The Rope It™ Story

Invented in 1990 by John Girifalco as a way to practice golf during his lunch hour, the first Rope It was a crude version of what we know today. It was simply a golf ball, tied to a string.

As the years went by, John made many alterations to improve his invention. He meticulously tested different types of rope, noted their characteristics, and eventually began combining ropes to see how they interacted. After finding the optimal combination, and rope length, he looked for the most effective way to attach a golf ball.

Once its design was settled upon, he developed new ways of training using his invention, and improved his golf swing along the way. To quote him, “There are many ways to improve your golf swing, but none more effective than to practice with a real golf ball.” The final Rope It design, which we now know as “The Backyard Practice Range”, was settled upon in 2002 and has not changed much to this day.

While attending his first year at The University of Delaware, John’s son Louis, wrote a Rope-It business plan to be submitted to the Alfred Lerner Business Development Competition. He received second place, inspiring him to develop his entrepreneurial skill set.

After writing other business plans, including a recording studio, promotion company, a screen-printing business, and a record label, Louis found himself drawn back to the Rope It. A friend and fellow UD classmate, Marc Reda, was an avid golfer with a keen business sense. He saw the Rope It’s potential and his enthusiasm led the two recent graduates to implement the original business plan, making the Rope It a reality.Their efforts brought you what you see here today!