Golphin Ltd win Best New Product award

Scottish business Golphin Ltd returned victorious from the inaugural Sports Business Innovation Awards at Glasgow Science Centre on Friday, scooping the gong for Best New Product.

The Irvine-based firm, which was established in 2013, designs and manufactures specialised golf equipment for kids to make learning golf easier and more enjoyable, with their products already a hit throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe.

The Golphin product designs, ‘golphinforkids’, are specifically designed to benefit kids aged from three up to 11 and were developed in partnership with PGA professionals and Strathclyde University’s biomechanical department.

The clubs are 30% lighter and 35% larger than traditional junior clubs, making it easier to swing, control, stay balanced and hit the ball.

“We are honoured and delighted to win the award in recognition of our efforts” – Calum McPherson, Golphin co-founder

Co-founder of Golphin Ltd, Calum McPherson, said: “Golf has suffered from significantly reduced participation in recent years and our clubs are having a positive impact on reversing that trend. We are honoured and delighted to win the award in recognition of our efforts.

“Extensive market research provides overwhelming evidence that one of the main reasons very few kids under the age of 11 play golf is that the clubs are too heavy and difficult to control, making the initial experience a chore without kids getting any real feeling of progression, confidence or enjoyment.

“Golphin’s entire ethos and principles are focussed on providing young kids with an enjoyable, fun-filled, confidence-building experience when they are introduced to the great game from the very beginning.”

The Sports Business Innovation Awards are organised by Stirling-based Sporting Chance Initiative, Scotland’s only hub for innovation in sports business.

The Scottish sport industry is estimated to be worth more than £1 billion to the Scottish economy in terms of consumer spend, and supports a number of other sectors, while more than £500 million spent in Scotland annually on sports clothing, footwear and equipment alone.

These new awards recognise the innovative work of small to medium sports businesses, highlighting not only the role they play in wider industry, but in encouraging sports participation throughout the country.

For more information on Golphin Ltd, visit the Golphin website or follow @golphinforkids on Twitter.