For years, Dave Felker created equipment for one of the world’s leading golf companies, Calloway Golf. There he designed golf balls and clubs for the game’s best golfers.

Then, Dave left Calloway. Throwing the USGA rules out the window and using the laws of physics instead, Dave created the Polara golf ball, which would help correct an average golfer’s hook or slice. He opened his business and passed samples of his product on to a sports writer at the New York Times.

What happened next is the stuff that entrepreneurs’ dreams are made of. A surprise article about the Polara golf ball appeared in the Times, and Dave’s product became an overnight success. Online orders poured in from the around the world. While the ball is not sanctioned by the USGA, it was quickly embraced by leisure golfers because it helped them have a better day on the course by making the golfing experience more enjoyable. 

As the CEO and chief technical officer of a burgeoning company, Dave sat down with ID8Nation to talk about the glories of success as well as some of the challenges he faces as he manages his company’s growth. Hear this renegade entrepreneur tell his story and share some of the decisions that lay ahead as the result of Polara’s runaway success.