This invention relates to an apparatus for measuring the relative speed of a golf putting green. More particularly, this invention relates to an improvement in an existing apparatus for measuring the relative speed of a golf putting green.
As is known, the relative speed of a golf putting green can be determined using a STIMPMETER® apparatus. In this regard, the STIMPMETER® apparatus allows one to make a standard measurement of—and place a numerical figure on—the speed of a putting green. Typically, the device is an extruded aluminum bar, 36 inches long, with a V-shaped groove extending along the entire length, a tapered end and a ball-release notch 30 inches from the tapered end (the end that rests on the ground). The underside of the tapered end is milled away to reduce bounce as a rolling ball makes contact with a green. In use, the bar is laid on a green or in a slightly inclined position, and a golf ball is placed in the, notch. The bar is then slowly raised until the ball starts to roll down the groove leaving the bar and coming to rest on the green. This procedure is repeated two more times from the same point on the green with two more golf balls.
Assuming the balls stop within a prescribed 8-inch limit, a tee is inserted in the green at the average stopping point of the three golf balls and the distance from the starting point is obtained.
The same procedure is repeated by positioning the end of the bar at the tee and rolling the three golf balls back toward the initial starting point to obtain the distance of the average stopping point of the golf balls from the tee. The two obtained distances are averaged and recorded as the speed of the green.
The STIMPMETER® apparatus requires a level green and an area of approximately 10 feet by 10 feet. However, such a large flat area may not exist on many greens.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to be able to measure the speed of a green within a relatively small area of the green.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved STIMPMETER® device for measuring the speed of a green.
Briefly, the invention provides an apparatus for measuring the speed of a golf green comprised of an elongated body in the form of a bar having a pair of oppositely inclined parallel surfaces on each longitudinal side to define a ramp for rolling of a golf ball thereon and at least one notch in each ramp for positioning a golf ball therein.
In accordance with the invention, each notch is spaced from one end of the body at a different distance from the other notches.
The procedure for using the improved apparatus is the same as for a standard STIMPMETER® apparatus except that for small level areas of a green, i.e. less than 10 feet by 10 feet, each ball is rolled from a lower notch.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:
Referring to
The notch 12 is of conventional size, e.g. having a width of 1.25 inches across the body 10 and a height of 0.594 inches longitudinally of the body 10.
The body 10 has a tapered surface 13 at each end to allow the body to lie flat against a level green surface.
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The body 10 is also marked with a plurality of scaling factors on a flat lateral side 17 (not shown), each scaling factor corresponding to a respective one of the notches 12, 15, 16.
For example, the standard notch 12 is marked with a scaling factor of 1.00, the middle notch 15 is marked with a scaling factor of 1.83, and the shortest notch 16 is marked with a scaling factor of 3.34.
The body 10 may also have a scale (not shown) for measuring ball roll distance running on the opposite flat lateral side 17 from the scaling factors.
Referring to
For use on a green of a small level area, i.e. of less than 10 feet by 10 feet; the body 10 is turned over to present a shorter ramp down which a ball may roll. The body 10 is reversible so that a ball 20 may be rolled from one of two different heights depending on the smallness of the green area being tested.
For a relatively small area of level green, the average distance resulting from a ball 20 being rolled down the body 10 from the “shortest” ramp 16 is obtained using the standard steps for a standard STIMPMETER® apparatus. This averaged distance is then multiplied by a scaling factor of 3.34 to obtain the speed of the green.
For a larger size of level green, the average distance resulting from a ball 20 being rolled down the body 10 from the “middle” ramp 15 is obtained using the standard steps for a standard STIMPMETER® apparatus. This averaged distance is then multiplied by a scaling factor of 1.83 to obtain the speed of the green.
The invention thus provides a measuring apparatus that is able to measure the speed of a level green within a relatively small area of the green.
The invention further provides an improved STIMPMETER® apparatus for measuring the speed of a green using a relatively small level area of the green.