Motivation: Over half of golf players report experiencing lower back pain after each round of play. The continuous bending down required for golf only furthers back pain, in addition to making the sport more tedious than it has to be. With the majority of golf players belonging to an older demographic, this repeated physical strain can leave many players no choice but to give up the sport entirely.
Project Summary: replACE allows the player to tee a new golf ball without having to bend over, helping those with limited mobility to continue playing the sport they love. By eliminating golf players’ need to bend over, replACE allows older and less mobile players to play without causing stress on their back. It works with the simple press of a pedal, which lowers the tee and allows a golf ball to be fed onto it. When the pedal is released, the tee rises back up with the new golf ball ready to go. The mechanism is purely mechanical, utilizing only pulleys, weights, and springs to accomplish the task. replACE’s advantage is that it does not require any electricity to function. Its simplistic design makes repairs effortless. There is no need to run wires to the system, and it is environmentally friendly. And with relatively low manufacturing costs, the price point of the final product will be affordable for a wide range of consumers.
Team Members: Jonah Blanchard, Austin Salmonds, Maya Alva, Nana Okrah
