Patent Application
20120190480
The present disclosure relates generally to a golf aid, particularly for use during the play of golf to aid in estimating yardage to a green or other target.
A particularly difficult problem that confronts golfers is estimating the distance from the golfer's ball to the green or any desired shot location. Distance to these points or across certain obstacles determines club selection, and without an accurate determination of this distance, club selection is merely a guess on the part of a player. If the guess is wrong, even where the line of travel is accurate, the shot will be either too short or too long and thus prevent an optimum score.
The problem is particularly acute where the golfer is not familiar with the golf course. Each golf hole is unique in layout and topographical features. If a golfer plays the same course a number of times, he or she becomes aware of these unique features and is able to utilize different landmarks or features relative to his or her own capability and to do a relatively satisfactory job in club selection from various points on the course.
However, on a course where the golfer has never played, or simply is not overly familiar with course layout, distance, features and the like, his or her score will likely be much higher simply from the inability to accurately determine the distance from the golf ball to the target area on each shot.
Most golf courses provide yardage markers and flags in various places on each hole. These markers are always distances from the fairway and usually indicate approach line distance. Not every shot lands on the fairway and thus it is common to play a golf shot from areas referred to as “rough.” Estimating a distance to the green from the rough can be difficult. Estimating improperly will effect club selection and thereby increase the possibility of overshooting or undershooting the green.
Laser rangefinders can provide accurate distance estimates to a desired location, like a flag stick in the middle of a green; however, these devices are expensive and require batteries and recharging. Other distance estimator tools provide aerial views of a specific golf course with distance measurements provided on each specific hole. This requires reproduction of a specific course and is not helpful for other golf courses. Moreover, it typically requires several pages to capture each individual hole.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a universal distance estimator display or tool that can be generated for a relatively low cost and accessible for any golf course or any golf hole.
The present disclosure relates to a golf aid. The golf aid includes: (a) a display defining a length axis and a perpendicular width axis; (b) a target displayed adjacent one end of the display; (c) an elongated fairway extending along the length axis of the display from a fairway end adjacent the target to an opposite fairway end; (d) a plurality of distance indicators increasing in increments from the target along the length axis and width axis of the display; and (e) a plurality of distance arcs curving circumferentially a radial distance from the target corresponding to equal length and width distance indicators. The arcs intersect the corresponding length axis perpendicularly. In an example the display defines a rectilinear geometry. The arcs can be spaced apart in uniform increments. The target can resemble a green as an intended target for a particular golf hole. The green can further include a flag displayed as a particular target location on the green resembling a target hole from which the distance indicators are measured. The arcs can be defined in an area of the display adjacent one side of the fairway representing non-fairway locations of a golf hole. The non-fairway location represents a rough associated with a particular golf hole. The distance indicators represent yardage distance from the center of the target. In an example, the display is formed on a front side of a card. A back side of the card can further display a table of distance values corresponding to estimated distance from the target based on distance away from the fairway. In a further example, the back side of the card includes a decorative illustration or a logo associated with a particular entity which may further include a label portion for placing an individual name.
In yet an even further example, the display can be formed electronically on a computing device. The computing device can be a portable computing device such as a smart phone or a tablet. The electronically formed display can further be coupled to a global positioning systems (GPS) operable on the computing device wherein precise location of a player or ball is visible on the display.
The present disclosure further provides for a method of estimating distance away from a green of a golf hole comprising the steps of: (a) providing a display defining a length axis and a perpendicular width axis and including: (i) a target displayed adjacent one end of the display; (ii) an elongated fairway extending along the length axis of the display from a fairway end adjacent the target to an opposite fairway end; (iii) a plurality of distance indicators increasing in increments from the target along the length axis and width axis of the display; and (iv) a plurality of distance arcs curving circumferentially a radial distance from the target corresponding to equal length and width distance indicators, wherein the arcs intersect the corresponding length axis perpendicularly; (b) selecting a position relative to the target corresponding to a ball location of a golf shot; (c) corresponding the selected position of the ball location with a distance indicator defined on the display.
Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
a-2c illustrate the example of
The present disclosure provides for a golf tool or aid. Referring to
In an example, display 10 includes a fairway 20 adjacent a length side 11. Fairway 20 is elongated along and parallel with the length axis-Y defining a first elongated side 21 adjacent length side 11 and an opposite second elongated side 23. Fairway 20 extends from a first end 22 near the first width side 12 and an opposite end 24 adjacent the second width end 14. Fairway 20 can define a substantially uniform width from first elongated side 21 and second elongated side 23. The width of fairway 20 is less than the width of width sides 12, 22. Accordingly, the width of the fairway only occupies a portion of space of the display 10. In a further example, fairway 20 can include a decorative color and or decorative design to provide a more aesthetic appearance. In a particular embodiment, the fairway is illustrated with a color, green in this example resembling fairway grass, and having a textured look with dots or dashes disposed therein.
In the example shown in
Display 10 includes a non-fairway spatial portion 50 that can be referred to as “rough” generally representing areas around and about the fairway. Although most golfers intend to land shots on the fairway, often the golf shots miss the fairway and land in the rough. The rough 50 is typically associated with harder golf shots compared to those of equal distance from the fairway. Typically distance estimations from shots out of the rough are more difficult (as compared to fairway shots) since yardage markers are positioned in the fairway and the approach line to the green has shifted. Moreover, the grass is typically longer and the ground is more uneven in the rough causing an added degree of difficulty. In this example, rough 50 represents all space on display 10 that are not occupied by the fairway 20 or green 30.
Display 10 includes a set of increasing numbers 15 along the length axis-Y. In this example, these numbers represent yardage distance indicators 15 from the green 30. In this example, the yardage indicators 15 increase in ten yard increments starting at 20 yards from the center of the green 31. The distance indicators 15 are provided along and adjacent first elongated side 21 of fairway 20 and also adjacent first length side 11 of display 10. In this example, the yardage indicators 15 increase from 20 yards away from the center of the green 31, in even ten yard increments, to 150 yards away from the center of the green 31. It is noted that variations in the distance indicator distances are within the scope of the present disclosure. Yardage indicators 15 increase from the center of the green 31 along fairway 20 to opposite end 24. In an optional embodiment, a 100 yard marker 25 is provided as an indicator or dot as shown in
Display 10 further includes a set of increasing numbers 16 along the width axis-X. These numbers represent yardage distance indicators 16 from the center 31 of green 30. In this example, the yardage indicators 16 increase in ten yard increments starting at 20 yards from the center of the green 31. The distance indicators 16 are provided adjacent first end 22 of fairway 20 and also adjacent first width side 12 of display 10. In this example, the yardage indicators 16 increase from 20 yards away from the center of the green 31 in even 10 yard increments to 80 yards. It is noted that variations in the distance indicator distances are within the scope of the present disclosure. Yardage indicators 16 increase from the center of the green 31 along the width side 12 to opposite second length side 13. Yardage indicators 16 represent width distance away from the center of the green 31 spanning across the fairway 20 and rough 50.
Superimposed on the rough 50 are a plurality of spaced apart lines or arcs 51. Each arc 51 curves circumferentially from the width side 12 to the fairway 20 a radial distance from the center of the green 31. Each arc 51 can be marked with a distance measurement corresponding to a distance marking on both yardage indicators 15 and 16. In this example, the arcs 51 increase in identical 10 yard increments corresponding to the increased increments of yardage indicators 15 and 16. Each arc 51 curves from the width end to the length end interesting the direct lines of the incremental indicators 15 and 16 and those intersections are perpendicularly. Moreover, indicators 15 and 16 intersect with each other at the center of the green in a perpendicular relationship as shown in
In an example method of use, a golfer can land a shot anywhere in the rough. Without a display 10, the golfer may falsely estimate the distance the shot is away from the green based on yardage indicators provided in the fairway. Having a display 10, the golfer can readily identify the yardage indicator on the fairway which shows a fairway distance from the center of the green and then correspond his ball position in the rough relative to the fairway yardage marker. This will correspond to a particular radial arc 51 which provides a more accurate distance estimation from the center of the green. A golfer is generally able to more accurately estimate a short distance such as the normal distance from his position to the fairway centerline, as compared to a longer distance such as the distance from his position to the final target (i.e., estimations without any other aids). In this way, the golfer reduces potential estimation errors and the display 10 provides the more accurate distance estimation. If the golfer knows his shot is a given distance from the green rather than trying to guess based on the fairway yardage marker, then a more educated club selection for the shot can be made resulting better distance estimation.
Referring to
In a further example as shown in
Referring to
Many modifications and variations of the present disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claim, the present disclosure may be practiced other than as specifically described.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/435,513, filed Jan. 24, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61435513 | Jan 2011 | US |
