Golf Player Aid with Stroke Result Forecasting

• US 20070129178A1
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Appalachian Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Appalachian Technology LLC
• Inventors: Reeves, Goodwyn
• Granted Patent: US 9,656,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/407
• 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 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/50 Force related parameters
• 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: A63B 71/0616 Means for conducting or scheduling competition, league, tournaments or rankings
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0669 Score-keepers or score display devices

Abstract

A portable handheld device for collecting and displaying golf round data. The data collected for each stroke includes the location, time, and club used and the resulting ball position achieved. Before each drive or approach shot player skill level, course layout information, and player location on the course are used together with the club selected by the player to forecast the result of the next stroke. Putt break prediction information is provided before each putt. Information that a stroke has been taken and which club was used can be entered manually or sensed automatically from telemetry equipped clubs.

Claims

1. A method of using a computing device to forecast the result of a golf stroke, the method comprising:

a) storing performance data in a memory;

b) receiving an input indicative of a selected club;

c) determining a range or probable outcomes of a golf stroke based on the performance data stored in memory and the selected club; and

d) displaying the range of probable outcomes to the player on a display connected to the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the performance data represents typical performance of a particular player.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the performance data represents typical performance for a selected group of players.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an input comprises receiving a signal emitted by the selected club.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an input comprises receiving user input via an input device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said input indicative of a selected club is automatically generated.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a range of probable outcomes of a golf stroke comprises determining the likely ball travel distances.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a range of probable outcomes of a golf stroke comprises determining a probable landing area on a golf hole within which the ball will probably land.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein displaying a range of probable outcomes to the player comprises displaying a graphical representation of at least a portion of the golf current golf hole showing the probable landing area.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the probable landing area is indicated by a scatter plot of likely ball locations after a stroke.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a range of probable outcomes to the player includes displaying the ball travel path on a graphical representation of at least a portion of the current golf hole.

12. A method of using a computing device to forecast the result of a golf stroke, the method comprising:

a) storing golf course putting green data in a memory;

b) determining a player'"'"'s current location on a current golf hole;

c) determining an outcome of a golf putting stroke based on the golf course putting green data stored in memory and the player'"'"'s current location; and

d) displaying the outcome to the player on a display connected to the computing device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein determining a player'"'"'s current location on a golf hole comprises receiving location signals with a positioning receiver operatively connected to the computing device and determining the player'"'"'s current location based on the locating signals.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein determining an outcome of a golf putting stroke based on the golf course data comprises determining the likely break of a putted ball from a straight line between the player'"'"'s current location and the cup.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein determining the likely break of a putted ball comprises storing break data derived from a series of test putts in memory and determining the likely break of a putted ball based on the stored break data.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein determining the likely break of a putted ball comprises storing topographical data in a memory and computing the likely break of a putted ball based on the stored topographical data.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein displaying the outcome comprises displaying break information on an alphanumeric display.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein displaying the outcome comprises displaying the likely ball travel path on a graphical representation of at least a portion of the current golf hole.

19. A golf aid comprising:

a) memory for storing performance data;

b) a processor to determine a selected club and to determine a range of probable outcomes of a golf stroke based on the selected club and the performance data stored in memory; and

c) a display to display the range of probable outcomes of the golf stroke.

20. The golf aid of claim 19 wherein the memory stores performance data representing the typical performance of a particular player.

21. The golf aid of claim 19 wherein the memory stores performance data representing the typical performance of a selected group of players.

22. The golf aid of claim 19 further comprising a detector connected to the processor to detect a signal emitted by a golf club and generate a detection signal, and wherein the processor determines the selected club based on the detection signal from the detector.

23. The golf aid of claim 19 further comprising an input device connected to the processor to receive user input, and wherein the processor determines the selected club based on user input.

24. The golf aid of claim 19 wherein the range of probable outcomes determined by the processor includes a range of ball travel distances.

25. The golf aid of claim 24 wherein the display is an alphanumeric for displaying the range of ball travel distances.

26. The golf aid of claim 19 wherein the range of probable outcomes determined by the processor includes a probable landing area on a golf hole within which the ball will probably land.

27. The golf aid of claim 26 wherein the display is a graphical display that shows the probable landing area on a graphical representation of at least a portion of the current golf hole.

28. The golf aid of claim 19 wherein the display is an alphanumeric display.

29. The golf aid of claim 26 wherein the probable landing area is indicated by a scatter plot of likely ball landing locations.

30. A golf aid comprising:

a) memory for storing golf course putting green data;

b) a processor to determine a player'"'"'s current location on a golf hole and to determine an outcome of a golf putting stroke based on the player'"'"'s current location and the golf course putting green data stored in memory; and

c) a display to display the outcome of the golf putting stroke.

31. The golf aid of claim 30 further comprising a receiver connected to the processor to receive signals indicative of the current location, and wherein the processor determines the player'"'"'s current location based on the received signals.

32. The golf aid of claim 31 wherein the received signals are location signals from a positioning system.

33. The golf aid of claim 30 wherein the outcome determined by the processor includes the likely break of a putted ball.

34. The golf aid of claim 33 wherein the memory stores break data derived from a series of test putts and the processor determines the likely break of a putted ball based on the stored break data.

35. The golf aid of claim 33 wherein the memory stores topographical data and the processor determines the likely break of a putted ball based on the stored topographical data.

36. The golf aid of claim 33 wherein displaying the outcome comprises displaying break information on an alphanumeric display.

37. The golf aid of claim 30 wherein the display is an alphanumeric display.

38. The golf aid of claim 30 wherein the display is a graphical display.

39. The golf aid device of claim 38 wherein the display shows a representation of the forces acting on the putted ball.