US2716029A - Practice putting device - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 23, 1955 J. MONTGOMERY 2,716,029

PRACTICE PUTTING DEVICE Filed NOV. 21, 1952 FIG. I.

FIG. 3.

INVENTOR (/OH/V MONTGOMERY 6d kaqd 9 ATTORNEY United States Patent PRACTICE PUTTING DEVICE John Montgomery, New York, N. Y.

Application November 21, 1952, Serial No. 321,856

2 Claims. (Cl. 273,-178) The present invention relates to the game of golf, and more particularly to a device for indoor practice of putting. This is a continuation-impart of my application Ser. No. 258,553, filed November 28, 1951 now abandoned.

In a game of golf, almost one half of the strokes are putting strokes. It is well known to golfers that many a match has been won or lost on the putting green and that there skill alone counts, since the weak and long hitters are on an equal footing. Putting is, therefore, very important and with serious practice can be mastered by any golfer.

During the winter months, when inclement weather makes the golf courses inaccessible, a golfers putting ability is bound to suffer from lack of practice. The present invention, therefore, is designed to enable a golfer to maintain or improve his putting skill by using my practice putting device which conveniently permits indoor practice under conditions akin to those encountered on a golf course. For those interested in the game it will not only provide a means of practice putting but also a Stimulating indoor sport.

The prior art devices with which I am familiar are indoor putting games rather than devices for the serious study and practice of putting as it occurs under actual conditions. The prior devices utilize constructional details such as springs, shields, gates, bells, etc., which tend to transform the device into a pin ball game, and proficiency in such a game does not necessarily improve ones golf game.

My device comprises a ramp-like structure having a hole near its raised end. The other end of the ramp lies flush against the floor, and an apron of flexible material extends from just in front of it up the ramp into the hole and to below the raised end of the ramp.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, economical device which will improve ones putting.

A feature of the invention is that it is light and portable and can be quickly and easily set up for instance in any ones living room.

Another feature of the invention is that the rigid ramp and flexible apron thereon combine to produce a device which approximates conditions surrounding an actual golf hole.

Still another feature of the invention is an inclined portion of the apron extending through the hole which guides the balls clear of the hole once they have been pntted in.

These and other features of my invention will be clear from the detailed description and the drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the device;

Fig. 2 is a section on lines 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the apron per se.

Figs. 1 and 2 show an inclined ramp of L-shaped cross section comprising a long leg 1 supported in the inclined position by short leg or wall 4. The end 2 of leg 1 lies flush against the floor while the other end 3 is maintained above-the floorby leg ,4 ,at a'height sutficient to accommodate golf balls beneath it. .The. ramp may be made of any suitable rigid material, suchas metal, wood or plastic. 1 have foundthat aconvenientsize forthe ramp is ,8" by 12 and with wall 4'ab out 2" whereby, theend 3 of the ramp is. held approximately 2 away from the floor. A holeS is centrally located;,in the upper portion of the ramp approximately. 2"'from either side and 1" from end3. Preferably the hole has a diameter of 4%" which corresponds tothat of a reguis cut-in approximately 1 /2" along each opposed longi tudinal side. Two semi-circular arcs 10 and 11 are cut in the body of apron 6 and correspond to arcs in the circumference of hole 5. Arcs 10 and 11 do not meet each other but leave a central portion 12 of the apron, about 2" wide, intact. The apron is also cut-in at 13 and 14 on straight lines which intersect arcs 10 and 11 to form flaps 15, 16 which surround approximately half the periphery of hole 5. The rear end 17 of apron 6, which is equal in width to the width of the rear end portion 3 of the ramp 1, is adapted to be folded upon itself, by reason of the arcuate cuts 10 and 11 and the cut- outs 13 and 14 therein, and passed through the hole 5 whereby to extend under the rear end portion of the ramp in spaced relation to a point just under the wall 4. Thus, the rear end portion 17 of the apron 6 lies flat on the rug or other floor covering supporting the device, with the intact central portion 12 thereof forming a downwardly inclined portion 18, between the forward edge portion of the hole 5 and the rear end portion 17 whereby a ball entering the hole is accelerated to roll rearwardly thereon to the wall 4 and thus clear of subsequently holed balls. Wall 4 rests on end 17 near its edge, and the edge is prevented from slipping back and thus allow the incline 18 to sag, by the weight of the ramp, and also by a projection such as a transverse ridge or bar 20 fastened to 17 at its edge.

To use the device it is preferably placed on a rug, carpet, or other floor covering, which simulates the grass on a putting green. The player takes a position at any desired distance from the device and places a golf ball at substantially right angles to flap 9 of the apron. He then strikes the golf ball with a putter, employing the usual putting form. If the ball is properly hit it will roll up the ramp on apron 6 whose roughened surface will keep the ball from skidding and the ball will enter hole 3, roll down inclined portion 18, and come to rest on end 17 of the apron after being stopped by wall 4 of the ramp. Inclined portion 18 is an important feature of the invention in that it accelerates the movement of a golf ball upon entering the hole and clear of it and subsequently holed balls without in any way interfering with the normal holing of the ball. Thus a player can putt upwards of six golf balls in succession without stopping. The weight of balls that have been holed tend to hold incline 18 down on the forward edge portion of the hole 5.

If it is found that the floor covering is relatively slippery and permits movement of the device when balls strike it, the device may be conveniently fixed by placing any weight, such as a book, behind wall 4.

While I havedescribed a preferred embodiment of my invention it will be clear that-minor constructional changes maybe made without departing from the spirit and scopeof my invention and I desire, .therefore,-to

be limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

l 1. In a portable device for practicing golf putting comprising an inclined ramp of .L-shaped cross'section having a long and a short leg, the long leg being supported in the inclined position by the short leg, the ramp having at its raised upper end a circular opening through which a golf ballmay pass, the combination including a continuous apron'of'fiexible material running longitudinally up the ramp and passing through the golf ball opening and projecting rearwardly below the raised upper end of said ramp and under the short leg thereof, the rearward end of the apron below said ramp having'a transverse ridgethat bears against the back end of said leg, the portion of the apron intermediate its front and rear portions and near the entrance of said circular golf ball opening being partially severed inwardly from each side of the apron with the edges of the severed portions '4 conforming substantially to jacent a portion of the circular perimeter of the golf ball opening, the narrow unsevered portion passing down through the said opening at an angle towards the rear portion of the apron running beneath the short leg of the ramp.

2. The combination'of claim 1 in which the apron is madeof roughened rubberized material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS and being substantially ad-

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