US3907288A

US3907288A - Combined golf distance-judging and club selector device

Info

Publication number: US3907288A
Application number: US485790A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas P Hudak
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: LUCK LARRY R
Priority date: 1974-07-05
Filing date: 1974-07-05
Publication date: 1975-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 1992-09-23

Abstract

A one-piece combined distance-judging and club selector device for use by golfers including an envelope having at least one window opening therein and further having a separate card that may be inserted through an open edge of said envelope for registration between one edge of the window and certain indicia provided on the card so as to permit the judging of distances and the appropriate club required to propel a golf ball over said distance under normal circumstances.

Description

United States Patent [191 Hudak 51 Sept. 23, 1975 1 1 COMBINED GOLF DISTANCE-JUDGING AND CLUB SELECTOR DEVICE [76] Inventor: Thomas P. Hudak, 560 N. Hawkins Ave., Akron, Ohio 44313 22 Filed: July 5, 1974 21 App1.No.:485,790

[52] US. Cl 273/32 B; 33/277; 35/29 A; 273/183 E [51] Int. Cl. A63B 57/00; GOlC 3/00 [58] Field of Search 33/277, 278, 262; 273/32, 273/183; 35/29 A 3,409,987 11/1968 New 33/277 Primary Examiner-George J. Marlo Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Freeman & Taylor [57] ABSTRACT 5 References Cited a golf ball over said distance under normal circum- UNITED STATES PATENTS stances- 2,l64,463 7/1939 Mather 33/262 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures I so VIEWER 15 WEDGE 0 2O a-s '25 I50 s-1 C/la n5 4-5 200 3-4 FACE FLAG. 2 2/ VIE W AT S CLUB LENGTH AT YARDS EYE LEVEL MOVE SLIDE 20 CARD DOWN UNTIL FLAG ,4 I8 POL? EILLS c H p- H VIEWER WINDOW INDICATING 2! YARDS I AND CLUB THUMB SLIDE I I I ll 1 US Patent Sept. 23,1975

I I VIEWER z/ I25 I50 I75 200 FACE FLAG.

vIEw T ARMS 3 LENGTH AT 3 EYE LEvEL CLUB YARDS MOVESLIDE CARD DOWN UNTIL FLAG POLE FILLS THE VIEWER ,4 WINDOW INDICATING YARDS AND CLUB THUMB I SLIDE [I FIG-4 l5 /O f I 5O VIEWER 7s WEDGE I25 \J .32 2:; 200 3-4 FACE FLAG. 2 21 CLUB :52??? V MOVE SLIDE YARDS CARD DOWN UNTILFLAG l8 POLTEHFEILLS t c/l4 VIEWER WINDOW INDICATING YARDS I I AND CLUB THUMB SLIDE H I II 1' ll! IIIIIII |I COMBINED GOLF DISTANCE-JUDGING AND CLUB SELECTOR DEVICE RELATED APPLICATIONS None.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION more apparent upon a reading of the following brief description, considered and interpreted in view of the accompanying drawings.

In the sport of golf one of the prime requisites for v skillful playing of the game is the abilityto judge the distance to the'flag pole in approaching the green.

Often times because of circumstances golfers will either under-club or over-club a shot with the result that 1 'DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART In the past manydevice's have been proposed to cure this deficiency, and generally these include devices of a range-finder type which will accurately measure the distance to any given object, such as a flag pole.

Invariably, however, these devices have been bulky, expensive, and rather difficult to use, with the result that the same have found little commercial acceptance among the golfing fraternity.

As regards the professional golfer, the accuracy of such devices is not precise enough to satisfy the needs of a touring professional, with the result that exact measurements from certain landmarks to the pin are usually undertaken by the professional in advance of playing a round so that he will have exact distance figures to aid him in selecting the appropriate club for a shot to the green.

Other factors also influence club selection such as wind conditions, the type of lie that the golfer has, and whether the same is uphill or downhill or sidehill, but the primary consideration is distance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has been discovered that an extremely inexpensive device can be provided for achieving most of the above desired requisites of judging distance and giving an indication of the proper club to be used, with the device being relatively compact and capable of being carried in the pocket of the golfer during the playing of a round.

It has been found that this objective can be achieved by providing an envelope-type device having at least one window opening therein and further having a separate card which may be inserted into the envelope for registration with one edge of the window. Certain indicia are provided on the card, and it is possible to judge the approximate distance from the golfer to the target area by viewing through the window and sliding the detachable card so as to bring the flag stick into view in the window. At this point in time the indicia can be referred to to ascertain the distance and the proper club selection.

It has also been discovered that this device lends itself to mass production and, further, that the same has ample room on the faces thereof for the imprinting of advertising material ofa person who desired to give the same away as an advertising specialty.

Production of an item meeting the above requirements accordingly becomes the principal object of the invention, with other objects of the invention becoming OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved device.

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is aview taken on the lines 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the improved card and envelope.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1 thereof, the improved device generally includes an envelope 10 having a card 11 insertable therein, with these components also being shown in FIG. 4.

- Preferably the envelope and card are of identical material, such as stiff paper, with the envelope being provided with

windows

13 and 14 while the card 11 is provided with two sets of indicialS and 16 thereon, as well as certain printed

directions

17,18 that are provided for the purpose of instructing the user in operating the device.

With reference to the

windows

13 and 14, each window has at least two straight-

edge surfaces

20 and 21 that are parallel with each other and with the window opening 13 being approximately the same size as the space occupied by the indicia l5 and 16.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 3, it will be noted that the envelope includes opposed faces 10a and 10b, with the window 13 being cut through the faces 10a and 10b as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, for example. Window 14 need only be cut through face 10a if desired.

In use or operation of the improved device, the same will come to the user in the approximate condition shown in FIG. 4.

All that is required to activate the unit for operation is to insert the card 1 1 through the open edge of the envelope 10. Because of the fact that the card is designed to fit snugly within the envelope, the same may be freely slidable therein, and as noted in FIG. 2 when the card is positioned within the confines of the envelope, the indicia 15 will be fully present and viewable within the confines of the window 13.

To judge distance it is merely necessary to place the thumb of the user on the portion of the card that is exposed in the window 14 and slide the card downward in the direction of arrow 30 (see FIG. 1) to the position where the window is partially exposed for viewing purposes. At this time the user will hold the card at eye level and sight on the flagpole. He will then merely slide the card down until such time as the flagpole, which is usually of a given height of 7 feet, is fully viewable through the open space as shown in FIG. 1. When this is done, a reading can be taken through window 13, with that reading indicating the approximate distance and with a reading through window 14 giving the appropriate club to be used.

It is also noted that the rear face 10b of the envelope lends itself to the employment of suitable advertising or other promotional material on behalf of the person who is sponsoring the item.

' While a full and complete description of the invention has been set forth in accordance with the dictates of the Patent Statutes, it is to be understood that the in- 3 4 vention is not intended to be limited to the specific window to the height of an object of substantially form herein shown. known height as viewed by the user from 21 Accordingly, modifications of the invention may be known distance. resorted to without departing from the spirit hereof or 2. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the the scope of the appended claims. 5 fact that said object of substantially known height is a What is claimed is: golf flagpole. l. A distance-judging device of the character de- 3. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the scribed, comprising; presence of a second set of indicia carried by said card A. a flat generally rectangular envelope-like member and adapted to register with said one straight line edge having to indicate the appropriate golf club to be used. 1. at least one open edge and opposed faces, 4. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the 2. at least one through window opening provided presence of therein, A. a window opening a. said window opening having at least two paral- 1. provided in one face of said envelope member lel straight line edges parallel to two side edges and of said envelope-like member; and 2. having at least two parallel straight line edges, B. a flat card one of which lies in a plane that is coextensive 1. having the approximate dimensions of said envewith the plane of one of the straight line edges of lope and being adapted to be slidably inserted said through window opening; therein, and B. said card having a second set of indicia thereon 2. having at least one indicia scale thereon adapted adapted to register with said straight line edge of to register with one of said straight line edges of said window opening to indicate appropriate golf said window of said envelope whereby distance club selection. can be judged by sliding said card to open said

Claims

1. A distance-judging device of the character described, comprising; A. a flat generally rectangular envelope-like member having 1. at least one open edge and opposed faces, 2. at least one through window opening provided therein, a. said window opening having at least two parallel straight line edges parallel to two side edges of said envelope-like member; and B. a flat card 1. having the approximate dimensions of said envelope and being adapted to be slidably inserted therein, and 2. having at least one indicia scale thereon adapted to register with one of said straight line edges of Said window of said envelope whereby distance can be judged by sliding said card to open said window to the height of an object of substantially known height as viewed by the user from a known distance.

2. at least one through window opening provided therein, a. said window opening having at least two parallel straight line edges parallel to two side edges of said envelope-like member; and B. a flat card

2. having at least one indicia scale thereon adapted to register with one of said straight line edges of Said window of said envelope whereby distance can be judged by sliding said card to open said window to the height of an object of substantially known height as viewed by the user from a known distance.

2. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the fact that said object of substantially known height is a golf flagpole.

2. having at least two parallel straight line edges, one of which lies in a plane that is coextensive with the plane of one of the straight line edges of said through window opening; B. said card having a second set of indicia thereon adapted to register with said straight line edge of said window opening to indicate appropriate golf club selection.

3. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the presence of a second set of indicia carried by said card and adapted to register with said one straight line edge to indicate the appropriate golf club to be used.

4. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the presence of A. a window opening