Paul hoping golf invention swings the balance

Paul Fields, from Beauchief in Sheffield, has been honing his unique ergonomic system for the past three years and is unveiling it at one of the world's leading golf equipment fares - the Golf Europe show - in Munich, Germany, which runs until Tuesday.

His labour of love has resulted in the 'Golf-bone' – a shoulder-brace type system, which could revolutionise the way golf bags are carried.

Paul's patented design has been developed by sports science boffins at design company SportsPulse, based at Sheffield Hallam University's Collegiate campus.

By using advanced analysis at the university's world-renowned Centre for Sport and Exercise Science, Golf-bone was developed to improve comfort and efficiency.

It uses a one-handed 'easy over' movement rather than the single-strap or 'back pack' styles common in today's game, providing unique symmetrical balance - making it easier to use and improving posture, while minimising fatigue, reducing injury and strain.

Paul, who has played on the PGA professional golf circuit since he was 16 and won the Yorkshire Open Championship in 1982, said: "There is nothing available that can offer what Golf-bone does.

"The weight is distributed across the player's or caddy's shoulders equally making it easier to carry and less cumbersome

"Today's top players regularly have bags that weigh around 50lbs or more and regular players' bags can weigh in at half that, so it's a lot of weight to carry around for several hours."

Paul had a rather unusual inspiration for his idea - when he saw a TV programme showing Chinese workers balancing heavy weights at either end of a wooden shaft.

"It really was the light bulb above the head moment. It struck me that I could use this basic principle in developing a new way of carrying golf bags," he explained.

Paul then developed a prototype, using aluminium tubing. He patented the concept in 1998 and combined work on the design with continuing as a golf professional.

He joined forces with SportsPulse in 2004, which helped him research and develop the idea.

Last year, Paul set up his own business to work full time on Golf-bone, with the advice and support of SportsPulse's Business Development manager Nick Montgomery.

Nick said: "We saw the huge potential of what Paul was doing and realised that if he had support, his idea could become a real winner.

"We exist to help local grown talent and business ideas in sporting excellence reach their potential and we are happy to help."

And Paul is grateful for the support: "I really could not have got so far without SportsPulse's input.

What do you think? Post your comments below. It is very difficult to go it alone and develop something like this as a one-man band.”

Paul is hoping a big name in golf will be impressed enough by his design to pilot it in a similar way to Nick Faldo’s former caddy Fanny Sunnesson, who was largely hailed as introducing the dual strap system into mainstream top flight golf.

Paul added: “We’ve had some encouraging interest already from the golfing industry and we hope Munich is the start of our success story. We hope to have an off-the-shelf version ready to launch in early 2008.”