Press Release

Express and Star 17th April 2007

Golfers’ bunker woes solved

A collapsible rake designed by a Wolverhampton man that attempts to solve an age old golfing conundrum is arriving at clubs around the country.

Keen golfer Bill Brisco made the lightweight golfing accessory – called a Bunkermate – as a way of tackling the problem of players not raking bunkers during rounds.

He launched the rake more than a year ago and has been contacted by a host of clubs across the country.

He said one is even looking into the possibility of ruling that all its members must carry a Bunkermate.

Mr Brisco said not all sand traps have their own rakes and he had spotted a gap in the market.

The collapsible rake can be carried in a golfer’s bag and used whenever the player finds himself in the sand.

Mr Brisco, aged 53, said: “It is rare to find a golf course these days where a rake has been provided for every bunker, many of them having to share the rake from a neighbouring bunker, or even worse the rakes provided are broken or missing altogether.”

In a survey commissioned by Mr Brisco’s Wednesfield-based company Albil Engineering, all golfers said players who find themselves in bunkers should rake over the sand once they are back on course.

But 88 per cent of golfers questioned said it was no longer done by the majority of other players and that they often ended up playing out of rutted sand.

More than eight out of 10 golfers said it should be the players’ own responsibility to carry a rake and ensure the bunker is left as they found it.

Mr Brisco has worked in engineering for the last 35 years but the Bunkermate is his first product for the sporting accessories market. For more information contact 01902 732435.

Express and Star Buisiness News

Wolverhampton engineer and keen golfer Bill Brisco was fed up with the state of the bunkers at his local golf club, and has come up with the solution.

" Rakes were either missing, broken, muddy, or shared with other bunkers " said 52 year old Bill, who has invented a small collapsable rake that can be carried in the golf bag of any conscientious player and used to tidy up the sand after a shot has been played.

After designing and developing his new " bunkermate " Bill is now making them in his garage in Coppice farm.

"The initial problem was how to manufacture a rake which was light yet effective but also quick and easy to use. To overcome these problems various plastics, aluminium, and stainless steels were used," he explained .

" The final design weighs less than any golf club,it is carried in the golfers bag and is also supplied with a bag sleeve to protect the golf clubs from the stainless steel tines."

Bunkermate is now registered with the Patent Office both for the design and the name. It has also been accepted by the EU as a registered design.

" The final part of the equation is to educate all golfers that raking is each golfers responsibility , not solely the job of the greenkeeper and his staff." said Bill whos has already sold nearly 200 of the devices

Todays Golfer

How many times have you played from a bunker and then realised there is no rake to smooth out your footsteps on retreating from the sand.

The new Bunkermate could solve all your problems, Its a sliding rake system that can be carried inside your bag and will always be at your side.

The lightweight device extends from a plastic sleeve to offer a full sized rake that is effective in both wet and dry sand.

At only 350 grams it is very light and comes in a bag sleeve so there is no tearing the lining of your bag.

This is a gadget more for the caring golfer, So f you find yourself constantly walking all the way round the bunker to get a rake then this time-saving device could be a great Idea.

Bunkermate Survey