Drones are becoming more and more popular in the U.S. each and every day, and they are being used in different ways.

Hobbyists use them to shoot video; Amazon wants to use them to deliver packages, but what about using drones to play golf?

That idea was crafted in a local inventor’s mind, and now it’s taking off.

“It’s a great game if you like thinking,” said Simon Marshall, golfer.

Golf is as much of a game of skill as it is a physical sport.  Marshall says he’s been playing for two decades, and he loves it.  He says the buzz around the new game featuring drones caught his and many other avid golfers’ attention at the Las Vegas Country Club.

“They kind of like it, you know, they were amazed at how well it is and how it’s done,” Marshall said.

John Mendonca invented Drone Golf.  He’s a retired electrical engineer who’s been tinkering with inventions for years.

“I always loved remote control stuff, and this is even more fun,” Medonca said.
 
Here’s how Drone Golf works:  You fly to the flag, and you drop the ball.  How you score in the game depends on how many inches the ball is from the flag pole.

The idea for an aerial golf game came after Mendonca invented a drone attachment to use in a screenplay he recently wrote.

“I said, ‘I gotta make a game to play,” said Mendonca.

His latest mount is the fourth mount he’s created over the past several weeks.  Mendonca is now starting to tell people about his new game that has the simple catch phrase of, “fly — drop — win.”

For those who have safety concerns in regards to balls flying from the air, Mendonca said the game is safe because the drones fly low over the driving range, but they never fly over people.

As for spectators, Mendonca said they can stay on the other side of the net.

Drone Golf is still in its testing phase, but based on early interest he’s received, Mendonca said he has much loftier goals for the sport.

“I hope to have a professional drone golf association where people from all around the world can come to compete for prize money,” Mendonca said.

If you’re interested in trying Drone Golf, please contact John Mendonca
(702) 806-5046.