Interactive golf driving range facility

• US 6,322,455 B1
• Filed: 09/10/1999
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mark Benjamin Howey
• Original Assignee: Mark Benjamin Howey
• Inventors: Howey, Mark Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RADA, ALEX P
• Application Number:
  US09/393,367
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 273/245, 273/317.2, 273/333, 273/404, 463/3, 463/5, 463/54, 473/131, 473/140, 473/141, 473/145, 473/146, 473/151, 473/154, 473/157, 473/163, 473/166-167, 473/168, 473/173, 473/190, 473/191, 473/192, 473/198, 473/199, 473/221-226, 473/238, 473/407, 473/409
• US Class Current: 473/168
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0037 on a target surface or at impact on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0043 Systems for locating the point of impact on a specific surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/00 Targets or goals for ball games golf cups A63B57/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3694 for driving only

Abstract

An interactive golf driving range and practice facility including an apparatus and method for detecting the down range impact of golf balls, for processing information derived from the impact data, for providing the golfer with statistical information, and for providing the golfer with feedback relating to accuracy and distance and for displaying useful information while presenting the golfer with a variety of skill challenging, instructional and competitive options. The present invention further provides for selective video recording and playback of the golfer'"'"'s swing for instructional use and for improving swing mechanics.

Claims

1. An interactive golf practice facility comprising:

a plurality of hitting areas, each hitting area including at least one generally horizontal planar hitting surface from which a golfer hits golf balls;

a landing area including at least one fairway target area and at least one green target area, each of said target areas spaced from each of said plurality of hitting areas;

an impact sensing mat generally horizontally covering each of said at least one fairway target area and said at least one green target area for determining the actual impact location of golf balls impacting on one of said target areas, said mat incorporating an electro-mechanical impact detection system for measuring the location of golf ball impact on the mat, said impact sensing mat being actuated by direct physical contact between a golf ball and the mat;

computer hardware means electrically connected to said impact sensing mat, said computer hardware means including a central processing unit, input hardware and output hardware, said output hardware including a display monitor located proximal said hitting area;

computer software means for instructing said computer hardware means to process data received from said impact sensing mat, said computer software means capable of receiving impact data from said impact sensing mat and causing said display monitor to display a graphical representation of one of said target areas, said computer software means further capable of processing impact data received from said impact sensing mat and causing said display monitor to display icons representing the location of golf balls on said impact sensing mat.

2. An interactive golf practice facility according to claim 1, wherein said computer software means is responsive to input from a user and input from said impact sensing mat for enabling golfers to play a golf target game wherein a target is selected and a plurality of shots are hit by the golfer to said target, said display means displaying a corresponding graphical representation of said selected target, whereby a golfer hits a plurality of golf balls from one of said hitting areas to said selected target, said impact sensing mat detecting golf ball impacts and providing input to said computer for determining the impact locations of said golf balls, said display means graphically displaying icons corresponding to said impact locations in overlaying relation with said graphical representation of said selected target, said software means calculating accuracy by determining the distance between said selected target and each impact location.

3. An interactive golf practice facility according to claim 1, wherein said computer software means is responsive to input from a user and input from said impact sensing mat for enabling golfers to play a simulated round of golf whereby said software means sequentially designates target areas for eighteen simulated holes, said display means displaying corresponding graphical representations of designated target areas, whereby a golfer hits a golf ball from one of said hitting areas to the designated target area, said impact sensing mat providing input to said computer for determining an impact location of said golf ball, said display means graphically displaying an icon in overlaying relation with the graphical representation of said designated target area, said icon representing the impact location of said golf ball relative to said designated target area, said software means determining the remaining distance to each hole based on the previous shot data and designating a target corresponding to said remaining distance, said target comprising one of a fairway target area, a green target area, or a chipping/putting target area;

said computer software means further including a routine for determining a score.

4. An interactive golf practice facility according to claim 3, further including a golf ball collection area disposed adjacent each of said target areas.

5. An interactive golf practice facility according to claim 1, wherein said target areas include a sloped top surface.

6. An interactive golf practice facility according to claim 5, further including means for returning golf balls from said collection area to said hitting areas.

7. An interactive method for practicing golf at a facility having a hitting area from which a golfer hits golf balls, a landing area spaced from the hitting area and including a plurality of target areas toward which the golfer hits golf balls, the driving range facility including an impact sensing mat disposed in generally horizontal covering relation with each tar,et area for determining the actual landing location of golf balls by sensing impacts, electronically connected to a computer processing means having a video display monitor located in proximity to the hitting area, said method including the steps of:

(a) creating a virtual golf course having 18 virtual holes, each hole having a corresponding length measured in yards;

(b) storing said virtual golf course on storage media electronically connected to said computer processing means;

(c) selecting a first target area from said plurality of target areas, said first target area spaced from said hitting area a distance corresponding to a first landing area for a first hole of said virtual golf course, and displaying a graphic representation of said selected target area on a video display monitor located in proximity to said hitting area;

(d) determining, the actual landing impact location of a golf ball hit at said target area from said hitting area relative to said first target area and calculating the distance traveled by said golf ball;

(e) displaying an icon corresponding to the location and distance where said golf ball impacts relative to said first target area on said video display monitor simultaneously with said computer generated representation of said target area for indicating the location of said golf ball relative to said target area;

(f) selecting a second target area from said plurality of target areas, said second target area selected to provide a target area spaced from said hitting area by an approach distance, said approach distance being determined by subtracting the distance traveled by the golf ball on the previous shot from the total hole distance corresponding to said first hole of said virtual golf course, and displaying a graphic representation of said second selected target area on a video display monitor located in proximity to said hitting area;

(g) determining the actual landing impact location of a golf ball hit from said hitting area relative to said second selected target area and calculating the distance traveled by said golf ball;

(h) repeating steps (f) and (g) until the approach distance is less than a predetermined distance whereafter the golfer putts the ball on a putting green into a cup to complete the first hole.

8. An interactive method for practicing golf at a facility according to claim 7, further including the steps of:

(i) repeating steps (c) through (h) for holes two through eighteen respectively.

9. An interactive outdoor golf practice facility comprising:

a hitting area including a generally horizontal planar hitting surface from which a golfer hits golf balls;

a generally horizontal target area, said target area spaced from said hitting area;

an impact sensing mat disposed in covering relation with said target landing area, said impact sensing mat comprising an electromechanical impact detection system actuated by direct contact between a golf ball and the sensing mat, said sensing mat including means for determining the actual impact coordinates of golf balls landing on said target area, said impact sensing mat capable of generating an output signal corresponding to said impact coordinates;

computer hardware electrically connected to said impact sensing mat, said computer hardware including a central processing unit, input hardware and output hardware, said output hardware including a display monitor located proximal said hitting area;

computer software means for instructing said computer hardware means to process data relating to impact coordinates received from said impact sensing mat, said computer software means generating a graphical representation of said target area based on dimensional data corresponding to the size and shape of said impact sensing mat, said computer software means further capable of processing impact data received from said impact sensing mat and causing said display monitor to display icons representing the actual impact location of a golf ball landing on said target area.