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Concept to patented product

GIMIE Golf: Compact Putting Trainer Design and Development

  • Product Conceptualization
  • Ergonomic Design
  • Prototype Development
  • Patent Assistance
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GIMIE Golf: Compact Putting Trainer Design and Development
Konstantin Dolgan

Written by Konstantin Dolgan, Ph.D., NPDP

Founder & CEO, Product Development Engineer

Updated August 30, 2026

Project at a glance

Client
David Handy, CEO of GIMIE Golf (Louisiana)
Product
A compact, portable putting trainer that gives instant feedback on stroke line and pace — no mat, no batteries, no setup.
Scope
Concept design, product engineering, rapid prototyping, patent support and manufacturing preparation.
Outcome
Concept to patented product, with the first manufactured batch put in the hands of golfers for on-course testing.
Materials
Single-piece moulded body chosen for durability outdoors and a lower-waste, recyclable build.
Where it was built
In-house in Ruston, Louisiana

What the client said

★★★★★

“I cannot begin to say enough about how amazing LA NPDT is. Professional, knowledgeable, accessible and experienced. As an entrepreneur finding the right resources and talent to help you grow at the pace of today's business is challenging.

We went from concept to patented product in no time. With LA NPDT as a partner all of those challenges go away. They are Louisiana's best business for product development by far.”

David HandyCEO, GIMIE GolfGoogle review

The client

David Handy came to LA NPDT with GIMIE Golf, a response to the bulk and fiddly setup found in traditional putting training aids.
The brief was a putting trainer built around simplicity, portability and repeatable feedback — a practical alternative to mats, gates and electronics that rarely leave the garage.

The challenge

A trainer only gets used if it is already in the bag. GIMIE Golf had to fold into a pocket, sit flat and stay put on carpet, practice green and short grass without stakes or weights, and present the same gate width every time so a golfer could trust the feedback.
It also had to survive being stepped on and thrown in a trunk, hit a retail price a golfer buys on impulse, and use recyclable material — all from a single low-cost tool.

Our solution

Concept and 3D CAD

We developed the trainer as one compact part for golfers of every skill level, sizing the gate and base in CAD so the alignment feedback stays consistent whether it is set down indoors or on a practice green.

Prototyping

Using our in-house rapid prototyping capability, we refined GIMIE Golf across several printed iterations, adjusting gate width, base footprint and edge profile until the trainer held position on the putting surface and read cleanly at address.
3D printed GIMIE Golf prototype placed on a putting surface during testing

Manufacturing the first batch

After testing and design refinement, we prepared production drawings and specifications and LA NPDT manufactured the first batch of GIMIE Golf, putting the trainer in the hands of professional golfers for real practice feedback.
First production batch of GIMIE Golf putting trainers after manufacturing

The result

GIMIE Golf ships as a pocketable trainer that sets up in seconds and gives the same alignment feedback every session, making it easy to practice putting anywhere. Its recyclable, biodegradable construction reflects our approach to sustainable product development.
Golfer using the finished GIMIE Golf putting trainer to practice alignment

Services provided

  1. 01

    Conceptual design

    We turned David Handy’s vision for GIMIE Golf into a tangible concept, focused on a putting trainer that would be compact, simple and highly effective.
  2. 02

    Product engineering

    We engineered the trainer around how golfers actually practice, so it works indoors and outdoors and needs no assembly before a session.
  3. 03

    Rapid prototyping

    Several prototypes were built in our in-house facility so design and function could be tested and refined against real putting strokes.
  4. 04

    Manufacturing preparation

    With the design frozen, we produced the detailed drawings and specifications needed to manufacture the first production batch.
  5. 05

    Sustainability integration

    Materials were selected to be recyclable and biodegradable, keeping GIMIE Golf a sustainable option in sports equipment.
  6. 06

    Market launch support

    We supported David Handy through launch, taking GIMIE Golf from prototype to a market-ready putting trainer.

Capabilities used on this project

  • Rapid prototyping services

    3D printing, CNC machining, urethane casting and functional prototype builds with published materials, tolerances and lead times.

Questions about this project

Straight answers from the engineers who ran the build. Have a different question? Ask us directly.

Talk to an engineer
What did LA NPDT actually do on GIMIE Golf?

We took David Handy's idea for a simpler putting aid and ran it through concept design, CAD modelling, engineering, several rounds of in-house prototyping, patent support and manufacturing preparation — then produced the first batch. One team handled every step.

How did the product go from concept to a patented product?

We locked the mechanism and geometry in CAD first, proved it with printed prototypes golfers could putt with, then documented the novel features so the client's patent filing described a design that was already engineered and testable — not a sketch.

Who owns the design and the patent?

The client. GIMIE Golf owns 100% of the CAD, drawings and intellectual property. We do not take royalties or equity on client products.

Can you develop a sporting goods product like this for me?

Yes. Compact consumer sporting goods are a core category for us — training aids, grips, gloves and equipment accessories. Send us your concept and we come back with a development cost and timeline, usually within one business day.

Industries this project belongs to

See how we approach development in each of these categories, and the other products we have taken from sketch to production there.

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