US3753563A

US3753563A - Golf practice device

Info

Publication number: US3753563A
Application number: US00281584A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Previte
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-08-17
Filing date: 1972-08-17
Publication date: 1973-08-21
Anticipated expiration: 1990-08-21

Abstract

The invention is concerned with a device for practicing and improving a golf swing. Its most advantageously used when practicing with a wood or iron rather than with a putter. The device features two walls with an alley in between them, the alley having an artificial turf-like material thereon. The separation of the walls is adjustable so that the walls can be brought closer together as the golfer''s swing improves. At least the wall closest to the golfer may be rotated to form different angles with the artificial turf. The angle can be adjusted to suit the size of the golfer and the particular golf club being used, and also to enable the golfer to establish a standard distance between himself and the ball. The bottom surface of the device includes two rotatably attached spikes for anchoring the device in the ground. The spikes may be rotated relative the bottom surface and fitted into depressions which include constrictions for holding the spikes in storage positions.

Description

United States Patent [191 Previte, Jr.

[451 Aug. 21, 1973 GOLF PRACTICE DEVICE [76] Inventor: John R. Previte, Jr., 1793 Curtner Ave., San Jose, Calif. 95124 [22] Filed: Aug. 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 281,584

[52] US. Cl. 273/186 C, 273/195 A, 273/195 B Primary ExaminerGe0rge J. Marlo Attorney-Hubert E. Dubb et al.

57 ABSTRACT The invention is concerned with a device for practicing and improving a golf swing. Its most advantageously used when practicing with a wood or iron rather than with a putter. The device features two walls with an alley in between them, the alley having an artificial turf-like material thereon. The separation of the walls is adjustable so that the walls can be brought closer together as the golfers swing improves. At least the wall closest to the golfer may be rotated to form different angles with the artificial turf. The angle can be adjusted to suit the size of the golfer and the particular golf club being used, and also to enable the golfer to establish a standard distance between himself and the ball. The bottom surface of the device includes two rotatably attached spikes for anchoring the device in the ground. The spikes may be rotated relative the bottom surface and fitted into depressions which include constrictions for holding the spikes in storage positions.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 21, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.I

FIG. 2

Pmmd Aug. 21, 1973 3,753,563

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

FIG.4

1 GOLF PRACTICE DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION PRIOR ART The prior art shows a number of devices useful for improving the driving game of a golfer. In particular, the following prior art patents are of interest.

U. S. Pat. No. 3,107,920 discloses a golf practice device for use in combination with a brush mat. A number of the devices are inserted into the brush mat to form, for example, a straight pathway. When one of the devices is struck by a golf club, the top portion thereof is forced into a down position thereby showing the golfer the direction in which his swing may have deviated from a desired path.

U. S. Pat. No. 3,194,565 discloses a device comprising a series of bells positioned behind deflectable shields, the shields forming a straight pathway.

U. S. Pat. No. 3,246,898 discloses a golf swing trainer which utilizes a simulated golf club swingable between two walls mounted parallel to each other and at right angles to a board which forms the base of a device. The walls each are substantially inverted Ls in cross section. One of the walls is slideably attached to the board whereby separation of the walls from one another can be adjusted.

U. S. Pat. No. 3,482,838 discloses a golf swing training device wherein two bars are placed substantially parallel to each other above a flat board. A golf ball is placed between the two bars which rise sharply as they approach the front of the board.

U. S. Pat. No. 3,586,335 discloses a golf practice de-' vice having an artificial turf portion wherein a golf ball can be driven between two stationary parallel upstanding walls.

A golfer most desirably must groove his swing, including the backswing, and the followthrough along a substantially planer path. It is customary for golfers to practice their swings at driving ranges and the like for many hours to try to perfect the exactitude of their swing.

As has been set out above, a number of prior art device have been advanced for improving the swing of a golfer. While all of these devices are useful to some extent, none of them provide all of the advantages of the present invention, none of them provide for an adjustment of the device to make it most useful to golfers of different heights or to a single golfer who switches from a club of one length to a club of another length or aid a golfer in establishing a standard distance between himself and the ball. Further, none of the devices which actually utilize a golf club and a ball provide any adjustment for increasing the difficulty of keeping the golfers swing in a planer path as the golfers skill improves.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a golf practice device which is adjustable for use by golfers of different heights.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a golf practice device which is adjustable for use with different length clubs.

It is another object of the invention to provide a golf practice device which is adjustable to aid a golfer in establishing a standard distance between himself and the ball.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a golf practice device wherein as the golfers skill increases the difficulty of correctly directing a swing along the path defined by the device can be increased.

A further object yet of the invention is to provide a golf practice device which will accomplish all of the above set out objects and is collapsable for easy portability.

The golf practice device of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the drawings which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an end view of a preferred embodiment of a device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the device of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial bottom view of the preferred embodiment of the device of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a cut away view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises a golf practice device. The device comprises a rectangular base; an artificial turf like material attached to a portion of the top surface of said base; a first wall attached along a side of said rectangular base; a means for extending the width of said base, said extending means being detachably attached to said base opposite the side said first wall is attached thereto; a second wall attached to said extending means opposite the side said extending means is attached to said first wall; and a means for positioning said first wall or said second wall at a desired angle of rotation relative to said base or said extending means respectively.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention will be better understood by reference to the detailed description of the drawings which follows.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the device of the present invention 1 comprises a rectangular base 2 having positioned thereon an artificial turf-like material 3 attached thereto, for example, by a bonding or cement-like material 4. As will be apparent from FIG. 4, the rectangular base 2 has a cavity 5 therein.

A ball 6 and a tee 7 are illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 although it is of course understood that the device may be used without a tee. The artificial turf like material may be attached to any stiff backing or support 8. The support 8 may be simply the carpet backing itself or may be a piece of wood or metal to provide extra rigidity.

In FIG. 4, the side of the base to which a wall is attached is represented by 9. The first wall 10 is generally placed in upstanding position from the side 9 of the rectangular base 2. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 it will be apparent that the first wall 10 is attached to the base 2 using the washer 11 and the wing nut 13 which pass over the threaded shaft or bolt 12, the wing nut 13 being threaded thereon. The shaft head 14 can be seen passing out of the end of the first wall opposite that on which the wing nut 13 is attached. It is of course only necessary that the shaft 12 be threaded at the en where the wing nut 13 attaches.

Referring to FIG. 4, it will be seen that the first wall has a bottom positioned above an ear or extension of the first wall 16 through which the shaft 12 passes. The base 2 has a tunnel therethrough 17 through which the shaft 12 also passes.

The extending means 20 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. It is adapted to slide within the cavity 5 of the rectangular base 2. Since it may be desirable to be able to reset the separation of the device at a previously used value, a scale 21 is preferrably provided on the extending means 20. 1

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 the rectangular base 2 and the extending means 20 each preferrably have at least one spike, 22 and 23 respectively, attached to the bottom thereof. These spikes serve to anchor the device of the present invention in the ground. Referring particularly to FIG. 3 it is seen that in the preferred embodiment of the invention the

spikes

22 and 23 are each rotatable into the base 2 and the extending means 20 respectively. In FIG. 3, the spike 22 is shown in the down position and the spike 23 is shown in the folded or up position. Shafts 24 which fit into sockets in the base and extending means are provided for rotating the

spikes

22 and 23. A depression 25 is provided in the base for accepting the spike 22 when it is rotated into the up position. The depression 25 is shown with a constriction 26 therein adapted to hold the spike 22 in the up position. A depression 27 in the extending means 20 is shown to have a constriction 28 therein which in FIG. 3 is holding the spike 23 in the up position. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention both the rectangular base 2 and the extending means 20 will have a plurality of spikes, preferably two spikes each, therein for anchoring the device of the invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the second wall is illustrated positioned at an angle other than 90 from the extending means 20. The wall 40 is rotatably attached to the extending means 20 utilizing the washer 41 and the wing nut 43 attached to the threaded ended shaft 42. The threaded shaft 42 passes through a tunnel 47 in the extending means 20 and at the other end of the wall 40 is held in place by the shaft head 44.

Referring to FIG. 4 the second wall 40 is illustrated as having a bottom 45 and extensions 46 through which the shaft 42 passes.

FIGS. 2 and 4 show for clarity, in phantom, a golf club head and a portion of a golf club shaft. Referring in particular to FIG. 2 the golfer would swing from right to left. For use by a left handed golfer the position of the ball and position of the movement of the golf club and head would be reversed.

As is illustrated, in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, both the first wall 10 and the second wall 40 are rotatably and removably attached from the base 2 and the extending means 20 respectively. It is preferred that the device he made in this manner since it can then be easily collapsed for packaging, storage, and/or transportation. It is of course understood that one of the

walls

10 or 40 can be constructed integrally with either the base 2 or the extending means 20, respectively, if desired.

The two

walls

10 and 40 provide not only a planer or straight path through which the golf club must be swung but because of the rotating feature of at least one of the walls (the wall placed nearer the golfer) it is clear that the device is adjustable for golfers of different heights, for an individual golfer using clubs of different lengths, and to aid and partially force a golfer to set himself at a standard distance from the ball when swinging. A simple protractor may be used to reset the device at any desired angle. The rotating feature of wall 40 also makes it possible to use relatively high walls. That is, walls which are considerably higher than the height of a golf club head. This is a distinct advantage since the golf club rises significantly after contact with the ball and might thereby avoid hitting a relatively low wall even though the golfers swing was not correctly grooved.

While it is not illustrated in the drawings, in another embodiment of the invention the two

walls

10 and 40 may be longer than the length of the rectangular base thus providing a longer path. Also, particularly on the swing entry side, the

walls

10 and 40 may be so con structed as to diverge somewhat from one another thereby providing a somewhat widened opening for entry of the swing.

It is preferred that the device of the present invention be made out of a hard plastic material. In order to protect woods, the hard plastic material may be covered with a fabric, for example, felt or the like.

The preferred length of the device of the present invention for example from the wing nut 13 to the shaft head 14 is about 10 to 12 inches. The preferred height of the first wall 10 is about 4% inches and the preferred height of the second wall 40 is about 4 inches. The separation between the wall 10 and the wall 40 is preferrably adjustable from a maximum of about 6 inches to a minimum of about 3% inches by sliding the extending means 20 within the base 2.

The device is useful not only with golf balls on a practice range or the like but can also be used with plastic balls in a backyard or den. It is most advantageous to use the device with real golf balls on a driving range so that the golfer can attain confidence in the correlation between grooving his swing correctly and the direction and distance attained by hitting an actual golf ball.

While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be un derstood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, and as fall within the scope of the invention and the limits of the appended claims.

That which is claimed is:

l. A golf practice device comprising:

a rectangular base;

an artificial turf like material attached to a portion of the top surface of said base;

a first wall attached along a side of said rectangular base;

a means for extending the width of said base, said extending means being detachably attached to said base opposite the side said first wall is attached thereto;

a second wall attached to said extending means opposite the side said extending means is attached to said first wall;

a means for positioning said first wall or said second wall at a desired angle of rotation relative to said rectangular base or said extending means respectively.

2. A device as in claim I, further characterized in that said rectangular base has a cavity therein which communicates with one side of said base and said extending means is adaptable to slidably fit within said cavity in said rectangular base.

3. A device as in claim 2, wherein said extending means is rectangular.

4. A device as in claim 1, which further comprises a plurality of means for anchoring said device to the ground.

5. A device as in claim 4, wherein said anchoring means comprise at least one spike rotatably attached to the bottom of said base and at least one spike rotatably attached to the bottom of said extending means, said base and said extending means each having depressions adapted to receive said spikes contiguous with the points of attachment of said spikes, said spikes being rotatable to fit into said depressions.

6. A device as in claim 5, including means for holding said spikes in said depressions.

7. A device as in claim 1 wherein both said first wall and said second wall are rotatably attached to said device.

8. A device as in claim 1 wherein both said first wall and said second wall are detachably attached to said device.

9. A device as in claim 1, including a means for indicating the distance between said first wall and said second wall.

10. A device as in claim 1, in combination with a ball positioned on said artificial turf and a golf club adapted to propel said ball when struck against said ball by a golfer.

Claims

1. A golf practice device comprising: a rectangular base; an artificial turf like material attached to a portion of the top surface of said base; a first wall attached along a side of said rectangular base; a means for extending the width of said base, said extending means being detachably attached to said base opposite the side said first wall is attached thereto; a second wall attached to said extending means opposite the side said extending means is attached to said first wall; a means for positioning said first wall or said second wall at a desired angle of rotation relative to said rectangular base or said extending means respectively.

2. A device as in claim 1, further characterized in that said rectangular base has a cavity therein which communicates with one side of said base and said extending means is adaptable to slidably fit within said cavity in said rectangular base.

3. A device as in claim 2, wherein said extending means is rectangular.