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The Never Lost Tee Tether Story
It all began in late 2020, during the pandemic….
…. When my good friend Michael Oce (Oce) was persuaded by my wife Carol to take me golfing. I was restless and going stir-crazy at home, much to her annoyance. Since we often engaged in each other’s hobbies, I didn’t think much of it. My wife warned him that I didn’t like golf, but he might be able to get me to try it. She also mentioned that if I liked it and fell in love with it, I would strive to excel and improve it. This was music to Oce’s ears because he absolutely loved the sport. She told him not to reveal our destination, so he didn’t. He simply said, “Come on, I want you to join me in something I enjoy,” and I agreed.
Once in his truck, he told me we were going golfing. I was terrified. He reassured me that we were just going to hit some balls. As my wife predicted, I didn’t want to go, but it was too late; we were already on our way.
A bit about me: this was far outside my comfort zone. I pride myself on excelling in whatever I do, and golf had never been on my radar. I used to poke fun at golfers, claiming it was easy and not a real sport. How wrong I was.
Oce took me to the driving range and said, “Don’t worry, it will be okay. Today, I just want you to hit the ball. Don’t worry about where it goes or how far, just make contact.” I did just that, feeling uncomfortable with golf. I experienced pain in areas I didn’t know I had, but Oce was there month after month, guiding me through small and large accomplishments.
After that, I was hooked and needed to know everything about golf. For several months, and to this day, he took me golfing, introduced me to other golfers and courses, and taught me the rules, dos, and don’ts. This is the second major sport that has taught me a lesson about doubting something before trying it (the first being bodybuilding).
I had to practice twice a week and play every weekend; it wasn’t optional! Through playing a lot, I realized that golf is more of a mental game than brute strength. As a bodybuilder for years, I had to change my approach to make my mental strength support my physical strength and muscle.
I quickly learned that a small change could make a big difference. Losing focus in the tee box can hurt your overall game. For me, if I lost focus during my setup, everything else would be off. Like most golfers, after my swing, I tried to follow my airborne tee, losing focus and resulting in higher scores. I thought there must be something in the golf industry to help keep my tee in place.
After months of research and through an invention firm, we were unable to find anything related to my tether invention. Being the person I am, I created my own prototype in my garage: “The Never Lost Tee” tee tether. I had several close friends test my prototype and provide feedback, which lead to several improvements.
Based on all the information received in 2021, I applied for a US patent and received it in 2023. Afterward, I researched US-based manufacturers to help bring the NLT to the golf industry and market.
Today, I am proud to introduce to the world my invention, “The Never Lost Tee” tee tether.
NLT is a tee tether engineered with a special high-resistant aircraft cable and rubber grommets to tether your tee in place. It is durable and can withstand high swing speeds. The results are a “Never Lost Tee,” plus improved focus, have lowered my scores.
NLT is a family-owned, Christian-based business, made in the USA. The “Never Lost Tee”, the logo, and the tether are patented and registered trademarks of Total Designs, Inc.
