Mark is one of the secrets to the success of the Topgolf and Puttshack brands. As a systems architect-designer, lead engineer and key entrepreneur, his work with innovative technologies has driven the rapid deployment and expansion of both of these ventures and led to their commercial success. His understanding of infrastructures and embedded technologies have supported the seamless integration of heterogeneous technologies, and this unique knowledge base combined with a keen business acumen have provided innovative, well-rounded and commercially viable solutions.
It was his ability to create unique and patentable inventions that gave us a golf ball that could count how many times it was hit, a technology that was foundational to the development of the game that we know today as Puttshack. In fact, this is only one example in an impressive portfolio of patented designs, which includes the counting golf ball, dispensing and kiosk solutions, automatic golf ball handling, Radio-frequency identification and Bluetooth tracking systems. The development of new patentable inventions and game technologies has been his primary focus as the director of technology and innovation with World Golf Systems (WGS). However, he has also dedicated his time to developing the support infrastructure and bridging technologies that are central for integrating these technologies; for example, he constructed engineered self-contained micro data centres for fully autonomous 100% uptime operation to support a seamless playable experience.
Mark’s skills in technological innovation are matched by his ability to liaise with others to develop concepts into successful commercial ventures. He is competent at collaborating with studio designers, agencies, project managers, retail consultants, designers and tradespeople to produce visually impressive products which are both functional and maintainable. Between 2016 and 2019, he leveraged these abilities to make the Puttshack concept a reality. As part of a development team set up by Adam Breeden, the CEO and co-founder of Bounce, he oversaw the purchasing build and commercial negotiations for all of the technology within the ‘Trackaball’ golf game system. In this role, he liaised with the supply chain and negotiated purchase agreements across all aspects. He also worked with and advised the project’s interior designers ‘Russell Sage Studio,’ and the award-winning industrial product design and engineering consultancy “Designworks,” which designed the venues and game surface.
By combining innovative conceptual thinking, expertise in infrastructures and embedded technologies and the business acumen needed to take innovation to commercialisation, Mark has played a pivotal role in realising a genuinely outstanding new mini-golf concept. He continues to apply his skills to developing exciting new concepts and technologies at WGS, where he is currently investigating critical areas for future developments that include tracking localization and energy harvesting.