he won because they were deemed to give him an unfair stability?
Whatever next? The ball you never lose because it sends a signal to your mobile phone? Not quite, but close!
Bay-Hill by Palmer is introducing the Twilight Tracer - a revolutionary ball that flashes in the undergrowth to help you find it. US-based - where else! - Sun Products have inserted a blinking light in the ball to aid its discovery when struck off line or in poor weather conditions.
Apparently it was voted best new product at the PGA Expo golf exhibition. The exclusive Bay Hill distributors claim it's a regulation golf ball with an inner core that contains a lithium battery and two red LED lights programmed to flash at a rate of 7.2 flashes per
second activated either by striking the ball with a club or dropping from around knee height.
Ball blinks red at impact.
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Like a tracer bullet, the golfer can follow its path from impact to its destination, particularly handy in fading light.
That's the good news. The bad news is you'll have to be quick on your feet with good eyesight. The light switches itself off within 5-6 minutes, barely time to reach its final resting-place if you're first to play in a fourball.
Say the distributors: "These remarkable balls even make the prospect of night golf a reality and they conform to all USGA and R&A Rules in providing the same high performance aerodynamics, control, accuracy, feel and
distance that you would expect from a professional quality golf ball.
"Twilight Tracer golf balls promise to be the perfect antidote to dark winter afternoons and evenings that severely curtail the opportunity to play in the
UK and will be available shortly from good pro shops and golf retailers."
Not so sure that the ball would conform to the official Rules of Golf for competitive play but at least you could have great fun with them in social rounds and it would make a great Christmas or birthday gift.
The 5-volt lithium battery provides approximately 80 hours of battery life. A single ball pack containing the
Twilight Tracer comes complete with storage pouch and two tees. it's due to sell at £12.99. Good hunting!
