The Loop

The best golf fan ever (it's not what you think)

May 24, 2013

Those who have been to Houston in the summer understand the quest to find relief from the oppressive heat and humidity, even on the golf course. They then would also understand why the PGF Personal Golf Fan was conceived by an area resident.

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"Back in February '09 -- February normally is still considered winter -- it was a hot day," the inventor, Cynthia Wark, said. "I thought, if it's hot in February what's it going to be like in September? Why couldn't there be a fan blowing on you?"

Wark is a resident of the Woodlands, a suburb of Houston, and is an avid golfer, a member of two clubs, the Club at Carlton Woods and Woodlands Country Club. She hired a patent attorney, found nothing else out there like the fan she was looking for and designed one herself.

The PGF was designed to fit into the cup holder of a golf cart and has an angle adjustment so that the fan can be directed in the proper direction. It was also designed with quality in mind, including a lithium-ion battery that can be charged up to 2,000 times, the company claims. It will run 6 1/2 hours on normal speed and three hours, 45 minutes on high speed. It has a brushless ball-bearing motor that the company says will last for more than 10,000 hours.

"It's a high-quality fan," Wark said. "There's nothing out there like it."

This is more than simply her own opinion. The PGF earned the Pinnacle Award at the PGA Merchandise Show in January. The Pinnacle Award recognizes "the broadest range of efforts by the inventor. From design, market research, sales, fulfillment, manufacturing and quality."

"I had confirmation I had a good product," she said of the award "The judges thought it was a good idea."

The PGF, which will have a price of $199.99, is expected to be available in June and can be purchased through the website.