US20060027963A1

US20060027963A1 - Golf game assembly and a method of playing a golf game on a board

Info

Publication number: US20060027963A1
Application number: US11/187,635
Authority: US
Inventors: Jesper Christensen; Mette Lisby
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-01-22
Filing date: 2005-07-22
Publication date: 2006-02-09
Also published as: EP1440714A1; WO2004064955A1

Abstract

A golf game assembly includes a game board representing a single hole of a golf course showing a tee, a fairway, a green, and hazards. A set of drive or stroke cards are provided for positioning on the board, each card representing possible drives or strokes performed with a specific golf club, and each having a first indication of a starting point and a plurality of second indications representing a specific drive or stroke of a specific length and direction from the starting point. A mechanism randomly generates an indication from among the plurality of second indications, and displays the randomly generated indication representing a player's drive or stroke from the starting point, and one or more transfer indicators for transferring to the board a drive or stroke indicated on a specific drive or stroke card positioned on the board and determined by the randomly generated indication.

Description

The present invention relates to a novel game of the kind usually played on a table by two or more individuals. In particular, the present invention relates to a novel golf game defined as a golf game assembly which game is to be played by two or more individuals constituting the two or more golf players. Alternatively, the novel golf game assembly according to the present invention may be used as a training or teaching instruction for learning an individual starting playing golf to organise his or her play, as the novel golf game assembly according to the present invention is based on real life experiences as a golf player and reflects the game of game itself.
Within the technique, several attempts have been made to produce a golf game resembling the play on a golf course and examples of golf games of this kind are described in GB 322 221, GB 2 245 18,U.S. Pat. No. 2,618,482, U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,590 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,460, which includes a game board resembling the golf course and various elements to be used for identifying a drive or stroke performed in the game.
A basic realisation relating to the presentation of a golf game as a table play is the similarity between the golf game and the play performed on the table, as the golfer is performing his drive or stroke from the tee or from a location on the fairway and in doing so decides whichever golf club or iron to be used and further decides how heavy the stroke or drive is to be performed.
The skilled golfer still has to accept that in spite of the golfer's skill, other influences such as the wind may cause the golf ball to land on a location different from the intended location. The uncontrollable impact from in particular wind or other external sources provides a particular charm to the play of golf and also like a table play involves a kind of luck or chance similar to the luck or chance when flipping a coin or playing with a pair of dices.
Another similarity between the golf game and the table play is the periodical or intermittent course as the golf game is performed intermittently and similarly at the table game, the player rolls a pair of dices or draws a card or performs a similar activity constituting the one act which influences the further development in the play. As distinct from many ball games which are performed continuously, the golf game is periodical and includes several pauses allowing a table game to resemble the play on a golf course.
It is contemplated that the present invention may alternatively be implemented in other sport games, in particular ball games having a periodical or intermittent course.
In the literature, a number of board type golf games are described in the literature, e.g. in the following patent applications and patents: GB 2 245 187, GB 322 221, U.S. Pat. No. 1,513,941, U.S. Pat. No. 1,529,598, U.S. Pat. No. 1,535,126, U.S. Pat. No. 1,605,739, U.S. Pat. No. 1,758,581, U.S. Pat. No. 2,618,482, U.S. Pat. No. 3,612,534, U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,339, U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,581, U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,270, U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,229, U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,442, U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,590, U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,338, U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,985 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,460, to which US patents reference is made and which US patents are hereby incorporated in the present specification by reference.
Compared to the prior art board type golf game, a need for an improvement exists for making the golf game more truthful to the real golf game for allowing the player to make decisions similar to the decisions made by the golfer as to whichever golf club or iron is to be used involving an evaluation of the accuracy obtained by the use of the golf club or iron in question as compared to the possible range obtained by the use of the golf club or iron in question.
Furthermore, a need exists for providing a golf game of the above kind providing a possibility of choosing, as a player, a specific orientation of the stroke to be performed in combination with the choice of the golf club or iron used for a drive or a stroke from a specific location being the tee or a location on the fairway.
The above needs are fulfilled according to a first aspect of the present invention with a golf game assembly, which golf game assembly further provides specific advantages and features as compared to the prior art golf game which advantages and features will be evident from the below detailed description. In particular, the golf game assembly according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises:

a) a plane game board representing a single hole of a golf course showing a tee, a fairway, a green and one or more hazards, such as one or more bunkers and/or one or more water hazards,
b) a set of drive or stroke cards, preferably transparent or semi-transparent drive or stroke cards, to be positioned individually on said plane game board, each card representing possible drives or strokes performed with a specific golf club or iron and having a first indication of a starting point and a plurality of second indications, each indication among said plurality of second indications representing a specific drive or stroke of a specific length and direction from said starting point, said second indications being located around a centre at a distance from said starting point, each indication among said plurality of second indications corresponding to a specific likelihood of occurrence, and the indication or indications among said second plurality of indications corresponding to the highest likelihood of occurrence being located closest to said centre, whereas the indication or indications among said second plurality of indications corresponding to the lowest likelihood of occurrence being located farthest from said centre
c) a generator means for randomly generating an indication among said plurality of second indications according to a non-even probability distribution or non-even distribution of likelihood of occurrence and for displaying said randomly generated indication representing a player's drive or stroke from said starting point, and
d) one or more transfer indicators for transferring to said game board a drive or stroke indicated on a specific drive or stroke card positioned on said plane game board and determined by said randomly generated indication determined by said generator means.

The golf game assembly according to the present invention includes basically four elements allowing the golf game assembly to be used in a play similar to the actual golf play on a golf course. The elements constitutes a plane game board illustrating the golf course, a set of transparent drive or stroke cards, a generator means such as a set of cards, a set of coins, a set of dices or an electronic device providing a random generation of indications to be used in determining the stroke performed by one of the players. Finally, the golf game assembly includes one or more transfer indications.
A particular feature of the golf game assembly according to the present invention is the set of transparent drive or stroke cards which allows the players to make a decision similar to the golfer's decision of whichever golf club or iron to use. Provided the player is to start from the tee or alternatively has reached a location on the fairway, the player playing the game of the golf game assembly according to the present invention evaluates whichever of the drive or stroke cards has a range from the first indication of a starting point to the second indications which are located in an area at a distance from the starting point for reaching a new location from the starting point at the fairway or preferably on the green. A further feature of the drive or stroke cards as will be discussed in greater details below relates to the inverse correspondence between the range obtained by a long drive and the spreading of the possible results obtained which results are indicated by the plurality of second indications. In other words, provided a short range transparent stroke card is chosen, all possible strokes are located fairly close to one another at a short distance from the starting point, whereas with a long range drive card, the plurality of second indications are widely spread over the card resembling the risk well known to a golfer of forcing the drive heavily and in doing so running the risk of making a poor drive causing the golf ball to end up in a hazard or the rough rather than on the fairway.
A further feature relating to the drive or stroke cards relate to the statistical distribution of the second indications as the more likely indications to be generated by the generator means are located centrally, whereas the one long drive corresponding to the selection of a specific drive or stroke card is only obtained by the highest integer or the most favourable indications obtained by the random generation of the indications by the generator means and similarly the poorest outcome of the random generation of an indication by the generator means corresponds to the shortest stroke from the starting point of the drive or stroke card in question.
The provision of the drive or stroke cards as transparent drive or stroke cards also allows the player to orientate the card before making a stroke, i.e. before playing in whichever direction the stroke is to be performed by orientating the card from the starting point towards an area of the intentional location for the stroke to reach by simply turning the stroke card clockwise or anticlockwise relative to the starting point and in doing so providing an overall aiming of the stroke to be performed towards a location on the fairway or on the green.
As stated above, the generator means may as stated above be constituted by any generator elements or composition of elements etc. allowing the generation of a random distribution of uneven characteristic, i.e. a generation of the indications having the similarity to e.g. the Gaussian normal distribution or any other characteristic having a concentration of a number of possible results of the random generation at the centre and a fairly low likelihood of low or high integers or similar indications resembling the low likelihood of a short stroke and similarly an extremely long stroke.
According to the presently preferred embodiment of the golf game assembly according to the present invention, more than one plane game board is provided allowing the players to play more than one hole of a golf course as each plane game board resembles a specific hole of a golf course. Consequently, provided more than one plane game board is provided, e.g. 9, 18, 27 or 36 or any other number of game boards may be used for resembling a complete golf course such as a conventional 18 or 36 hole golf course.
The plane game board includes or shows as already stated above, a tee, a fairway, a green and one or more hazards and preferably also, for resembling the real golf course, a semi-rough and a rough. Provided a semi-rough and a rough are specific, rules resembling the real golf play of how to strike the golf ball in the rough or alternatively in the hazard may be used, such as using a specific generator means, e.g. a specially designed dice having a different distribution of the indications. Furthermore, according to the rules of the golf game assembly, certain limitations as to whichever transparent drive or stroke cards may be used when located in the rough, semi-rough or hazard may limit the possibilities of choosing cards, thereby resembling the real golf play.
In the real golf play, the play on the fairway eventually brings the golf ball to the green and from thereon the play differs substantially from the play on the fairway, as the golf player uses a putter for putting the golf ball into the hole. In the golf game assembly according to the present invention, this play on the green is governed in a way differing from the play on the fairway as the green has a specific signature identifying the play according to a specific set of rules according to which specific second indications represent a one hole put, different second indications represent putting in two strokes and optionally further second indications generated by the generator means represent putting in three or more strokes.
According to the presently preferred embodiment of the golf game assembly according to the present invention, the green has at least two separate sections, the one section including the hole of the green and having a first green indication corresponding to a high likelihood of putting as the majority of the second indications generated randomly by the generator means represent a one hole put and the other section having a second green indication corresponding to a lower likelihood of putting in one stroke as the minority of indications represent a one hole put.
The play on the green is, as will be understood, different from the play on the fairway in which fairway play the transparent drive or stroke cards are used. According to the above-described particular embodiment of the golf game assembly according to the present invention in which two or more sections of the green are provided, the location on the green determines, corresponding to the distance from the hole, whichever likelihood the put is performed in one stroke or alternatively in two or more strokes.
The generator means for randomly generating the indication identifying the new location for the player or in other words the range of the drive or stroke may, as already stated above, be constituted by any random generating a combination of elements or set of elements, apparatuses etc. A specially designed set of cards from which an indication defining card is drawn may be used, alternatively, a specially designed dice having the preferred uneven distribution characteristic of the indications as stated above or alternatively an electronic dice apparatus may be used performing the act similar to the act of throwing a pair of dices. Preferably and advantageously, two conventional dices having the integers 1-6 on respective sides of the individual dice are used as a sum of integers produced by throwing the two dices provide an uneven distribution of the integers between 2 and 12 having a maximum of likelihood of obtaining the integer 7, which integer constitutes the average of the sum obtained by the two dices.
The location of the indications on the individual transparent drive or stroke cards are as already discussed above, provided resembling the statistical distribution of the possibility of obtaining a specific indication resembling e.g. an integer or sum obtainable by the use of two dices. As the most favourable outcome resembles the longest range obtained by a specific golf club or iron similar to a specific drive or stroke card, the shortest range corresponds to the most unfavourable result obtained by throwing the two dices. The most likely result similarly constitute the average stroke and the sum of integers around the average integer 7 are located around the average throw at the centre of the distribution of the indications on the card in question.
For transferring the indication from the transparent drive or stroke card to the plane game board, any relevant transfer system, such as a carbon copy system, a pressure sensitive transfer system etc. may be used. According to the presently preferred embodiment of the golf game assembly according to the present invention and also the most simple and most reliable embodiment of the golf game assembly according to the present invention, each of the transparent drive or stroke cards have a plurality of apertures corresponding to the second indications for allowing the transfer of the indication to the plane game board to be performed by simply making a dot on the game board by means of a pencil, a pen etc.
In the golf game assembly according to the present invention, the size of the plane game board and also the longest range obtained by use of the drive card are determined resembling the ideal 300 yard stroke on a hole of a golf course having a distance from the tee to the green of the order of 80-600 yards. For allowing the golf game assembly to be used on a conventional table, the plane game board is preferably of a size allowing the plane game board to be positioned on the table, such as a size having the dimensions of DIN A3, DIN A2 or alternatively any other format. The plane game board is preferably made from paper or cardboard material having a printing repellent top surface for allowing the indications transferred to the game board to be wiped out after the completion of the play and allowing the plane game board to be reused for another play.
The transparent drive or stroke cards are preferably made from a durable and non-flexible material such as e.g. PVC, PE or PP foil, and provided the plane game board has the dimensions corresponding to the DIN A3 format, the individual drive or stroke card may have dimensions between 5 cm×8 cm and 12 cm×30 cm.
For resembling the conventional selection of golf clubs and irons used by a golfer, the set of transparent drive or stroke cards may include a similar number, i.e. a total of 6-14, such as 10-12, 12, 13 or 14 cards including 3 or more golf club representing cards and 8 or more iron representing cards.
The above needs are fulfilled according to a second aspect of the present invention with a method of playing a golf game on a board which method further provides specific advantages and features as compared to the prior art method of playing golf games on a board, which advantages and features will be evident from the below detailed description. In particular, the method of playing a golf game according to the second aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of:

i) providing a golf game assembly, including:
- a) a plane game board representing a single hole of a golf course showing a tee, a fairway, a green and one or more hazards, such as one or more bunkers and/or one or more water hazards,
- b) a set of drive or stroke cards, preferably transparent or semi-transparent drive or stroke cards, to be positioned individually on said plane game board, each card representing possible drives or strokes performed with a specific golf club or iron and having a first indication of a starting point and a plurality of second indications, each indication among said plurality of second indications representing a specific drive or stroke of a specific length and direction from said starting point, said second indications being located around a centre at a distance from said starting point, each indication among said plurality of second indications corresponding to a specific likelihood of occurrence, and the indication or indications among said second plurality of indications corresponding to the highest likelihood of occurrence being located closest to said centre, whereas the indication or indications among said second plurality of indications corresponding to the lowest likelihood of occurrence being located farthest from said centre,
- c) a generator means for randomly generating an indication among said plurality of second indications according to a non-even probability distribution or non-even distribution of likelihood of occurrence and for displaying said randomly generated indication representing a player's drive or stroke from said starting point, and
- d) one or more transfer indicators for transferring to said game board a drive or stroke indicated on a specific drive or stroke card positioned on said plane game board and determined by said randomly generated indication determined by said generator means,
ii) positioning said plane game board on a supporting surface such as a table,
iii) selecting a specific drive or stroke card among said set of drive or stroke cards and positioning said selected drive or stroke card on said plane game board,
iv) generating an indication among said plurality of second indications by means of said generator means, and
v) transferring the drive or stroke indicated on said selected specific drive or stroke card positioned on said plane game board and determined by said randomly generated indication by means of said one or more transfer indicators.

The golf play to be played on the golf game assembly according to the present invention may also be refined by the provision of different kinds of set of transparent drive or stroke cards, such as drive or stroke cards corresponding to the handicap of the player, as a beginner is not able to provide a long range drive and therefore uses a set of drive or stroke cards having a shorter range as compared to the set of drive or stroke cards to be used by a player having a better handicap and also a more wide distribution of the second indications of each and every drive and stroke cards.
Furthermore, the golf game assembly according to the present invention may have a set of transparent drive or stroke cards, in particular a drive card resembling the 75% drive of a skilled player for providing an even more refined resemblance between the golf game and the real golf play.
In the above description, the terms golf and golf player have, to some extent been used covering the real golf game and also the play on the golf game assembly, as it is contemplated, the reader from the context will readily deduce whichever of the two events, the play on the golf game assembly and the real golf game, the text refers to.
The invention is now to be further described with reference to the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an overall diagramatic and schematic view of a first and presently preferred embodiment of a golf game assembly according to the present invention, comprising: a plane game board, a set of rules, a set of transparent drive or stroke cards, a set of pencils, a set of dices, score cards, a wipe towel and optionally a cardboard package for containing the assembly,
FIGS. 2 a and 2 b are diagramatic and schematic views illustrating two representative drive or stroke cards of the first and presently preferred embodiment of the golf game assembly according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1, and
FIG. 3 is a diagramatic and schematic view of a part of the view of FIG. 1 illustrating the use of a transparent drive or stroke card in combination with the plane game board.
In FIG. 1, a diagramatic and schematic view of a first and presently preferred embodiment of a golf game assembly according to the present invention is shown. The golf game assembly is a game intended to be played by two or more players and having the similarity or resemblance to a conventional real golf game as the game is played by the players according to the rules of a real golf game and including the feature of having the option of allowing each of the players to determine whichever golf club or iron to use and further to determine in whichever direction a stroke is to be directed.
The golf game assembly according to the present invention includes a plane game board 10 made from e.g. a plastics, a paper or cardboard material and having a size allowing the plane game board to be positioned on a table at which the players are sitting. Consequently, the plane game board 10 preferably has a size such a DIN A3 format. The plane game board 10 illustrates, similar to a single hole of a golf course, a tee 12, a fairway 14, a green 16 including a hole 18, a rough 20 and three hazards 22, 24 and 26. The illustration of the plane game board 10 may for obvious reasons be modified in numerous ways for resembling any single hole of any golf course. In this context, the golf game assembly may include more than a single plane game board such as 18 plane game boards, each illustrating one among 18 holes of a golf course, such as an existing and well known golf course. Consequently, for labelling each of the plane game boards of the golf game assembly, a label 28 is preferably provided on the plane game board for allowing the individual plane game board to be identified by a name and also a number.
Apart from the plane game board, the golf game assembly includes a written set of rules 30 describing the use of the plane game board and the set of transparent drive stroke cards designated as a set the reference numeral 32 and among which a top transparent stroke card is designated the reference numeral 34. Each card includes a first indication identifying the starting point 36 for the stroke to be made by means of the transparent drive or stroke card and a plurality of apertures spread over the card and representing a statistical distribution of the possible strokes to be made by means of the stroke card resembling the actual stroke made by the golfer on the golf course. The structures of the apertures of the stroke card 34 is to be described in greater details below with reference to FIGS. 2 a and 2 b.
The assembly further includes a number of pencils in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 a total of four pencils, one of which is designated the reference numeral 40 and having a closure cap 42.
Furthermore, the assembly includes two conventional dices 44 and 46, which are used by the players for determining the stroke made on or with the transparent stroke card selected by the player rolling the dices. Further, the assembly includes a special twelve face dice 48 used in special circumstances such as when playing from the rough or the semi-rough. The assembly additionally includes a wipe towel to be used for the wiping out of the pencil markings from the plane game board 10.
The golf game assembly preferably further includes a set of score cards 50 and is preferably contained within a cardboard box for storing the whole assembly as the plane game board 10 or the set of plane game boards are foldeable for allowing the game board or game boards to be stored within the cardboard package.
The play is performed as follows in accordance with the rules defined in the set of rules 30 and resembling the actual golf rules as played on a real golf course. From the tee 12 a player is to drive towards the hole 18 of the green 16 and for driving the golf ball as long as possible, the player selects a drive card from the set of drive or stroke cards 32, which drive card has the longest range. In FIG. 2 a, the drive card is illustrated in greater details. Having chosen the drive card, the player positions the starting point 36 of the drive card at the tee and orientates the transparent drive card towards the green 16 taking into consideration the distribution of the possible locations reached and also the presence of the rough 20 and the hazards 22, 24 and 26. The transparent drive card allows the player to rotate the orientation of the stroke from the starting point relative to the plane game board, as is illustrated in FIG. 3. Then, the player roles the two dices 44 and 46 and the sum of integers produced by the two dices determines where the golf ball lands. The distribution of the integers on the transparent drive or stroke card resembles a statistical distribution of the integers as the integer 7 is the integer which is most likely produced by the two dices and according to the conventional understanding of the value of the integers of dices, the integer 12 represents the outmost stroke, whereas the integer 2 represents an extremely poor stroke. The remaining integers are, as is illustrated in FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, positioned encircling the integer 7 and between the two limit integers 2 and 12. The integer 12 further, according to the preferred set of rules according to which the play is performed is of a specific significance as only the integer 12 allows the player to bring the golf ball into the hole 18 consequently necessitating that the player before rolling the dices 44 and 46 positions the aperture having the signature indication 12 at the hole 18 of the green 16.
After the stroke from the tee, the golfer has to continue from whichever location reached and now chooses a different transparent drive or stroke or the same drive card as used in the first place attempting to reach the green 16 including the hole 18. Provided the player has reached the green 16, the play now changes as the green is divided into three sections or at least two sections, the one section including the hole 18 and one or more adjacent sections spaced from the hole 18. The player having reached the green 16 roles the pair of dices 44 and 46 and provided the player has reached a position within the section included in the hole 18, the majority of the sum of integers produced by means of the two dices 44 and 46, namely the sum of integers 5-12 produces a one hole put, whereas the integers 2, 3 and 4 gives a two hole put. In the two sections of the green 16 remote from the hole 18, the minority of integers produced by means of the two dices 44 and 46 produce a one hole put as only the integers 10, 11 and 12 provides a one hole put, the integers 6, 7, 8 and 9 produces a two hole put and the integers 2, 3, 4 and 5 produces a three hole put. The rules as far as putting is concerned may of course be modified depending on the actual geometry of the green 16 of the plane game board 10.
In FIG. 2 a, the above described transparent drive card 34 is illustrated including the starting point 36 and a total of 11 markings corresponding to the sum of integers produced by rolling the two dices 44 and 46. As is evident from FIG. 2 a, the sum 2 represents a very short stroke, the sum 7 represents an average stroke and the sum 12 represents the longest stroke possible. In the left hand part of FIG. 2 a, a range indication is presented illustrating the basis for the location of the integers 2, 7 and 12 as a 300 yard stroke compared with a 150 yard stroke is a poor stroke corresponding to the sum of integers 2 and a stroke of the length of 262.5 yards corresponding to the represents a perfectly acceptable stroke as compared with the 300 yards stroke and corresponding to the sum of integers 7.
In FIG. 2 b, a similar representation of a drive card of a golf iron is illustrated, which card is designated the reference numeral 35.
The golf iron drive card 35 includes its starting point designated the reference numeral 37 and includes a total of 7 apertures corresponding to the sum of integers printed above the apertures. The background for the position of the seven holes in the stroke card 35 is presented in the left hand part of FIG. 2 b.
In FIG. 3, a diagramatic view is presented illustrating the feature characteristic of the golf game assembly according to the present invention of positioning the transparent drive or stroke card 34 on the plane game board 10 and turning the transparent drive or stroke card round the starting point 36 for determining the overall orientation of the stroke produced by the transparent drive or stroke card in question and in doing so determining the possible locations reached by the stroke.

EXAMPLE

A proto-type embodiment of the golf game assembly according to the present invention is implemented as follows:

Rules:
The game includes:
1 Set of rules
18 Hole course
13 Clubs (3 Clubs, 7 Irons, 3 Wedges)
4 Markers
1 Score card block
1 Miniature towel
Number of players:
1-4 players or up to 4 teams with 2 on each team.
Different kinds of games:
It is possible to play Stroke play, Match play, Skinsgame, Fourball and Foursomes
Start of the game:
The dices are thrown to determine who starts. After that, a marker (a coloured pen) is chosen, which marker is used throughout the entire game.
Course of the game:
The first player chooses a club or an iron and locations on the tee.
Two dices are thrown and the length of the drive is marked with the player's pen. Hereafter, the other players play in the same way. The player with the longest distance to the flag is the first to perform the second stroke and again, the player must choose a club or an iron. In fact, the procedure is the same as the drive from the tee, however, you must be aware of maybe having to strike with a lower iron if you are out of the fairway, or if the player's stroke lands in the woods, the player has to play according to the outcome of the dice with 12 faces.
The players continue to strike until they reach the green. The number of puts of each player is determined by a throw of the dice and by where the player is situated on the green.
Remember to use your towel to “clean” each hole after having finished playing it.
The total score of each hole is noted on the score card and you go on to the next hole.
Depending on the format used to play the game, the game continues until all 18 holes have been played.
The different kinds of games:
A1: Stroke play
The game simply consists of achieving the lowest number of strokes over the total of the 18 holes.
A2: Match play
This game is played between 2 players or two teams.
Each hole may be won or may end in a tie. The winner is the player having the lowest number of strokes on the hole in question.
Example: Player A wins Hole 1 with 3 strokes against 4—Player A leads 1-0. The next hole ends 4 strokes to 4, still 1-0. Hole No. 3 is won by player B—The total score is now 0-0 or ‘All Square’. If a player or a team is ahead by 5-0 and you are at hole 15, the match is settled, as the player who is down will not be able to reduce to more than 0-1. If this is the case, the winning player wins 5/4.
If the result is 0-0 after 18 holes, extra holes are played until a player wins a hole.
A3: Skinsgame
Skinsgame is played between 1 to 4 players.
The player with the lowest number of strokes at each hole wins the pool. If the hole was a draw (two or more players have the lowest score in common), the pool goes on to the next hole. The pool is only won if only one player has the lowest score among the players.
A4: Fourball
May be played as a match play or a stroke play.
2 teams with 2 players on each team play against each other. On each hole, it is the team with the best score that wins the hole.
A5: Foursomes
Is similar to Fourball, only in this case, each team plays with only one ball. The two players of each team take turns at playing until the hole has been played and at the beginning of a new hole the players of the team take turns at driving out.
ATTENTION: If the players forget to take turns when playing, they get 1 penalty stroke and have to play the stroke again.
Point B—The structure of the course.
Each hole comprises or may comprise the following:
A Tee (B1)
Different kinds of Rough (see B2-B4)
Fairway (B5)
Bunker (B6)
The woods (B7)
Water hazards (B8)
Out of Bounds (B9)
Green (B10)
B1: Tee
B2: Fairway
The choice is free between all the irons and clubs when a player performs a stroke from the fairway.
B3: Semi-rough
The player's choice of iron/club is limited in certain cases. This will be marked on the hole in question.
B4: Rough
As B3, but with further limitations, as the position is worse than on the semi-rough.
B5: Deep rough
As B3, but with even further limitations.
B6: Bunker
As B3. Attention is drawn to the fact that there are two kinds of bunkers—A fairway-bunker and a green-bunker. The limitations as to the choice of irons depend on the type of bunker.
B7: In the woods
The player's choice of iron depends on the 12 faced dice. The limitation is determined by the dice.
B8: In the water
Gives 1 penalty stroke.
If you strike the ball into the water, you obtain a penalty stroke. If this was your first stroke, the next stroke will be your third stroke.
You may either play from where the ball was or you may place the ball back in a direct line from the place where the ball went into the water, towards the place where your stroke was made.
B9: Out of bounds
If your stroke is Out of bounds, you obtain 1 penalty stroke. If this was your first stroke, the next stroke will be your third stroke. You then again have to strike from the place where the ball was.
B10: Green
The number of puts is determined by a single throw of the dice and the card in front of the green in question.
The course
Format:
A3 size—21 pages (if there are 18 holes)—Front page, overview page, back page+course.
Pages with plastified surface
18 hole course with 18 different holes from par 3 to par 5 (only rarely with par 6)—The total par of the course is 72 (may in principle be everything from 67 to 74).
A course may comprise all nature elements.
Primarily: Tee, Fairway, Semi-rough, Rough, Heavy-rough, Sand Traps, Fairway Bunkers, Green Bunkers, Water Hazards (lakes, ponds, streams, ocean etc.), Trees, Bushes, Fringe, Greens, Billboards and Out of bounds (outside the actual course).
Apart from the above nature elements may comprise: Pine Straw, wood flakes, Mountains, Roads, Garden Walls, Bridges, Gravel.
Towel
Miniature towel.
To be used to clean the markings on the course.
Clubs and irons:
Specifications indicated in cm.
Driver: 9.5×24
3 Wood: 9.5×22
5 Wood: 9.5×20
3-Iron: 7.5×18
4-Iron. 7.5×17
5-Iron: 7.5×16
6-Iron: 7.5×15
7-Iron: 7.5×14
8-Iron: 7.5×13
9-Iron: 7.5×12
PW: 6.5×11
SW: 6.5×10
LW: 6.5×9
Markers
4 markers in 4 different colours (black, blue, red, purple). “Non-permanent” felt pen.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to a presently preferred and specific embodiment of the golf game assembly according to the present invention, it is contemplated that numerous modifications may be made in the golf game assembly without deviating from the true spirit and scope of the invention and therefore all modifications or alternatives obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art are to be considered part of the invention as defined in the appending claims. In particular, the plane game board may be modified as already mentioned above and the individual transparent drive or stroke cards may be modified by altering the position of the holes or apertures of the transparent drive or stroke cards and further be modified by the presence of a further starting point such as a starting point located slightly above the hole, e.g. the hole 36 of the drive card 34 which additional hole resembles the situation in which a golfer strikes a ball softly and in doing so produces a fairly wide spreading stroke with a short range.
The drive or stroke cards 34 are preferably made of a transparent or semi-transparent material, however, according to an alternative embodiment or supplementary set of drive or stroke cards, the drive or stroke card or one or more of the drive or stroke cards may be made from non-transparent material for allowing the play to be performed as a shadow play.

Claims

1. A golf game assembly, comprising:

a) a plane game board representing a single hole of a golf course showing a tee, a fairway, a green and one or more hazards, such as one or more bunkers and/or one or more water hazards,

b) a set of drive or stroke cards, preferably transparent or semi-transparent drive or stroke cards, to be positioned individually on said plane game board, each card representing possible drives or strokes performed with a specific golf club or iron and having a first indication of a starting point and a plurality of second indications, each indication among said plurality of second indications representing a specific drive or stroke of a specific length and direction from said starting point, said second indications being located around a centre at a distance from said starting point, each indication among said plurality of second indications corresponding to a specific likelihood of occurrence, and the indication or indications among said second plurality of indications corresponding to the highest likelihood of occurrence being located closest to said centre, whereas the indication or indications among said second plurality of indications corresponding to the lowest likelihood of occurrence being located farthest from said centre,

c) a generator means for randomly generating an indication among said plurality of second indications according to a non-even probability distribution or non-even distribution of likelihood of occurrence and for displaying said randomly generated indication representing a player's drive or stroke from said starting point, and

d) one or more transfer indicators for transferring to said game board a drive or stroke indicated on a specific drive or stroke card positioned on said plane game board and determined by said randomly generated indication determined by said generator means.

2. The golf game assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of plane game boards, each plane game board of said plurality representing a specific hole of a golf course.

3. The golf game assembly according to claim 2, said plurality of game boards being 9, 18, 27, 36 or any other number and said second plurality of game boards representing a complete golf course.

4. The golf game assembly according to claim 1, said plane game board further showing a semi-rough and a rough.

5. The golf game assembly according to claim 1, said green including a specific signature identifying the play according to a specific set of rules.

6. The golf game assembly according to claim 1, said green including at least two separate sections, the one section including the hole of the green and having a first green indication corresponding to a high likelihood of putting as the majority of said second indications generated randomly by said generator means representing a one hole put and the other section having a second green indication indicating a lower likelihood of putting in one stroke as the minority of said second indications represent a one hole putt.

7. The golf game assembly according to claim 1, said generator means comprising two or more dice, each of said dice having the integers 1-6 and said plurality of second indications comprising the sum of integers produced by said dice.

8. The golf game assembly according to claim 1, said generator means comprising an electronic dice generator including an electronic circuitry and a display for displaying a sum of integers corresponding to the sum of integers represented by two or more dice.

9. The golf game assembly according to claim 1, said generator means comprising a die having more than six faces.

10. The golf game assembly according to claim 1, said plurality of second indications of each of said transparent drive or stroke cards having the lowest integer positioned close to said first indication and having its largest integer positioned at the longest distance from said first indication and further having the integers corresponding to the integers of highest likelihood of being generated by said generator means positioned around the centre between said lowest integer indication and said highest integer indication.

11. The golf game assembly according to claim 1, said transfer indicators comprising a pencil and each of said transparent drive or stroke cards having a plurality of apertures corresponding to said second indications for allowing said transfer of said drive or stroke indicated on said specific drive or stroke card positioned on said game board to be performed by producing an indication by means of one of said pencils through a respective aperture of said specific drive or stroke.

12. The golf game assembly according to claim 1, said plane game board being made from paper or cardboard material and having a printing repellent surface and having dimensions corresponding to the DIN A3 format.

13. The golf game assembly according to claim 12, said set of transparent drive and stroke cards being made from a transparent plastic foil material, such as a PVC, PE or PP foil and having dimensions between 5 cm×8 cm and 12 cm×30 cm.

14. The golf game assembly according to claim 13, said set of transparent drive or stroke cards including a total of 6-14 cards, including 3 or more golf club representing cards and 8 or more iron representing cards.

15. A method of playing a golf game on a board comprising the steps of:

i) providing a golf game assembly, including:

d) one or more transfer indicators for transferring to said game board a drive or stroke indicated on a specific drive or stroke card positioned on said plane game board and determined by said randomly generated indication determined by said generator means,

ii) positioning said plane game board on a supporting surface such as a table,

iii) selecting a specific drive or stroke card among said set of drive or stroke cards and positioning said selected drive or stroke card on said plane game board,

iv) generating an indication among said plurality of second indications by means of said generator means, and

v) transferring the drive or stroke indicated on said selected specific drive or stroke card positioned on said plane game board and determined by said randomly generated indication by means of said one or more transfer indicators.

16. The method according to claim 15, comprising repeating the steps iii-v for playing said hole to the end.

17. The method according to claim 15, said method further comprising playing rules corresponding to a real golf play on a real golf course.