Two Kennesaw State University alumni have combined two classic games — golf and beer pong — into their own unique business called Putter Pong.
Created by Matt Bravo and Stosh Cohen, Putter Pong is similar to a game of miniature golf. Instead of one hole, there are six holes, set up in a similar formation to beer pong cups.
The duo, who were members of the fraternity Pi Kappa Phi, credit much of their decision to create this product to their time spent at KSU. Being a part of Greek life created several opportunities for them.
“I would primarily say being in Greek life not only gave us the confidence to go out and start our own business, but we have also been able to network and grow our business so much because of the Greek community at KSU,” Bravo said.
Additionally, Bravo and Cohen knew that working for someone else was not something they wanted to do.
With Bravo’s bachelor’s degree in business and leadership studies and Cohen’s both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting, they had the combined education and training needed to start their own business.
“We both started working at big corporations and realized it was not for us,” Bravo said. “We decided we had the tools and motivation to start our own company, and we had a golden idea in our hands, so we went for it.”
The reaction to the game has been widely positive. The company has made appearances at several sporting events locally and across state lines to generate awareness of their product.
“People see it and are usually a little upset that they did not come up with it,” Bravo said. “But we usually draw a crowd of people who want to play.”
The up-and-coming business has also caught the attention of Southern Proper, a “southern-inspired line of clothing, neckties, bowties and accessories for men and women,” according to its Facebook page.
“[Partnering with them] has helped us tremendously, and it is super cool to get to work with a company that makes clothes that I have been wearing for years,” Bravo said.
Putter Pong is a little more expensive than the the cups used in beer pong — the game is currently available for pre-order for $79.99. After that, the price will go up to $99.99 once the pre-order period is over. All units will be delivered in early December in time for the holidays.
For those who can’t wait until December, the company will be tailgating at every KSU home football game with Putter Pong games in tow.
