Topeka inventor develops product to save golfers money

TOPEKA (KSNT) - A local man has partnered with Go Topeka and Kansas State University to develop a product that could save golfers big money.

Topeka golfer Jerry Kruger knows old, beat-up golf balls can hurt your game and wallet; that's why he developed "Pars a Par," a golf resurfacing tool.

"I said there's got to be something out there that I can grab, scuff it down a little, and so I wouldn't have to throw five dollars away every time I mess up a ball," Kruger said. "There was nothing on the web and I thought; you know what, I can invent that." 

A working prototype for the resurfacing tool was created in partnership with Go Topeka and K-State's Technology Development Institute (TDI). The product uses a textured surface to help reshape golf balls without leaving flat spots.

The TDI used innovation funding and a Go Topeka Proof of Concept grant to cover the cost of designing and 3D printing prototypes. TDI also assisted in filing a patent application and working with manufacturers to build an injection molding design for high-volume production, according to a press release from K-State.

Kruger is in the final stages of product development and expects it to be ready for market in early August of 2023.