Golfer drives for business awards

The golfing awards were picked up at last week's Invention Show

A keen golfer has turned an idea for computer aids to improve his game into award-winning inventions.

Businessman David Morris, of Rhyl, picked up two awards at the British Invention Show, for his Fairway Flyover software and CaddyAid hand-held system.

Mr Morris, a member of the Rhuddlan golf club, thought of the idea while playing his favourite sport.

He hopes to go into production in north Wales after four years of development.

Mr Morris, who assembled data from golf courses all over the world, picked up the awards in London.

Both inventions involve virtual representations of courses - giving players a bird's-eye view of fairways, greens and holes.

The Fairway Flyover can be used to plan rounds by looking at course lay-outs.

The CaddyAid allows golfers to calculate distance on the course

The CaddyAid hand-held device allows the golfer to calculate distances between two points on the the hole they are playing by using a personal digital assistant (PDA).

Mr Morris, a business management graduate, started playing golf at the age of four and once hoped to become a professional golfer.

He worked for the sports company Mizuno, managing their golf division, and later in golfing once again in advertising for a publishing company.

When his wife Val was made redundant this year, the couple thought of turning their business idea into reality.

Mr Morris said the idea for a computerised version of calculating distance on the fairway came after he played golf some years ago.

21st century

"I was playing golf and holding a small booklet to see how far it is from A to B and I thought this is daft, here we are nearly in the 21st century, we should be using a small hand-held computer," he said.

Mr Morris added: "From the initial idea of the product, it has evolved. It has been a long path we have now got numerous emails from large companies interested".

He has praised the help, financial assistance and support from the Wales Development Agency.

The couple say they want to keep future manufacturing in Wales.

"That is what we will be insisting on," said Mr Morris.

"Both myself and my wife are Welsh so we are hoping to have a small manufacturing base and employing local people would be very important," he said.

The company plans a showcase in Hong Kong and to go to America for the PGA tour.