Divot hit/portable golf practice mat

• US 5,888,147 A
• Filed: 10/06/1997
• Issued: 03/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William E. Luedtke
• Original Assignee: William E. Luedtke
• Inventors: Luedtke, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US08/944,128
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 473/278, 473/393
• US Class Current: 473/278
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3661 Mats for golf practice, e.g. mats having a simulated turf, a practice tee or a green area

Abstract

A portable golf practice mat comprised of two independent pieces of a divot and an anchor working in conjunction with each other that is extremely portable to the extent that it can be carried in any standard golf bag due to it'"'"'s small size and flexibility yet performs well with a full swing and standard golf ball simulating the feel and forgiveness of a natural fairway and maintaining a level lie by replacing a natural divot with an artificial grass divot of equal size, made of any commercially available artificial grass, that is anchored to the ground for continuous shots, anywhere.

Claims

1. A portable artificial grass golf practice mat small in dimensions of 12 inches long by 3.5 inches wide, lightweight, and flexible enough to be carried in any golf bag that simulates the "give" of a natural fairway turf and provides for the proper swing plane arc of a golf shot when a golf ball is resting on the top by providing a level lie with the surrounding surface by replacing a natural divot created upon executing a golf swing with an artificial grass divot with said artificial divot of two piece construction of any commercially manufactured artificial grass material comprising a front divot piece for hitting balls that moves forward freely and returns automatically to it'"'"'s original position via use of elastic rubber bands attached to the back end and a back anchor piece which secures the apparatus via golf tees to the ground and provides a base for the divot piece to return absorbing the return force of the divot piece and controlling it'"'"'s return direction through the use of parallel plastic tracks through which the elastic rubber bands which secure the divot piece to the ground pass uninterrupted for maximum elasticity and absorption of force, thereby, allowing for the smallest size mat as all materials used and in the hitting area are golfer friendly and do not cause damage or injury upon contact.

2. A golf practice mat of claim 1 wherein said artificial turf mat comprising two piece construction of a divot and an anchor piece independent of each other but working in conjunction with each other performing separate functions:

a) a divot piece comprising an artificial grass surface of the smallest dimensions to hit golf balls, that being 3.5 inches wide or the width of a golf club, either an iron or fairway wood, and long enough to provide distance from the anchor piece in the event of a mishit of 8 inches providing a good comfort zone without generating too much force by minimizing the size to remain secured by golf tees and

b) said divot piece having elastic rubber bands attached to it using nylon cord for extra strength in case of mishit which said bands fasten to the ground using golf tees and said bands are of such elasticity to provide significant movement of divot piece forward to absorb force generated by the downward blow of a club and to provide the "give" associated with a natural turf shot and

c) an anchor piece comprising an artificial grass mat 4 inches long by 3.5 inches wide which fastens to the ground via golf tees providing stability for continuous shots by providing enough mass to offset and absorb the return force expelled by the returning divot piece to its original position next to the anchor piece, and housing parallel plastic tracks on the bottom side through which the elastic rubber bands attached to the divot piece pass, controlling the direction of movement of the divot piece, thus eliminating the need for an additional series of bands that by necessity in a small mat would be in the hitting area and

d) said divot and anchor pieces comprising independent pieces adjoining via elastic rubber bands attached to the divot piece and passing freely through the plastic tracks attached to the anchor piece, then fastening together at the back end of the anchor piece, preventing them from passing back through the plastic tracks, thus adjoining the two pieces to form one device and eliminating the need for a rigid frame or heavy base to attach hitting area to for stability which would in turn eliminate the portability of any such apparatus, divot piece is anchored to the ground and anchor piece is anchored to the ground causing the ground to become the base.

3. A golf practice mat of claim 1 wherein said artificial turf mat comprising two piece construction of a divot and an anchor piece independent of but working in conjunction with each other wherein said divot has attached to it'"'"'s bottom side 1 inch or more from the front end, 12 inch elastic rubber band(s) extending lengthwise along the divot piece and the anchor piece housed in parallel plastic tracks also attached to the bottom side of the divot piece and said band(s) fasten to the ground using golf tees and are of such elasticity to provide significant movement of divot piece forward to absorb the force generated by the downward blow of a club and to provide the "give" associated with a natural turf shot and the anchor piece providing stability for continuous shots by fastening to the ground (surface) using golf tees and securing the elastic rubber band(s) attached to the divot piece, thus, controlling the direction of movement and also providing enough mass to offset and absorb the return force expelled by the returning divot piece to its original position next to the anchor piece.

4. A two piece golf practice mat of claim 1 comprising of materials that are available for use such as artificial grass turf with thin rubber cushion base for the divot and anchor pieces and bongie cord for the band(s) wherein said divot piece, anchor piece, and band(s) provide the same functions of the device.