KR20240133835A - Virtual golf device and virtual golf system providing various play modes - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a virtual golf device and a virtual golf system which provide various playing methods. The virtual golf device includes a display unit which displays a virtual golf course on which a user plays, a calculation unit which performs a calculation process for calculating the movement of a virtual golf ball corresponding to an actual golf ball on the virtual golf course based on the state of the actual golf ball hit when the user hits the actual golf ball, and a management unit which provides a skip play mode in which the user can skip a specific hitting step when playing on the virtual golf course.

Description

{VIRTUAL GOLF DEVICE AND VIRTUAL GOLF SYSTEM PROVIDING VARIOUS PLAY MODES}

The present invention relates to a virtual golf device and a virtual golf system that provide various play methods configured to allow a user to play in various ways desired.

As golf has become more popular recently, the number of people who enjoy playing golf has increased. Golf is not only played on outdoor golf courses, but also on screen golf, which allows you to play golf using virtual golf devices. In screen golf, since images of the golf course are displayed on the screen, you can experience the reality of playing an actual golf game outdoors. In addition, since it saves time and money compared to playing on an outdoor golf course, screen golf is popular among busy modern people who have difficulty playing golf on the field due to time or financial reasons.

As the number of people using screen golf increases, users' expectations for screen golf are also increasing. When comparing screen golf with real golf, screen golf has the advantage of being able to provide users with technical services that are difficult to provide in real golf, which is played in an open outdoor space, due to the nature of being played in a closed indoor space. Therefore, it is necessary to stimulate users' interest in playing screen golf by providing various technical services utilizing the unique advantages of screen golf.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a virtual golf device that can be played in various ways according to the user's preference.

In addition, the present invention aims to provide a virtual golf system that can be played in various ways according to the user's preference.

Furthermore, other objects of the present invention can be clearly understood from the following description and the attached drawings.

In order to achieve the above object, a virtual golf device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a display unit that displays a virtual golf course on which a user plays, a calculation unit that performs a calculation process for calculating movement of a virtual golf ball corresponding to an actual golf ball on the virtual golf course based on the state of the actual golf ball hit when the user hits the actual golf ball, and a management unit that provides a skip play mode by which the user can skip a specific hitting step when playing on the virtual golf course.

In the above virtual golf device, the hitting step that can be skipped in the skip play mode may include a shot step (pre-putting shot step) before entering the putting step.

In the above virtual golf device, when the shot stage before putting is skipped in the skip play mode, the user's number of strokes can be obtained by adding the additional strokes added due to skipping the shot stage before putting and the number of strokes played by the user's actual play in the putting stage.

In the above virtual golf device, in the case where the shot stage before putting is skipped in the skip play mode, the starting position for putting of the virtual golf ball in the putting stage may include a point randomly selected from among the green area and the putting possible points around the green area in the virtual golf course, or a point selected by the user.

In the virtual golf device, the management unit can determine the additional strokes based on at least one of the starting putting position of the virtual golf ball, the regulation strokes of the virtual golf course currently being played, and the user's golf skills.

In the virtual golf device, when the putting shot step is skipped in the skip play mode, the management unit determines the additional number of strokes by performing a simulated hit at a point where the user's virtual golf ball is placed on the virtual golf course at the time of the skip, and the simulated hit may be performed by reflecting at least one play record among the user's play record and another user's play record.

In the virtual golf device, the virtual golf course includes a plurality of courses, and the user can select whether to skip the pre-putting shot step for the plurality of courses collectively or individually for each of the plurality of courses.

In the above virtual golf device, in the skip play mode, it is possible to skip all shots that may occur in the shot stage before putting, or to select and skip only some of the shots.

A virtual golf system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a service device and at least one virtual golf device that is communicatively connected to the service device. The virtual golf device includes a display unit that displays a virtual golf course on which a user plays, and a calculation unit that performs a calculation process for calculating movement of a virtual golf ball corresponding to an actual golf ball on the virtual golf course based on the state of the actual golf ball hit when the user hits the actual golf ball. In addition, a management unit that provides a skip play mode in which a user can skip a specific hitting step when playing on the virtual golf course is provided in the service device or the virtual golf device.

In the above virtual golf system, the hitting phase that can be skipped in the skip play mode may include a shot phase (pre-putting shot phase) before entering the putting phase.

According to the present invention, it is configured to enable playing in various ways according to the user's preference, thereby providing various conveniences to the user and also stimulating the user's interest in playing golf.

FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a schematic structure of a virtual golf device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a flowchart exemplifying the operation process when a method of skipping the putting step is applied.
Figures 3 to 12 are drawings specifically explaining each step of the operation process when the method of skipping the putting step is applied.
Figure 13 is a flow chart exemplifying the operation process when a method of skipping the shot stage before putting is applied.
Figures 14 to 21 are drawings specifically explaining each step of the operation process when a method of skipping the shot step before putting is applied.
FIGS. 22 and 23 are diagrams exemplarily showing menu screens for selecting an option to skip the putting step and/or the pre-putting shot step.
FIG. 24 is a drawing showing a schematic structure of a virtual golf device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 25 is a drawing showing a schematic structure of a virtual golf system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail through examples. The purpose, features, and advantages of the present invention will be easily understood through the following examples. The present invention is not limited to the examples described herein, and may be embodied in other forms. The examples introduced herein are provided so that the disclosed content can be thorough and complete, and so that the idea of the present invention can be sufficiently conveyed to those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited by the following examples.

Although the terms first, second, etc. are used in this specification to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish the elements from each other. Also, when an element is said to be on another element, it means that it can be formed directly on the other element, or that a third element may be interposed between them.

The sizes of elements in the drawings, or the relative sizes between elements, may be somewhat exaggerated for a clearer understanding of the present invention. In addition, the shapes of elements depicted in the drawings may be somewhat changed due to variations in the manufacturing process, etc. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in this specification should not be limited to the shapes depicted in the drawings unless specifically stated, and should be understood to include a certain degree of modification.

FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a schematic structure of a virtual golf device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a virtual golf device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a hitting plate (10), a control unit (20), a detection unit (30), an input unit (40), a sound unit (50), and a display unit (60).

The hitting plate (10) is an area where a user is positioned to hit a golf ball. The hitting plate (10) may be a plate-shaped object, or may simply be a floor surface of a place where a virtual golf device is installed, where a user is positioned, rather than a separate object. Although not shown in the drawing, the hitting plate (10) is equipped with a hitting mat on which a golf ball is placed, and an auto tee having a structure that can move up and down is installed on the hitting mat. A golf ball for hitting can be automatically provided to the user through the auto tee.

The control unit (20) controls the overall operation between each component of the virtual golf device. For example, the control unit (20) can control the auto tee installed on the hitting mat so that a golf ball for hitting is provided from the auto tee at the time when the user hits. In addition, when the user selects a specific golf course, the control unit (20) executes the necessary operation so that the user can play on the corresponding golf course. For example, the control unit (20) is equipped with an image processing means for processing an image, and when the user selects a specific golf course, the image processing means can form an image of the corresponding golf course and transmit it to the display unit (60) so that the image can be displayed. The control unit (20) is equipped with a calculation unit (21), a management unit (22), and a storage unit (23). The calculation unit (21) performs a calculation process for calculating a trajectory when the golf ball is assumed to move on an actual golf course according to the physical state of the golf ball hit by the user, etc., based on the physical state of the golf ball. The management unit (22) performs operations to provide users with various play modes so that they can play in various ways according to their preferences, and a detailed description of this will be described later. The storage unit (23) includes a storage device such as a memory or a hard disk, and stores various programs or data required for the operations of the control unit (20), the output unit (21), the management unit (22), etc.

The detection unit (30) detects the movement of the golf club or the movement of the golf ball hit by the user, and obtains information necessary for the calculation process. A detection means such as a camera or a detection sensor that can capture the movement of the golf club or the golf ball, etc., can be used as the detection unit (30). Various sensing methods such as image sensing, light-emitting/light-receiving sensing, and laser sensing can be applied to the detection means, and the status information of the golf club or the golf ball hit by the user can be obtained by these sensing methods. The camera or detection sensor can be used alone or together, and also only one can be used or multiple units can be used. The information obtained through the detection unit (30) is transmitted to the control unit (20) and used in the calculation process.

The input unit (40) is used to receive various types of information from the user, and a keyboard or mouse, etc., can be used. For example, the input unit (40) can be used when entering an ID or password for logging in, when selecting a golf course to play or a level of difficulty to play, etc.

The sound unit (50) may include audio devices such as speakers, and serves to guide the user through the game's progress and play various sound effects according to the game's progress.

The display unit (60) includes devices for display operations, such as a projector and a screen. The projector projects a golf-related image onto the screen so that images of a golf course and a golf ball are displayed on the screen, and the screen displays the projected golf-related image to show it to the user. Although not shown in the drawing, the display unit (60) may further include a display device, such as a kiosk, that serves as an auxiliary display in addition to the screen.

In this specification, there may be cases where the term 'virtual' is used for convenience in referring to some objects displayed on the screen. This is used to mean that they do not exist in the real world but are displayed as images on the screen. For example, a 'virtual golf course' means a golf course displayed on the screen, and a 'virtual golf ball' means a golf ball displayed on the screen.

A virtual golf device is a device that is installed in a screen golf course, etc., to enable playing screen golf, and when a user plays screen golf, the virtual golf device operates as follows. When a user hits a golf ball, a detection unit (30) detects parameters indicating the state of the golf ball, such as the movement of the golf club or the moving speed or moving direction of the golf ball hit by the user. The information detected by the detection unit (30) is transmitted to the control unit (20), and the calculation unit (21) of the control unit (20) performs a calculation process based on the transmitted information. The display unit (60) displays an image of a virtual golf ball moving along the trajectory calculated in the calculation process, and at this time, the virtual golf ball moves along the calculated trajectory and lands at a specific point on the virtual golf course on the screen, and the user continues the next hit from the point where the virtual golf ball landed.

According to the virtual golf device of the present embodiment, the user can play golf in a conventional play manner, or in an unconventional manner different from the conventional manner according to his/her taste. According to the unconventional manner, the management unit (22) provides a skip play mode, and by selecting the skip play mode, the user can skip a specific step in hitting a golf ball. The hitting steps that can be skipped in the skip play mode may include a putting step or a shot step before entering the putting step. Hereinafter, a method of skipping the putting step and the shot step before putting will be described.

Fig. 2 is a flowchart exemplarily showing the operation process when the method of skipping the putting step is applied, and Figs. 3 to 12 are drawings specifically explaining each step of the operation process when the method of skipping the putting step is applied.

Referring to FIG. 2, the operation process in the method of skipping the putting step includes steps 1 to 5 (S1, S2, S3, S4, and S5). In step 1 (S1), a pre-putting shot step (the step in which the user hits a golf ball before entering the putting step is referred to as the 'pre-putting shot step') is performed by the user, in step 2 (S2), the golf ball hit by the user reaches the green area, the pre-putting shot step ends, and the putting step is entered, in step 3 (S3), the putting step is skipped, in step 4 (S4), the number of strokes in the skipped putting step is determined, and in step 5 (S5), the number of strokes in the putting is determined, thereby determining the final number of strokes in the corresponding golf course, and the user's play is completed. Hereinafter, specific contents of steps 1 to 5 (S1, S2, S3, S4, and S5) will be individually described.

Referring to Fig. 3, in the shot stage before putting in the first stage (S1), the user hits an actual golf ball placed on the hitting mat of the hitting plate (10). At this time, the detection unit (30) detects the physical state of the hit golf ball and transmits it to the control unit (20).

Referring to FIG. 4, the calculation unit (21) of the control unit (20) calculates the trajectory of the golf ball based on the detection information from the detection unit (30). Various methods can be applied to calculate the trajectory of the golf ball, and one of them is to detect parameter values representing the physical state of the golf ball after hitting and calculate the trajectory from these. The parameters may include the speed (V) of the golf ball, the left-right direction angle (φ) representing the direction of the golf ball flying on the horizontal plane due to the hit, the launch angle (θ) representing the angle at which the golf ball is tilted with respect to the horizontal plane, and the spin (S) representing the rotational state of the golf ball. If a calculation model using the laws of physics is applied based on parameters such as the speed (V), the direction angle (φ), the launch angle (θ), and the spin (S), the trajectory of the golf ball can be calculated. Although not shown in the drawing, it is also possible to detect not only the physical state of the golf ball but also the movement of the golf club when the user hits the golf ball and utilize the detected information about the golf club to derive the trajectory of the golf ball.

Referring to Fig. 5, when the calculation process is completed, the result is displayed on the screen. That is, the virtual golf ball moving as calculated by the calculation unit (21) is displayed on the screen. The virtual golf ball moves as calculated and lands at a specific location on the virtual golf course, and the user makes the next hit from the landing location.

By repeating the above hitting process, the user's virtual golf ball reaches the green area, and thus enters the second stage (S2), which is the putting stage. Referring to Fig. 6, it is assumed that the user's virtual golf ball is initially at the initial position (P0) of the tee box in the virtual golf course, and as the user hits his/her golf ball placed on the hitting mat, the virtual golf ball moves to the first position (P1), the second position (P2), and the third position (P3). The third position (P3) is inside the green area, and thus the shot stage before putting is completed, and the putting stage is entered at the third position (P3).

According to the conventional technology, when entering the putting stage, the user rolls an actual golf ball placed on the hitting mat, and the trajectory along which the virtual golf ball on the screen will roll is calculated based on the physical condition of the actual putted golf ball. If the virtual golf ball enters the hole cup as a result of the calculation, the play on the current golf course ends and the course strategy begins again from the tee box of the next golf course (if the current golf course is the last play course, the screen golf play itself ends). If the virtual golf ball does not enter the hole cup as a result of the calculation, but stops at a specific point in the green area, the next putting is performed at the position where the virtual golf ball stopped, and this is repeated until the golf ball enters the hole cup. However, according to the present embodiment, the user can select an option to skip the putting stage, and in this case, the third to fifth stages (S3, S4, S5) are executed, the putting stage is skipped after entering the putting stage, and the user ends the play on the corresponding golf course without putting. Some users may want to skip the putting stage, and there are various reasons for this. For example, a user who is confident in putting may want to skip putting and focus only on the shot stage before putting, if possible. Or, a user who is not confident in putting and whose performance is poor due to putting may be satisfied with the score (the number of strokes from putting to hole-in) that is automatically given in putting and may want to skip putting.

Specifically, when entering the putting stage, the putting stage is skipped in the third stage (S3), and in the fourth stage (S4), the number of strokes the user will make in the skipped putting stage is determined, and once the number of strokes is determined, the score for the corresponding golf course is calculated (the number of strokes actually recorded by the user in the shot stage before putting is added to the number of strokes in the putting stage determined in the fourth stage (S4)), and the user's play on the corresponding golf course is completed (the fifth stage (S5)). Here, the number of strokes the user will make in the skipped putting stage in the fourth stage (S4) can be determined by the management unit (22). There may be various methods for the management unit (22) to determine the number of strokes in the skipped putting stage, and some examples of these will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 12.

Referring to FIG. 7, the number of strokes of the user in the putting stage can be determined based on how far the user's virtual golf ball is from the hole cup when entering the putting stage. Since the closer the distance from the hole cup is, the easier it is to roll the golf ball into the hole cup, and therefore, if the golf ball is closer to the hole cup, the number of strokes required to make a hole-in-one is reduced. Considering this, the number of strokes of the user in the putting stage can be determined based on the distance between the golf ball and the hole cup when entering the putting stage. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 7, if an area within a first distance from a hole cup is referred to as a first area (A1), an area between the first distance from the hole cup and a second distance greater than the first distance is referred to as a second area (A2), and an area between the second distance from the hole cup and a third distance greater than the second distance is referred to as a third area (A3), then if a virtual golf ball that has come on the green (a golf ball hit by the user reaching the green area) is in the first area (A1), the user's number of strokes can be determined as +1 stroke, if the virtual golf ball that has come on the green is in the second area (A2), the user's number of strokes can be determined as +2 strokes, and if the virtual golf ball that has come on the green is in the third area (A3), the user's number of strokes can be determined as +3 strokes.

Referring to Fig. 8, the number of strokes of the user in the putting stage can be determined according to the terrain characteristics of the point where the user's virtual golf ball is located when entering the putting stage. Even if the point where the virtual golf ball is located is close to the hole cup, if there is a steep slope between the point and the hole cup, it is not easy to hole in at once, and even if the point where the virtual golf ball is located is far from the hole cup, if the terrain between the point and the hole cup is flat, it is easy to hole in at once. In actual golf, the terrain of the green area may be a simple flat land, but it is more often a complex slope with irregular elevations. Since most virtual golf courses displayed on the screen of a virtual golf device are modeled after golf courses of actual golf courses, the green area of the virtual golf course is also often a sloped terrain. Therefore, in order to succeed in putting, the slope direction/slope of the terrain between the virtual golf ball and the hole cup must be considered. If the above terrain characteristics are not taken into account, since the hole cup is located in front of the virtual golf ball, even if the putting is made straight, there is a high probability that the virtual golf ball will bend along the slope due to the slope of the green area and fail to putt. Ultimately, since the difficulty of putting may vary depending on the terrain characteristics (whether there is a slope, if there is a slope, the direction and degree of the slope, etc.) between the point where the virtual golf ball is located and the hole cup when entering the putting stage, the number of strokes in the skipped putting stage can be determined when the putting stage is skipped by taking the above terrain characteristics into account. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8, if there are fourth and fifth areas (B4, B5) with slopes within the green area, and the fourth area (B4) has a gentle slope so that putting is relatively easy, and the fifth area (B5) has a steep slope so that putting is more difficult than in the fourth area (B4), then when the virtual golf ball that has come on the green is in the fourth area (B4), the number of strokes of the skipped user can be determined as +M strokes (M is a natural number), and when the virtual golf ball that has come on the green is in the fifth area (B5), the number of strokes of the skipped user can be determined as +N strokes (N is a natural number greater than M), which is larger than in the case of the fourth area (B4).

Referring to FIG. 9, the number of strokes of the user in the putting stage can be determined based on how far the user's virtual golf ball is from the hole cup when entering the putting stage and the terrain characteristics of the point where the user's virtual golf ball is located. As described above, if the golf ball is close to the hole cup, the number of strokes required for a hole-in-one decreases, so the distance between the golf ball and the hole cup when entering the putting stage (requirement 1) is considered, and also, depending on whether there is a slope in the green area of the virtual golf course and, if so, the degree of the slope, the number of strokes required for a hole-in-one may increase, so it is good to consider the terrain characteristics of the point where the golf ball is located when entering the putting stage (requirement 2). In the case where both requirements 1 and 2 are considered, the number of strokes required for putting is first determined based on requirement 1, and then the number of strokes required for putting based on requirement 2 is added to this to finally determine the number of strokes in the skipped putting stage. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9, if an area within a first distance from a hole cup is referred to as a first area (A1), an area between the first distance from the hole cup and a second distance greater than the first distance is referred to as a second area (A2), and an area between the second distance from the hole cup and a third distance greater than the second distance is referred to as a third area (A3), then if a virtual golf ball that has come on the green is in the first area (A1), the user's number of strokes can be determined as +1 stroke, if the virtual golf ball that has come on the green is in the second area (A2), the user's number of strokes can be determined as +2 strokes, and if the virtual golf ball that has come on the green is in the third area (A3), the user's number of strokes can be determined as +3 strokes. Also, as illustrated in FIG. 9, if there are fourth and fifth areas (B4, B5) with different terrain characteristics within the green area, and the fourth area (B4) has a gentle slope, making putting relatively easy, and the fifth area (B5) has a steep slope, making putting more difficult than the fourth area (B4), then if a virtual golf ball that has come on the green is in the fourth area (B4), the user's additional strokes can be added as +1 stroke, and if a virtual golf ball that has come on the green is in the fifth area (B5), the user's additional strokes can be added as +2 strokes. When this method is applied, if the virtual golf ball that has come on the green is at the first location (L1), since the first location (L1) belongs to the second area (A2), the number of strokes according to requirement 1 becomes +2 strokes, and furthermore, since the first location (L1) does not belong to the fourth and fifth areas (B4, B5), the additional strokes according to requirement 2 become 0 strokes, so the final record in the skipped putting stage becomes +2 strokes. Furthermore, if the virtual golf ball that has come on the green is at the second location (L2), since the second location (L2) belongs to the first area (A1), the number of strokes according to requirement 1 becomes +1 stroke, and furthermore, since the first location (L1) belongs to the fifth area (B5), the additional strokes according to requirement 2 become +2 strokes, so the final record in the skipped putting stage becomes +3 strokes.

The user's golf skills can be considered when determining the user's score in the skipped putting stage. Data on the user's golf skills can be stored in the storage (23). FIG. 10 shows an exemplary internal structure of the storage. As shown in FIG. 10, the storage is allocated different storage areas for each user, and various pieces of information can be stored in the areas allocated to each user. For example, when there are different users A, B, and C, the storage is divided into an area for storing information on user A, an area for storing information on user B, and an area for storing information on user C, and the areas for storing information on each user can store the user's personal information, the user's play record information, and the like. The user's personal information stores the user's personal information, which can be used in the login process, etc. The user's play record information stores the user's play record. For example, the play record information includes the user's past play records (virtual golf courses played by the user, scores when playing on the virtual golf courses, etc.) and/or the user's personal records (average distance by club, average number of strokes, etc.) that can be obtained from the past play records. In addition, information evaluating the level of the user's golf skills may be stored in either the user's personal information or play information. The level information evaluates the user's golf skills by analyzing the user's personal records, etc., and the user's level is not fixed and may change accordingly as the user's play records are updated. For example, a handicap value may be used as an indicator for evaluating the user's golf skills. Normally, in a golf course consisting of 18 holes, the total number of strokes required for 18 holes is 72, and the lower the number of strokes recorded by the user in the 18-hole play, the better the golf skills are. Professional golfers record scores in the late 60s or early 70s, and ordinary golfers can be considered advanced if they score under 80, and can also be determined whether they are beginners based on whether they record two-digit or three-digit scores out of 100. Here, if a user's score is 82, the user's handicap is 10, which is the difference between 82 and 72. A high handicap means that the number of strokes played in 18 holes is high, which means that the user's golf skill level is low, and a negative handicap means that the number of strokes played in 18 holes is less than 72, which means that the user's golf skill level is high.

As above, if the golf skill level of the user is evaluated, when determining the number of strokes in putting when skipping the putting step, the evaluated golf skill level of the user can be reflected. Assuming that the virtual golf balls of two users are both positioned at the same point when entering the putting step, and that one of the two users is a high-level user with a low average putting stroke while the other user is a low-level user with a high average putting stroke, the high-level user is more likely to succeed in a hole-in-one in a lower number of strokes than the low-level user, and the score in the skipped putting step can be determined by reflecting this. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 11, for a low-level user, if an area within a first distance from a hole cup is referred to as a first area (A1), an area between the first distance from the hole cup and a second distance greater than the first distance is referred to as a second area (A2), and an area between the second distance from the hole cup and a third distance greater than the second distance is referred to as a third area (A3), then if a virtual golf ball that has come on the green is in the first area (A1), the user's number of strokes can be determined as +1 stroke, if the virtual golf ball that has come on the green is in the second area (A2), the user's number of strokes can be determined as +2 strokes, and if the virtual golf ball that has come on the green is in the third area (A3), the user's number of strokes can be determined as +3 strokes. Also, for high-level users, if the area within the 4th distance from the hole cup in the same green area is called the 4th area (A4), and the area between the 4th distance and the 5th distance greater than the 4th distance from the hole cup is called the 5th area (A5), then if the virtual golf ball that has come on the green is in the 4th area (A4), the user's stroke can be determined as +1 stroke, and if the virtual golf ball that has come on the green is in the 5th area (A5), the user's stroke can be determined as +2 strokes. Assuming that high-level users can get better scores in putting than low-level users, by setting the areas (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5) for determining the putting strokes for low-level users and high-level users in the same green area differently, low-level users can record up to +3 strokes in putting, while high-level users can record only up to +2 strokes in putting, so that high-level users are more likely to have better skipped putting records than low-level users.

Referring to Fig. 12, in order to determine the number of strokes of the user in the putting stage, a mock putting can be performed that reflects the user's play record or golf skills. The mock putting can be performed by assuming that the user putts a golf ball at a point where a virtual golf ball is located in the green area before putting, and the control unit (20) performs a calculation process through simulation to determine the result of the putting. Here, there may be various specific methods for performing mock putting. First, if the user has played in the past in a situation identical or similar to the current situation of the user's virtual golf ball, the mock putting can be performed using the past playing record. For example, if the current user's virtual golf ball is 9 m away from the hole cup and there is a height difference of 0.05 m between the virtual golf ball and the hole cup, the data in the storage unit (23) is searched to see if the user has a past play record at a distance (9 m) and a height difference (0.05 m) that is the same as the distance and height difference, or a distance (e.g., 8.5 to 9.5 m) and a height difference (e.g., 0.04 to 0.06 m) similar to the distance and height difference, and if a searched case is found, the searched case can be used to perform a simulated putting. Specifically, if there are three searched cases, ①, ②, and ③, the storage unit (23) can record the putting results in the corresponding cases of ①, ②, and ③. For example, if ① records that the golf ball was putted with a ball speed of 3.5 m/s and a direction angle tilted 0.96 degrees to the left of the front, ② records that the golf ball was putted with a ball speed of 4 m/s and a direction angle tilted 1.6 degrees to the left of the front, and ③ records that the golf ball was putted with a ball speed of 5 m/s and a direction angle tilted 0.5 degrees to the right of the front, then if the ball speed and direction angle information is applied to the current virtual golf ball, a simulated putting result in the current situation can be obtained. Although an example of searching for three cases is described here, the number of cases can be greater, and if the number of cases is insufficient, the play records of not only the user but also other users with similar golf skill levels to the user can be searched in the manner described above so that more cases can be searched. In addition, as a method of obtaining putting results from the three cases of ①, ②, and ③, there may be a method of selecting any one of the selected ①, ②, and ③. For example, if ② is randomly selected among ①, ②, and ③, and the virtual golf ball in the current situation has the physical state of ② (the putted golf ball has a ball speed of 4 m/s and a leftward angle of 1.6 degrees), it is possible to derive the putting result of what trajectory the golf ball will show when it rolls from the golf ball location on the golf course currently being played according to the above physical state. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 12, if case ① is selected, the virtual golf ball will not reach the hole cup and will perform two more mock puttings until it is holed out, resulting in a total of +3 strokes in the skipped putting stage. If case ② is selected, the virtual golf ball will hole-in the hole cup and will record a total of +1 stroke in the skipped putting stage. If case ③ is selected, the virtual golf ball will pass the hole cup to the right and stop, resulting in one more mock putting until it is holed out, resulting in a total of +2 strokes in the skipped putting stage.

Meanwhile, in the method of performing a mock putting after searching multiple cases, there is not only a method of selecting one of the searched cases described above, and other methods may be used. For example, when multiple cases are searched, the average and standard deviation of the numerical values representing the physical state of the golf ball recorded in each case are calculated, and a predetermined range is selected based on the average/standard deviation, and then a mock putting can be performed by selecting an arbitrary value within the range. For example, if about 20 cases corresponding to the current situation of the virtual golf ball are searched by searching the past play records, and the average and standard deviation of the ball speed of the putted golf ball in the 20 searched cases are μ and σ, respectively, the predetermined range for the ball speed is set to "μ-σ ~ μ+σ", and by selecting an arbitrary value within the set range, the ball speed that the golf ball will have through mock putting in the current situation can be obtained. Similarly, the directional angle that the golf ball will have can be obtained through mock putting. Once the ball speed and direction are obtained, assuming that the virtual golf ball in the current situation has the ball speed and direction of the golf ball obtained above, a process of calculating what trajectory the golf ball will exhibit when rolling from the golf ball location on the golf course currently being played according to the above physical state can be executed to derive the result of the simulated putting.

The method of skipping the above putting step has been described, but the virtual golf device according to the present invention can skip not only the putting step but also other hitting steps. Some users may want to skip the shot step (pre-putting shot step) before entering the putting step, rather than the putting step. For example, a user who is confident in the pre-putting shot may want to skip it and focus only on the putting step if possible. Or, a user who is not confident in the pre-putting shot and thus has poor performance may be satisfied with the score automatically awarded for the pre-putting shot (the number of strokes before entering putting) and may want to skip the pre-putting shot.

Fig. 13 is a flowchart exemplifying the operation process when the method of skipping the shot stage before putting is applied, and Figs. 14 to 21 are drawings specifically explaining each step of the operation process when the method of skipping the shot stage before putting is applied.

Referring to FIG. 13, the operation process in the method of skipping the pre-putting shot stage includes first to fifth stages (S10, S20, S30, S40, S50). In the first stage (S10), the play in the pre-putting shot stage is skipped, in the second stage (S20), the number of strokes in the skipped pre-putting shot stage is determined, in the third stage (S30), the number of strokes in the pre-putting shot is determined, thereby ending the pre-putting shot stage and entering the putting stage, in the fourth stage (S40), the putting stage is performed by the user, and in the fifth stage (S50), the user completes putting, thereby determining the final number of strokes in the corresponding golf course and completing the user's play.

In the first step (S10), the pre-putting shot stage is skipped. Referring to FIG. 14, assuming that the user's virtual golf ball in a virtual golf course passes through the process from the initial position (P0) of the tee box to the first position (P1), the second position (P2), and the hole-in-the-hole, the process from the initial position (P0) to the first position (P1) inside the green area corresponds to the pre-putting shot stage and can be skipped.

In the second step (S20), the number of strokes the user will make in the skipped pre-putting shot stage is determined. In the second step (S20), the number of strokes the user will make in the skipped pre-putting shot stage can be determined by the management unit (22). There may be various methods by which the management unit (22) determines the number of strokes in the skipped pre-putting shot stage, and some examples of these will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 to 18.

The number of strokes of the user in the shot stage before putting can be determined according to the standard number of strokes of the virtual golf course on which the user is playing. Generally, golf is played in a total of 18 holes (18 different golf courses) and the score of each hole is added up to determine the winner. Each hole has a standard number of strokes. The standard strokes are 3 strokes, 4 strokes, and 5 strokes that record par. For example, a par 3 hole means that in order to record par, the golf ball must be hit 3 strokes to put the golf ball in the hole cup. If a player hits 4 strokes in a par 3 hole and makes a hole-in-one, the score for that hole is +1 stroke (1 over par), and if a player hits 2 strokes and makes a hole-in-one, the score for that hole is -1 stroke (1 under par). In other words, a par 3 hole is a course where you can make a hole-in-one with an average of 3 strokes, a par 4 hole is a course where you can make a hole-in-one with an average of 4 strokes, and a par 5 hole is a course where you can make a hole-in-one with an average of 5 strokes. The higher the required number of strokes, the more strokes are needed to make a hole-in-one, which means the course difficulty is higher. Since a higher number of strokes indicates a higher course difficulty and more strokes are needed to make a hole-in-one, the number of user strokes in the shot stage before the skipped putting can be determined based on the required number of strokes. For example, referring to FIG. 15, it is assumed that there are three golf courses, the left course is the smallest par 3 hole, the center course is a par 4 hole of medium size, and the right course is the largest par 5 hole. In cases where the shot stage before putting is skipped in a par 3 hole, a par 4 hole, or a par 5 hole, if the number of strokes skipped in the shot stage before putting in a par 3 hole is referred to as the first stroke (HN1), the number of strokes skipped in the shot stage before putting in a par 4 hole is referred to as the second stroke (HN2), and the number of strokes skipped in the shot stage before putting in a par 5 hole is referred to as the third stroke (HN3), the first stroke (HN1) can be determined to be less than the second stroke (HN2) (e.g., HN1 = HN2 - 1), and the second stroke (HN2) can be determined to be less than the third stroke (HN3) (e.g., HN2 = HN3 - 1). As illustrated in FIG. 15, as the regulation number of strokes increases, the size of the course increases, and as the size of the course increases, the distance traveled by the golf ball in the shot stage before putting also increases, and therefore, the number of strokes consumed by the user in order for the golf ball to travel the increased distance also increases. Considering this, the number of strokes of the user in the shot stage before putting can be determined to be larger as the regulation number of strokes increases according to the regulation number of strokes of the course on which the user is playing.

If the shot stage before putting is skipped, the user's virtual golf ball moves from the tee box to a first position (P1) in the green area, and at this time, the first position (P1) can be determined by the management unit (22). The first position (P1) is determined as any one of the points where putting is possible, and the puttable point includes any position inside the green area and the periphery of the green area (including the puttable edge part outside the green area). The management unit (22) can select the first position (P1) by randomly determining any one of the puttable points. However, since a point near the hole cup among the puttable points is more advantageous in the putting stage than a point far from the hole cup, the first position (P1) can directly affect the user's putting. Therefore, if the first position (P1) that can affect the user's putting is arbitrarily selected, there may be a problem that some users who skip the shot stage before putting will putt at a more advantageous position than other users depending on the point where the first position is selected for different users. Considering this point, the first position (P1) may be selected equally for all users, or the first position (P1) may be selected from points where the advantages or disadvantages in putting are almost the same or similar. The points where the advantages or disadvantages in putting are almost the same or similar may include the green area border (including the inside or outside of the border).

In determining the number of strokes of the user in the pre-putting shot stage, the user's golf skill may be taken into consideration. As described above, the user's golf skill may be evaluated by analyzing data regarding the user's play record, etc., and the evaluated user's golf skill level may be stored in the storage unit (23). If the user's golf skill level is evaluated, the evaluated golf skill level of the user may be reflected in determining the number of strokes when skipping the pre-putting shot stage. Referring to FIG. 16, it is assumed that two users playing on the same golf course skip the pre-putting shot stage, and that one of the two users is a high-level user with a long driving distance or a small average number of strokes, while the other user is a low-level user with a short driving distance or a large average number of strokes, such as with the driver. In this case, since a high-level user is more likely to succeed on the green in a fewer number of strokes than a low-level user, if the number of strokes in the shot stage before putting for a low-level user is referred to as the first stroke (HN1) and the number of strokes in the shot stage before putting for a high-level user is referred to as the second stroke (HN2), the second stroke (HN2) can be determined to be smaller than the first stroke (HN1). Specifically, if the second stroke (HN2) is referred to as 1 stroke in a par 3 hole, the first stroke (HN1) can be determined to be 2 or more strokes. Here, the difference between the first and second strokes (HN1, HN2) can vary depending on the level difference between the high-level user and the low-level user. For example, if the level difference between a high-level user and a low-level user is expressed as the aforementioned handicap, the difference between the first and second strokes (HN1, HN2) can be set to 1 when the handicap difference is 1 to 10, and the difference between the first and second strokes (HN1, HN2) can be set to 2 when the handicap difference is 11 to 20.

In determining the number of strokes of the user in the shot stage before putting, the point at which the user's virtual golf ball is placed on the green area after skipping the shot stage before putting can be considered. As described above, since the advantage or disadvantage in putting may vary depending on the point, it was explained that the management unit (22) can select the edge of the green area so that the advantage or disadvantage does not occur. However, regardless of the advantage or disadvantage, the user can select an arbitrary point among the points where putting is possible in the green area while skipping the shot stage before putting, or the management unit (22) can select the point. In this case, the number of strokes of the user in the shot stage before putting can be determined to vary depending on the advantage or disadvantage in putting at the selected or selected point. For example, when entering the putting stage, the closer the user's virtual golf ball is to the hole cup, the easier it is to roll the golf ball into the hole cup. Therefore, the closer the putting start point of the golf ball is to the hole cup, the more advantageous it is for putting. If the putting start point is selected or chosen to be advantageous for putting, the user's number of strokes in the shot stage before the gap putting can be determined to be high. Conversely, if the putting start point of the golf ball is selected or chosen to be a location far from the hole cup, the user's number of strokes in the shot stage before the gap putting can be determined to be low. Specifically, referring to FIG. 17, if an area within a first distance from a hole cup is referred to as a first area (A1), an area between the first distance from the hole cup and a second distance greater than the first distance is referred to as a second area (A2), and an area between the second distance from the hole cup and a third distance greater than the second distance is referred to as a third area (A3), then if the putting start point of the golf ball is selected or chosen as the first area (A1), the user's stroke count in the shot stage before putting is determined as the first stroke (HN1), if the putting start point of the golf ball is selected or chosen as the second area (A2), the user's stroke count in the shot stage before putting is determined as the second stroke (HN2) smaller than the first stroke (HN1) (e.g., HN2 = HN1 - 1), and if the putting start point of the golf ball is selected or chosen as the third area (A3), the user's stroke count in the shot stage before putting is determined as the third stroke (HN2) smaller than the second stroke (HN2). It can be determined by the number of strokes (HN3) (e.g. HN3 = HN2 - 1).

In order to determine the number of strokes of the user in the shot stage before putting, a simulated hit can be performed that reflects the user's play record or golf skills. The simulated hit can be performed by assuming that the user hits the golf ball for the first shot made from the tee box in the virtual golf course currently being played, and performing a calculation process through simulation in the control unit (20) to determine the result of the hit. Here, there may be various specific methods for performing the simulated hit. First, if there is a record of the user playing in the past in a situation identical or similar to the current situation of the user's virtual golf ball, the simulated hit can be performed using the record. For example, in the case of a tee shot, which is the first hit in the shot stage before putting, whether the user has a record of a past tee shot on the same course as the golf course currently being played, or whether the user has a record of a past tee shot on the same course as the current golf course being played, or whether the distance between the tee box where the virtual golf ball is located and the hole cup on the current golf course being played, or the regulated number of strokes for the current course being played (par 3 hole, par 4 hole, or par 5 hole), etc., is checked, and whether the user has a record of a past play with conditions identical or similar to the above requirements, etc., is searched for in the storage unit (23), and if a searched case is found, a simulated hit can be performed using this. Specifically, if there are three searched cases, ①, ②, and ③, the storage unit (23) can record the results of the hits in the corresponding cases ①, ②, and ③. For each of the cases ①, ②, and ③ above, if parameter values indicating the physical state of the golf ball, such as ball speed, direction (upper-lower angle indicating the difference between the direction of movement of the golf ball and the horizontal plane, directional angle indicating the direction in which the golf ball is tilted left and right with respect to the front on the horizontal plane, etc.), spin, etc., are recorded for the corresponding hit, it is possible to calculate what trajectory the virtual golf ball will have when it moves on the course currently being played with the recorded parameter values, and obtain the result of the simulated hit from the calculated result. Although an example in which three cases are searched is described here, the number of cases may be greater, and if the number of cases is insufficient, the play records of not only the user but also other users with a similar golf level to the user may be searched in the manner described above so that more cases can be searched. In addition, as a method of obtaining the hit result from the three cases ①, ②, and ③, there may be a method of selecting any one of the selected ①, ②, and ③. As illustrated in FIG. 18, if case ① is selected, the virtual golf ball lands at a point considerably far from the green area by the tee shot and performs two more simulated hits until it gets on the green, resulting in a total of +3 strokes in the skipped pre-putt shot stage. If case ② is selected, the virtual golf ball succeeds in getting on the green right away by the tee shot, resulting in a total of +1 stroke in the skipped pre-putt shot stage. If case ③ is selected, the virtual golf ball fails to reach the green area by the tee shot and succeeds in getting on the green through an approach shot, resulting in a total of +2 strokes in the skipped pre-putt shot stage.

Meanwhile, in the method of performing a simulated hit after searching multiple cases, there is not only a method of selecting one of the searched cases described above, and other methods may be used. For example, when multiple cases are searched, the average and standard deviation of the parameter values (ball speed, up-down angle, direction angle, spin, etc.) representing the physical state of the golf ball recorded in each case may be calculated, and a predetermined range may be selected based on the average/standard deviation, and then a simulated hit may be performed by selecting an arbitrary value within the range. In this regard, the content explained above for the case of skipping the putting step may be similarly applied.

As described above, after the pre-putting shot stage is skipped, the putting stage is entered in the third stage (S30). When the putting stage starts, the position of the user's virtual golf ball on the green area (including the edge of the green area) may be selected by the management unit (22) or selected by the user, and as described above, the user's score (the number of strokes recognized as recorded by the user up to the on-green) in the pre-putting shot stage may vary depending on the putting start position. Alternatively, if the pre-putting shot stage is skipped and a simulated hit is made, the position at which the virtual golf ball lands on the green area according to the result of the simulated hit becomes the putting start position.

Referring to Fig. 19, in the fourth step (S40), the user rolls an actual golf ball placed on the hitting mat of the hitting plate to putt. When the putting starts, a virtual golf ball corresponding to the actual golf ball is recognized as being at the putting start position in the virtual golf course currently being played. When the user putts, the detection unit (30) detects the physical state of the putted golf ball and transmits it to the control unit (20).

Referring to Fig. 20, the calculation unit (21) of the control unit (20) calculates the trajectory of the putted golf ball based on the detection information from the detection unit (30). Various methods can be applied to calculate the trajectory of the golf ball, and one of them is to detect a parameter indicating the physical state of the golf ball after hitting and calculate the trajectory from this. The parameters may include the speed (V) of the golf ball, the direction angle (θ) indicating the direction of the golf ball rolling on the horizontal plane due to putting, etc., and by applying a calculation model using the laws of physics based on these parameters, the trajectory of the golf ball can be calculated.

Referring to Fig. 21, when the calculation process is completed, the result is displayed on the screen. That is, the virtual golf ball moving as calculated by the calculation unit (21) is displayed on the screen. The virtual golf ball moves as calculated and then stops. If it enters the hole cup and becomes a hole-in-one, the putting stage is completed. If it does not become a hole-in-one, the next putting is performed from the position where the virtual golf ball stopped until it becomes a hole-in-one.

In the fifth step (S50), when the user's putting is completed in the above manner and the hole is made, the user's play is completed. When the user's play is completed, the user's performance (score) on the course played is calculated. That is, the user's performance on the golf course played can be calculated by adding the number of strokes determined to have been recorded by the user in the shot stage before putting to the number of puttings actually made by the user until the hole is made in the putting stage.

The method of skipping the above-described putting stage and/or the shot before putting stage is described above, but the method described above is only one of several examples of the method of skipping a specific stage, and the putting stage and/or the shot before putting stage may be skipped in other ways not described herein. In addition, the putting stage or the shot before putting stage does not necessarily have to skip the entire stage, and only a part of the entire process may be skipped. For example, instead of skipping the entire putting stage, only the first or the first few putts may be skipped during the putting stage, and for the last putt that leads to a hole-in-one, etc., the user may actually putt, or instead of skipping the entire shot before putting stage, only the first hit (tee shot) in the shot before putting stage may be skipped, etc., and only a part of a specific stage may be skipped.

FIGS. 22 and 23 are diagrams exemplarily showing menu screens for selecting an option to skip the putting step and/or the pre-putting shot step.

Referring to FIG. 22, a menu screen for selecting a user's play option may be displayed on a screen or a separately provided kiosk, although not shown in the drawing. Usually, an actual golf course consists of 18 holes (18 different golf courses), and in screen golf, if a user selects a specific golf course that he or she wants to play, he or she can play on multiple golf courses in that golf course. In screen golf, just like in actual golf, a full 18-hole play can be performed, or a short play, for example, a 9-hole play, which is half of the 18 holes, can be performed, and this can be selected on the play option menu screen. In addition, in the play option, a unit for displaying distance or speed can be selected, and further, whether to skip a specific step can be selected. In selecting whether to skip a specific step, a batch selection can be performed as shown in FIG. 22, or an individual selection can be performed as shown in FIG. 23. In bulk selection, whether to skip the putting stage or the shot stage before putting can be selected collectively for multiple golf courses (e.g., all 18 holes in an 18-hole play). In individual selection, whether to skip the putting stage or the shot stage before putting can be individually selected for each hole in multiple golf courses. If the user does not select whether to skip, the putting stage or the shot stage before putting can be automatically selected as not to skip by default. Alternatively, if the user does not select whether to skip, whether to skip the putting stage or the shot stage before putting can be randomly selected as default.

FIG. 24 is a drawing showing a schematic structure of a virtual golf device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 24, the virtual golf device according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of booths (101, 102, 103). Each of the booths (101, 102, 103) is configured identically. For example, the first booth (101) is equipped with a hitting plate (101a), a kiosk screen, a simulator device (101b) that can function as the aforementioned control unit, a screen (101c), etc., and the other booths (102, 103) also have the same components. Although not shown in the drawing, each of the booths (101, 102, 103) is further equipped with another device, such as a camera for detecting the movement of a golf club/golf ball when hitting. In each of the booths (101, 102, 103), a plurality of users can play golf in turns. Or, in each booth (101, 102, 103), a user can play solo while being separated from users in other booths. In the virtual golf device according to the present embodiment, the simulator device (101b) may be equipped with a control unit and a management unit as described above, and thus, the user can skip a specific play step, such as a putting step or a shot step before putting.

FIG. 25 is a drawing showing a schematic structure of a virtual golf system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 25, the virtual golf system includes a virtual golf device (100) and a service device (200). As the virtual golf device (100), a virtual golf device such as that illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 24 may be used. The virtual golf device (100) is installed in a screen golf course where screen golf can be played, and in the case where there are multiple screen golf courses, the virtual golf device (100) may be installed in each screen golf course, so that a total of multiple devices may be provided. The virtual golf device (100) is connected to the service device (200) through a wired or wireless communication network, etc. The service device (200) may include a central server used by a service provider operating multiple screen golf courses to manage the virtual golf devices (100) provided in the multiple screen golf courses.

The service device (200) includes a management unit (210) and a storage unit (220). The operation of the management unit (210) is similar to the operation of the management unit equipped in the virtual golf device of the above-described embodiment, and a detailed description thereof is omitted. By the operation of the management unit (210), the user can skip a specific play step, such as a putting step or a shot step before putting. FIG. 25 illustrates an example in which the management unit (210) is equipped in the service device (200), but alternatively, the management unit may be configured to be equipped in each of a plurality of virtual golf devices (100).

The storage (220) stores various information including user information, and data necessary for the operation of the management unit (210) may also be stored in the storage (220). A user who wishes to use the screen golf service may first log in to receive the service, and the service device (200) may verify the user's identity and determine whether to approve the login when logging in. The storage (220) stores information necessary to verify the user's identity. The storage (220) stores information about multiple users separately for each user, and the storage (220) may have a structure identical to or similar to the storage (see FIG. 10 and its description) described above. In this way, since various user information is stored in the storage (220), virtual golf devices (100) connected to the service device (200) by wire and/or wirelessly can use the information stored in the storage (220), and each virtual golf device (100) does not need to separately store user information.

Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be implemented in modified forms without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should be considered from an illustrative rather than a restrictive perspective. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not the foregoing description, and all differences within the scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the present invention.

10: Hitting plate
20: Control Unit
30: Detection Unit
40: Input section
50: Sound Department
60: Display section
100: Virtual Golf Device
200: Service Device

Claims (10)

A display unit that displays the virtual golf course on which the user is playing;
A calculation unit that performs a calculation process for calculating the movement of a virtual golf ball corresponding to the actual golf ball on the virtual golf course based on the state of the actual golf ball hit when the user hits the actual golf ball; and
A management unit providing a skip play mode that allows a user to skip specific hitting steps while playing on the virtual golf course;
Including
Virtual golf device. In the first paragraph,
A virtual golf device in which the hitting phase that can be skipped in the above skip play mode includes the shot phase (shot phase before putting) before entering the putting phase. In the second paragraph,
A virtual golf device in which, in the above skip play mode, the user's number of strokes is obtained by adding the additional strokes added due to skipping the above putt shot step and the number of strokes played by the user's actual play in the putting step. In the third paragraph,
A virtual golf device including a point where the putting start position of a virtual golf ball in the putting stage is randomly selected from among the green area and the points where putting is possible around the green area in the virtual golf course, or a point selected by the user, in the case where the putting shot stage is skipped in the skip play mode. In paragraph 4,
The above management unit is a virtual golf device that determines the additional strokes based on at least one of the starting putting position of the virtual golf ball, the regulation strokes of the virtual golf course currently being played, and the user's golf skills. In the third paragraph,
The above management unit determines the additional number of strokes by performing a simulated hit at a point where the user's virtual golf ball is placed on the virtual golf course at the time of skipping the shot stage before putting in the skip play mode, and the simulated hit is performed by reflecting at least one play record among the user's play record and the play records of another user. In any one of claims 1 to 6,
The above virtual golf course includes multiple courses,
A virtual golf device wherein the user can select whether to skip the pre-putt shot step for the plurality of courses collectively or individually for each of the plurality of courses. In any one of claims 1 to 6,
A virtual golf device in which the skip play mode can skip all or only some shots that may occur in the shot stage before putting. Service device; and
At least one virtual golf device communicatively connected to the above service device;
Including,
The virtual golf device includes a display unit that displays a virtual golf course on which a user plays, and a calculation unit that performs a calculation process for calculating the movement of a virtual golf ball corresponding to an actual golf ball on the virtual golf course based on the state of the actual golf ball hit when the user hits the actual golf ball.
A management unit is provided in the service device or the virtual golf device, which provides a skip play mode that allows the user to skip a specific hitting step while playing on the virtual golf course.
Virtual golf system. In Article 9,
A virtual golf system in which the hitting phase that can be skipped in the above skip play mode includes the shot phase (shot phase before putting) before entering the putting phase.

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