AU733876B2 - Golf course of reduced size and method of playing same - Google Patents

Description

1 WO 98/16278 PCTIUS97/18532 GOLF COURSE OF REDUCED SIZE AND METHOD OF PLAYING SAME Field of Invention The present invention relates to a method of playing golf on a course of reduced size which retains the variety of shots and the challenge of playing golf on a course of greater length.

Background of the Invention A typical full length regulation golf course includes holes of a wide variety of lengths. These holes on a full length golf course are generally divided between par 3 holes which typically range from 90 to 250 yards in length, par 4 holes which typically range from 250 to 450 yards in length, and par 5 holes which typically range from 450 to 600 yards in length. Golfers play these holes from one of several sets of teeing areas which are positioned at slightly different distances from the hole on the golf green. The variation in length of the individual holes enables a single course to vary in difficulty for players of varying skill.

Although there are wide variations in the layout and dimensions of full length golf courses, the holes generally have an aggregate overall length between 5500 to 7200 yards and play to a par of between 70 and 73. Because individual holes rarely intersect or overlap, full length courses requires relatively large tract of land for construction. These courses also typically require extensive routine maintenance on the entire playable area of the course to keep it in suitable condition for play. Full length courses can be also time consuming to play. Suggested times for a round range between 4 and 4.5 hours, but it is not unusual for a round to require 5 hours or more.

Golf courses of reduced length have been created to reduce the investment in purchasing and maintaining the acreage necessary for a full length golf course which is prohibitively costly in some areas. Additionally, on these reduced length courses a round can typically be played much quicker than on a full length course. Golf courses of this type include "Par 3" courses in which all the holes of the course are par 3 and, SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) therefore, are relatively short. Also known are "Executive" type courses which eliminate the longer length holes normally present on a regular course, such as par 5 holes and long par 4 holes, and which include more par 3 holes. A typical Executive course has fourteen par 3 holes and four par 4 holes, thus playing to a par of 58. These reduced length courses, however, are not as challenging as full length courses because they generally do not require a golfer to hit shots of varying length and difficulty that are required by a full length course.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention maintains the advantages of reduced land requirement and reduced playing time of "Par 3" and "Executive" courses while allowing golfers to hit a range of golf shots of varying length typical of a full length golf course. These advantages include reduced land requirements for golf course development, reduced course maintenance, and reduced playing time. The golf course includes a larger generally open teeing area and a more dispersed hole area of the course which comprises a series of shorter length golf holes. At the teeing area, the golfer will repeatedly tee and drive golf balls while aiming at one of several different targets on the range, each of which corresponds to a different hole of the hole area. The golfer records the results of these tee shots. After completing all required tee shots, the golfer proceeds to the hole area and, based on the results of the corresponding tee shot, the golfer will position a golf ball on the fairway or other portion of each of these holes and continue play in a normal co fashion. Some par 3 holes and perhaps some short par 4 holes will generally be played from tee to green in a normal fashion on the hole area without requiring the tee shot and drop procedure. In this manner, the course can provide a golf 25 experience more resembling that of regulation golf than a par 3 or executive course without requiring as much land area.

In one aspect the present invention provides a of playing a round of golf, °including the steps of: hitting a plurality of tee shots from a designated one of a plurality of tee areas toward a designated one of a plurality of fairway areas to initiate play on a Splurality of golf holes, at least one of said fairway areas including at least one of the group consisting of: sand traps, grass bunkers, water hazards, woods and rough; then recording the final resting position of each of said plurality of tee shots relative to said designated fairway area after each of said tee shots rolls to a stop; then proceeding to a designated hole area separate from said designated tee area, said designated hole area including a plurality of fairways and greens, each of which corresponds to one of said plurality of golf holes and includes a tee box area; then positioning a golf ball on at least some of said plurality of fairways in a position corresponding to the recorded position of one of said tee shots; and hitting one or more approach shots at each of said fairways toward said greens to complete play on each of said plurality of golf holes.

In a further aspect the present invention provides a method of playing a round of golf, including the steps of: hitting a plurality of tee shots from a designated one of a plurality of tee areas toward a designated one of a plurality of fairway areas to initiate play on a plurality of golf holes, at least one of said fairway areas including at least one of the group consisting of: sand traps, grass bunkers, water hazards, woods, and rough; then recording the final resting position of each of said plurality of tee shots relative to said designated fairway area after each of said shots rolls to a stop; then proceeding to a designated hole area separate from said designated tee 25 area, said designated hole area including a plurality of fairways and greens, each of which corresponds to one of said plurality of golf holes and includes a tee box area; then positioning a golf ball on at least some of said plurality of fairways in a position corresponding to the recorded position of one of said tee shots; and hitting one or more approach shots at each of said fairways toward said greens to complete play on each of said plurality of gold holes; with the proviso that, if a tee shot fails to travel a predetermined distance corresponding to a respective golf hole, either a second tee shot is hit corresponding to that hole, with the distance recorded in said recording step is the sum of the distance of the first and second tee shots for that hole, or the positioning step includes positioning the golf ball on the tee area for that golf hole and adding one stroke to the total number of strokes played on that hole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a plan view of a golf course layout of the present invention set within a housing development.

Figure 2 illustrates a scorecard representative of the type which may be used with the present invention.

WO 98/16278 PCTIUS97/18532 3 Detailed Description of the Invention Referring now to Figure 1, a golf course of the present invention, designated broadly at 20, is illustrated. The golf course 20 includes a teeing area 19, and holes sequentially designated 1 through 18, each hole including a fairway portion and a green for putting.

The holes 1 through 18 illustratively and preferably comprise a typical "executive" style golf course. The holes are serially arranged such that the green area of each hole is positioned somewhat adjacent the portion of the fairway of the following hole that is most distant from the green of that hole. Of these, exemplary holes 2, 8, 13 and 16 require two shots to reach their respective greens "in regulation," these holes would be par 4 holes at an executive-style course), and the remaining 14 holes require one shot to reach their respective greens in regulation (these would be par 3 holes at an executive-style course). Of course, this layout of holes is exemplary only and can be modified by those skilled in this art as desired for playability.

The illustrated teeing area 19 has five different tees, each of which serves as the teeing area for a plurality of the holes 1 through 18, and three landing areas 19a, 19b, 19c. The illustrated teeing area 19 includes a lake 21 and sand traps 22 that help to define the three landing areas. Those skilled in this art will appreciate that any number of separate tees, landing areas, and hazards (including only a single tee and landing area with no hazards) can be used with the present invention to simulate different teeing conditions.

Playing golf by the method of the present invention requires golfers to hit a predetermined number of tee shots for a selected number of holes from the teeing area 19. With the illustrated layout, a golfer will hit two tee shots from one tee and three tee shots from each of the other four tees. This procedure will provide fourteen tee shots which will correspond to four par 5 holes and ten par 4 holes which are typical of a full length course. The tee shots for four par 3 holes (illustratively holes 3, 5, 12, and 17) are played from their own tees, rather than from those of the teeing area 19, without requiring the tee shot and drop procedure. It is also anticipated that in some course layouts, short par 4 holes might also be played from their own tees in a normal fashion on the fairway holes without requiring the tee shot and drop procedure.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) WO 98/16278 PCT/US97/18532 4 During play, each player hits tee shots from the designated tees toward the appropriate targets and the results are recorded. Preferably, each player in the group will hit all required shots from each tee prior to moving to the next tee. When other groups are waiting and the next tee is open, players who have finished hitting should proceed to the next tee, preferably in pairs to help one another track tee shots.

Typically, a range tee shot must travel a minimum distance in order to be placed on the fairway portion of an individual course hole. Tee shots failing to travel the required minimum distance are subject to various penalties and/or require multiple tee shots, such as those described below.

Any means of tracking and recording the position of the golf ball after the drive from the teeing area can be employed, including paper cards with diagrams, computers, laser tracking, and satellite global positioning. One preferred method of recording the position of the golf ball after the drive is by using yardage signs on the range in conjunction with a scorecard for recording the results of the drive. Yardage signs on the range and the player's integrity, aided by the playing partners' (and opponents') watchful eyes, should enable a player to accurately record the results of tee shots on the scorecard.

Flags or signs in the center and edge of range fairways of the teeing area 19 can be used as visual aids to determine the distance and position of each tee shot. The flag or sign may be marked with different colors and symbols for each distance. For example, one preferred color/shape scheme has the following designations: Yards Yellow Circle Yards Maroon Circle 100 Yards White Square 125 Yards Purple Square 150 Yards Yellow Square 175 Yards Maroon Square 200 Yards White Half Circle 225 Yards Purple Half Circle 250 Yards Yellow Half Circle 275 Yards Maroon Half Circle 300 Yards White Circle 325 Yards Purple Circle SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) WO 98/16278 PCTfUS97/18532 350 Yards Yellow Circle 375 Yards Maroon Circle 400 Yards White Square As an addition or an alternative to placing flags or signs on the range for determining distances, different colors may also be applied to the surface of the range itself in stripes at different yardages or entire sections of the range may be colored a specific color.

Flags, signs or, preferably, flush fairway markers which designate yardages may also be provided on each hole which correspond to the yardage designations of the range flags or signs. For example, a teeing area 19 of a golf course 20 of the present invention may be marked by a set of yardage signs or flags as described above. A player records the distance which the tee shot travels and the distinct area in which the tee shot lands on the scorecard. When the player arrives at the corresponding hole, he drops the ball at the flag, sign or marker located in the fairway of that hole corresponding to the one on the teeing area and proceeds to play the hole from there.

Alternatively, the placement of the ball on the individual holes of the course may be accomplished by calculating the distance of the tee shot and subtracting that distance form the total distance of the hole. Flags, signs, or flush fairway markers which show the distance to the green may then be used to determine the correct placement on the individual holes.

Preferably, the resulting position of a tee shot is recorded on a scorecard specifically designed for each course in terms of distance and direction relative to the target area. Also, designations for right, left or center fairway, right or left rough, sand traps, grass bunkers, short rough, deep rough, water hazards, woods and out-ofbounds (or other hazards if desired) are also preferably provided so that such designation may be made on the scorecard. The customized scorecard should diagram the holes to help the player visually relate range features to the features of the fairways of the holes to be subsequently played. These scorecards may also feature rules and instructions for positioning a ball on each hole so that each initial approach shot is played from a position that approximates the location where the tee shot would have come to rest relative to the remainder of the holes.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) WO 98/16278 PCTIVS97/18532 6 The tee shots are preferably hit with high quality range balls which are usually retrieved by the course, not the player. The course may also allow golfers to elect to hit their own golf balls from the tees and enlist a caddie or range attendant to retrieve them. Each participating course will have its own layout with initial tees and targets for tee shots.

After all required tee shots are made and recorded, the golfers move from the teeing area 19 to the holes 1 through 18 to play these holes in sequence. Generally, U.S. Golf Association rules will govern all play after the transition from tee shots to approach shots on fairways leading to the greens. However, as with other courses, local rules may also be necessary and individual foursome may provide for their own rules to govern play.

A reduced length par 58 course is the ideal candidate for adapting this method of playing golf, but an existing course layout can be accommodated by designing tee ranges and tracking and recording means; such as a specially designed scorecard, to suit the layout of the particular golf course. It is also anticipated that courses will be specifically designed for using this method of playing golf.

In a preferred embodiment of the present golf course, the following rules can govern the positioning of a ball on the course to closely duplicate the lie of the range tee shot for each hole and to make the transition from the teeing area 19 to holes 1 through 18.

1. To begin play, each player hits tee shots for par 4 and par 5 holes on designated range fairways. The player then proceeds to the course and plays the individual holes by dropping a ball on the course at a location corresponding to the range tee shot for that hole. Holes are thus played in sequence as extensions of the range tee shots.

2. After hitting each tee shot, the player records its distance and position on a scorecard. The total tee shot yardage is subtracted from the length of the hole to determine the distance from the green the approach shot is dropped. This distance is then adjusted as necessary for shots landing in hazards such as sand traps, grass bunkers, heavy rough, water, etc.

3. Range tee shots must travel a minimum distance to reach the approach areas on the course. The minimum required distance would typically SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) WO 98/16278 PCT/US97/18532 7 be shown on the scorecard. If a tee shot falls short of the minimum distance, the player must either: a) Hit again without teeing up, count that stroke and add the distance (and stroke) to the previous stroke(s) (the last additional shot's position must be duplicated for the approach lie); or b) Add a penalty stroke and hit the approach from the tee on the hole being played.

If the "added tee shot option is chosen, and when added to the first shot (and any additional shots) travels far enough to be placed on the green (or beyond), the ball may not be placed closer to the cup than thirty feet (ten paces).

4. If the range tee shot lands out-of-bounds, the player must either: a) Hit another tee shot under U.S.G.A. rules (stroke and distance penalty), or b) Add 2 strokes penalty to the first stroke and hit the approach shot from the teeing area on the hole being played.

If the range tee shot lands in a sand trap, grass bunker, or woods, the player must either: a) Drop in nearby trap, bunker, or woods, on the hole being played, or b) Add a stroke, add 90 yards to the tee shot, and drop in the fairway.

6. If the range tee shot lands in water or other unplayable hazard, the player must add a 1 stroke penalty to the stroke that went into the hazard and hit the approach shot from the tee on the hole being played.

These specific rules are provided for illustrative purposes and for describing the presently considered preferred method of practicing the invention, and are not intended to limit the method of the present invention in any way.

Figure 2 illustrates a scorecard 200 representative of the type which may be used with the present invention. The scorecard 200 contains a rules section 210 with a brief description of the special rules for playing golf according to the present SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) WO 98/16278 PCT/US97/18532 8 invention and/or special information about golf in general or golf according to the present invention. The scorecard 200 also includes a special scorekeeping spreadsheet 220 which provides information about each hole, such as the overall length of each hole from each set of tees (designated at 221), the handicap of each hole 222, the par of each hole 223, and the minimum distance required for a range tee shot to reach the area of the hole 224. The scorekeeping area 200 also provides a box 275 for the golfer to record the distance and placement of each range tee shot.

Finally, the scorekeeping spreadsheet 200 includes sections for entry of other information typical of a golf scorecard, such as the total score and the net score for a round of golf. The scorecard may also contain a legend 230 explaining any special symbols or marks on the course.

The scorecard may have designations to provide multiple lengths for each hole. As illustrated in Figure 2, for example, Black Tees, Gold Tees, Silver Tees, and Red Tees are provided. The different lengths of the individual holes may allow longer, more challenging holes for experienced golfers and shorter holes for less experienced golfers. In this embodiment of the invention, each player can hit a tee shot from the same tee area and record the result. A player who is playing a shorter distance course may then record a resulting distance that is farther than that which was actually hit on the tee. For example, a shorter distance course may allow a golfer to add 25 yards to a tee shot. Thus, according to the above designations, a golfer playing a shorter course who hit a 175 yard drive which landed at the "maroon square" marker on the tee range (representing 175 yards) would record on the card the "white half circle" designation and drop his ball at that designation (representing 200 yards) on the corresponding course hole.

As can be seen by the foregoing discussion, the golf course of the present invention can serve as an alternative to a regulation length golf course in a smaller area, yet still provide many of the challenges, and in particular the lengthy tee shots, that regulation length courses provide. It will also be understood by those skilled in this art that a course of the present invention can be built on an undeveloped site or can be the result of modification of an existing course, such as a par 58 executivestyle course or a par 3 course.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) 8a "comprises/comprising" when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

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Claims (8)

1. A method of playing a round of golf, including the steps of: hitting a plurality of tee shots from a designated one of a plurality of tee areas toward a designated one of a plurality of fairway areas to initiate play on a plurality of golf holes, at least one of said fairway areas including at least one of the group consisting of: sand traps, grass bunkers, water hazards, woods and rough; then recording the final resting position of each of said plurality of tee shots relative to said designated fairway area after each of said tee shots rolls to a stop; then proceeding to a designated hole area separate from said designated tee area, said designated hole area including a plurality of fairways and greens, each of which corresponds to one of said plurality of golf holes and includes a tee box area; then positioning a golf ball on at least some of said plurality of fairways in a position corresponding to the recorded position of one of said tee shots; and hitting one or more approach shots at each of said fairways toward said greens to complete play on each of said plurality of golf holes.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said designated tee area includes multiple teeing positions, each of which corresponds to a different set of holes S within said.plurality of golf holes.

3. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of golf holes includes eighteen holes.

4. The method defined in claim 3, wherein said first hitting step includes S• hitting between ten and sixteen tee shots.

The method defined in claim 1, wherein said fairway areas include indicia q- or indicating the distance a tee shot travels, and wherein some of said fairways of said designated hole area include indicia corresponding to said fairway area indicia to indicate where said golf ball is to be positioned in said positioning step.

6. The method defined in claim 1, further including the step of recording whether one or more of said tee shots comes to rest in one of said hazard areas, and wherein said positioning step includes adjusting the position of said golf ball on one of said fairways when a corresponding tee shot has come to rest in one of said hazard areas.

7. A method of playing a round of golf, including the steps of: hitting a plurality of tee shots from a designated one of a plurality of tee areas toward a designated one of a plurality of fairway areas to initiate play on a plurality of golf holes, at least one of said fairway areas including at least one of the group consisting of: sand traps, grass bunkers, water hazards, woods, and rough; then recording the final resting position of each of said plurality of tee shots relative to said designated fairway area after each of said shots rolls to a stop; then ~proceeding to a designated hole area separate from said designated tee area, said designated hole area including a plurality of fairways and greens, each of which corresponds to one of said plurality of golf holes and includes a tee box area; then positioning a golf ball on at least some of said plurality of fairways in a position corresponding to the recorded position of one of said tee shots; and hitting one or more approach shots at each of said fairways toward said :greens to complete play on each of said plurality of gold holes; o with the proviso that, if a tee shot fails to travel a predetermined distance corresponding to a respective golf hole, either a second tee shot is hit corresponding to that hole, with the distance recorded in said recording step is the sum of the distance of the first and second tee shots for that hole, or the 11 positioning step includes positioning the golf ball on the tee area for that golf hole and adding one stroke to the total number of strokes played on that hole.

8. A method of playing a round of golf substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 23 rd day of March 2001 STRATEGY GOLF. LTD. WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS 4TH FLOOR DURACK CENTRE 263 ADELAIDE TERRACE PERTH WA 6000 0. *C Co *C C e C C C* C