Coaching aid for golf

• US 9,295,895 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SkyHawke Technologies LLC (SkyHawke Technologies)
• Original Assignee: SkyHawke Technologies
• Inventors: Doherty, Matthew P., Doherty, James F. III, Moore, William G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hylinski, Steven J
• Application Number:
  US14/265,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20140244012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0056 for statistical or strategic analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0691 Maps, e.g. yardage maps or electronic maps
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/70 Measuring or simulating ambient conditions, e.g. weather, terrain or surface conditions
• 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 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/36 for golf
• 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: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

Systems and methods providing statistical analytics of golf performance for coaching 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, and wherein all information related to a given user are reviewable by an authorized coach user through a web-based coach access account. The system is further operable to provide the coach user rights for providing corrective or instructive feedback to the user, including visual recommendations such as modified target areas.

Claims

1. A method for defining at least one target for statistical analysis of golf performance comprising:

providing a mobile device including a Global Positioning System (GPS) component, a graphic user interface and at least one input mechanism;

the device receiving at least one default target dimension and a default target shape;

the device receiving at least a first target position from the at least one input mechanism during golf play;

the GPS component determining GPS coordinates of a first starting position;

the device storing the GPS coordinates of the first starting position;

the device displaying a first target on the graphic user interface, wherein a first target center is equal to the first target position, a first target shape is equal to the default target shape and at least one first target dimension is equal to the at least one default target dimension;

the device determining a distance from the first starting position to the first target, wherein the distance from the first starting position to the first target is defined as a distance between the first starting position and a point where a line drawn from the first starting position to the first target position intersects the first target shape;

wherein the first starting position is a location of the device;

wherein the at least one first target dimension defines the dimensions of the first target shape.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the at least one default target dimension and the default target shape occurs before golf play.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one input mechanism includes a touchscreen on the graphic user interface or activatable components on the device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the default target shapes are selected from the group consisting of a square, rectangle, circle, triangle and oval.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one default target dimension includes a length and a width.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the device modifying the first target shape such that the first target does not extend outside of a fairway or a green.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the device receiving modifications from the at least one input mechanism, wherein the modifications include changing the at least one first target dimension, the first target shape and/or the first target position.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the device receiving a resting ball location;

the device calculating whether the resting ball location rested within the first target, and, if not, how far and in what direction the resting ball location is from the first target.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the device receiving at least a second target position from the at least one input mechanism;

the device displaying at least a second target on the graphic user interface, wherein a second target center is equal to the second target position, a second target shape is equal to the default target shape and an at least one second target dimension is equal to the at least one default target dimension.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the device performing analytics, the analytics including providing text, tabular, graphic and image based outputs that include trends information based upon the resting ball location and at least the first target position.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the device further includes a motion sensor operable to detect a swing motion, wherein the first starting position is the location of the device when the motion sensor detects the swing motion.

12. A method for defining at least one target for statistical analysis of golf performance comprising:

providing a mobile device including a graphic user interface, a Global Positioning System (GPS) component, at least one input mechanism, and a memory for storing historical data for an account;

the device receiving a default target shape;

the device receiving at least a first starting point, wherein the GPS component determines GPS coordinates of the first starting point;

the device storing the GPS coordinates of the first starting point;

the device receiving a first club from the at least one input mechanism during golf play;

the device retrieving the historical data for the account, wherein the historical data includes a first club average, wherein the first club average is equal to the average of shot distances made with the first club of the account over a range of time;

the device calculating and displaying a first target on the graphic user interface;

wherein a first target position is positioned a distance from the first starting point equal to the first club average and positioned along the center line of the fairway or center of the green;

wherein at least one first target dimension is equal to a default percentage of the first club average;

wherein a first target shape is equal to the default target shape

wherein the first starting point is a location of the device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein receiving the default target shape occurs before golf play.

14. The method of claim 12:

wherein the device further receives a first shot type from the at least one input mechanism during golf play;

wherein the historical data further includes a first club shot average;

wherein the first club shot average is equal to the average of shot distances made with the first club and the first shot type of the account over the range of time;

wherein the first target position is positioned a distance from the first starting point equal to the first club shot average.

15. The method of claim 12:

wherein the device further receives a course condition;

wherein the historical data further includes a first club condition average;

wherein the first club condition average is equal to the average of shot distances made with the first club under the course condition of the account over the range of time;

wherein the first target position is positioned a distance from the first starting point equal to the first club condition average.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one input mechanism includes a touchscreen on the graphic user interface or activatable components on the device.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the default target shapes are selected from the group consisting of a square, circle, and oval.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising the device modifying the first target shape such that the first target does not extend outside of a fairway or a green.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising the device receiving modifications from the at least one input mechanism, wherein the modifications include changing the first target shape, the at least one first target dimension, and/or the first target position.

20. A system for defining at least one target for statistical analysis of golf performance comprising:

a device including a touchscreen, a Global Positioning System (GPS) component, a processor and a memory for storing software thereon;

the touchscreen operable to receive inputs including a first starting position and a first resting ball location wherein the GPS component determines GPS coordinates of the first starting position;

the device storing the GPS coordinates of the first starting position;

the touchscreen further operable to receive a first target outline;

the processor operable to calculate whether the first resting ball location is within the first target outline, and, if not, how far and in which direction the first resting ball location is from the nearest point on the first target outline;

the processor further operable to calculate a percent error index equal to the division of the distance from the first resting ball location to the first target outline by the distance from the first starting position to the first resting ball location;

wherein the first starting position is a location of the device.