Imagine being able to convert your push buggy into an electric buggy simply by changing the wheels.
Well that’s exactly what you’ll be able to do – hopefully by the end of this year – thanks to Australian high-tech golf equipment designer and manufacturer, Concourse Golf.
The company’s new ‘Smart Wheels’ technology will be a godsend for all golfers, especially those who still like to walk but struggle because of advancing years, injury or lack of general fitness.
“We are in the final stages of development of a patented system that will revolutionise golf buggies and the way the golfer uses them,” Concourse Golf’s managing director, David MacKay, told dignitaries, guests and the assembled media yesterday at the company’s Dandenong headquarters, east of Melbourne.
Emerging Victorian amateur golfer, Montana Strauss, was on hand to demonstrate how simply the newly-designed Smart Wheels will be to operate and install, while Victoria’s Minister for Industry and Employment, Wade Noonan, and the Member for Dandenong, Gabrielle Williams, congratulated the company for choosing Melbourne to establish its new Australian headquarters. Concourse is moving its manufacturing from China and its head office from Sydney.
“We are delighted that Concourse Golf has chosen Melbourne to establish its Australian headquarters, creating nearly 200 jobs and securing our reputation as the home of manufacturing,” Noonan said. “It’s great story, production coming onshore, which we don’t often hear about.”
Williams praised the company for “providing a major manufacturing boost to the Dandenong area”.
The Smart Wheels convert Concourse Golf’s award-winning CBM3 push buggies into electric buggies simply by changing the wheels. CBM stands for ‘compact bag mobiliser’.
The Smart Wheels are fully self-contained units, which include batteries, motors and control electronics – all housed within the wheels. They are simple to click on and off and they will be easily fitted to existing push buggies. Smart Wheels also stabilise the buggy automatically depending on the terrain.
Concourse Golf is establishing contract manufacturing for the Smart Wheels in Victoria with the first units expected to be rolled out by December.
“With the support of the Andrews Government, it made sense to relocate to Melbourne,” MacKay said. “We are proud that the new product will originate from Melbourne and be sold globally.”
The company’s CBM3 buggy won a 2016 International Design Award and was featured on Australian Golf Digest TV. The CBM3 (and its predecessor, the CBM2) are being sold in more than 15 countries around the world.
Concourse Golf has partnered with Victorian businesses Procept, Design+Innovation and SRX to turn initial prototypes into volume production.
The application of the Smart Wheels technology reaches well beyond the golf course and Concourse is seeking partners who can apply the technology to areas outside golf. Earmarked industries include health and aged care, patient transport and mobility and logistics.
For more information visit the company’s website www.concoursegolf.com or phone 1300 720 385.