Cranston resident Everett McCurdy had a hard time finding people to play golf with when his schedule would allow it.

He would often have one or two days off during the week while most of his peers were either working, traveling, laid-up with an injury or simply committed elsewhere.

That’s where the idea for the ReadyGolf app was born.

“I came up with the idea of the app when I couldn’t find anyone to play golf with. I wanted the app to connect me to other golfers within my community who I didn’t already know,” McCurdy said.

The term “ready golf” means “play when ready” – a style of play that diverges from the traditional rules.

“If you ever walked onto a golf course and been paired up with a couple of strangers, then the ReadyGolf app is for you,” McCurdy said. “I would much rather meet someone before I got to the golf course and know what to expect.”

Apps can be very expensive to develop. In the domestic marketplace, McCurdy said, costs can easily skyrocket to $50,000 or more.

“I did my homework and solicited quotes from a local company as well as a trusted, foreign developer. Their quotes were literally two worlds apart with the local company quoting over $35,000. The foreign developer quoted almost 75 percent less,” McCurdy said. “While I would have enjoyed having the app created in my own backyard, it really was a no-brainer. The foreign developer and I have already come to terms to bring the app to life by the end of the year.”

While the cost of developing the ReadyGolf app is within reach for McCurdy, he still needs help financially to make it a reality. That’s where Kickstarter comes in.

The website provides a funding platform for creative projects, allowing entrepreneurs and artists a means to seek investors and connect directly with consumers. McCurdy’s campaign was approved by Kickstarter on Aug. 1 and went live that same day.

“I’m so excited to have the ReadyGolf concept live on Kickstarter. Hopefully within the 30-day period we’ll have met our goal of $7,500; because if we don’t, then we don’t get any of the money,” McCurdy said. “That’s what I like about it … I think that adds a level of credibility to the project, which is then passed onto the investors.”

McCurdy was referred to an accomplished and trusted developer in India by a good friend of his who also works in tech.

“The relationship has been all business and has been very positive thus far,” he said. “I’ve shown them the concept process flows and I even have a working mock-up. I’ve also seen many examples of their work and I am confident they will do a great job.”

McCurdy has begun an aggressive social media campaign on Facebook and Twitter and enlisted the help of close friends and family to help spread the word. In fact, even his 8-year-old daughter helped with the production of the campaign video. She also contributed to an unscripted blooper moment that was inserted into the clip and used as a cute alternate ending.

McCurdy’s campaign can be found by searching “ReadyGolf” on Kickstarter.com. Backers can invest for as little as $1.

“I am always thinking up ideas for apps and inventions. The problem is, they’re just ideas. To have the ReadyGolf concept make it this far is really satisfying,” McCurdy said.

McCurdy can be reached at 481-2522, everett@readygolfusa.com and www.readygolfusa.com.

“I’m doing this because I really enjoy golf and the experiences it provides. Getting out there on any given day, with your buddies, talking about life, the universe and everything has a calming effect on your soul,” he said.