Buffalo’s OnCore Golf
Golf balls and more from the Queen City.
(Photos courtesy of OnCore Golf)
Buffalo is well known as the birthplace of the chicken wing and for the rabid fan bases surrounding its sports teams. The Queen City, which feels like a second home for many Ontarians, is the gateway to the U.S. for millions heading south. During the pandemic, the city has become a surrogate home to our beloved Blue Jays resulting in an even closer friendship with Canadians than it already had been.
What many might not be aware of is that Buffalo has also been the home to OnCore Golf for nearly a decade. The golf ball industry has been dominated by the iconic brands for decades. Recently, as with most consumer products, smaller start-ups have tried to infiltrate the marketplace with creative, high quality products and direct to consumer pricing. OnCore is one of those smaller players that has tapped into the multi-billion dollar golf ball market with a well designed and well performing line of golf balls.
In recent conversation with OnCore co-founder Steve Coulton, we chatted about the company’s beginnings and current projects, his background in golf and the passion OnCore has for not only their product, but also the city they call home. Coulton was originally from New York City and played Division Three golf for New York University, where he recounted that the team’s practice range was Chelsea Pier where they would hit balls to a landing area that juts out into the Hudson River. It was during his time at NYU when Coulton met his co-founder Brett Blakely. Blakely came from an international marketing background and Coulton from investment banking, but it was Blakely’s father Keith who was first behind the golf ball development.
The senior Blakely, now the company Chairman, had assembled a team of engineers designing a hollow, metal core ball that ultimately was the first iteration of golf ball for the company. Coulton says he was drawn to the idea of a partnership with the younger Blakely because of the quality of the ball and its performance. Coulton recounted the early days where he would handle the sales and Blakely was the marketer of OnCore. The first few months of the business were based in New York City, but soon the operation was moved to Buffalo, where the Blakely’s and their lead engineer had roots.
The headquarters of the company is now in downtown Buffalo, a few steps from Sahlen Field, the home of the Blue Jays the past two years. Coulton is excited to have the Jays back in the city this year and be able to have fans attend. He hopes to capitalize on gaining some new OnCore golfers with an inviting storefront proshop and simulators for baseball fans to try out on their way to the ballpark. Baseball isn’t the only other sport that they connect with. They also have a strong relationship with the Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen who is one of their product ambassadors, and Dallas Cowboy Ezekiel Elliott.
Their line of golf balls are regularly presented with the highest awards in major golf publications. They have a three-tiered line-up of balls which they market directly to consumers. The Avant is their two-piece ball which is designed for entry level players looking for a good price point and good performance. Their Elixr ball is their first tour caliber ball. It is a three-piece cast urethane ball which has perimeter weighting technology providing a more stable ball flight. The latest launch is the Vero, a four-piece ball that is designed for the low handicap, high swing speed player. All are award winning in their particular marketplaces and OnCore has them all priced to not only help your game, but your golf budget as well.
Coulton also shared some of the other innovative products in their brand. They recently acquired the Golf Boost app, which uses your phone’s camera and Artificial Intelligence to video your golf swing and have then have the app provide you with golf swing tips and lessons. They are also developing a golf entertainment center in downtown Buffalo that they hope will be a big addition to the resurgence of the city’s entertainment district.
When I asked Coulton about the Canadian golf market that is within a few minutes of his office in Buffalo, he shared the excitement OnCore has to connect with Canadian golfers. He noted that early on in the business they had challenges with shipping and costing to Canadians. They now have a fulfillment center in Ontario that has helped with cost management and efficiencies for shipping. The OnCore Cup has been hosted in the Niagara Region involving American and Canadian golfers. The Covid -19 pandemic has made it challenging to involve the loyal Canadian OnCore enthusiasts as previous events had. However, Coulton is excited have the opportunity to have Canadians back for future events. Coulton is very proud of the relationship they have forged with a number of Canadian teaching pros and is eager to get more Canadians informed about and ultimately hitting OnCore balls during their rounds.
For those wanting to check out the OnCore line-up, their website has a ball fitting survey and information on their product line. They have some great deals for players looking to stock up with bulk purchases and have an appreciated loyalty program for those who make regular purchases. A new and exciting service offers golfers the ability to have logos added to their OnCore order. Check out their deals here: www.oncoregolf.com
