Mann's Eureka moment helps unearth a golfing GEM as teaching aid comes to fruition

The secret’s out. After 15 years of careful nurturing, protection and development, Fraser Mann has, quite literally, unveiled a GEM of an idea.

The GEM in question is a contraption called Golf’s Essential Move, a simple, weighted teaching aid which fits on to a club and makes the golfer move his or her body along with said club in the correct way.

With the meticulous, innovative industry that used to be the reserve of Thomas Edison, Mann’s inventive nous and enduring endeavour has finally been rewarded with the GEM coming to the marketplace.

Aided by his business partners, the PGA Cup captain DJ Russell and former Celtic and Heart of Midlothian footballer John Colquhoun, Mann’s dream has now become a reality. It’s been quite the journey.

“It came to me by accident when I was fishing and that’s when I had the Eureka moment,” reflected PGA stalwart Mann. “I got a tip from the ghillie who was helping me with my casting. When my golf went off, it was always the wrong thing of closing the face of the club on the back swing.

“The fishing tip was, basically, a reminder not to close the face. I took that idea back to my workshop and came up with an attachment that was visual but also had weight in it that gave me feel.

“I had loads of scribblings and notes. I’ve always been keen on technical stuff. If I hadn’t been a golf pro, I would’ve been an architect or a draughtsman.

“Over the next 15 years, on the advice of my solicitor, I kept the swing aid a close secret and got various people to sign non-disclosure agreements. In November 2020 I demonstrated it to John Colquhoun, a six-handicapper and life long “slicer”. In the space of a few swings with the GEM attached, John could feel the club release in a different way and when he then hit a ball was amazed at being able to hit an unfamiliar right to left draw.

“He immediately became my business partner. We joke that it was like the old shaving advert where Victor Kiam said he had such a good shave with a particular razor, he bought the entire company.”

Made by a local engineering company in Macmerry in East Lothian, the GEM, which has earned glowing testimonials from the likes of former Masters champion Ian Woosnam, is now retailing at £99. “Woosie is a friend and he wouldn’t just say it was good for the sake of it,” added Mann. “It genuinely works.”

Former footballer, record-setting sprinter and renowned motivational and after-dinner speaker, George McNeill, will vouch for that.

“In the last year, George’s handicap has come down from 18.6 to 11.2 which is incredible,” added Mann. “I’ve showed the device to more guys in the last month than I have in the last 15 years and the feedback has been incredible. I have sold a bulk to the coach of the golf team at the University of Tennessee in the US. I’ve been sitting on this for so long and I thought someone would have invented something like it by now. It’s great that we have finally pushed the button on it.”

Mann, a proud member of the PGA for over 40 years, is hoping his fellow professionals can help spread the gospel of GEM. “We have a simple business model and we are looking to sign up PGA members to become ambassadors for the GEM,” said the former Scottish PGA champion.

“The hardest bit, funnily enough, has been to explain to people how it works because it is so simple. It basically gives you visualisation of the correct positioning of the club in the backswing and the through swing and the weight gives it feel.”

The best inventions are often the most simplest.

All GEM enquiries can be made to Fraser at his email: [email protected] or telephone 07934 673 447