U.S. patent application number 11/383014 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-29 for golf course du jour.
Invention is credited to WilliamJ Oakley.
Application Number | 20070072692 11/383014 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37894804 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070072692 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Oakley; WilliamJ |
March 29, 2007 |
Golf Course Du Jour
Abstract
A system is provided for a golf course wherein a golf course
comprises a course of land with a plurality of tee areas and a
plurality of greens, each tee area being selectively associated
with at least two selected greens. Preferably, the course has six
greens.
Inventors: |
Oakley; WilliamJ;
(Mooresville, NC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RONALD L. HOFER
122 LINDBERGH LANE
MOORESVILLE
NC
28117
US
|
Family ID: |
37894804 |
Appl. No.: |
11/383014 |
Filed: |
May 12, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60680842 |
May 12, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
473/169 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 69/3691
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/169 |
International
Class: |
A63B 69/36 20060101
A63B069/36 |
Claims
1. A golf course system having a course of land with a plurality of
tee areas and a plurality of greens, each tee area being
selectively associated with at least two selected greens.
2. The golf course system of claim 1 wherein said system has six
greens.
3. The golf course system of claim 1, wherein each tee area is
selectively associated with a selected green by GPS guidance to
guide the player from tee to selected green.
4. The golf course system of claim 1, wherein each tee area is
selectively associated with a selected green by a computer software
program.
5. The golf course system of claim 4 wherein said software program
drives a display of tee areas, green locations, and fairways
therebetween.
6. A computer program containing data of a golf course of land with
tee areas, green locations, course requirements, and a plurality of
fairways between said tee areas and green locations and operative
to apply selected course criterion to said data to generate a
course of play between selected tees and selected greens.
7. A method of designing a plurality of golf courses on a plot of
land, said method including the steps of: (A) inputting locations
of tee areas, green locations and course areas into a computer data
base; and (B) programming a computer program with a golf course
design program for selectively choosing tee areas and associated
greens in response to criteria selected by the designer.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said course design is inputted
into a device on a golf cart having a GPS device to provide course
information to a golfer.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of
provisional U.S. application Ser. No. 60/680,842 filed May 12,
2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to golf courses. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a system which
facilitates the changing of golf courses and the play thereon.
[0003] Golf is generally played on conventional golf courses of
nine or eighteen holes. Although conventional golf courses are very
popular and generally have been successful, conventional golf
courses are subject to several limitations. Some of the limitations
are related to efficiencies and other limitations are related to
convenience of use.
[0004] For example, a conventional golf course generally does not
make efficient use of the land. A conventional golf course occupies
a substantial amount of real estate and is expensive to build and
to maintain. This expense is generally passed on to the golfer who
must pay a relatively high fee to play the course. Furthermore,
conventional golf courses are limited in the sense that changes to
the golf course play are usually limited to slight changes of
location of the tee boxes and to moving the cup position on the
greens. Substantial changes of tee box location and moving the
greens themselves are normally too expensive to undertake and would
involve inconvenience to the users of the course if undertaken
during the golfing season. Thus, most of the variety of playing a
conventional golf course is dependant upon inconsistent shots
provided by the player himself. The golf course remains the same
from month to month and simply does not offer much variety to the
play of the course. Also, since the course remains the same,
players tend to follow the same cart pathways from tees to greens,
which can lead to excessive wear and tear on the pathways.
[0005] Furthermore, a considerable percentage of the land occupied
by a conventional golf course is not utilized for golf play. The
land may be aesthetically pleasing, but may be considered
underutilized. Sometimes weddings, receptions, parties or the like
are held on golf course land, but generally such events interfere
to a great extent with the use of the golf course and so they are
not cost efficient or the best use of the land. Walking paths
suffer a similar disadvantage and are generally not available on
golf courses The choice of which golf course to play is usually
limited to courses which are located nearby. Hence, most golfers
have a limited number of golf courses available for play. Many
golfers play the same course many times until the course becomes
routine and uninteresting. Again, it should be noted that the
managers of conventional golf courses are able to change their play
only with difficulty and at considerable expense.
[0006] Another limitation concerning conventional golf courses
relates to their convenience. As mentioned above, since golf
courses tend to remain static, a player desiring a variety of
courses must travel a distance to find different courses. Also,
play on a conventional golf course is often slow, particularly if
the course is crowded with average players. Play may be slowed
because of players looking for lost balls. Furthermore, some golf
courses have limited signage and navigation from green to the next
tee could be facilitated. Similarly, strangers to a course may have
difficulty ascertaining which green is to be played from a
particular tee.
[0007] Thus, it would be advantageous if a system were provided
which could increase the efficiency of use of the land occupied by
a golf course. It would be particularly desirable if the cost of,
and/or time required for, a round of golf were reduced. Of course,
it would also be desirable if one course could be readily modified
to provide different play at the same handicap or different
handicap so that golfers could play the same course without
repetition. It also would be desirable if speed of play could be
increased by reducing the time spent looking for lost golf balls.
Still further, it would be desirable to reduce times that players
are confused regarding the correct cart path to follow. And it
would be beneficial if wear and tear on the grass of a golf course
were reduced by controlling the pathways used by carts on the grass
areas.
[0008] These and other advantages of the present invention will be
apparent from the following specification and claims taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In accordance with the present invention, a system is
provided for a golf course. A preferred golf course system
comprises a course of land with a plurality of tee areas and a
plurality of greens, each tee area being selectively associated
with at least two selected greens. Preferably, the course has six
greens.
[0010] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention,
the golf course system includes a course of land having a plurality
of tee areas and a plurality of greens, each tee area being
selectively associated with at least two greens and course play is
determined by GPS devices which guide the player around the course.
Optionally, and preferably, the course and/or each golf cart is
provided with golf ball tracking devices which display the golf
ball path on the golf cart to facilitate location of the golf ball
on the course.
[0011] In still another preferred embodiment, a selected golf
course design is generated by use of a compute. The computer has a
data base of possible tee areas, cart paths, green locations,
course area, and course requirements. The course design is
selectively programmed by use of the computer and then used to
program navigation devices located on each players cart so that
each player has guidance to each tee area and associated green in
sequence. Optionally, acceptable cart paths are programmed into the
data base by using a GPS equipped cart which can be driven along
acceptable paths while its route is input into the computer
database.
[0012] In accordance with the method of the present invention, a
golf course is designed by: [0013] (A) inputting locations of tee
areas, green locations and course areas into a computer data base;
[0014] (B) programming a computer program with a golf course design
program for selectively choosing tee areas and associated greens in
response to criteria selected by the designer; and [0015] (C)
programming the course design into a navigation device on each golf
cart to provide guidance to each golfer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0016] FIG. 1 is a plan view diagram of a preferred embodiment of a
golf course of the present invention utilizing an elongated section
of real estate;
[0017] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the course of
FIG. 1 indicated by circle 2 in FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the course of
FIG. 1 indicated by circle 3 in FIG. 1;
[0019] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the course of
FIG. 1 indicated by circle 4 in FIG. 1;
[0020] FIGS. 5 to 7 are each plan view diagrams of alternative
designs of preferred golf courses of the present invention, each
design utilizing the same real estate as the golf course of FIGS. 1
to 4;
[0021] FIG. 8 is a plan view diagram of a preferred embodiment of a
golf course of the present invention utilizing a generally
parallelogram shaped piece of real estate; and
[0022] FIGS. 9 to 16 are each plan view diagrams of alternative
designs of preferred golf courses of the present invention, each
design utilizing the same real estate as the golf course of FIG. 8;
and
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, a golf course of the present invention
is indicated generally by the numeral 10. Course 10 is intended to
represent a typical piece of land suitable for golf course use and
is shown as having a hazard, creek 12, out of bounds limit 14,
roughs 16 and trees 18. Golf course 10 also has general fairway
area 20. Six greens, G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, and G6 are positioned on
general fairway area 20. Golf course 10 also has general tee area
22 extending around the outer perimeter of fairway area 20.
Selectively positioned on general tee area are tee boxes T1, T2,
T3, T4, T5 and T6, each of which is associated respectively with a
corresponding green as explained in more detail in the
following.
[0024] The design of golf course 10 with six greens allows for play
of a round of golf of 6 holes in a relatively short period of time.
Of course, more or less than six greens can be employed within the
scope of the present invention. However, selecting six holes can be
advantageous as explained in more detail in the following.
[0025] It is intended that the tee boxes of golf course 10 will be
relocated on a regular basis to provide a variety of playing
conditions for golfers on the course. Thus, tee boxes T1, T2, T3,
T4, T5 and T6 are shown in the locations indicated in FIG. 1 for
play on respective fairways F1, F2, F3, F4, F5 and F6 to respective
greens G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, and G6. This course arrangement or
configuration is referred to as configuration 1.
[0026] As best illustrated in FIG. 2, play from tee box T3 to green
G3 along fairway F3 is indicated by pathway P3. It is intended that
a par golfer will hit first shot to point A, second shot to point B
and third shot onto green G3. Then two putts would be for par
5.
[0027] As best illustrated in FIG. 3, play from tee box T5 to green
G5 along fairway F5 is indicated by pathway P5. It is intended that
a par golfer will hit first shot to point C and then a second shot
to the green G5 where two putts would be for a par 4.
[0028] As best illustrated in FIG. 4, play from tee box T6 to green
G6 along fairway F6 is indicated by pathway P6. It is intended that
a par golfer will hit first shot to point D and then a second shot
to green G6 where two putts would be for a par 4.
[0029] When desired, however, the course play can be substantially
changed by moving the tees to new locations as illustrated in FIG.
4 and indicated at T1a, T2a, T3a, T4a, T5a and T6a to provide play
on corresponding new fairways. And, of course, play can be
substantially changed again by moving the tee boxes again as is
further illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. There are an infinite number
of possible positions along tee area 22 for tee boxes and, hence,
an infinite number of possible course configurations. Thus,
alternative golf courses utilizing the same real estate as the golf
course 10 are shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 and indicated generally by the
numeral 100, 200 and 300. Golf courses 100, 200 and 300 well
illustrate just three of the many golf course designs which are
available in accordance with the present invention.
[0030] As further illustration of the present inventive concept,
FIG. 8 shows a golf course having a somewhat parallelogram shape
with intermediate rough grass areas 402, out of bounds limit 404,
and a plurality of trees 406. Golf course 400 also has a plurality
of fairway areas F. Six greens G are positioned on respective
fairway areas. Golf course 400 also has general tee area 408
extending around the perimeters of the fairway areas. Selectively
positioned on the general tee area 408 are tee boxes T.
[0031] The tee boxes T of golf course 400 can be readily
repositioned as desired to provide for a plurality of new courses.
Further examples of a variety of golf courses which can be designed
using the present invention are illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 16, each
of which represents a different golf course utilizing the same real
estate as the golf course of FIG. 8.
[0032] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the
present concept provides for a wide variety of golf courses on one
plat of real estate. It is contemplated that in one preferred
embodiment of the present invention, each player will have
available for his or her use a GPS (Global Positioning System)
driven graphic display which will set forth the specific course to
be played. Of course, it may be necessary to employ WAAS (Wide Area
Augmentation System) assisted devices for sufficient navigation
accuracy.
[0033] Each selected course can be readily designed on a computer
and then downloaded to the GPS driven displays which may be, for
example, attached to golf carts. The display can show the path to
the first tee, the path from the first green to the second tee, the
path to the second green, and so forth. Furthermore, each golf cart
may be equipped with a GPS locating device which reports its
position to a central computer which then adjusts the cart paths of
each cart to minimize tracking of carts over the same grass. In
this way, wear and tear on the course can be minimized. Also, with
position reporting, the location of each players' cart can be known
to a course manager who can locate the progress of each player and
make adjustments to tee times or the like to speed play.
[0034] It would be further desirable and is within the scope of a
preferred embodiment of the present invention to have a system for
following or predicting the paths of golf balls struck by the
golfer. Such a system could be set up on the course itself by, for
example, utilizing a multiplicity of digital cameras connected to a
central computer or could be set up on each golf, for example by
utilizing sensors for determining the velocity vector of each ball
struck by a golfer. The velocity vector, taken in combination with
the characteristics of the particular ball, wind, topography, etc.
can be provided to a computer for calculating the location of the
landing area of the ball. Then, the display can show the golfer the
path from the present position to the landing area. This
information would be of great help in reducing the number of lost
golf balls and the time spent by golfers looking for balls. Play of
the golf course would be faster than conventional play and the
enjoyment of the golf course by the average player would be
increased because the player would waste little or no time looking
for golf balls. With this system, each cart could be programmed to
select unused paths to go from its present position to the location
of the landing area of the ball just hit. Still further, the
appropriate paths could be programmed into the computer by driving
a golf art on acceptable paths and recording the path on the golf
cart or the central computer. Still further, this system could be
utilized to record game statistics, for example, the lengths of
drives, the longest drive, the average drive, the number of drives
on the fairway, the score for each hole, etc.
[0035] It will also be appreciated that to manually design so many
golf courses would require substantial time and effort. Thus, it
would be highly desirable to design courses using the aid of a
computer and such design method is contemplated to be within the
scope of the present invention.
[0036] It is contemplated that use will be made of a computer
software program for generating course design. A suitable program
will have tee areas, green locations, course area, and course
requirements programmed therein. Then a course design can be
selectively programmed by use of the computer software and then
used to program navigation devices located on each players cart so
that each player has guidance to each tee area and associated green
in sequence.
[0037] In accordance with the method of the present invention, a
selected golf course design is made by the method of: [0038] (A)
inputting locations of tee areas, green locations and course areas
into a computer database; [0039] (B) programming a computer program
with a golf course design program for selectively choosing tee
areas and associated greens in response to criteria selected by the
designer; and [0040] (C) programming the course design into a
navigation device on each golf cart to provide guidance to each
golfer.
[0041] While specific preferred embodiments of the present
invention have been described, it will be appreciated by those
skilled in the art that the present invention is subject to
modification without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the invention be
limited only by the following claims.
* * * * *