Systems and methods for golf performance analytics

• US 8,708,841 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2008
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SkyHawke Technologies LLC (SkyHawke Technologies)
• Original Assignee: SkyHawke Technologies LLC (SkyHawke Technologies)
• Inventors: Doherty, Matthew P., Doherty, James F. III, Moore, William G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hylinski, Steven J
• Application Number:
  US12/012,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20080188330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,274 Days
• Field of Search: 473/131, 473/406, 473/407
• US Class Current: 473/406
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3605 Golf club selection aids informing player of his average or expected shot distance for each club
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports

Abstract

Systems and methods providing statistical analytics of golf performance including text, tabular, graphic, and image-based outputs that include trends information for the golfer, all based upon actual golf play on course situations, wherein the golfer inputs shot data during play, without interrupting the flow of the game, and uploads the shot data for analytics and review online.

Claims

1. A system for providing statistical analysis for golf performance of a user comprising:

a portable input device constructed and configured to capture shot data, including GPS data, during the golf play of a golfer, the device further configured to transmit the shot data to a computer for review and analysis of the shot data;

the portable input device comprising a graphical user interface configured to accept user inputs independent of the physical location of the user;

the computer further including software operable for providing statistical analysis of the shot data;

wherein the user inputs are a series of corresponding starting points and user-defined target areas;

wherein each of the target areas not being a pinpoint target is created by a single input; and

wherein the statistical analysis includes outputs relating to the golfer'"'"'s golf performance over a predetermined period.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the statistical analysis of the shot data includes outputs selected from text, tabular, diagrammatic, image-based outputs, and combinations thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the statistical analysis includes trends in the golfer'"'"'s golf performance over a predetermined period.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device is a handheld device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device has GPS functionality.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is a remote server computer (RSC) and the shot data is uploaded from the device to the RSC through a communications network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the unit is operable to receive from the golfer shot data inputs including GPS data relating to golf shots, and wherein the unit is operable to transfer the shot input data to the computer for analysis to be performed by software operating thereon.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the GPS data includes for at least one golf shot GPS data relating to at least a starting point, a target area and an end point where the golf ball came to rest after the golf shot.

9. The system of claim 1, further including a unique user identification associated with each golfer that is usable by the golfer to access a remote server computer for uploading his data, and for modifying and adding information, including secondary information.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the secondary information is selected from course conditions, weather, golfer status, equipment specifics, shot corrections, penalty shot positions, and combinations thereof.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the unit automatically converts English units of measurement to metric equivalents and/or metric units of measurements to English unit equivalents.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device is configured to be retrofitted to existing GPS golf play units.

13. A method for providing statistical analysis of golf performance of a golfer comprising:

the golfer inputting shot data through a graphic user interface, the shot data including corresponding coordinates for a series of shots including a start point and user-defined target areas throughout a course of play using a GPS-enabled input device;

wherein each of the target areas not being a pinpoint target is created by a single input;

the user uploading the shot data to a remote server computer;

wherein the portable input device is configured to provide inputs and target areas independent of the physical location of a user;

software operable on the computer performing statistical analysis of the shot data associated with the golfer; and

the software providing analytics outputs to the user via a display having a second graphical user interface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the statistical analysis includes trends in the golfer'"'"'s performance over a predetermined period.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the golfer selects review options provided on a graphical user interface on a display.

16. The method of claim 13, further including the step of entering penalty shot information including actual ball location for the purpose of shot accuracy in a penalty shot situation.

17. A method for providing statistical analytics of golf performance comprising:

providing a GPS-operable device with a graphic user interface configured to accept inputs from a user relating to golf shot data during play on a course;

uploading the golf shot data including GPS data and user-defined target areas to a computer having software for providing analysis of the data;

wherein the portable input device is configured to provide inputs and non-pinpoint target areas independent of the physical location of a user;

wherein each of the target areas is created by a single input; and

providing outputs including analytics of the data, wherein the outputs are viewable by the user via a graphic user interface on a display, including text, tabular, graphic, and image-based outputs that include trends information for the golfer, all based upon actual golf play on course situations, wherein the golfer inputs shot data during play, without interrupting the flow of the game, and uploads the shot data for analytics and review online.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the analytics includes text, tabular, graphic, and image-based outputs that include trends information based upon the shot data input by the user.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the shot data is based upon actual golf play on course situations.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the golfer inputs shot data during play.