ReadyNet: The easy-up, easy-down golf net

How does a man working in fish immunology in China decide to start a business manufacturing and selling golf nets? "Funny story," said Ryan Dickerson, founder of ProAdvanced and the ReadyNet that he has just launched..

Unusual, for sure. While he was in China, he became acquainted with a man who made golf nets. "He said, 'I would like to do a high-quality product,'" Dickerson said from his Atlanta headquarters. The man explained that he had been manufacturing golf nets for other companies, none of which was interested in quality. "All they do is squeeze me on price," the man said to Dickerson.

"So I looked at what he was doing and redesigned it into this product [the ReadyNet]. I reserched all the other nets out there and read all the reviews. Most of them are [junk]."

Pop-up nets were gaining momentum in the sports industry, so Dickerson decided to follow that route with his product. Others were making one-layer nets that he saw as "kind of dangerous." So he constructed his with a double layer. He also made his with a ball return system so that the ball would not get tangled up in the net. The ReadyNet sets up in a matter of seconds, weighs only 14 pounds, folds flat when not in use and comes with a carrying case.

It sells for $199. The company also has a pop-up chipping net for $19.

-- John Strege