FR2689410A1 - Miniature green at start of golf hole - having support pole with case on top containing plate showing green and flag and covered by transparent lid - Google Patents

Abstract

A case (7) contains a plate (4) on which the green which has to be reached is reproduced in miniature (9). It has a flag (10), marking the hole, whose position can be altered. The case is supported by a pole (3) on a circular base (2). The case is closed by a transparent hinged lid (6) with a lock (13) at the front. The plate is wholly or partly metallic and the flag has a magnetic base (10a). The plate is slightly inclined forwards, and there is an information panel (5) at the back of the case. USE/ADVANTAGE - Small scale green placed at start of golf hole to optimise force and direction of shot.

Description

 The subject of the present invention is a device for assisting in the practice of golf, in particular for enabling golf players to optimize the force and direction of a stroke to be played on a golf course.

 In the game of golf, obtaining a good score is only possible if all the strokes played on the course have been successful.

 For experienced players, the first stroke to play on a hole is essential, especially on short holes because it allows the player to reach the green directly.

 The objective of a good player is to send the ball as close as possible to the flag which materializes the hole of arrival on the green, or failing this at least at the height of the flag, and if possible, in a point more lower than this flag, so that the final put can be made uphill, which allows a more precise shot.

 To assess the relief of the green and the location of the flag on it, the players must be satisfied with a visual evaluation, which is of course not always satisfactory.

 In addition, the position of the finish hole on a green is often changed to avoid localized deterioration of the lawn.

 The present invention aims to facilitate the evaluation by the players from the start of a hole, of the strength and direction of the stroke to be played by proposing for this purpose a particularly simple and economical device.

 The present invention relates to a device intended to be placed on the teeing off area of a golf hole, characterized in that it comprises in combination: a support foot, surmounted by a bolt bowl provided with a transparent cover and containing a plate on which is reproduced on a smaller scale, the configuration of the green to be reached, a reference element in particular in the form of a flag and cooperating means on said plate and said reference element for selectively positioning said reference element in a any location determined on said tray.

 Preferably said reference element comprises a magnetic base part and the plate is metallic or comprises a metallic plate.

 Other means, other than magnetic, can be provided for positioning the reference element on the plate, for example a plurality of recesses made in the upper surface of the plate to selectively house the reference element.

 Remote control means, from a central control station, can be provided to move the reference element on the plate.

 Thanks to the device that is the subject of the invention, the personnel in charge of maintaining the green can indicate by correspondingly displacing the reference element the new position of the arrival hole on the green after each modification.

 Advantageously, the tray according to the invention has a relief configuration substantially reproducing that of the green.

 In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the transparent cover of the housing is a rigid cover hinged thereon and a lock, arranged opposite to the articulation zone, ensures its locking on the housing in the closed position.

 Preferably, the tray is tilted forward for better visibility.

 Advantageously, there is provided in or on the housing, preferably at the rear thereof, a panel constituting an information support, in particular for advertising use.

 In order to better understand the invention, we will now describe an embodiment given by way of example and without any limiting character with reference to the accompanying schematic drawing which includes a single firm on which a perspective has been represented. device according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

 This device which can be planted in the ground or fixed comprises, in the illustrated embodiment, a support leg 1 constituted by a circular base 2 and by a base 3, a metal plate 4, an information support panel 5 and a rigid cover. transparent 6, the plate 4 and the panel 5 being arranged in a housing 7 which internally delimits a cavity 8.

 In this embodiment, the metal plate 4 and consequently its internal cavity 8 have a slight forward tilt.

 The cavity 8 contains a small-scale reproduction 9 of the green of the hole of the course at the start of which the device according to the invention is placed.

 The maintenance personnel placed on the reproduction 9 of the green a reference element 10, representative of a flag, indicating the position of the hole on the green.

 This reference element 10 comprises a magnetized base 10a which maintains it in position by magnetization on the metal plate 4.

 In this embodiment, an obstacle such as a bunker 11 has also been represented on the left side of the green.

 Subject to the metal plate 4, the information support panel 5 has a more pronounced forward inclination than that of the plate 4 allowing easy reading of the information that it is capable of supporting.

 The transparent rigid cover 6 is mounted articulated at 12 at the rear of the housing 7. In the closed position, it covers the surface of the panel 5 and the metal plate 4.

 Advantageously, this rigid cover 6 is made of plexiglass.

 In addition, a lock 13, cooperating with an orifice 14 formed on the cover 6, makes it possible to lock the latter in the closed position on the housing 7.

 It is understood that the embodiment which has just been described has no limiting character and that it can receive any desirable modification without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (5)

 1 - Device for assisting in the practice of golf, in particular for optimizing the strength and direction of a stroke to be played, intended to be placed on the starting area of a golf hole, characterized in that it comprises in combination a support leg (1), surmounted by a bolt (7) provided with a transparent cover (6) and containing a plate (4) reproducing on a smaller scale the configuration of the green to be reached, a reference element (10), in particular in the form of a flag, and means (10a, 4) cooperating on said plate and said reference element for selectively positioning said reference element at any given location on said plate.  2 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the plate (4) is metallic or comprises a metallic plate and that said reference element (10) comprises a magnetized base part (10a).  3 - Device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the transparent cover (6) is a rigid cover articulated on the housing (7) and that a lock (13) disposed opposite the articulation zone (12) on said housing (7) ensures the locking of the cover in the closed position.  4 - Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the plate (4) is slightly inclined towards the front.  5 - Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises in or on the housing (7) preferably at the rear thereof a panel (5) information carrier.