GB2500002A

GB2500002A - A portable sloping golf swing practice platform

Info

Publication number: GB2500002A
Application number: GB1203859.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Webber; Andrew Fawkes
Original assignee: SLOPE DOCTOR Ltd
Current assignee: SLOPE DOCTOR Ltd
Priority date: 2012-03-05
Filing date: 2012-03-05
Publication date: 2013-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 2032-03-05
Also published as: GB201203859D0; GB2500002B; GB2500002C

Abstract

A |portable sloping platform comprising an upper surface with a covering material 16 attached and a support structure 4, 6 and 8 which extends down from the upper surface to support it wherein the upper surface is inclined with respect to a surface it is positioned on. A top panel 12 and the support structure 4, 6 and 8 may be integrally moulded. The top panel 12 may be square or rectangular and the covering 16 may be a mat with artificial grass. The support structure may have 4 panels 4, 6 and 8 which extend downwards with an open bottom. The mat 16 may be offset from the edges of the top panel 12 to allow the devices to be stacked. A handle have also be provided. The mat 16 may be held in position with bosses which cooperate with holes in the top panel 12. The device is designed as a swing practice platform which can be used at a driving range.

Description

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A PORTABLE SLOPING PLATFORM

This invention relates to a portable sloping platform. The invention is particularly, although not exclusively, concerned with a sloping platform which can be used to 5 simulate sloping ground on a golf driving range.

In the context of the present invention, the term "portable" is used to mean that the platform can easily be lifted by hand. Terms such as "upper" and "lower", when used to refer to parts of the platform, relate to the orientation of the platform in normal use 10 when placed on a horizontal surface.

Driving ranges are known for use by golfers when practising golfing strokes. Driving ranges commonly comprise a teeing area which may be of sufficient size for several golfers at a time to line up across the driving range. The teeing area is usually flat 15 and horizontal and may be covered with a mat of artificial grass.

Driving ranges of this kind enable golfers to practice on level ground. However, when playing on a golf course, a golfer may frequently need to play a shot when the ball is on sloping ground. Driving ranges do not usually make provision for practising such 20 shots.

It is known to provide golf practice platforms which simulate sloping ground. Such a platform is disclosed, for example, in US 2090111600. A problem with such practice platforms is that they tend to be complex since they incorporate features which 25 enable the slope of the platform to be adjusted. The mechanisms required add weight to the platform which makes them cumbersome to manoeuvre into and out of position on the teeing area. This makes them difficult to set up, and they also tend to

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be expensive. As a result, such practice platforms have not been adopted at driving ranges to any significant extent. Even where they are provided, their cumbersome size and weight, and the difficulty of setting them up in the desired manner, discourages use by professionals and practising golfers.

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According to the present invention there is provided a portable sloping platform comprising a unitary base unit having an upper surface to which a covering material is secured, the base unit comprising a top panel which provides the upper surface and a support structure which is fixed to the top panel to support the top panel on a 10 supporting surface so that the top panel is inclined with respect to the support surface.

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide an inexpensive and easily portable practice platform for a golfer which is easy for one person to move 15 into and out of position. The platform may also be stackable. The unitary nature of the base unit means that the angle of slope of the top panel is fixed, but nevertheless the platform can be positioned on the teeing area of a driving range to provide a practice surface sloping in different directions to provide the golfer with several practising possibilities.

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The top panel and the support structure may be rigidly fixed together. In one embodiment, the top panel and the support structure are formed as an integral unit as a single moulding from a suitable plastics material.

25 The support structure may comprise at least two supporting panels which extend from respective edges of the top panel. The top panel may be rectangular, for example square. If square, the length of each side is preferably not less than 1 m if

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the platform is to be used as a teeing area in a golf driving range. In practice, it has been found that a square platform having a side of 1.1 m gives adequate space for a golfer to perform a normal swing, while the platform as a whole remains reasonably compact. The length of each side is preferably not greater than 2 m, since a larger 5 platform would be difficult to carry.

If the top panel has a rectangular or square shape, the support structure may comprise four supporting panels, extending from the respective four edges of the top panel. The supporting panels may join one another at the corners of the top panel to 10 form, with the top panel, a box structure which is open at its lower face.

At least one of the supporting panels may have a carrying handle, which may be formed as an aperture in the respective supporting panel.

15 The covering material may comprise a mat, such as a mat of artificial grass. The mat may be profiled to provide at least one recess in its upper surface to hold a golf ball stationary while addressed by a golfer. The mat may have bosses on its underside which engage with holes in the top panel to secure the mat to the upper surface of the base unit. The bosses and holes made permit release of the mat from the top 20 panel to enable replacement or repositioning

The mat edges may be offset inwardly from the upper surface of the top panel to expose a peripheral region of the top panel. The mat edges may be offset by approximately the thickness of the supporting panels so that the exposed peripheral 25 region of one platform can receive the supporting panels of a second platform when the platforms are stacked.

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The top panel may be inclined by an angle of not less than 5°and not more than 15° to the support surface on which the platform stands.

The platform may be a golf swing practice platform, for example for use in a driving 5 range.

The present invention also provides a golf driving range having a teeing area, and a golf swing practice platform as defined above.

10 For a better understanding of the present invention and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of a portable sloping platform for use as a golf training aid; 15 Figure 2 is a side view of the platform;

Figure 3 is an enlarged partial view of the underside of the platform;

Figure 4 is an underneath view of the platform; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of part of the platform.

20 The platform shown in the drawings comprises a unitary base unit in the form of a hollow rectangular box 2 which is open at its lower face. The box may, for example, be made from a suitable plastics material such as polyurethane by a process such as injection moulding. The box 2 comprises a top panel 12 and four supporting panels comprising a front panel 4, a rear panel 6, one side panel 8 and an opposite side 25 panel 10, which are connected to respective edges of the top panel 12 and adjoin one another at the corners of the top panel 12.

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As can be appreciated from Figure 2, the front panel 4 is higher than the rear panel 6, with the consequence that the top panel 12 is inclined to the plane in which the bottom edges 14 of the panels 4, 6, 8,10 lie. That is, the top panel 12 is inclined to the support surface S, such as a teeing surface of a driving range, on which the 5 platform stands. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the relative dimensions of the box 2 are such that the slope of the top panel 12 relative to the common plane of the lower edges 14 of the panels 4, 6, 8,10 is in the range 5° to 15°, for example 8° to 12° Other slope angles can be used, in order to simulate the natural slope of areas of a golf course. By way of example, a square platform having a side of 1.1 m 10 will have a slope of 7.5Q if the rear panel 6 has a height of 6 cm and the front panel 4 has a height of 20 cm. If the height of the front panel is increased to 34 cm, the slope angle increases to 15s.

The top panel 12 is provided with a covering material in the form of a mat 16 which 15 may, for example, comprise artificial grass 26 to serve as a practice playing surface. As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the artificial grass may be profiled to provide recesses 18 to stabilise a golf ball 20 to ensure that it remains in place on the playing surface until struck by the golfer. It will be appreciated from Figure 1 that the profiling is arranged symmetrically about the four sides of the playing surface formed by the mat 20 16 so as to allow for different playing positions of the golfer.

Figure 4 shows the underside of the box 2. The underside of the top panel 12 is provided with an array of strengthening ribs 22 to make the top panel 12 sufficiently rigid to support the weight of a golfer without significant deflection. In Figure 4, the 25 ribs 22 are shown as relatively slender moulded formations on the underside of the top panel 12. In other embodiments, different forms of rib may be employed. For

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example, at least some of the ribs 22 may have a channel-shaped or box-shaped cross section.

Figure 3 is an underneath view of a corner of the platform. The edges of the panels 5 4,6,8,10 are profiled, for example by the provision of transverse ribs 34 as shown, to prevent slippage or creep of the platform across the support surface S. Alternatively, or in addition, the lower edges of the panels 4, 6, 8,10 may be flared, or directed outwardly, to increase the surface area contacting the support surface S

10 The mat 16 comprises a base sheet 24, for example of rubber, which is provided with the artificial grass covering 26. The base sheet 24 has, on the side opposite the covering 26, an array of bosses 28 which extend through holes 30 in the top panel 12 to secure the mat 16 to the box 2. The holes 30 may be formed during the moulding of the base unit 2 or subsequently by punching or drilling. As shown in Figure 4, 15 there are five bosses 28 in all, one being situated at the centre of the top panel 12 and the others being disposed near the corners of the box 2. The bosses 28 may be formed integrally with, or bonded to, the base sheet 24. It will be appreciated that other arrangements of the bosses are possible. For example the central boss may be omitted. Also, the square platform shown in the drawings has a boss at each 20 corner but these could be positioned at different locations, and fewer than, or more than, four bosses could be provided.

The front panel 4 has a cut-out or aperture 32 which provides a carry handle and also serves as a means for hanging the platform on a suitable hook when not in use. 25 Although shown only on the front panel 4, the carry handle 32 can be provided on any one or more of the panels 4, 6, 8,10. It is helpful to have a carry handle 32 on

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more than one of the panels to assist in manipulating the platform when in use on a driving range.

It will be appreciated from Figures 1 and 2 that the mat 16 projects upwardly from the 5 top panel 12 and its edges are offset slightly inwardly from the outer surfaces of the support panels 4, 6, 8,10. This exposes a peripheral region 33 of the top panel 12. The extent of the offset is substantially the same as the thickness of the support panels 4, 6, 8,10. This measure enables two or more platforms to be stacked one above the other, as indicated in dashed outlined in Figure 2. By alternating the 10 orientation of the platforms through 180Q, a vertical stack can be achieved, with the mats 16 interlocking with the support panels 4, 6, 8,10 to ensure stability.

In a specific embodiment, the platform is sufficiently large to provide a playing surface on which a golfer can stand and address a golf ball retained in one of the 15 recesses 18. For example, each side of the generally square top panel 12 is preferably longer than 1 metre and may, for example, be approximately 1.1 metres. To allow easy portability, each side is preferably less than 2 metres, and more preferably less than 1.5 metres.

20 For use, the platform is placed on the existing, usually horizontal, teeing area of a driving range or at any other location where driving practice is to take place. The golfer places a golf ball in one of the recesses 18 and stands on the mat 16 to play a shot in the usual way. Owing to its simple construction, the platform is easily carried to the place of use, and can be positioned to provide a sloping surface of the kind 25 which the golfer wishes to practice. For example, the platform can be positioned, with respect to the target direction of the shot, so as to provide a downward slope (i.e.

with the playing surface sloping away from the feet of the golfer towards the ball),

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and upward slope or a sideways slope. To provide additional versatility, two or more platforms may be stacked on one another. Thus, for example, two platforms each having a slope of 7.5Q can be stacked with the slopes oriented in the same direction to provide a combined slope of 15s. It is also possible for two square platforms to be 5 stacked with the slopes oriented at 90Q to each other.

After use, the platform can simply be lifted away from the teeing area and stored either by stacking with other similar platforms or by hanging, for example on a wall of the driving range, by means of the hand hole 32.

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The mat 16 is easily replaced should it become worn or damaged. To do this, the mat 16 is simply removed from the top panel 12 by pulling the bosses 28 through the holes 30. Alternatively, if wear has taken place unevenly over the playing surface, the mat 16 can simply be rotated through 900 or 1800 about the central boss 28 after 15 releasing the corner bosses 28, and the corner bosses 28 can then be refitted in the rotated position.

Although the platform shown in the drawings has a square shape, other shapes, for example circular, may be used. However, the square shape provides a compact 20 platform while providing an adequate playing area. Also, while the top panel of the platform shown in the drawings is flat, a curved panel could also be provided to enable practising of golf shots on different slope angles.

While the platform shown in the drawings has been described in the context of a 25 practice slope for golf driving practice, the platform may have a variety of other uses where a portable sloping platform is required. A platform as described above may be used to provide a level surface on sloping ground, for example to provide a level

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surface for a ladder, or for a wheelchair user on a grass viewing slope at a spectator event.

By providing a unitary box 2 as the supporting structure for the playing surface 5 constituted by the mat 16, a light and portable platform is provided which is robust and, although not adjustable, is capable of providing adequate practice for golfing strokes on a driving range.

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Claims

1. A portable sloping platform comprising a unitary base unit having an upper surface to which a covering material is secured, the base unit comprising a top panel

5 which provides the upper surface and a support structure which is fixed to the top panel to support the top panel on a support surface so that the top panel is inclined with respect to the support surface.

2. A platform as claimed in claim 1, in which the top panel and the support 10 structure are rigidly fixed together.

3. A platform as claimed in claim 2, in which the top panel and the support structure are integrally moulded together.

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4. A platform as claimed in claim 2 or 3, in which the support structure comprises at least two supporting panels which extend from respective edges of the top panel.

5. A platform as claimed in claim 4, in which the top panel is rectangular.

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6. A platform as claimed in claim 5, in which the top panel is square.

7. A platform as claimed in claim 6, in which the top panel has a side length which is not less than 1 m and not more than 2 m.

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8. A platform as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, in which the support structure comprises four supporting panels which extend from the respective edges of the top panel.

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9. A platform as claimed in claim 8, in which the supporting panels adjoin one another at the corners of the top panel to form, with the top panel, a box structure which is open at its lower face.

10. A platform as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 9, in which at least one of the 10 supporting panels has a carrying handle.

11. A platform as claimed in claim 10, in which the carrying handle is formed as an aperture in the respective supporting panel.

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12. A platform as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the covering material comprises a mat.

13. A platform as claimed in claim 12, in which the mat comprises artificial grass.

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14. A platform as claimed in claim 12 or 13, in which the mat is profiled to provide at least one recess in the upper surface of the mat.

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15. A platform as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14, in which the mat has bosses on its underside which engage with holes in the top panel to secure the mat releasably to the upper surface of the base unit.

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16. A platform as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 15, in which the edges of the mat are offset inwardly from the edges of the upper surface of the top panel.

17. A platform as claimed in claim 16 when appended to claim 4, in which the mat 5 edges are offset inwardly by a distance which is approximately equal to the thickness of the supporting panels to provide stacking location.

18. A platform as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the top panel is inclined to the support surface by not less than 50 and not more than 150

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19. A platform as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which is a golf swing practice platform.

20. A golf swing practice platform substantially as described here in with 15 reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. A golf driving range having a teeing surface, and a golf swing practice platform in accordance with claim 19 or 20 which is supported on the teeing surface.

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CM

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows.

1. A portable sloping golf swing practice platform comprising a unitary base unit having an upper surface to which a covering material is secured, the base unit 5 comprising a top panel which provides the upper surface and a support structure which comprises at least two supporting panels which extend from and are fixed to respective edges of the top panel to support the top panel on a support surface so that the top panel is inclined with respect to the support surface, the top panel having a size sufficient to provide a playing surface on which a golfer can stand and address 10 a golf ball lying on the playing surface, the covering material comprising a mat which projects upwardly from the upper surface of the top panel, the edges of the mat being offset inwardly from the edges of the upper surface of the top panel by a distance oo

Q which is approximately equal to the thickness of the supporting panels to provide

Q stacking location.

16. A golf driving range having a teeing surface, and a golf swing practice platform in accordance with any one of the preceding claims which is supported on the teeing surface.

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2. A platform as claimed in claim 1, in which the top panel and the support structure are rigidly fixed together.

3. A platform as claimed in claim 2, in which the top panel and the support 20 structure are integrally moulded together.

4. A platform as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the top panel is rectangular.

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5.

A platform as claimed in claim 4, in which the top panel is square.

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6. A platform as claimed in claim 5, in which the top panel has a side length which is not less than 1 m and not more than 2 m.

7. A platform as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the support structure comprises four supporting panels which extend from the respective edges of the top panel.

8. A platform as claimed in claim 7, in which the supporting panels adjoin one another at the corners of the top panel to form, with the top panel, a box structure which is open at its lower face.

9. A platform as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which at least one of the supporting panels has a carrying handle.

10. A platform as claimed in claim 9, in which the carrying handle is formed as an aperture in the respective supporting panel.

11. A platform as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the mat comprises a base sheet provided with an artificial grass covering.

12. A platform as claimed in claim 11, in which the mat is profiled to provide at least one recess in the upper surface of the mat.

13. A platform as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the mat has bosses on its underside which engage with holes in the top panel to secure the mat releasably to the upper surface of the base unit.

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14. A platform as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the top panel is inclined to the support surface by not less than 50 and not more than 150

15. A golf swing practice platform substantially as described here in with reference to the accompanying drawings.