U.S. patent number 3,599,980 [Application Number 04/778,106] was granted by the patent office on 1971-08-17 for concentrated golf game.
Invention is credited to Jesse E. Harmond, Jack O. Smith.
United States Patent |
3,599,980 |
Harmond , et al. |
August 17, 1971 |
CONCENTRATED GOLF GAME
Abstract
A golf course including an enclosed area at one end of an
elongated fairway. The enclosed area includes driving tees, ball
dispensers, turf for chipping shots, sand traps, putting greens and
bleachers for spectators. The fairway is generally dish-shaped and
includes a plurality of target greens. Balls are returned to the
dispensers at the tees by a pneumatic system connected to the cups
in the putting greens, the cups in the target greens and an opening
at a low point of the dished fairway. Electrical indicators are
provided to indicate when a hole-in-one is scored.
Inventors: |
Harmond; Jesse E. (Corvallis,
OR), Smith; Jack O. (Salem, OR) |
Family
ID: |
25112324 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/778,106 |
Filed: |
November 22, 1968 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/153; 473/166;
473/168 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B
69/3691 (20130101); A63B 47/002 (20130101); A63B
2047/028 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
47/00 (20060101); A63B 69/36 (20060101); A63B
47/02 (20060101); A63b 067/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/176,201 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Marlo; George J.
Claims
We claim:
1. A golf game comprising:
a building having a plurality of side-by-side golf tee areas at one
end thereof and bleacher seats at an opposed end, said tee areas
and said bleacher seats being spaced from one another;
a turf area and a putting green area for each tee area, said turf
areas being adjacent to, respectively, its associated tee area,
each of said putting green areas being adjacent said bleacher seats
and spaced from its associated turf area;
a first golf ball cup for each putting green area;
roofing means extending across said tee areas, turf areas, putting
green areas and said bleacher seats;
said golf game further including an elongated golf course fairway
extending longitudinally away from said one end of said building
and being formed of a plurality of sections of which one section
slopes downwardly away from said one end of said building to join
one end of a second section sloping upwardly and away from said one
end of said building, third and fourth sections sloping downwardly
and inwardly towards said first and second sections from the
remotely disposed sides thereof, and downwardly and inwardly
sloping fifth and sixth sections connecting with the remotely
disposed end of said second section;
golf green areas on said fist and second sections;
second golf ball cups for each, respectively, golf green area;
golf-ball-dispensing means at each tee area; and
means including pneumatic means connected with all of said cups and
an opening at the low point defined by the intersection of said
first and second sections for collecting and delivering golf balls
entering in said cups and said low point to said dispensing
means.
2. A golf game as defined in claim 1 and:
a walkway extending between said tee and turf areas to provide
access to selected ones of said tee areas.
3. A golf game as defined in claim 2 and:
a sand trap area extending between said turf and putting green
areas.
4. A golf game as defined in claim 3 and:
spectator protective screen means depending from said roof means
and being positioned between said bleachers and said putting
areas.
5. A golf game as defined in claim 4 and:
electrical means connected with each of said second cups to
indicate a hole-in-one.
Description
The present invention relates to an all-weather concentrated golf
game which uses conventional golf clubs and golf balls and presents
all of the normal hazards to be overcome by the golfer while
simultaneously eliminating most of the walking normally required in
a game of golf.
The protected area in which the game is played has thermostatically
controlled heat for player comfort The fairway is illuminated so
that the game may be played at night. This combination facilitates
year-round day or night play, rather than being limited to daytime
fair-weather play, as is the case in normal golf courses.
Prior art golf games have failed to provide all of the hazards of
the normal game and have not been so arranged as to virtually
eliminate the walking normally associated with a round of golf.
In general, the present invention consists of a course having three
spaced apart greens arranged at varying distances from the tee and
has a plurality of tee positions to drive toward the greens. A
ball-return system is provided for returning the balls from the
course to the tees without the necessity of individual retrieval of
the balls. A series of putting greens in the protected area are
related to the tees for putting out each of the holes played. A
series of sandtraps are also provided along with a series of roughs
so that all types of hazards may be encountered and overcome in the
playing of the game.
The primary object of the invention is to provide a concentrated
golf game which is usable year-round, day and night, which requires
all of the skill required to play a normal golf course and has all
of the hazards normally encountered in the game.
Another object of the invention is to provide a golf game of the
class described above which is partially indoors and is so arranged
to eliminate most of the walking associated with ordinary games of
golf.
A further object of the invention is to provide a golf game of the
class described above which is substantially less expensive to
build and play than a normal golf course and which can be located
in more congested areas than a normal golf course.
A still further object of the invention is to accelerate play and
accommodate more players at one time.
Another object is to increase the safety of the players by
eliminating the necessity of players being on the fairways where
they could be hit with a driven ball and protection between the
tees, turf, sandtraps, and putting green in the sheltered area so
that stray chipped balls cannot strike players in other areas.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following
specification when considered in light of the attached
drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the golf course with the shelter roof
removed for convenience of illustration;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the golf course shown partially in
section for convenience of illustration;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of one of the sandtraps on the course;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3
looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of the hole-in-one indicator;
FIG. 6 is a semidiagrammatic view of the ball-return system from
the playing area;
FIG. 7 is a semidiagrammatic view of the ball-return system from
the putting greens;
FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view of the golf ball feed
mechanism;
FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 with a group of balls positioned
for delivery; and
FIG. 10 is an elevational view of the structures illustrated in
FIGS. 8 and 9.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like reference
characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the
reference numeral 20 indicates generally a concentrated golf game
constructed in accordance with the invention.
The golf game 20 is positioned partly in a building 21 provided
with a plurality of roof-supported lights 22 to illuminate the game
for night play. A bleacher 23 is positioned at one end of the
building to permit observation of the game by spectators. A loose
netting 24 is suspended from the roof 25 of the building 21 and
protects the spectators in the bleachers 23 from being struck by
golf balls. The golf course, generally indicated at 26, includes at
one end a plurality of tees 27 arranged in side-by-side relation
and separated by a metal screen 28 from adjacent tees to prevent
one player from injuring a player at an adjacent tee with a stray
ball. A walkway 29 extends along the rear of the tees 27 for easy
access to the tee position. A plurality of playing areas 30 are
positioned rearwardly of the tees 27 and walkway 29 and include a
turf area 31 covered with heavy synthetic simulated grass material
having central mats of thick long-bristled nylon having its upper
surface flush with the simulated grass material so iron and wood
clubs will not meet with resistance when striking the ball. The
playing area 30 also includes a sandtrap 32 filled with regular
river-run sand. A plurality of greens 33 are positioned rearwardly
of the playing areas 30 and each is provided with a cup 34 to
permit the putting out at any hole in the course.
The golf course 26 has a fairway including a downwardly and
outwardly sloping fairway section 35 bounded on opposite sides by
downwardly and inwardly sloping sections 36, 37. A generally
rectangular section 38 extends longitudinally from the section 35
and slopes upwardly from the junction line 39 therewith. A pair of
downwardly and inwardly sloping sections 40, 41 join the fairway
section 38 on opposite sides thereof, and a pair of triangular
sections 43 complete the golf course 26 and slope upwardly and
outwardly from the section 38 and the sections 40, 41. The sections
are delineated by lines 44 which are formed of plastic or
fiberglass material and are golden yellow in color for easy and
clear visibility. The lines 44 and the line 39 are convex in shape
to lay flush with the simulated grass covering each of the
sections, so as not to impede the roll of the ball. A generally
circular green 45 is formed centrally of the section 38 and has a
central circular area delineated by a line 46. The numeral 1 is
formed of plastic material golden yellow in color and is on the
circular green within the line 46. A concentric circle 47 surrounds
the line 46 spaced outwardly therefrom and a second concentric
circle 48 surrounds the circle 47 and is spaced outwardly
therefrom. The space between the line 46 and the line 47 has the
numeral 2 therein formed of plastic and golden yellow in color. The
space between the line 47 and the line 48 has the plastic numeral 3
positioned therein, also golden yellow in color. The lines 46, 47
and 48 are formed of plastic or fiberglass with a convex upper
surface so as to lie flush with the grass so as not to impede the
roll of the ball. The lines 46, 47 and 48 are each golden yellow in
color for contrast. A generally circular green 49 is positioned
generally midway of the golf course 26 and is intersected by the
juncture line 39. The green 49 has a central circular area
delineated by a line 50 and has a plastic numeral 2 formed of
plastic or fiberglass and golden yellow in color embedded therein.
A line 51 concentric with the line 50 surrounds the line 50 in
outwardly spaced relation thereto. A line 52 concentric to the line
51 surrounds the line 51 in outwardly spaced relation thereto. The
space between the line 50 and line 51 has a numeral 4 therein
formed of plastic or fiberglass and golden yellow in color. The
space between the line 51 and the line 52 has the numeral 5 therein
also formed of plastic or fiberglass and golden yellow in color.
The lines 50, 51, and 52 are each convex in cross section formed of
plastic or fiberglass and are golden yellow in color for contrast
with the simulated grass. The circular green 53 is positioned
generally centrally of the section 35 and has a circular central
green portion delineated by a line 54. A line 55 concentric to the
line 54 is arranged in outwardly spaced relation with respect
thereto and a line 56 is concentric with the line 55 and arranged
in outwardly spaced relation thereto. The space between the lines
54 and 55 has a numeral 4 mounted therein formed of plastic or
fiberglass and golden yellow in color for contrast. The space
between the lines 55 and 56 has the numeral 5 mounted therein
formed of plastic or fiberglass and golden yellow in color for
contrast. Each of the greens 45, 49, and 53 are provided with cups
57 generally centrally thereof. The central portion of the green 49
has the numeral 2 mounted therein formed of plastic or fiberglass
and golden yellow in color, and the green 53 has the numeral 3
mounted therein formed of plastic or fiberglass and golden yellow
in color. A plurality of simulated sandtraps 58 are distributed
throughout the course 26 and are lined with fiberglass 59 in order
that the action of a sandtrap can thus be simulated. Each of the
sandtraps 58 have a hole 60 opening through the low point thereof
and connected by a conduit 61 to an outlet 62 on the course 26.
The low points of the course 26 are provided with outlet holes 63
and the greens have their cups connected so as to feed the ball
downwardly to the lowermost outlets 63 and into a pneumatic
conveyor system generally indicated at 64. The pneumatic conveyor
system includes a blower 65, a conduit 66, and a ball tank 67 where
the golf balls are collected and distributed through a manifold
pipe 68 to a plurality of individual dispensers generally indicated
at 69.
The individual dispensers 69 each include a conduit 70 extending
from the manifold 68 into a box 71 as can best be seen in FIGS. 8,
9 and 10. The conduit 70 has a lower extension 72 projecting below
the box 71 terminating in an upwardly open delivery segment 73, as
seen in FIG. 9. A bar 74 is arranged to slide into and out of the
conduit 70 within the box 71 to retard the passage of golf balls 75
through the conduit 70. A second bar 76 is arranged to also slide
into and out of the conduit 70 to retard the passage of golf balls
75 therethrough at a point spaced well above the bar 74. A link 77
is connected to each of the bars 74, 76 and is arranged to swing on
a shaft 78 to withdraw one of the bars 74, 76 while moving the
other of the bars 74, 76 into golf ball obstructing position within
the conduit 70. The shaft 78 is journaled in the box 71 from
journals 79, 80, and is rigidly connected to a hand lever 81 which
can be actuated to move the link 77 in the desired direction to
dispense golf balls 75 as desired. A conventional coin-operated
mechanism generally indicated at 81A can be used to control the use
of the dispenser 69. A coil spring 82 normally urges the link into
a position wherein the bar 74 is in golf-ball-obstructing position
and bar 76 is in retracted position As can be readily seen in FIGS.
8, 9, and 10, the movement of the hand lever 81 in a direction to
move the bar 76 into the conduit 70 will also retract the bar 74
from the conduit 70 and permit six golf balls to drop into position
for delivery while the bar 76 prevents the remaining golf balls 75
from dropping to the dispensing area. As soon as the lever 81 is
returned to its regular position, the bar 76 is retracted and the
bar 74 is projected into the conduit 70 and the golf balls are
permitted to drop down into engagement with the bar 74 ready for
the next dispensing action.
A second pneumatic conveyor system 64A is identical in every
respect to the pneumatic conveyor 64 except that it is fed from the
putting greens through conduits 83 leading to manifolds 84 wherein
the balls are moved by air from a blower 65 through a conduit 66 to
a ball tank 67 leading to a plurality of individual dispensers 69
fed by a manifold 68 as described for the pneumatic conveyor system
64. The pneumatic conveyor 64 retrieves balls driven to the main
portion of the course while the pneumatic conveyor 64A retrieves
balls that are holed out in the putting greens.
In FIG. 5, a hole-in-one circuit system is illustrated which
signals the player that he has made a hole-in-one. A contact switch
85 is positioned in hole 1 to be contacted by the ball as it rolls
into the hole closing a circuit which includes a signal bulb 86, a
pair of signal bulbs 87, 88, and a bell 89. The signal bulb 86 is
behind a panel which, when illuminated, indicates the numeral "1"
and the signal bulbs 87, 88 are behind panels which indicate, when
illuminated, "hole-in-one". A contact switch 89' is arranged in
green 2 to cooperate with a bulb 90 as well as signal bulbs 87, 88,
and bell 89. The bulb 90 is arranged behind a panel which, when
illuminated, indicates numeral "2". A contact switch 91 is arranged
in the hole of green 3 and cooperates with a signal bulb 92, signal
bulbs 87, 88, and bell 89. The signal bulb 92 is behind a panel
which, when illuminated indicates "3". As can be seen whenever the
ball rolls into the cup, there is on the control panel an
indication of which cup the ball has rolled into and with the other
lights and bell, the hole-in-one is fully indicated to all
golfers.
It can be clearly seen from the above description that we have
provided a novel golf course for playing a game of golf which
requires very little walking on the art of the participants as
compared to the conventional game of golf when played on a regular
course. With this golf course, it is possible for players to form
teams and organize into various leagues depending on their playing
ability with the game being played more speedily, eliminating the
waste prevalent on regular golf courses. With this present golf
course, an instructor from a centrally located position can, by a
sound system, easily instruct and direct large groups of beginners
in all phases of golf. Another feature of the game is that it can
be played from tees that are arranged so that a player can
experience, each time that they start a new game, different
distances and different angles from which to drive a ball to the
fairway greens. The angle tee positions will somewhat simulate a
dogleg shot.
In the use and operation of the invention, a player chooses one of
the tee positions 27 and starts his first round of golf by driving
the ball to the number 1 or far green. If the ball lands on this
green and rolls into the cup, the player scores a hole-in-one and
starts the second round of golf by driving the ball to the number 2
or middle green. If the ball goes into the cup on this shot, the
player again marks a hole-in-one on his score card and starts the
third round of golf by driving the ball to a ball to a number 3 or
near green. Again, if a hole-in-one is made, the player starts a
fourth round of golf by driving the ball to the number 1 or far
green again. The play is alternated between the greens in this
fashion until the complete round of golf to the desired number of
holes is played.
If, when starting the first round of golf, the ball stops on the
green, the player will go back to the putting surface 33 and drop
his next ball at the approximate distance from the cup that the
ball stopped from the cup on the fairway green, then putt out.
After totaling the number of strokes it took to hole out the ball,
the player returns to his assigned tee and starts the second round
of golf by playing the ball to the number 2 or middle green.
If, in the first round of golf, the ball stops in a circled area
surrounding the number 1 green, the player will drop his next ball
onto the heavy turf 31 and chip to the cup on the adjacent putting
surface, then putt out as before.
If, at anytime, a ball lands in a simulated sandtrap 58, the player
will drop his next ball into the sandtrap 32 and chip or blast out
to the adjacent putting surface, then putt out as before.
If, in the first round of golf, the ball hooks or slices into areas
40, 41, the next ball is played from the tee to the number 2 or
middle green. If first ball is over or short of the green and stops
in area 35 the next ball is played from the tee to the number 3
green. When playing ball to the number 1 hole, ball must stop
beyond horizontal line 39 and beyond the circled areas of the
number 2 green or player must take a one-stroke penalty and play
next ball with the number 1 green.
After player holes out on the first round of golf and scores his
strokes, he returns to the tee and starts second round of golf
playing ball with the number 2 or middle green. This ball must stop
beyond the number 3 or near green and the circle surrounding same
or player takes a one-stroke penalty and plays the next ball to the
number 2 green. When playing the second round of golf same rules on
following strokes applies on the first round of golf as well as
penalties.
After ball is putted out on the second round player returns to tee
and starts third round of golf playing ball to number 3 or near
green. Again same rules apply until ball is putted out after which
player returns to tee and starts fourth round of golf playing ball
to the number 1 or far green. All subsequent rounds of golf are
played in the same sequence, whether it be nine, eighteen, or more
rounds of golf.
Par for the number 1 green is 5; for the number 2 green is 4; for
the number 3 green, is 3; so that par for nine holes of golf is 36,
and 18 holes is 72.
Penalty stokes are assessed when ball stops outside of the course
in areas 36, 37, 42 and 43; when ball fails to go beyond horizontal
line 39 that adjoins the middle green or beyond the circle area of
this green when ball is being played to the number 1 or far green;
when ball, being played to the number 2 or center green, stops upon
the number 3 or near green or within the circle areas of the same
green; when ball hits the protective hanging net above the putting
surface, no hole-in-one is scored unless ball goes into cup of
green to which player is playing a first ball to.
Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it
should be understood that numerous structural modifications and
adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of
the invention.
* * * * *