From a pandemic pastime to Rory McIlroy and the Ryder Cup
They are tiny objects making a huge impact.
When Jon Millman started making custom golf ball markers in his Bethpage basement during the pandemic, he never expected they’d end up in the hands of some of the sport’s biggest stars.
And soon, on the sport’s biggest stage.
“I was bored and I needed something to do,” Millman told Greater Long Island. “I’m a big golf guy so I figured doing this was a good way to stay in the game since there wasn’t too much else to do.”
Like many people during the COVID lockdowns, he picked up a hobby. His just happened to involve designing small pieces of copper that golfers use to mark their ball on the green. He started posting them on Etsy—and hoped he’d sell a few.
And that’s how Golf Life Metals was born.
But nothing could have prepared him for what happened next.
“One day, I saw an order come in from Sky Sports in the UK,” Jon says. “I thought, ‘Wow, my first international order, this is random’.”
Luckily for Millman, part of that order landed in the hands of Rich Beem, the winner of the 2002 PGA Championship and current Sky Sports analyst.
Beem liked the markers so much, he shared them with other pros, including Tommy Fleetwood, who just won the season-ending Tour Championship last month.
About a year and a half later, one somehow ended up in the hands of golf superstar Rory McIlroy.
“My phone started blowing up,” Jon recalls. “And suddenly, there it was — Rory McIlroy using one of my ball markers on TV. I couldn’t believe it.”
Jon says McIlroy used his personalized ball markers during his 2025 Masters win, and his win at The Players Championship.
McIlroy talks favorite ball markers
More golfers started to follow. Darren Clarke got one and won the Senior Open. Justin Leonard heard about them and wanted his own. He then went on to win his first Champions Tour Event.
And now, they’re making their way to Bethpage Black, Millman’s home course, as the official custom ball marker for the Ryder Cup 2025.
But Jon insists: This is still just a passion project.
“I don’t do it for the money,” he said. “I do it because I love the game, and I love making something that people connect with.”
