Great Minds

For inventors, passion and perseverance coalesce to form a tangible product. "We failed 80 percent of the time, but we always found a way around the problem," says Korba. "We were so enamored with our vision, we believed it would work."

And it did. DME/Golf has established a relationship with the U.S. Golf Association, which is using DME technology for a study on putting. Motorola recently authorized DME to use its name on the product, and DME received national TV exposure during the U.S. Open. "All of a sudden, other companies [such as golf courses] are lining up to sign contracts with us," says Korba. "It's an affirmation that the crazy idea we had four years ago has wings and can fly on its own."

In fact, the success of DME/Golf has launched not just a new product but an entire industry. "This is an embryonic field that has just now found acceptance in the world of golf," says Korba. "We helped pioneer an industry that is going to evolve over the next five years."

Yet that won't mean the end of the journey for Korba, who is already considering applying his technology to products for archery and the military. In fact, one of the greatest discoveries for inventors is that, as devoted as they are to each individual invention, their passion for the process transcends any one product.

"It's a mind-set I've had for a long time," says Flax. "I want to take an idea from A to Z, walk into a store or open a catalog and see my product-something I am responsible for. I've always wanted to invent something, to make some sort of contribution . . . to create something that makes people say, 'I'm glad we have this.' "

This article was originally published in the January 1996 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Great Minds.