Apparatus and method for computing and outputting golf ball putting instructions

• US 7,220,187 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Golf Equipment Solutions Corporation
• Original Assignee: Golf Equipment Solutions Corporation
• Inventors: Schmidt, Philip A., Schmidt, Gary E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones; Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsu; Ryan
• Application Number:
  US10/652,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20040121859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 473/131, 473/151, 473/225, 473/241, 473252-253, 473/404, 473/407, 473/409, 473198-199
• US Class Current: 473/199
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3676 for putting A63B69/3608, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3697 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities

Abstract

Apparatus and a method for computing and outputting a putting backstroke instruction for a planned putt of a golf ball during recreational play. A computing means includes means for initializing or customizing according to a specific golfer putting on a specific golf green, the golfer putting at least one initializing putt a pre-selected distance on a level area of a green. During recreational play thereafter, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the golfer, for each segment of a planned putt enters the applicable grade and length. The computing means outputs to the golfer an instruction for the length of the backstroke recommended, i.e., required for the planned putt. Another embodiment of the invention requires the inputting of the length of the planned putt but excludes the inputting of the grade of the green.

Claims

1. Apparatus for computing and outputting putting instructions for a planned multi-segment putt of a golf ball on a putting green, said apparatus comprising:

A. portable, self-contained computing means including input means and output means;

B. means for initializing said computing means by inputting into said computing means a golfer'"'"'s putting backstroke initializing data, said data being developed by;

(i) the marking of a pre-selected distance on a pre-selected grade of a putting green, said pre-selected distance being marked between two points on said putting green,

(ii) said golfer putting at least one golf ball from the first of said two points toward the second of said points so as to have a golf ball so putted reach and/or stop close to said second of said points, the length of the backstroke of the putting stroke of said golfer which caused said golf ball to reach and/or stop close to said second of said points being noted, and

(iii) the inputting of said noted length of said backstroke into said computing means;

C. means integral with said computing means and characterized by having a menu of choices of a plurality of different putting green grades so that, for each segment of said planned multi-segment putt, a green surface grade selection may be inputted into said computing means; and

D. additional means integral with said computing means so that the length of each segment of said planned multi-segment putt may be inputted into said computing means;

whereby, for said planned multi-segment putt of a golf ball from an initial position on the surface of a golf green to a cup on said green, said input means of said initialized computing means may be used to sequentially input, for each segment of said planned multi-segment putt, into said computing means;

(i) the pre-determined green surface grade of said each segment, and

(ii) the measured length of said each segment, said computing means further including means for the sequential totalizing, for said planned multi-segment putt of a golf ball on a multi-segment putting green, of the respective pre-determined green surface grades and measured lengths of the segments of said planned multi-segment putt, following which an instruction may be obtained from said output means of said computing means for the recommended length of backstroke for said golfer to use for said planned multi-segment putt so that the golf ball so putted will travel into or close to said cup on said golf green.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said output means of said computing means is a visual display.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said input means of said computing means is a keypad means.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said input means of said computing means is an artificial intelligence means.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said input means of said computing means may be manually manipulated.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said output means of said computing means provides an audible signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said visual display is a display screen.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said visual display is a media printout.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pre-selected distance is marked on a level area of said putting green.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for modifying said inputting of said backstroke initializing data by inputting a distance different from said pre-selected distance.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for modifying said inputting of said backstroke initializing data by inputting data representative of a pre-selected green surface grade.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said menu of green surface grades includes a level grade, at least one uphill grade and at least one downhill grade.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for modifying the computation of the magnitude of the backstroke instruction by said computing means in accordance with a determination and an input to said computing means by the golfer of the path of an intended putt across a specific green and wherein said path has a component against the grain of the grass of said green.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for modifying the computation of the magnitude of the backstroke instruction by said computing means in accordance with a determination and an input to said computing means by the golfer of the path of an intended putt across a specific green and wherein said path has a component with the grain of the grass of said green.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pre-selected grade is a substantially level area of a putting green.

20. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said artificial intelligence means comprises audio sound actuated means.

15. Apparatus for computing and outputting a putting instruction for a planned multi-segment putt of a golf ball on a putting green, said apparatus comprising:

A. portable, self-contained computing means including input means and output means;

B. means for initializing said computing means by inputting into said computer means a golfer'"'"'s putting backstroke initializing data, said data being developed by;

(1) marking a pre-selected distance on a putting green, said pre-selected distance being marked between two points on said putting green,

(ii) said golfer putting at least one golf ball from the first of said points toward the second of said points so as to have a golf ball so putted reach and/or stop close to said second of said points, the length of the backstroke for the putt which caused said golf ball to reach and/or to stop close to the second of said points being noted, and

(iii) inputting into said computing means said noted length of said backstroke; and

C. means integral with said computing means for the inputting into said computing means the length of each segment within said multi segment planned putt;

whereby, for said multi-segment planned putt of a golf ball from an initial position on the surface of a golf green to a cup on said green, said input means of said initialized computing means may be used to input the measured length of said multi-segment planned putt said computing means further including means for the sequential totalizing, for said multi-segment putt of a golf ball on a multi-segment putting green, of the respective pre-determined green surface grades and measured lengths of the segments of said multi-segment planned putt, following which an instruction may be obtained from said computing means for the recommended length of backstroke for said golfer to use for the planned multi-segment putt so that the golf ball so putted will travel into or close to said cup.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further including additional means integral with said computing means for inputting into said computing means the grade of said golf green for said planned multi-segment putt.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further characterized by said additional means including a menu of grades.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said menu of grades includes a level grade, at least one uphill grade, and at least one downhill grade.