Swinkey Golf has earned a Golf Europe Product Award in the training aids category.
The awards recognize businesses in the golfing industry that have developed innovative products. The Swinkey — a creation of Courtenay golfer Brian Benedictson — is an all-in-one training tool designed to improve fundamental golf skills.
"Those awards are always nice, and it was nice to see that our distributor's working so hard and getting us good exposure," said Benedictson, whose company is in the process of setting up distributors worldwide.
The Swinkey is an aluminum tube containing Fibreglass and stainless-steel spikes. It has a golf grip on either end and eight holes drilled in the tube that work in conjunction with the rods and spikes to form various configurations.
The idea for the product popped into Benedictson's head in 2008.
"It's been quite the process of going through the patents and sales and various changes," he said. "Now we're in the process of rebranding from the Swinkey to Golfer's Toolbox, in conjunction with a new business partner — just seems to be a better name."
Along with Canada and the U.S., his product is making inroads in Europe, Asia and Australia.
Nearly 100 players on the PGA tour, including Jim Furyk and Davis Love III, use the device.
"We're getting there," said Benedictson, who played two years on the Canadian Tour while working on the business. These days, he focuses on the business and gives lessons at Sunnydale Golf Club.
"We've got some new marketing coming through the pipeline pretty soon. Things are moving in the right direction. It's been a long, tough grind. We're not there yet by any means, but hopefully things keep moving the way they are."
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com