Meet Gene Parente of Golf Laboratories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gene Parente.

Hi Gene, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started my business in 1990. I was straight out of college and 24 years old. My father loaned me $2,000 to get the business started. My first office was in the Keating building in the Gaslamp. The only thing at the time downtown was Horton Plaza.
I had an idea for an independent testing company that would offer testing services for the golf industry which was nascent up in the Carlsbad area at the time. Both Callaway and Cobra Golf were less than 10 million dollar a year companies.
I started my testing with a machine powered by a garage door spring. It was rudimentary but accurate. I was able to secure a couple of anchor clients and started providing services to the golf industry.
Two years later I decided to design, build, and sell my own golf testing robot and offered these services to the industry.
My company has sold 54 machines to the golf industry and I have been involved in the testing of products worth over a billion dollars.
My company has developed testing standards used in the industry.
I currently am a contributor to Golf Digest, providing all of their testing serivces. I also am an Ambassador to Foresight Sports, a San Diego company, as a technical consultant.
Golf Laboratories has become the premier independent testing company for the golf industry.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has been anything but smooth. being an entrepeneur is a true feast or famine profession. I do not enjoy gambling recreationally because I have to gamble constantly professionally.
The adage grow or die is very true. The challenge is choosing the right path for growth.
Currently that path is information and in an increasing AI generated world proprietary data is key to growth.
The struggles along the way were related to timing, bad economic situations, and sometimes bad luck.
In 2016 a mobile robot that I designed made a hole in one at the Phoenix Waste Management Open. The shot became a viral sensation with news outlets all over the world picking up the story and asking if robots were taking over the world. I had international attention along with acclaim that I used to invest in my product but could never find a viable path forward for growth with it. We entertained many large corporate sponsors but never could find the right fit.
This was a situation of having publicity but not a product to market at the time.
Overall the road has not been smooth but it has been extremely rewarding. I have been offered opportunities and been able to work with people that I never would have dreamed of as a child.

We’ve been impressed with Golf Laboratories, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We specialize in robotic testing of golf equipment. We developed a robot that can duplicate any golf swing repeatably. Do to the difficult nature of golf this is critical to analyze pieces of golf equipment for their performance comparing them to current and past models.
Golf is entering a datacentric era where technology such as launch monitors are able to capture key performance aspects of a players swing. We utilize that data and combine it with our proprietary testing database to provide equipment recommendations specifically for the individual golfers.
We also sell our testing robots which are used by all of the major manufacturers and the governing bodies of golf.

How do you think about luck?
Luck and timing are two factors that are critical to the success of a small business owner. If you are well funded you can create your own opportunities (good luck) and weather bad economic times (bad luck), but myself like many small business owners are self funded so luck and timing become critical.
I have experienced good luck in that a cold call resulted in a big contract and bad luck in that we had several large contracts that were cancelled due to COVID.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.golflabs.com
• Instagram: @golflaboratories
• LinkedIn: Gene Parente