An entrepreneur and tech wiz duo are hoping to revolutionize the comfort and convenience aspects of playing on a golf course. 

Forth Heffner and Bobby Kulp, the entrepreneurs behind Chip Shot Golf, are hoping their drone delivery service can become a household name for golfers who want to experience maximum comfort on demand. 

“Most of us have all played golf, and we all like to have a refreshment while we’re out on the golf course,” Heffner said. “Unfortunately, you have to wait until the turn or you’ve got to wait until hopefully the staff comes around, which is very unpredictable and inconsistent.”

“What if we could use this technology to get people what they want within, say, five — maybe 10 minutes max, depending on where you are on the course — by drone,” Heffner noted. “We thought it was not only a really practical solution for that issue, but also it was really fun. And we thought that it would be a differentiator for maybe some of the more forward-looking clubs.” 

Kulp said he came up with an informal motto to explain the vision behind Chip Shot. He says he wants players at golf courses across their market share to get used to saying their name. 

“We want this to be synonymous with fun golf,” said Kulp. 

The duo first connected over their interest in drone technology and its applications in different markets. Heffner — a mentor in the business consulting space who lives in Southern Pines, a mecca for golfers in North Carolina — met Kulp at church. One of Heffner’s clients, as a business coach at the time, worked with drones. 

“We discussed all the different verticals for drones, which are virtually unlimited, it seems, and we just decided we didn’t want to do anything military-focused,” Heffner said. “Even though that might have been the easiest path, we didn’t really want to go the engineering route. We wanted to do something fun with this technology.”

So far, the project is in the early stages of development. Some of the technology is still in the prototyping phase. In the meantime, Kulp said, the team at Chip Shot is trying to figure out what courses need and want out of a service like Chip Shot. 

“We are trying to make drones or robotics a part of good, old-fashioned American fun,” Kulp noted. “We have a working drone, the app is in development but can receive orders, so when we are saying we’re very early, the big thing right now is finding out what the courses actually want.”

The applications for drones in the consumer and service markets, Kulp said, are varied. Kulp noted the duo is asking courses questions like what type of drone would best suit their needs, for instance, choosing between a flying drone or a ground bot. 

Sometime in April, the duo will debut Chip Shot at an event at the Dormie Club in West End. The 310-acre club includes a course that spans 6,883 yards and is rustic, secluded and peaceful. The 18-hole course was built in 2010 and features 60 beds across 10 Dormie Cottages, four executive cottages and one two-level owner’s cottage.

For now, the duo is working on getting certifications with the Federal Aviation Administration. Kulp said the company is “very early to the game,” noting that the type of certification needed typically requires a lead-up of 18 to 24 months. 

For this certification, the company needs to perform testing on the drone’s object avoidance, have certified parachutes, as well as have set maintenance schedules. Companies like Amazon and Walmart require having this type of certification for their delivery drones, Kulp said. 

“So all of that is just time and money, because we’re going to have to burn out motors,” Kulp said. “We’re going to burn out propellers. We’re going to have to burn out computers.” 

Thus far, reception has been positive.

“We’ve got a really good reception,” Heffner noted. 

As for the future of the project, Kulp also wants Chip Shot to open up the public to using more drone services. 

“I see more real applicability to drones in American space for people to have fun,” he said. “Let’s try to inspire people to actually be around drones, understand them, make them a part of their lives so that they’re more accessible. If I can inspire one kid on a golf course to go into a science or technology field because of this, then my job will be complete.”