GB2319188A - Golf practice range - Google Patents

Abstract

A golf practice range comprises a target landing area which during play is substantially flat and which has incorporated in it a mechanism which will tilt the area so that balls which have come to rest can move off under the influence of gravity and be returned to the players. Additionally the landing area can be laid out to a plurality of targets which can be related to scoring values in a target golf game.

Description

This is a Golf Practice Range that incorporates various featues that will accomodate the necessary outlay in design to enable a new Game called "CLUB FIVE" to be played, either in addition to, or instead of, practice.

This Golf Practice Range will have design features that are essential for the Game "CLUB FIVE" to be played.

This Golf Practice range would neccessitate the integration of standard or natural elements of such Practice ranges, normally maintained Grass, and manufactured elememts.

The manufactured element or parts, would be of a pre determined standardised size, and would be situated at the furthest point from the 'Tee OEf' area if implimented onto existing Grass Practice Ranges, or, at a predetermined distance from the 'Tee OXf' area on a totally new construction.

(for the purpose of this description of the "CLUB FIVE" Golf Game Practice Range, it will be explained that it is to be sited upon an existing natural grass Range There are probably many hundreds, maybe thousands of what can be termed 'Standard' Practice Ranges for golfers around the United Kingdom, indeed the world.

By standard definition, is to mean an area of maintained grass of sufficient length to enable golfers to practice 'Tee OFf' shots from the 'Tee ORf'area onto any given area within the Practice Range, and then manually retrieve the golf balls used.

Some Practice Ranges however do have existing facilities such as curved or ridged surfaces to ensure that the golf ball is returned to the golfer practicing, thus, the ball does not come to a stop; returning by natural momentum.

The essential technical features of the "CLUB FIVE" Golf Game Practice Range is that it comprises an essentially flat area of surface for the golf ball reception or landing area ,after the shot has been made, and comprises a form of mechanism to 'tilt' the surface for the balls to be returned to the players.

Integrated with this 'tilting' action of the flat reception area of the golf balls, would be the marked surface of the area to accomodate the Game Rules, and a ball '6light check' system that would surround the entire surface area.

FIG 1. now depicts how a "CLUB FIVE" Golf Game Practice Range is installed onto an existing natural (maintained grass) Practice range from an overhead PLAN.

'A' represents the players 'Tee OEf' area.

'E' represents the surrounding fencework of the natural Range.

'D' represents the golf ball landing area, (for the purpose of this PLAN the Golf Game markings have been ommitted), and it is noted that it is sited at fhe furthest point from the 'Tee O6f' area.

'C' represents a Ramp that would receive any undershot practice shot balls to direct onto the landing area 'D'.

And 'B' represents the untouched and therefore generally unused remaining natural (maintained grass) area of the Range.

FIG 2. shows a side on ELEVATION of the "CLUB FIVE" Golf Game Practice Range without the surrounding fencework 'E', along the sides of the Range, so that the configuration of the components can be seen as they would be situated.

Thus, it can be seen that 'D' the golf ball landing area is in fact a manufactured surface of manmade 'allweather' material that is constructed onto a base frame 'G', and sited upto the farthest point away from the 'Tee Off area against fence 'E'.

Abutting onto 'D' is 'C' the Ramp, which is again of manmade construction in an 'allweather' material, on framework 'F'.

'B' is the natural (maintained grass) back to the 'Tee O & f','A'.

Most existing Golf Practice Ranges are surrounded by some form of high fencing out of necessity, and they may be of any appropriate design and material such as wire mesh or panelled wood or whatever.

The "CLUB FIVE" Golf game Practice Range would need any one such fence to be retained.

However, as the Practice range will also accomodate a Game element, should it be desired instead of normal practice, it would be necessary to have a 'Ball Flight Check System' that would run around the perimetre of the golf ball landing area 'D', abutting the existing fencing, to a pre determined height.

FIG 3 dpicts the ball flight 'Check System', 'H'.

It is a series of panels that would abutt upto one another around the ball landing area 'D', of a pre-determined material, with a multitude of pegs randomy set-in, thus restricting or checking the speed of flight of the golf ball were it either inadvertantly or directly aimed at the fencing.

The length and height of the Panels and Pegs are pre-determied.

FIG 4 again depicts an entire panel 'H', but from an elongated overhead view, to demonstrate how the panels may look with the pegs randomly placed upon the panels.

The pegs would be situated so as they could not restrict the ball from reaching the landing area 'D'.

Fpr the purpose of the "CLUB FIVE" Golf Game Practice Range to be practical, it is essential that the Ball can be aimed and therefore come to a stop..

Thus, it cannot, by means of slopes or whatever, be returned to the player through natural momentum.

Therefore, some form of mechanical means is necessary to return the ball to the player/practicer.

Being as the golf ball landing area 'D' is essentially flat and of considerable size volume on the upper surface area, it is also on a frame of pre determined dimensions.

Thus, to enable the golf balls to be returned to the player, almost the entire surface of the golf ball landing area 'D' would need to be 'tilted' sufficiently for the balls to roll off into a channel or tube that has an incline back towards the player So one side of the actual surface that is sited upon the framework, NOT ixed,would be HINGED along the length of the surface 'D' underneath. This would be RIGHT HAND side from'A'.

This would need to be in several places along the entire length.

Also it is just inward of the ball flight check system 'H' < Again, set inward of the ball flight check system 'H', but on the opposite side width wise of 'D' would be fitted a system of lifting 'hydraulics', again underneath, that would operate the hinged section of framework upon which 'D' is fixed to, upward to the necessary angle to roll the balls into the channel or tube.

So in effect, the framework upon which the large 'alweather' ball landing area 'D' rests,is in two seperate frameworks that work in unison supporting.

One is totally supportive only insomuch as it rests upon the ground but is NOT mixed in any way to 'D', and the other that works entirely in unison with it, is attached to 'D' to enable via the hinge principal to effect upward and downward 'tilt'.

FIG 5 depicts this layout of the two x frames laying adjacent to one another with the 'hinge or spindle bar' runing through the middle. (frame is depicted as 'G' in fig 2) A predetermined fixing system would be used throughout, and these frames would be appropriately placed as determined as necessary, throughout the entire length of the surface 'D'.

FIG 5 also demonstrates that as there are two x frames that lay adjacent to one another, they are numbered 1 and 2.

Thus, 1 is essentially a load bearing frame upon which the surface 'D' lays but is NOT mixed to, and 2 is another load bearer but at the same time, IS FIXED to the surface 'D' to effect the 'tilting' operation.

To indicate the operation that occurs as would be seen from the 'Tee OEf' 'A', that is looking up the length of the CLUB FIVE" GOLF GAME Practice Range to the Right hand side, FIG 6 and FIG 6A demonstrate, and for this demonstration purpose, the Ramp 'C' has been removed.

Thus FIG 6 indicates how the components would look for the normal playing/practice conditions.

FIG 6A then shows how the components would look with the operation of the 'tilting' sequence active, thus effecting the ball return.

However, although not shown in FIG 6, it will be seen in the FIG 6A that the balls do in fact drop into a fixed receiving tube, that runs the entire length of 'D', with a slight incline back towards 'A' the 'Tee Off' area.

Tube is indicated by the letter 'i'.

FIG 7 now illustrates how the components may be viewed from an end on elevation whilst the golf ball landing area 'D' has been raised to effect the 'tilt' necessary to roll the balls off the surface.

It also illustrates that frame 1 as in FIG 5 remains firmly on the ground, whereas frame 2 in FIG 5 is in fact fixed to 'D' to effect the upward and downward movement controlled.

It should also be noted that frame 2 increases considerably in thickness from the hinge (or spindle) that effects the pivoting 'tilt'.

The reason for this is to ensure suitable strength for the necessary load bearing, which increases considerably the further outward required from the hinge(or spindle).

Furthermore, although account of stresses is essential for the design of all components, considerable increase of thickness for frame 2 in the overall length could be beneficial in using a material (to be predetermined), that is of overall lighter weight.

FIG 7 also indicates an additional component, 'J'.

This simply represents the 'hydraulic' lifting mechanism.

(The positioning, siting, of either the pump the piping, the hydraulics are not claimed within this design, and are to be determined for siting as appropriate).

Operation of the hydraulic 'tilt' could be timed and/or manual over-ride for competetive events.

It is envisaged that there should be no reason why this "CLUB FIVE" Golf Game Practice Range could not be used both in daylight and/or evening darkness.

For this reason, the entire surface 'D' would have adequate and appropriately placedlighting for the player or practicer to monitor their strokes, in both daylight and darkness.

For a combination of both convenience and practicality, it would not be appropriate walk onto the surface 'D', and for this reason, the automatic ball return is necessary.

But for all the necessary 'monitoring' of strokes, either for practice or the competetive Game, "CLUB FIVE", it is essential that appropritely sited closed circuit television cameras give clear vision of all aspects of the ball movement/stopping etc on the surface 'D'.

The siting of the cameras should be predetermined, and the television 'viewing area' screens should be sited both on the 'Tee O*f' area 'A', and within the Clubhouse if one exists.

The main basis principle of the "CLUB FIVE" Golf Game Practice Range, with the returning of the ball mechanism, is that the ball landing area 'D' is permanently marked out as is shown in FIG 8, not only for a competetive Game, but also accomodates precision aiming for practice.

FIG 8 depicts 'D' as seen from above, and shows the surrounding fence, 'E', and all around against the fence, the ball flight check system 'H'.

And at the bottom of 'D' is the ramp 'C', (arrows have been added to simply demonstrate from which direction the balls are played from 'A' the 'Tee OEf' area).

The basic Principles of the Game " CLUB FIVE" are as follows 1) Any number of Players may compete as be agreed 2) The object of the Game is to play the ball to the surface 'D' aiming specifically to score by landing in the smaller centre circles of the FIVE seperate designated landing areas. The small DOT in the middle of each of the five smaller circles denotes marker FLAGS.

3} There are FIVE target areas, the FLAGS would be numbered to indicate them, with ONE being the furthest away, TWO the next furthest, then THREE, and FOUR the nearest.

FIVE, the last to be played, lies centre area.

THEY MUST BE PLAYED IN SEQUENCE, that is, areas ONE to FIVE.

4) Each competitor will play ONE shot in turn, all starting the Match by aiming for target area ONE.

Each competitor then plays ONE shot only for target area TWO.

Then ONE shot for THREE, FOUR and finally FIVE.

5) A "MATCH" consists of combination rounds as follow: TWO Players....SIX ROUNDS. (6 x 5 shots = 30 shots each) THREE/FOUR... FIVE ROUNDS (5 x 5 shots = 25 shots each) FIVE Players..FOUR ROUNDS (4x 5 shots = 20 shots each) TEAMED. six or more player THREE ROUNDS (3 x 5 shots = 15 shots each) 6) SCORING is as follows, GOLF Terms apply :a) To land within the marked 'area' or upon the black bordering line is P A R.

b) To land within the larger outer circle or on the bodering line is... .A BIRDIE. 1 UNDER c) To land within the small inner circle or on the bordering line is..an EAGLE. 2 UNDER.

d) Failing to land within area, but within area next to target,...a BOGEY. 1 SHOT DROPPED.

e) Eailing to land within area, and within TWO areas of target. DOUBLE BOGEY. 2 SHOT DROP.

I) Failing to land within area, and landing in any other area of the Range whatsoever incurs a 3 SHOT DROP.

The winner of the Match is the Player/Team with the LOWEST aggregate Score. . as in GOLF.

The operation of the hydraulic mechanism to effect the 'tilting' of the surface 'D', to enact ball return, can be timed for normal practice,-and manually over-ridden during competetive Matches, dependant ypon option as is dictated for ball identification and monitoring.

Claims (1)

1. l)That the main ball landing area surface, being sited upon a raised frame, can be level to permit the ball to stop, and a mechanism under the surface within the frame, can be operated to effect 'tilt', thus restarting the ball to roll back to the player without continual momentum.

   2)That the main ball landing area surface, being so patterned as to permit precision target practice, with potions, and if so desired, a sequential competetive Game played.