When the world shut down during the pandemic, Jon Millman, a New York-based investment portfolio manager, wanted to try his hand at something new. An avid golfer, he decided to give wedge stamping a try. There was only one problem: it’s harder than it looks, and wedges are expensive test products. So he figured he’d start with small pieces of metal, which he transformed into custom ball markers.
Millman started giving the markers to friends, who encouraged him to sell them online.
“I thought maybe I could buy a set of golf clubs with these,” he said. “That was my initial goal. Sell enough markers to buy golf clubs.”
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But business took a big upward turn when Sky Sports broadcaster Rob Lee bought one of Millman’s markers, and started giving them to his golf-world colleagues. Suddenly, Millman was making markers for Rich Beem, Laura Davies and Paul McGinley — and their friends. Those names included Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm.
“That’s where it really took off,” Millman said. “I didn’t expect to be selling them. I sure didn’t expect professional players to be using them.”
But not only did the players use them — they won tournaments using them. On Millman’s website, Golf Life Metals, you can order his existing designs or create your own. Millman says he doesn’t always know when players use the markers he makes and sends to them, but one he made for McIlroy, with McIlroy’s daughter Poppy’s name on it, ended up getting tons of airtime during a tournament broadcast. Millman estimates he’s made dozens more markers for McIlroy in the ensuing years. In April, McIlroy used one of Millman’s custom markers to clinch the career grand slam at Augusta National.
Millman’s golf world connections ultimately culminated in an order of more than 400 markers for this year’s Ryder Cup. And as for Millman’s allegiances at Bethpage this year? He said he’s sure he’ll feel some mixed emotions regardless of which team wins.
“If Rory and Tommy and those guys [win and] are all using the marker, it won’t be as painful as it normally would be,” he said.
To hear more of Millman’s story, check out the video below.
