SYSTEM, METHOD, AND COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIA FOR MANAGING AND PROCESSING GOLF DATA

• US 20140114451A1
• Filed: 10/18/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GKPS LLC
• Original Assignee: GKPS LLC
• Inventors: Kerr, Gilbert A., Shorthose, Paul G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,524,479 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/91
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/08 Sorting, i.e. grouping record carriers in numerical or other ordered sequence according to the classification of at least some of the information they carry by merging two or more sets of carriers in ordered sequence G06F7/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A system, method and non-transitory storage medium to manage and process golf game data, golf player data, handicap data, golf team data, and golf course data so as to organize and manage team-based groups or golf leagues of extended duration where asynchronous golf game play during some periods and synchronous game play during other periods on real golf courses and potentially different golf courses is possible. Extensive grouping, scoring, and ranking of golf teams as well as qualification-based tournaments are provided so as to create previously unseen effects of creating a strong community of interest in golfing and increasing the enjoyment and frequency of golf play.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a.) a computing device for entry of golf game data, handicap data, and team data for one or more golfers being part of one or more teams, wherein at least one of the one or more teams is in one or more groups;

b.) a data storage device for receiving the entered golf game data, the entered handicap data, and the entered team data from the computing device;

c.) a golf course data source having golf course difficulty information for one or more golf courses;

d.) a scoring engine configured to use the golf game data, the handicap data, the golf course difficulty information, and the team data to produce a score for each of the one or more teams; and

e.) a ranking engine configured to create ranking information of the one or more teams based on the scores produced by the scoring engine.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the computing device is a handheld computing device or a smartphone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the golf course difficulty information comprises SLOPE RATING data and COURSE RATING data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ranking information is created based on gross score information.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the golf game data comprises:

a.) a selected golf hole,

b.) an initial resting position of a golf ball preceding play of the selected golf hole,

c.) and each individual resting position of the golf ball throughout play of the selected golf hole.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the computing device determines at least some of the golf game data using Global Positioning System information received by the computing device.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the ranking engine is further configured to create the ranking information for the one or more teams in one or more groups separately for each group

8. The system of claim 7 wherein:

a.) the computing device is further for entry of demographic data,

b.) the data storage device is further for receiving the demographic data,

c.) and at least some of the one or more groups is established by at least some of the demographic data.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the demographic data comprises at least one of:

a.) gender data;

b.) data identifying schools attended by each of the one or more golfers;

c.) data about a golf course frequently visited by each of the one or more golfers;

d.) data identifying a residence of the one or more golfers resides;

e.) a state where each of the one or more golfers resides;

f.) data identifying an age of each of the one or more golfers;

g.) data identifying an employer of one or more golfers; and

h.) data identifying a golfing skill level of each of the one or more golfers.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein each of the one or more teams can belong to only one of the one or more groups.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein each of the one or more teams can belong to more than one of the one or more groups.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising a tournament organizing engine configured to select one or more subsets of the one or more teams using the ranking information for competition in a post-season tournament.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the tournament organizing engine creates the one or more subsets using demographic data.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the tournament organizing engine creates the one or more subsets using ranking information of the one or more teams based on the groups to which the one or more teams belong.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the tournament organizing engine organizes the post-season tournament to have one or more teams as champions at the end of the post-season tournament.

16. The system of claims 12 wherein the tournament organizing engine organizes the post-season tournament to have one or more teams as champions for each of the one or more groups at the end of the post-season tournament

17. The system of claim 1 further comprising a visualization device generating a report of the golf game data, the report comprising a visual representation of a selected golf hole and a visual representation of each resting position of a ball throughout play of the selected golf hole indicating a path of the golf ball, from an initial resting position to a pin for the selected golf hole and including all individual resting positions, associated with the visual representation of the selected golf hole.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the computing device is the visualization device.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is provided with a score entry interface configured to receive scores for multiple golf players in a team.

19. A method comprising the following steps:

receiving golf game data, handicap data, and team data for one or more golfers being part of one or more teams;

receiving golf course difficulty information for one or more golf courses;

receiving grouping data defining membership of at least one of the one or more teams in one or more groups;

calculating at least one score for the one or more teams using the golf game data, the handicap data, the golf course difficulty information, and the team data;

creating ranking information for the one or more teams using the at least one score for the one or more teams and using the grouping data; and

selecting one or more subsets of the one or more teams for participation in a post-season tournament using the ranking information.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the receiving further comprises:

receiving a plurality of player scores on a hole for all players of a team from a computing device via a computer network.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one player score among the plurality of player scores is received during a round of a game.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein all player scores are received after a round of a game is finished.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing computer code configured to:

receive golf game data, handicap data, and team data for one or more golfers being part of one or more teams;

receive grouping data defining membership of at least one of the one or more teams in one or more groups;

receive golf course difficulty information for one or more golf courses;

calculate at least one score for the one or more teams using the golf game data, the handicap data, the golf course difficulty information, and the team data;

create ranking information for the one or more teams using the at least one score for the one or more teams and using the grouping data; and

select one or more subsets of the one or more teams for participation in a post-season tournament using the ranking information.