October 2004
In Bounds
By Jack MacKenzie, CGCS

Seven years ago I awoke during the wee hours of a mid winter night in an excited sweat. My mind was full of a new concept for the removal of water from any poorly drained golf courses following a big rain event. The mental orgasm I experienced was my "MILLION DOLLAR IDEA"!

It wasn't just a new type of drainage pipe, but rather an elaborate system of tile lines, temporary holding tanks and solid pvc piping. As long as there was an outlet lower than any of the dips and undulations from the area that needed to be drained, my idea would work. Containment and siphoning were key components of the process. I was awake the rest of the night mentally playing and replaying my concept.

The following day I went to work and shared through diagrams and clear verbal descriptions the idea to my assistant. By using varying sizes of catch basins and tanks, each bottomed out slightly lower than the last all the way to the outlet, and a series of solid pvc pipe connecting them together from the upper portion of the high end tank and ending at the bottom of the lower end tank, one could move water over hills and long distances.
Taking head pressure and the principal of siphoning into account I conceived that one should be able to remove water from any drainage pocket, dependent upon the elevation changes between the catch basins and the suction ability of the siphoning pipe. The siphon pipe could even be pulled into the ground just so long as the long end was lower than the inlet inside of the holding tank.

The system would be self-priming due to gravitational pressure.

And, to carry the principle even further, one could create an artificial drainage system upon a flat piece of property using a trash pump, multiple catch basins and tanks set at varying depths and siphon lines. This system would possibly need to be primed by flooding all of the suction lines. The lowest tank would need to be pumped out with the trash pump to create flow.

This now was becoming a multi-million dollar idea with many implications including a large lake home, a fleet of new Mercedes, bikini clad women (I was single at the time) and more cash than I knew what to do with. The mental trips I took placed me in all corners of the world pontificating the grand benefits of my "Siphon Drain System."

At that moment I didn't pursue a patent because I thought that I was the only one brilliant enough to come up with the idea. Besides, who had time to go through all that paper work. Anyway, the season was just ahead and I didn't have time to research the process.

Imagine my surprise when one year later I was walking down the isles of the "Big Show" at the National Conference and came upon a booth containing a very familiar product for the removal of water from undulating and flat fairways using a system of solid pipes and the concept of siphoning. It was as if the display had been stolen from my mind. Upon inquiry I was told that the idea came about two years earlier followed by a patent process, manufacturing and finally distribution.

WOW! There really are folks just as bright as me, even brighter because they applied for and received a patent and I didn't!
And that is the point. We are a very intelligent bunch of people who create solutions to problems intrinsic to only our profession. I feel confident that each of us has built a better mousetrap, either visually or physically, but just never took the idea to the next level. And the process couldn't be any easier. It is just intimidating.

Don't think that just because you have an idea but no means to develop it that you should sit back and let another eventually take credit for it. Patent the concept. Then take your idea to a nationally recognized business for further refinement, and, more importantly, distribution. According to industry representatives that is where the big dollars are spent. Beside, if you really love what you do, as I do, you just don't have time to take on the responsibilities of taking an idea from thought to sales.

However, even the simplest twist on an existing idea could reward you with a bit of extra income.

Take for example my Nose Visor. Base ball caps are sooo blasé, and your normal full head visor can be a real nuisance, especially if you want sun on your fore head, or in some cases five head. Thus I have created the Nose Visor.

My nose seems to be very sensitive to the damage caused by the sun, yet I don't want to give up a tanned fore head. Not only that, it is thought that wearing a hat will hasten balding, something I would like to slow down. With these thoughts in mind I developed a simple plastic device to be specifically worn upon your nose. Sold in packs of five and available in multiple colors I figure that everyone will one a dozen or more.
Football stars can wear them under their helmets to prevent sunscald. Because Army Helmets lack a bill, the specialized camouflaged Nose Visor has a military application. And just imagine the advertising potential when businesses begin putting their logo on the band. I am getting excited just thinking about the limitless possibilities.

But before I get too carried away I think I'll get a patent! Hmm, I wonder if there is room on the Lesco Truck for a display panel?