Golf yardage finder

• US 3,868,692 A
• Filed: 09/13/1973
• Issued: 02/25/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Patrick L. Hughes, Roland L. Woodard
• Original Assignee: Patrick L. Hughes, Roland L. Woodard
• Inventors: Woodard, Roland L., Hughes, Patrick L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Farley, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blum, T. M.
• Application Number:
  US05/396,731
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 343/112D 325/67 273/213
• US Class Current: 342/458
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/00 Golfing accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/36 for golf
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is directed to a golf yardage measuring device and system to provide a visual read-out of the distance between a golfer and a particular green on a golf course. A plurality of transmitter units are located throughout the golf course, one transmitter unit at each green, and each transmitter unit preferably being arranged to generate an RF signal of a different frequency. Each transmitter is adapted to radiate the RF frequency outwardly of the green over the approach fairway leading up to the green. Each golfer is equipped with a receiver unit to be carried while playing on the particular golf course. Each receiver unit is provided with means for selecting reception of any one of the plurality of transmitter units, preferably the selection corresponding to that transmitter unit upon which the golfer is approaching the green. When the receiver unit is tuned to the proper frequency to receive its appropriate transmitter signal the receiver will be activated to provide a direct indication on a read-out meter of the distance between the golfer and the green then and there being approached. This then allows the golfer to select the desired club for the approach shot.

Claims

1. A golf yardage distance measuring system to provide a visual read-out of the distance between a golfer and a green on a golf course, comprising in combination:

a plurality of transmitter units to be located at the green of each hole of a particular golf course, each transmitter adapted to radiate an RF signal outwardly from the green and over the approach fairway leading up to said green, a receiver unit to be carried by a golfer who is playing on said particular golf course, said receiver unit includes a meter read-out device and an RF signal strength detecting circuit coupled thereto to be responsive to one of said plurality of transmitter units, said read-out device being calibrated in a distance measurement corresponding to the distance measurement common to said particular golf course, said receiver unit includes an automatic gain control circuit responsive to the reception of RF signal energy transmitted from a selected one of said plurality of transmitter units, said automatic gain control circuit producing an output voltage having a value indicative of the distance between said transmitter unit and said receiver unit, said automatic gain control circuit including a calibrated meter for indicating the relative range of distances to be measured in the order of about between 0 and 200 yards;

whereby said receiver unit is activated by a selected one of said plurality of transmitter units to provide direct indication of said read-out device of the distance of said golfer and said selected one of said plurality of trasmitter units thereby allowing the golfer to know exactly which golf club to Use for the approach shot to the green.

2. The golf yardage distance measuring system to provide a visual read-out of the distance between a golfer and a green on a golf course, as set forth in claim 1 wherein, said read-out device is a meter forming a center leg of a balanced bridge circuit, said read-out device being responsive to the value of said automatic gain control circuit to produce an output reading responsive to the voltage value of said automatic gain control circuit.

3. The golf yardage distance measuring system to provide a visual read-out of the distance between a golfer and a green on a golf course, as set forth in claim 2 wherein, said balanced bridge circuit includes a pair of transister elements having the base electrodes thereof forming a connection across a common resistance bridge, said transisters having the emitter electrodes thereof connected together and to one leg of the bridge and the collector electrodes connected together and to the other leg of said bridge, said emitter electrodes being connected to said meter read-out device, and further including a resistance balancing device to calibrate said meter read-out device in response to the absence of a signal received from any one of said plurality of transmitter units.