Uwe’s black box could give golfers free yards

Greg Harman

Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2000 | 9:17 a.m.

Warm golf balls travel farther, golfers have long known.

As far back as 1933, golf-loving inventers have submitted their drawings for portable golf ball warmers to the U.S. Patent Office in Washington, D.C.

There have been patents issued for ball warmers that snuggle atop golf cart engines; ball warmers that piggyback atop golf bags, warmed by a gas flame or charcoal stick; and a dozen variations on the most popular design -- a small stationary container usually reliant on a stable electrical current.

But in Boulder City, German-born scientist Uwe Rockenfeller is hoping to capitalize on a device of his own that just might pass muster with Professional Golfing Association guidelines.

Rockenfeller's mysterious black box -- about the size of two large watch boxes and powered by a car cigarette lighter -- warms six balls to between 105 and 112 degrees Fahrenheit in 20 minutes.

Then, sans charger, it maintains that temperature for as long as four hours -- adding an average of 18 yards to a typical golfer's drive.

"Hundreds and millions of dollars are spent on these dimples," Rockenfeller said, thoughtfully rolling a Titleist between his fingers. "All of these guys are looking at the aerodynamics. Nobody is looking at the thermodynamics."

Rockenfeller's no golfer. He's the president of a research and development company that produces super-efficient heating and cooling systems for major corporate clients such as Union Carbide, York International and Brunswick.

He was sitting at his desk one day in 1997 when an idea occurred to him.

Golf was much in the news that year thanks to Tiger Woods' record setting. His enthusiastic grin was framed on the front of news magazines and newspapers around the country.

A few statistics showing golf as a fast-rising sport not only stateside, but internationally as well, especially in Japan and Germany, had stuck in Rockenfeller's mind.

He called an employee.

"Can you bring me two golf balls?" he asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Never mind," he said. "I don't know yet."

And the ball bouncing began.

First on the company's front sidewalk with golf balls chilled in dry carbon dioxide. Later, the trials evolved to include a video camera, precise temperature measurements and more staff.

Then Rockenfeller watched as his golfing brother-in-law, Rick Willan, drove golf balls deep into the dry lake bed of the Eldorado Valley.

Then placing a white ball under his arm, he demonstrates a certain degree of marketing savvy. "But this doesn't look cool. You want a little gadget."

Gadgets are big business in golf. And most have nothing to do with improving a players' game.

"There are a lot of things out there that people do eat up," said Mike Altman, a 2 1/2-year apprentice of the PGA. "Most of the distance improvements are in the club or in the structure of the ball."

But Rockenfeller, who was issued a patent for his invention last month, hopes his black box could become the next must-have among the swinging set. First he must find a manufacturer for the prototype.

What is easily the simplest of his company's endeavours may turn out to be one of his most financially rewarding.