20 years TiCad - 20 years of handmade titanium golf trolleys
1989 – a global novelty: the first trolley of titanium
There are quite some products on the market for golf trolleys, but only very few meet high quality standards. Ludwig Hentschel sees his chance – and develops his first golf trolley made of titanium. Finally, there is a suitable upmarket product for the sophisticated golfer.
The first prototype, which was serving as test model, was fully suspended though designed and built with the simplest means in a garage. Already in those days, design and quality were an essential part of our corporate philosophy. With the first titanium trolley a development started which soon became proverbial for golfers as embodiment of luxury with functional advantages.
For TiTec Golf this is a self-evidence, but nevertheless unique until today. Even the wheels of a TiCad are made of titanium. As there was no such wheel, Ludwig Hentschel created his own version setting design standards right away used as orientation by his competitors even until nowadays.
And also today, 20 years later, this titanium wheel is handmade in an extravagant and costly way. This titanium wheel has a unique selling proposition, as even thorough research has proven that there is no comparable wheel of titanium. TiTec Golf is obviously the only company world-wide designing such an extraordinary titanium wheel.
1991 – Market launch of TiCad Star, the „Paper Clip“
The extravagant, super-flat trolley TiCad Star surpassed all existing. Design and functionality were absolutely new and unique.
As guest on the Tasselli’s stand at the Ispo 1991: A first interested person stops to say: „If you ever build this one, I want to buy it!“ Hentschel is quick to reply: „If you buy it, I will build it“. So Hentschel built the TiCad Star with the serial number 001, which has found its place in the customer’s safe deposit box.
Market launch of TiCad Pro: Ludwig Hentschel designed the TiCad Pro as golf trolley just as beautiful as practical, which is also suitable for the large tour bags of professional golfers.
1992 – Highest design award for TiCad Star
1994 – Design award for TiCad Pro
1996 – Beginning of development of electric caddies
Ludwig Hentschel had a vision. Therefore, he was experimenting with different types of engines always looking for the perfect electric caddy fitting to the TiCad family. „I will rather be my own competitor, than allowing anybody else to do so“, was the engineers attitude using the increasing requirements of the golf market as challenge.
He found the solution in form of two high technology planetary motors. The NASA used seven of them for each Rover which was just learning to walk on the Mars. „What is good for the Mars should be good enough for a TiCad golf caddy“.
An asymmetrical, extra light titanium frame with an extremely easy to handle and functional folding mechanism weighs less than 6 kg together with these engines inserted invisibly in the frame tube. The result is the by far lightest electric caddy existing at present whose development until the market launch took another two years. This electric caddy was supposed to bear the name “Liberty“, a name standing for a golf match free of all worries.
1998 – Market launch of TiCad Liberty
2003 – Design award by iF- Design Hannover for TiCad Liberty
The TiCad Star was exposed in the Deutsche Museum München (German Museum of Munich) as well as in the Museum of Modern Art.
2004 – The inventor of the paper clip received the copyright on the TiCad Star
The development of the TiCad Goldfinger began. It was designed based upon the making of the TiCad Pro to offer a solution also for the price-conscious golf player. For this reason, the wheels of glass-fibre-reinforced plastic (GRP) already used in 1992 were recreated.
2005 – Market launch of TiCad Goldfinger
2006 – Market launch of TiCad Andante
First design award for TiCad Goldfinger
2007 – Market launch of TiCad Earlybird on the Golf Europe
First Design award for TiCad Earlybird
Second Design award for TiCad Goldfinger
2008 – Second Design award for TiCad Earlybird
Design award for TiCad Andante
Third award for TiCad Earlybird
2009 – 20-years anniversary of TiTec Golf
Now in the 20th year, TiTec Golf is a healthy little family business with a high vertical integration at the location in the Hessian Altenstadt. All trolleys are still being made by hand up to the last detail. Great emphasis is put on materials of high quality, meticulous handwork and excellent service.
Management is still in the hands of Ludwig Hentschel whereas his wife Helga takes care of sales and his son Joachim is responsible for procurement and marketing.
There are quite some products on the market for golf trolleys, but only very few meet high quality standards. Ludwig Hentschel sees his chance – and develops his first golf trolley made of titanium. Finally, there is a suitable upmarket product for the sophisticated golfer.
The first prototype, which was serving as test model, was fully suspended though designed and built with the simplest means in a garage. Already in those days, design and quality were an essential part of our corporate philosophy. With the first titanium trolley a development started which soon became proverbial for golfers as embodiment of luxury with functional advantages.
For TiTec Golf this is a self-evidence, but nevertheless unique until today. Even the wheels of a TiCad are made of titanium. As there was no such wheel, Ludwig Hentschel created his own version setting design standards right away used as orientation by his competitors even until nowadays.
And also today, 20 years later, this titanium wheel is handmade in an extravagant and costly way. This titanium wheel has a unique selling proposition, as even thorough research has proven that there is no comparable wheel of titanium. TiTec Golf is obviously the only company world-wide designing such an extraordinary titanium wheel.
1991 – Market launch of TiCad Star, the „Paper Clip“
The extravagant, super-flat trolley TiCad Star surpassed all existing. Design and functionality were absolutely new and unique.
As guest on the Tasselli’s stand at the Ispo 1991: A first interested person stops to say: „If you ever build this one, I want to buy it!“ Hentschel is quick to reply: „If you buy it, I will build it“. So Hentschel built the TiCad Star with the serial number 001, which has found its place in the customer’s safe deposit box.
Market launch of TiCad Pro: Ludwig Hentschel designed the TiCad Pro as golf trolley just as beautiful as practical, which is also suitable for the large tour bags of professional golfers.
1992 – Highest design award for TiCad Star
1994 – Design award for TiCad Pro
1996 – Beginning of development of electric caddies
Ludwig Hentschel had a vision. Therefore, he was experimenting with different types of engines always looking for the perfect electric caddy fitting to the TiCad family. „I will rather be my own competitor, than allowing anybody else to do so“, was the engineers attitude using the increasing requirements of the golf market as challenge.
He found the solution in form of two high technology planetary motors. The NASA used seven of them for each Rover which was just learning to walk on the Mars. „What is good for the Mars should be good enough for a TiCad golf caddy“.
An asymmetrical, extra light titanium frame with an extremely easy to handle and functional folding mechanism weighs less than 6 kg together with these engines inserted invisibly in the frame tube. The result is the by far lightest electric caddy existing at present whose development until the market launch took another two years. This electric caddy was supposed to bear the name “Liberty“, a name standing for a golf match free of all worries.
1998 – Market launch of TiCad Liberty
2003 – Design award by iF- Design Hannover for TiCad Liberty
The TiCad Star was exposed in the Deutsche Museum München (German Museum of Munich) as well as in the Museum of Modern Art.
2004 – The inventor of the paper clip received the copyright on the TiCad Star
The development of the TiCad Goldfinger began. It was designed based upon the making of the TiCad Pro to offer a solution also for the price-conscious golf player. For this reason, the wheels of glass-fibre-reinforced plastic (GRP) already used in 1992 were recreated.
2005 – Market launch of TiCad Goldfinger
2006 – Market launch of TiCad Andante
First design award for TiCad Goldfinger
2007 – Market launch of TiCad Earlybird on the Golf Europe
First Design award for TiCad Earlybird
Second Design award for TiCad Goldfinger
2008 – Second Design award for TiCad Earlybird
Design award for TiCad Andante
Third award for TiCad Earlybird
2009 – 20-years anniversary of TiTec Golf
Now in the 20th year, TiTec Golf is a healthy little family business with a high vertical integration at the location in the Hessian Altenstadt. All trolleys are still being made by hand up to the last detail. Great emphasis is put on materials of high quality, meticulous handwork and excellent service.
Management is still in the hands of Ludwig Hentschel whereas his wife Helga takes care of sales and his son Joachim is responsible for procurement and marketing.
Ludwig Hentschel creates the first titanium golf trolley.
Handmade in Germany