US3464704A

US3464704A - Golf game with upstanding cups

Info

Publication number: US3464704A
Application number: US703359A
Authority: US
Inventors: Martin L Nelson
Original assignee: MARTIN L NELSON
Current assignee: MARTIN L NELSON
Priority date: 1968-02-06
Filing date: 1968-02-06
Publication date: 1969-09-02
Anticipated expiration: 1986-09-02

Description

Sept. 2, 1969 M. L. NELSON GOLF GAME WITH UPSTANDING CUPS Filed Feb. 6. 1968 fi ag li 747 912! Martin L. Nelson IN VIEN'I'OR.

United States Patent 3,464,704 GOLF GAME WITH UPSTANDING CUPS Martin L. Nelson, 4206 McKinley St., Hollywood, Fla. 33021 Filed Feb. 6, 1968, Ser. No. 703,359 Int. Cl. A63b 67/02, 57/00, 69/36 US. Cl. 273-176 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An elongated urethane foam mat has openings at each end thereof. Cups having a ball inlet slot in their side walls are rotatably retained in the mat openings so that the position of the ball entry slot may be varied relative to a golfer putting on said surface, in order to vary the difiiculty of putting a golf ball into a cup. A small protective panel including a dimple for supporting a golf ball is positionable on the foam mat to form a tee area. Rebound blocks having ground penetrable anchoring prongs are positionable along the side edges of the foam mat. Anchoring pins are provided for securing both the cups and mats to a ground surface. The mat is lightweight and may be rolled up when not in use.

This invention relates to convertible indoor and outdoor equipment which lends itself to enthusiastic use by participants who enjoy competitive games and who are fascinated, as are many, when using conventional-type golf balls and putters, and pertains, more particularly to simple and easy-to-use equipment which qualifies for their needs whether playing on a fioor indoors or outdoors on a grassy lawn or any feasible playing surface.

To comprehend the nature of the inventive concept it can be pointed out at the inception that a primary component has to do with a golf mat which is unique in that it serves its significant purpose, namely, putting practice and developing the skills necessary for directional flow and control of the ball and simultaneously engendering the pleasant stimulus attending competitive play. Then, too, the precise and aptly suited mat which is employed solves the problem of coping with the type of grass and irregular surfacing which, in the past, has been the chief deterrent to playing golf games on home lawns. By adopting and using specially made upstanding cups, players do not have to tediously contend with overrunning, rebounding (common to shallow cups) or skirting the lip or rim of the cup.

As will be hereinafter noted and appreciated the elongated panel, also referred to as a mat measures 24 feet in length, 2 /2 feet in width and /2 inch in thickness. The mat is preferably, but not necessarily, made from urethane foam which provides the desired flexible, compressibly resilient and other attending features and which affords the capability of the underneath or bottom side clinging either to a floor or to a lawn surface, thus causing the mat to adhere to most underlying surfaces atop which it is used. In addition the material of the mat provides a desirable drag on the golf ball which is similar, in a manner of speaking, to that which is encountered when putting a ball on an actual green. Then, too, the mat thus constructed lends itself to being spread out lengthwise, or rolled up into a compact and convenient bundle for storage.

Briefly, the above named mat lends itself to acceptable use particularly as a game playing mat for practice putting with a golf ball and for other selected skill requiring games and playing needs. Means is provided along the respective longitudinal edges of the panel to assist the user in pinning or staking the panel in a given place when used on a lawn or other compact soil area. The panel is pro- 9 Claims 3,464,704 Patented Sept. 2, 1969 KIC vided at both ends with one or more cut through holes. An insertable and removable golf ball cup is used in each hole. To the ends desired the cup is preferably about 5 inches in height, 3 /2 inches in diameter and has a centrally apertured bottom providing a holddown pin hole. The cup is an innovation in that it is provided in one vertical side with a ball inlet opening or slot. This slot opens at its upper end through the corresponding upper end of the mouth of the cup. On the other hand it has its lower end closed and terminating a short distance above the plane of the bottom. The bottom of the cup has a central pin hole. An insertable and removable especially constructed staking pin is employed. The pin is passed down through the hole in the bottom of the cup, and then forced and anchored in the ground. The upper end of the pin has a loop or eye which serves as a limit stop or shoulder and abuts the bottom and assists in holding the cup in place.

The structure also includes plastic reinforcing strips for anchoring the longitudinal edge portion of the mat when used outdoors. Each player may be provided with a sheet plastic tee. The tee has a central dimple to receive and initially position the golf ball. The tee is placed wherever desired and depending on the game which is being played. In addition, the game contemplates the use of elongated wooden or equivalent banking blocks which are arranged wherever desired along the lengthwise edges and either fastened to the ground or, if playing on surfaces other than turf or compact soil, placed atop the mat and thus associated with one or more cups for deflecting and richocheting the ball when playing lawn pool or cushiontype billiards.

It should be pointed out at this stage that the equipment herein shown and described lends itself to indoor and outdoor use for putting practice, for playing games identified as lawn pool, bank pool, lawn billiards and cushion billiards and for many other games wherein golf balls and putters are capable of practical use. It will simplify the presentation here however to think of the game as primarily for putting practice use in the manner suggested in FIG. 1. The description will be presented accordingly.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective showing the spreadable and rollable elongated panel or golfing mat stretched out on an outdoor lawn or equivalent surface and further showing several cups at the right hand end, intervening banking blocks for optional use, the plastic tee and suggesting how the player achieves the result desired.

FIGURE 2 is a view in side elevation on a suitable enlarged scale of one of the banking blocks.

FIGURE 3 is a view in perspective of the sheet plastic tee.

FIGURE 4 is a view in perspective on an enlarged scale detailing one of the cups.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view taken on the plane of the section line 5-5 of FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the views of the drawing the numeral 8 designates the elongated urethane foam panel also designated as a golf mat. In actual practice this panel is 24 feet long, 2- /2 feet wide and /2 inch in thickness. The planar top or upper surface is denoted at 10 and the underneath correspondingly flat or planar surface is denoted at 12. Each substantially rectangular end portion is the same in construction and the one at the left in FIG. 1 is denoted by the numeral 14 and is furnished at the terminal end with a suitable reinforcing strip 16 provided with holes at intervals by which means the panel may be retentively fastened to the earth by headed pins or fasteners 17. Although a single hole can be provided it is preferred that several such holes be provided. The centermost hole is denoted by the numeral 18 and is centrally located and spaced to the right of the terminal end portion 16. There are two

similar holes

20 and 22 and each hole is substantially four inches in diameter. These holes are provided to receive and hold the attachable and detachable golf ball trapping cups. All of the cups are the same in construction and are interchangeable and a description of one will suffice for all. Each cup is denoted by the numeral 24.

Each cup 24 is made of suitable moldable plastic material preferably A of an inch thick. The cup is inches in height and 3 /2 inches in diameter and has a body portion 26, a disk-like flat bottom portion 28 having a pin accommodating hole 30 therein. The upper open mouth portion of the cup is denoted at 32. The slot (also referred to as an opening and in addition as a ball clearance notch) is denoted by the numeral 34. It opens through the upper end and has its lower end terminating short of the bottom as at 36. The anchoring and holddown pin which is capable of use is denoted by the numeral 38 and is constructed in the manner shown in FIG. 4 and has a lateral ring-like head or limit stop shoulder 40. This pin can be forced down through the hole and into the ground with the ring or head of the pin serving as a retainer in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4. These pins are used when the device is employed outdoors atop a lawn or the like. Indoors the blocks may or may not be used to maintain the cups in place, depending upon the game played. If used, the cups are held firmly in position by placing the blocks (in an inverted position) behind the cups. For certain of the games, in particular where the ball is ricocheted from the blocks, the diminished speed of the ball will eliminate the necessity of using the blocks to support the cups.

The aforementioned ball seating tee is denoted by the numeral 42. It comprises a rectangular sheet of suitable plastic material 44 which can be moved about and shifted from place to place on the top surface 10. This plastic normally clings to the surface of the mat and it is pro- Vided with a depression or dimple as at 46 to seat the golf ball 48. The numeral 50 designates a conventional putter which is employed in the manner suggested in FIG. 1.

It is within the purview of the invention to employ reinforcing and holddown plastic strips or tapes such as denoted at 52. These tapes are adhesively mounted along the longitudinal edges 54 at suitably spaced points and each tape has an opening therein to accommodate the headed end of a holddown pin. One such pin is shown at 56 in FIG. 5 and has a lateral retaining head 58 at the upper end. Any number of strips and pins can be employed to assist in tautening and retaining the mat in place when used outdoors.

It is also within the purview of the invention to employ ball banking and deflecting blocks. These blocks are also referred to as cushions. Each block or cushion is the same in construction and one is denoted by the numeral 60 in FIG. 2. It has flat vertical faces 62, rounded ends 64, straight upper and lower parallel edges 66 and depending anchoring prongs 68 having pointed ends 70 which can be pressed and sunk in the turf as suggested in phantom lines in FIG. 1.

This invention is expressly, but not necessarily adapted for putting practice and, in addition, as a combination of outdoor games suitable for play on most lawns or other grassy or compact soil or other areas. Other features include convertibility to indoor use as explained below. The mat is made of urethane foam which affords considerable cling thus causing it to adhere to most underlying surfaces. In addition it provides enough drag on the ball to approximate the feel of an actual putting green. Numbers at one side can be provided to show the measured distance in linear feet from each end. For outdoor use the mat is at its best on turf, particularly after the grass has been cut and is set up by merely unrolling it on the ground after which it maybe gently pulled taut enough to compensate for surface irregularities. However, it may be used to good advantage on any grassy or compact soil area and may be used in the same manner as indoors on paved areas, such as asphalt or concrete. Because of its lightweight the mat may lift from the ground if the weather is breezy for which reason it has been provided along each edge with 2 inch plastic strips placed at 4 feet intervals. A hole has been provided in each of these and in the event that a breeze is blowing insert one of the pins furnished into each of the holes in the strips at both ends of the mat and force these into the ground with enough hand pressure to fasten the mat to the ground. If the air currents are strong the pins may be used to fasten down both of the sides as well in the same manner. Enough care should be taken not to force the pins beyond the cushioning effect of the urethane foam. To do so might cause difiiculty when these are removed and may tear the foam. In order to avoid injury to the mat from continued impact of a putter small plastic stroke mats, with a dimpled area in the center to serve as a tee, are furnished.

As before stated the equipment herein shown and described lends itself to use in many and varied ways. It is believed, however, that it will simplify an understanding of the subject matter of the invention to stress the component parts, namely, the golf mat, the single and multiple holes at the left and right ends for reception and retention of the slotted cups 24, the selectively placeable teeing auxiliary mats 42 and the optionally usable ball banking and ricocheting blocks 60. A more detailed description of the invention is deemed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For game playing use indoors or outdoors and wherein the participants use regular golf balls and conventionaltype putters, a portable device comprising an elongated panel of flexible rollable lightweight material having an upper surface providing a ball seating, putting and guiding mat, said panel being provided with at at least one terminal end portion at least one hole, and a golf ball trapping and pocketing cup, said cup having a bottom thereof inserted retained in said hole and a body portion rising to a position above the plane of said upper surface and having a ball aiming and inlet opening in a predetermined side which permits the entry of a properly aimed golf ball putted along said surface, the bottom of said cup cooperating with said hole in a manner such that said cup is adjustably turnable and can be rotated in said hole in a manner to adjust said inlet opening toward a plurality of different positions to the right or left respectively, of the longitudinal axis of the panel, whereby to thus station the cup is a manner to increase the difficulty of putting a particular golf ball shot into said cup.

2. The device defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said panel is made of compressibly resilient flexible material and is capable of being spread out flatwise on a floor or, alternatively, laid atop a lawn or the like in a manner to conform with, compensate for and cope with surface irregularities and deficiencies, and also light in weight and of a size that it can be rolled up and stored when not in use.

3. The device defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said panel is made of urethane foam, is 24 feet long, 2 /2 feet wide and /2 inch thick, and is accordingly compressibly resilient and flexible and is capableof being spread out fiatwise on a floor or, alternatively laid atop a lawn or the like in a manner to conform with, compensate for and cope with surface irregularities and deficiencies, and also light in weight and of a size that it can be rolled up and stored when not in use.

4. The device defined in and according to claim 1, and in combination, a relatively small sheet-material stroke mat separate from said panel and designed and adapted to be placed by hand atop any selected area of said upper surface and having a central dimpled portion, constituting a tee, and also serving as a protective shield capable of minimizing wear of said upper surface.

5. The device defined in and according to claim 4, and, in combination, a plurality of reinforcing and holddown plastic strips aflixed atop said upper surface and arranged along the longitudinal marginal edges of said panel and spaced apart and having holes adapted to receive anchoring pins when needed to stake down the over-all panel when the outdoor weather is breezy and likely to interfere with the stay-put location of said panel.

6. The device defined in and according to claim 1, and, in combination, at least one golf ball banking and deflecting block cooperable with a selected edge portion of the panel, said block being readily applicable and removable and of a height that it presents a ball impacting and ricocheting surface in a plane slightly above the plane of said upper surface, said block having a bottom provided with block positioning and temporary retaining prongs.

7. The device defined in and according to claim 6, and wherein the bottom of said cup is fiat and provided centrally with a hole, and an insertable and removable cup holddown and stacking pin passing downwardly through said hole for anchorage in the ground, said pin having an upper end provided with a finger-grip, and said finger-grip providing a cup-bottom abutting head.

8. A golf game device comprising an elongated com pressibly resilient flexible panel capable of being rolled up to compact storing form or spread out l'latwise to a usable position, said panel being adapted to serve as a game playing mat for putting a golf ball and for other selected skill game playing needs, means along the longitudinal edges of said panel to assist a user in staking the panel in a given place atop a lawn or an equivalent surface, said panel being provided with at at least one transverse end portion including several cup locating and retaining holes, and an insertable and removable golf ball sinking cup for each hole, each cup being 5 inches in height, 3 /2 inches in diameter, having a centrally apertured bottom providing a holddown pin hole, and being provided in one vertical side with a vertical ball inlet slot, said slot opening at an upper end through the open upper end of said cup and having its lower end closed and terminating a short distance above the plane of said bottom.

9. The combination defined in and according to claim 8, and an insertable and removable cup holddown and temporary staking pin passing downwardly through said hole for anchorage in the ground, said pin having an upper end provided with a finger-grip and said finger-grip providing a cup-bottom abutting head.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 830,535 9/1906 Singleton et a1. 1,566,057 12/1925 Wilkinson. 2,144,439 1/1939 Duffy 273-178 X 3,342,495 9/1967 Wasley -i 273179 X 3,356,370 12/1967 Larsen 273-127 X FOREIGN PATENTS 9,320 1892 Great Britain.

GEORGE J. MARLO, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 273 180, 127, I