GB2350569A

GB2350569A - Device for practicing putting

Info

Publication number: GB2350569A
Application number: GB9912803A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chang Shu-Chin Chen
Original assignee: CHEN CHANG SHU CHIN
Current assignee: CHEN CHANG SHU CHIN
Priority date: 1999-06-01
Filing date: 1999-06-03
Publication date: 2000-12-06
Anticipated expiration: 2019-06-03
Also published as: GB2350569B; DE29909627U1; GB9912803D0

Abstract

A device for practicing a putt comprises a target area 10 and a ball-stopping portion 20. The target area is provided with a series of holes 11 for receiving golf balls. With the exception of the front side of the target area, the target area is surrounded by the ball-stopping portion 20 which is provided with a sloped buffer area 21 forming with the planar surface of the target area an angle greater than 90 degrees. A golfer is required to putt a target hole in the target area in such a manner that the golfer hits a golf ball with an appropriate force to enable the golf ball to roll up to the buffer area at an appropriate angle, thereby enabling the golf ball to roll into the target hole by the detouring effect.

Description

2350569 DEVICE FOR PRACTICING PUTT

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a facility for golfing practice, and more particularly to a device used for practicing putt.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,247 discloses a device 2 for putting practice. The device 2 is placed on the ground for putting practice and is provided with a target area 30 and a stopping portion 40. The target area 30 is provided with a series of nine holes 31 and is surrounded by the stopping portion 40 except the front side of the target area 30. The stopping portion 40 has an upright wall 41 surrounding the target area 30 except the front side of the target area 30. In doing a putting practice, a golf ball is hit in an attempt to roll the ball into one of the holes 3 1, as shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, a prior art putting target 2 is provided with a series of holes 3 1, which are arranged in eight sets (a'-h'). In doing a

I putting practice, a person hits the golf balls into each of the holes 31 by using as few balls as possible. In addition, the target 2 may be used for a competitive putting practice by two persons.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, the prior art target 2 described above with reference to FIG. 2 is defective in design. The deficiencies are described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 3-5.

When a golf ball is hit to roll toward the c' hole set, the ball must first pass the a' hole set and the W hole set, thereby causing the ball to trip, as shown in FIG. 3. Similarly, when a ball is hit to roll toward the b' hole set, the ball must first pass the a' hole set, thereby causing the ball to trip. In the event that the a' hole set and the U hole set are already filled with the balls, a golf ball which is hit to roll toward the b' hole set or the c' hole set is susceptible to being obstructed by the balls which are received in the a' hole set and the W hole set. As a result, the balls must be hit really hard to force their ways into the W hole set and the c' hole set, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, It is therefore readily apparent that the prior art target 2 is of little help to improve one's putting skill.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved device for use in putting practice so as to enable a person to improve his or her golfing skill.

In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the 2 foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by a device comprising a target area and a ball-stopping portion. The target area is provided with a series of holes for receiving a golf ball. With the exception of the front side of the target area, the target area is surrounded by the ball-stopping portion which is provided with a sloped buffer area forming with the planar surface of the target area an angle greater than 90 degrees. The sloped buffer area serves to assist a golfer to hit a golf ball to roll into an intended hole of the target area.

The foregoing objective, features, functions, and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a prior art device for use in putting practice.

FIGS. 2-5 show schematic views of another prior art device in use for putting practice.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a top view of the preferred embodiment of the 3 present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of a portion taken along the direction indicated by a line 8-8 as shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows a front view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows a sectional view of a portion taken along the direction indicated by a line 10- 10 as shown in FIG. 7.

FIGS. 11-14 are schematic views of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIGS. 6-10, a device I embodied in the present invention is placed on the ground for a person to practice putting, so as to improve his or her golfing skill. The device I is made integrally of a plastic material by injection molding and is provided with a target area 10 and a ball-stopping portion 20.

The target area 10 has a front side, a back side, a left side, and a right side. The front side is in contact with the ground for a golf ball to roll into the target area 10 which is provided with a series of holes I I for receiving the golf ball.

4 The ball-stopping portion 20 surrounds the back side, the left side, and the right side of the target area 10 for preventing the golf ball from rolling out of the target area 10.

The device 1 of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is characterized by the ball-stopping portion 20 which is provided with a sloped buffer area 21 in direct contact with the edge of the target area 10 such that both ends of the buffer area 21 form respectively with the target area 10 an angle of 180 degrees, as shown in FIG. 9, and that the central portion of the buffer area 21 form with the rear side of the target area 10 an angle of about 120 degrees, as shown in FIG. 8, and further that the remaining portions of the buffer area 21 form with the left side and the right side of the target area 10 an angle of about 140 degrees, as shown in FIG. 10. In addition to the buffer area 2 1, the ball-stopping portion 20 is provided with a continuous wall 22 bordering the upper edge of the buffer area 21.

The holes 11 of the target area 10 are linearly arranged in such a manner that they form 8 sets, as shown by a-h in FIG. 6. A golfer may want to challenge himself or herself by doing a putting practice with a minimum number of golf balls. The device 1 of the preferred embodiment of the present invention may be used by two persons on a competitive basis.

Unlike the prior art devices for a putting practice, the device 1 of the preferred embodiment of the present invention enables a golfer to improve his or her putting skill, thanks to various angles which are formed jointly by various portions of the target area 10 and the sloped buffer area 21. The golfer is required to make a shot with an appropriate force in an attempt to roll the ball into an intended hole 11 by a detour effect which is brought about by the angles referred to above.

As shown in FIG. 11. when the golfer tries to putt a target hole 11 b, he or she should hit the ball in such a manner that the ball rolls up to the buffer area 21 from the left front side of the hole 11 a at an appropriate angle Q1, thereby causing the ball to roll along a curved path due to the gravity of the ball, so as to roll into the target hole 11 b by bypassing the hole 11 a.

As shown in FIG. 12. when the golfer desires to putt a target hole 1 lc, he or she should hit the ball in such a manner that the ball is forced to roll up to the buffer area 21 from the left side of the hole 11 a at an appropriate angle Q2. Due to the gravity of the ball, the ball rolls along a curved path to bypass the holes 11 a and 11 b, so as to roll into the target hole 11 c. It must be noted here that the angle Q2 must be smaller than the angle Q 1.

Now referring to FIG. 13, the golfer is shown to putt a target hole 11 d such that the ball is hit with an appropriate force to roll at an appropriate angle Q3 up to the buffer area 21 ftom the left side of the hole 11 b. Due to the gravity of the ball as wall as the sloping variation of the buffer area 21, the curved path of the ball will have a greater variation when the ball rolls through the central portion of the buffer area 21. The ball rolls into the target hole 11 d from the left rear side of the hole 11 d by bypassing the hole 11 c. In order to attain such a deed as described above, the golfer must hit the golf ball in such a manner that the angle Q3 must be smaller than the angle Q2.

6 As shown in FIG. 14, the golfer is shown to putt a target hole 11 e such that the ball is hit with an appropriate force to roll up to the buffer area 21 from the left front side of the hole 11 c at an appropriate angle Q4, and that the ball travels along the buffer area 2 1, and further that the ball passes the holes 11 c and 11 d to roll into the target hole 11 e from the left rear side of the target hole 1 le. The angle Q4 must be smaller than the angle Q3.

It is therefore readily apparent that the device of the preferred embodiment of the present invention enables a golfer to improve his or her putting skill in view of the fact that a golf ball must be hit to roll at an appropriate angle up to the buffer area 21 in such a manner that the ball detours to roll into a target hole 11. When a golf ball is hit to roll up to the buffer area 21, the golf ball is prevented from jumping out of the device 1 by the continuous wall 22 of the ball- stopping portion 20.

The embodiment of the present invention described above is to be regarded in all respects as being merely illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without deviating from the spirit thereof. The present invention is therefore to be limited only by the scopes of the following appended claims.

For example, the buffer area does not need to form angles of 120o and 140o with the planar surface of the target area. It can make other angles with the planar surface of the target area provided the angle(s) is/are greater than 90o and preferably at least 100o or more preferably at least 11 Oo.

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Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A device for practicing a putt, said device being disposed on a ground surface and comprising:

a target area having a front side, a rear side, a left side, and a right side whereby said front side is in contact with the ground surface, said target area further having a series of holes for receiving a golf ball; a ball-stopping portion extending uprightly from an edge of said target area and surrounding said left side, said rear side, and said right side; wherein said ball-stopping portion is provided with a sloped buffer area whereby said buffer area forms with said target area an angle greater than 90 degrees.

2. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said holes are nine in number.

3. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said buffer area has a bottom edge with two ends which are joined with two ends of a front side edge of said target area.

4. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said buffer area has a central portion which forms with said rear side of said target area an angle smaller than angles which are formed by other portions -of said buffer area and other sides of said target area.

8 5. The device as defined in claim 3, wherein said two ends of said bottom edge of said buffer area form respectively with said two ends of said front side edge of said target area an angle of 180 degrees.

6. The device as defined in claim 4, wherein said angle formed by said central portion of said buffer area and said rear side of said target area is of 120 degrees; and wherein said angles formed by the other portions of said buffer area and the other sides of said target area are of 140 degrees.

7. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said ball-stopping portion is further provided with a continuous wall which is connected at a bottom edge thereof with a top edge of said buffer area.

8. A device for practicing a putt, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 6 to 14 of the accompanying drawings.

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