GB1577878A

GB1577878A - Board game

Info

Publication number: GB1577878A
Application number: GB4444777A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-05-30
Filing date: 1978-05-30
Publication date: 1980-10-29

Description

(54) BOARD GAME (71) 1, DAVID HOWARD OSGOOD, a British Subject, of 31 Rankin Street, Wallasey, Liverpool L44 5TJ, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particulary described in and by the following statement:- The invention relates to board games and has particular application to the simulation of golf.

Previous attempts to simulate the game of golf for children or general indoor inactive pursuit tended to be unsatisfactory, for example being based upon the game of tiddledywinks with parts to assemble to make up holes.

It is an object of this invention to facilitate the simulation of golf on a board and to this end it is proposed to provide a board game apparatus for simulating golf, comprising a board having one or more golf "holes" marked out thereon each as a tee area and a green area with a multistep path therebetween, at least one of the path steps for each "hole" indicating a hazard, and that path from tee to green for each hole being branched at least once from a hazard step or steps of the first path, said branch path having an entry only from a said hazard step and having more individual steps from the hazard step to the green area than the first path, a playing piece or pieces to be moved over the multi-step path by a player or players, chance selection means to determine individual piece movements over the path, and rules stipulating order of play for the players.

A typical board will have a plurality, conveniently nine, marked out holes with alternative, branched, paths from a marked tee position to a marked green position. It is convenient for one path to be direct from tee to green but with bunker and/or rough and/or water hazard positions therealong from which branched paths are afforded to the green, if desired via other hazard positions. Out-of-bounds or inwater hazard positions could be provided forcing a return to the tee, some other rearward position or the missing of a turn.

Such a game is particulary readily implemented using a normal numbered die or dice from tee to green along paths marked in piece receiving squares one or more of which have hazards marked thereon and with branched paths therefrom, preferably using another die or dice for putting once the green is reached.

For a six sided putting die it has been found convenient for four faces to represent holing out and two faces a miss. This could be achieved by having numbers 1 to 4 of the numbered tee to green die representing holing out and numbers 5 and 6 a miss, say by colouring such faces differently. Alternatively, a die with one two or three putt options could be used.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 represents a relatively long "par 5" hole; Figure 2 represents a relatively shorter "par 4" hole; and Figure 3 represents a relatively short "par 3' hole.

For the holes illustrated, there is a direct path A to green G from the tee T, only from the short hole of Figure 3 being reachable in one throw of a normal six sided die, that for the hole of Figure 2 requiring two average throws, and that for the long hole of Figure 1 requiring two above average throws. In each case the direct path has a rough hazard square R with a branched and longer path B therefrom to the green and a bunker hazard square S also with a branched and longer path C to the green therefrom. The spacings of the hazard squares relative to each other and to the tee and green differ and may be subject to further variations as desired, say in order to introduce variety between holes of the same par value.

If desired, more than one square may be made a rough hazard, perhaps consecutive squares feeding a single branch, or a bunker, water or other hazard, or an out of bounds square may be introduced requiring a second tee shot or throw. Also, of course, further hazard squares may be provided in either or both of the branch paths B and C, or only one hazard square need be provided on a direct path A.

Also, to save board space, one branch, say from an early rough or water hazard, may be joincd by another, say from a bunker, see Figure 4 which also shows a greater width for the direct path where pieces are more likely to coincide on the same square. Figure 5 shows a variant in which a bunker extends to an existing water hazard branch path and requires reversal at each of the joint squares so tl1at consecutive twos thrown will result in being trapped in the bunker.

Once the green is reached, play is most conveniently by way of another die with four faces representing holing out and two representing misses. If desired, these proportions of holing out and missing may be different, say three die sides for each. As an altemative a die niay have two faces for each of oneputt, two-putt and three-putt holing out.

Variants of the green play may have the green area marked in squares, even in paths to the pill itself, to allow play only with a numbered die, of preferred with only exact number throws for holing out.

In other variants. the green may be banded so that, for two bands, the inner area is reached only for a preset excess of tlte score needed to reach the green and different diee are used for each area, say with four holing out faces for the inner area and only three for the outer band.

Holing out from off the green may also be provided for if, once the green is within reach on a throw of the normal six-sided numbered approach shot die, the or a putting die is also thrown. Preferably, in such circumstances only one of the putting die faces gives holing out and one of its holing out faces may be specially marked, say with a spot or different colour.

It will generally be convenient for score cards to he provided iii conventional golf style with indicated pars for the various holes.

One suitable board has nine holes marked iii a consecutive tuanner so that the tee of the next hole immediately follows the green of tlte preceding hole. a coitiplete 18-hole round requiring two circuits of the course marked on the hoard.

lf desired, of course. an eighteen hole boa rd nlay be provided A preferred board lias tulle holes laid out golf course fashion say witil a central club- house" area and holes spread about it, consecutive tees and greens being relatively close together.

It will he appreciated that players will throw a die in t turn and that the rules are generally sufficiently similar to real golf to be satisfying. Quick games could be played by ignoring rough and/or bunker hazards. say resembling pitch-and-putt.

If an out of bounds square is provided on any hole, rather than miss a turn or return to Ilie previous square, the player concerned Iiiay simply add a penalty stroke to his score for that hole.

An additional, but usually alternative.

arrangement to deal with excess scores when reaching the green would be to award an advantage that to be excerised on the next following tee or to be held longer and exercised on any other tee or at will but before the sltot concerned, i.e. approach die throw, was made. In general, it has been preferred to limit the advantage to less than the maximum of possible excess score, say to a three square advance, and that may be achieved by discounting any excess below two or ruling that any excess over three count as three only. Also, at least where advantages may be used at will, it has been preferred that no subsequently exercisable advantage can be gained on a hole which advantage has already been exercised by tlie player concerned.

An element of tactical skill might be introduced if playing of an advantage on a hole precluded any other player obtaining an advantage on that hole, or was fry reed then to exercise any advantage possessed at the tinie. Also, a limit of one or two is ustially applied to the number of unexercised advantages that anyone player may have. If desired, Ilowever, a fixed maximum nulllbel of advantages niay be made available so that a player could eniploy blocking tactics.

Advantages nay be represented by cards, counters or dises acquired by the player for an excess and returned by that player on exercise of tlie advantage concerned.

Gaines as described herein are, of course, capable of play by a single player aiming to tuatelt or beat par and/or to best his best score for the day, or ever.

WIlAT I CLAIM IS: l. A A board game apparatus for simulating golf, comprising a board having one or more "holes" marked out tllcrcon each as a tee area and a green with a multistep path there between at least one of the path steps for each "hole" indicating a hazard, and that path from tee to green for each hole being branched at least once from a hazard step or steps of the first path, said branch path having an entry only from a said hazard step and having more individual steps from the hazard step to the green area than the first path, a playing piece or picces to be moved over the multi-step path by a player or players. chance selection means to tietermine individual piece movements over the path. and rules stipulating order of play for the players.

2. A board game apparatus according to claim I - wherein path steps and branch steps comprise consecutive discrete areas or squares.

3. A board game apparatus according to claim 2. wherein the chance selection means for traversal of said consecutive discrete areas or squares is a cubic numbered die.

4. A board game apparatus according to claini 2 or claim 3, wherein chance selection means for holding out on a said green area is a culiic die some of faces of which represents holing-out and others missing.

5. A board game apparatus according to

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Claims

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joincd by another, say from a bunker, see Figure 4 which also shows a greater width for the direct path where pieces are more likely to coincide on the same square. Figure 5 shows a variant in which a bunker extends to an existing water hazard branch path and requires reversal at each of the joint squares so tl1at consecutive twos thrown will result in being trapped in the bunker.

Once the green is reached, play is most conveniently by way of another die with four faces representing holing out and two representing misses. If desired, these proportions of holing out and missing may be different, say three die sides for each. As an altemative a die niay have two faces for each of oneputt, two-putt and three-putt holing out.

Variants of the green play may have the green area marked in squares, even in paths to the pill itself, to allow play only with a numbered die, of preferred with only exact number throws for holing out.

In other variants. the green may be banded so that, for two bands, the inner area is reached only for a preset excess of tlte score needed to reach the green and different diee are used for each area, say with four holing out faces for the inner area and only three for the outer band.

Holing out from off the green may also be provided for if, once the green is within reach on a throw of the normal six-sided numbered approach shot die, the or a putting die is also thrown. Preferably, in such circumstances only one of the putting die faces gives holing out and one of its holing out faces may be specially marked, say with a spot or different colour.

It will generally be convenient for score cards to he provided iii conventional golf style with indicated pars for the various holes.

One suitable board has nine holes marked iii a consecutive tuanner so that the tee of the next hole immediately follows the green of tlte preceding hole. a coitiplete 18-hole round requiring two circuits of the course marked on the hoard.

lf desired, of course. an eighteen hole boa rd nlay be provided A preferred board lias tulle holes laid out golf course fashion say witil a central club- house" area and holes spread about it, consecutive tees and greens being relatively close together.

It will he appreciated that players will throw a die in t turn and that the rules are generally sufficiently similar to real golf to be satisfying. Quick games could be played by ignoring rough and/or bunker hazards. say resembling pitch-and-putt.

If an out of bounds square is provided on any hole, rather than miss a turn or return to Ilie previous square, the player concerned Iiiay simply add a penalty stroke to his score for that hole.

An additional, but usually alternative.

arrangement to deal with excess scores when reaching the green would be to award an advantage that to be excerised on the next following tee or to be held longer and exercised on any other tee or at will but before the sltot concerned, i.e. approach die throw, was made. In general, it has been preferred to limit the advantage to less than the maximum of possible excess score, say to a three square advance, and that may be achieved by discounting any excess below two or ruling that any excess over three count as three only. Also, at least where advantages may be used at will, it has been preferred that no subsequently exercisable advantage can be gained on a hole which advantage has already been exercised by tlie player concerned.

An element of tactical skill might be introduced if playing of an advantage on a hole precluded any other player obtaining an advantage on that hole, or was fry reed then to exercise any advantage possessed at the tinie. Also, a limit of one or two is ustially applied to the number of unexercised advantages that anyone player may have. If desired, Ilowever, a fixed maximum nulllbel of advantages niay be made available so that a player could eniploy blocking tactics.

Advantages nay be represented by cards, counters or dises acquired by the player for an excess and returned by that player on exercise of tlie advantage concerned.

Gaines as described herein are, of course, capable of play by a single player aiming to tuatelt or beat par and/or to best his best score for the day, or ever.

WIlAT I CLAIM IS: l. A A board game apparatus for simulating golf, comprising a board having one or more "holes" marked out tllcrcon each as a tee area and a green with a multistep path there between at least one of the path steps for each "hole" indicating a hazard, and that path from tee to green for each hole being branched at least once from a hazard step or steps of the first path, said branch path having an entry only from a said hazard step and having more individual steps from the hazard step to the green area than the first path, a playing piece or picces to be moved over the multi-step path by a player or players. chance selection means to tietermine individual piece movements over the path. and rules stipulating order of play for the players.
2. A board game apparatus according to claim I - wherein path steps and branch steps comprise consecutive discrete areas or squares.
3. A board game apparatus according to claim 2. wherein the chance selection means for traversal of said consecutive discrete areas or squares is a cubic numbered die.
4. A board game apparatus according to claini 2 or claim 3, wherein chance selection means for holding out on a said green area is a culiic die some of faces of which represents holing-out and others missing.
5. A board game apparatus according to

claim 4, wherein the holing out die has four said same faces and two of said others.
6. A board game apparatus according to claim 4 or claim 5, with claim 3, wherein one face of the holing-out die is specially marked for use in holing out when thrown simultaneously with the first mentioned die.
7. A board game apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein at least one "hole" on the board has two separate branches from different types of hazard.
8. A board game apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein at least one "hole" on the board has a first branch and a further branch joining the first.
9. A board game apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the further branch is marked to indicate that end square thereof required retraversal of the branch.
10. A board game apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one"hole" on the board has its green area divided into inner and outer areas.
11. A board game apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the tee area to green area path is broader than any branch path therefrom.
12. A board game apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the board has at least nine separate "holes" marked thereon.
13. A board game apparatus substantial as herein described.
14. A board game apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.