BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a game board according to the present golf board game.
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a left half portion of a game board illustrating terrain, hazards, and obstructions.
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a right half portion of a game board illustrating terrain, hazards, and obstructions.
FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of a list card and of a token and an isometric view of a die and scorecard.
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a list card and of a token and an isometric view of a die, a scorecard, and a stick-on flag of an alternative embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a rear elevation view of a list card.
FIG. 7 is a front elevation of a scorecard.
FIG. 8 is a rear elevation of a scorecard.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular FIGS. 1 through 8 thereof, example of the instant golf board game employing the principles and concepts of the present golf board game and generally designated by the reference number 10 will be described.
Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present golf board game 10 which comprises a rectangular game board 20, a plurality of tokens 70 representing a golf ball, a list card 80, a plurality of scorecards 90, and a die 100. Said game board 20 has a flat surface and comprises a left half portion 12 and a right half portion 14 continuously joined at a flexible seam 16. Said seam 16 accommodates folding together said left half portion 12 and said right half portion 14 of said game board 20 for transport and storage. Said game board 20 left half portion further comprises a left front edge 18, a left side edge 22, a left rear edge 23. Said right half portion 14 of said game board 20 further comprises a right front edge 24, a right side edge 26 and a right rear edge 28. Imprinted near said left front edge 18 and adjacent to said seam 16 of said game board 20 is a club house 30, which is in the form of a rectangular stick figure topped by a pentagon and which is imprinted with the indicia that represents a golf club house, such as the words “Club House”. Eighteen golf links 21 are imprinted on said game board 20. Said golf links 21 are imprinted on said game board 20 to resemble a real golf course. Each golf link 21 is numbered and its Par and Stroke Index are indicated within a tee box space 32. Each golf link 21 is comprised of said tee box space 32, a plurality of fairway spaces 34, a green area 37 and a greenside area 59. Said fairway spaces 34 are sequentially numbered, starting with 1 for the fairway space nearest said tee box space 32, and represent distance to a flag 36 on a green area 37 from said tee box space 32. Each green area 37 is an obround grid comprised of a middle route 54, a left route 55 and a right route 56. A player must follow either the middle route 54, left route 55, or right route 56 in which a flag 36 is placed. Said green area 37 is formed of three concentric circles, one of which is a center space 35, an inner circle 40 surrounding said center space 35 and an outer circle 42. A square inner grid space 39 positioned within the outer circle 42, between the highest numbered fairway space 34 for a golf link 21 and said inner circle 40, divides said green area 37 into said right route 56 and said left route 55 and is the beginning step of the middle route 54. A semi-circular inner green space 41 is the next step of the middle route 54 and is situated between said inner grid space 39 and said center space 35. Said center space 35 is the third step of the middle route 54. The fourth step of the middle route 54 is a semi-circular outer green space 43, which is situated between said center space 35 and a square outer grid space 45. Said outer grid space is the next step of the middle route 54 and is situated between said outer green space 43 and a rectangular off-green space 48. Said off-green space 48 represents an area in which a golf ball is over-hit and is the last step of said middle route 54, said left route 55, and said right route 56. Said inner grid space 39, inner green space 41, center space 35, outer green space 43, outer grid space 45, and off-green space 48 are sequentially numbered along with said fairway spaces 34. A flag 36 is imprinted on each green area 37. An alternative embodiment provides a stick-on flag 96, as shown in FIG. 5, as an alternate to flags 36 imprinted on said game board 20 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, thus allowing players to place flags according to their own imagination on said game board 20.
On said game board 20, an alternative route 62, represented by parallel dashed lines, is provided on the golf link 21 for Hole Number 6 and on the golf link 21 for Hole Number 17. Said alternative route 62 formed of fairway spaces 34 sharing a beginning space 72 with first fairway space of a golf link 21, continuing on a deviated path, and an ending space 73 with a fairway space of a golf link 21. Said alternative route 62 allows a player to choose between taking a longer and safer route around a water hazard 64 or a shorter and more risky route over a water hazard 64.
Referring to FIG. 2, said left half portion 12 of said game board 20 is illustrated. Said left half portion 12 generally contains golf links 21 representing holes 1 through 9. A golf link 21 representing hole 1 is located to the left of said club house 30. A first tee box space 52 for hole 1 is imprinted near said club house 30. Said first tee box space 32 contains the imprinted words “Hole 1”, “Par 4”, and “Index 10”. Near said first tee box space 32 are sequentially-numbered first-hole fairway spaces 34 imprinted on said game board 20 representing distance from said first tee box space 32 to a first hole flag 36 located on a first hole green area 37. Said first hole green area 37 is adjacent to highest numbered first-hole fairway space 34. A flag 36 is located within said first hole green area 37. An alternative route 62 consisting of sequential playing spaces is shown running along side said fairway spaces 34 for the golf link 21 representing Hole 6. Said alternative route allows a player to choose a safer route, as opposed to a riskier route going over a water hazard 64, marked with ‘w’, lying over fairway spaces 24.
Various symbols, explained in FIG. 6, are imprinted on said game board 20 for hazards, obstructions, and terrain features as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. For example, a plurality of bushes 65, each bush shown as X and a plurality of trees 66, each tree shown as a star, are imprinted on said game board 20 throughout non-rough areas 67, illustrated in stripes, and rough areas 68 and occasionally on a fairway space 34. Rough areas 68 are areas outside of fairway spaces 34, green areas 37 and greenside areas 59. A greenside area 59 is formed of spaces outside a green area 37 and adjacent to left route 55 spaces and right route 56 spaces of a green area 37. In addition, a plurality of fairway bunkers 63 and greenside bunkers 60, marked as “B”, are placed on various fairway spaces 34 and said greenside areas 59, respectively. A plurality of water hazards 64, labeled as ‘w’, are imprinted so as to run throughout the game board 20 golf course. A plurality of out-of-bounds 61, illustrated as ‘o’, are distributed alongside various fairway spaces 34 in various golf links 21. A plurality of bridges 69, shown as, are placed across water hazards 64, near fairway spaces 34, throughout the game board 20 as well.
FIG. 3 illustrates a right half portion 14 of said game board 20, said right half portion 14 continuously bounded to said left half portion 12 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) at a seam 16. Said right half portion 14 of said game board 20 generally contains golf links 21 representing holes 10 through 18.
Referring to FIG. 4, a token 70, a list card 80, a scorecard 90, and a die 100 are illustrated. A plurality of tokens 70 having a surface resembling the dimples on a golf ball are provided as game pieces. Said cube-shaped die 100 has six faces 102. Each such face 102 bears a non-duplicated number of eyes 104, from 1 to 6. Said list card 80 is comprised of a front side 82 and a rear side 84, shown in FIG. 6. Said front side 82 of said list card 80 provides an example of a set of rules for the preferred embodiment of the present golf board game 10 described herein and illustrating in the drawings, such rules providing the number of spaces a player may move such player's token dependent upon 1) the number of eyes 104 facing upwardly on a face 102 of said die 100 after a player throws said die 100, 2) the number of spaces indicated in the distances and outcome table for the roll of the die 100, the club used by such player, and for a putter, the number of spaces on the green area 37 from the token 70 ball to the flag 36.
Said front side of said list card 80 is a chart 85 labeled “DISTANCES AND OUTCOME”. Said chart 85 is divided into a first area 86a and a second area 86b. Said first area 86a and said second area 86b are divided into a club column 109 and six numbered columns—column1110, column2111, column3112, column4113, column5114, column6115. Said first area 86a is also divided into 11 rows 88. Each intersection of a club column 109 and numbered column1110, column2111, column3112, column4113, column5114, column6115 is a cell 116. Said club column 109 is labeled “GOLF CLUBS”. Each row 88 lists a club selected from the group consisting of DRIVER, 3-WOOD, 5-WOOD, LONG IRON, MEDIUM IRON, SHORT IRON, PITCHING WEDGE, SAND IRON, LOB WEDGE, and PUTTER. Above the numbered columns 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115 is a titleline 89 labeled “EYES ON DIE:” Said numbered columns 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115 are labeled with sequential numbers selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, respectively, representing the number of eyes 104 on said die 100 rolled. A cell 116 provides the number of spaces a token 70 is moved forwardly and comes to rest on a space straight ahead or to the right (R) or left (L) of such space. For a DRIVER, cells 116 below each numbered column 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, and 115 are labeled 10L, 10, 11R, 11, 12 and 12, respectively. For a 3-WOOD, cells below each numbered column are 9L, 9, 10R, 10, 11, and 11. For a 5-WOOD, the cells below each numbered column are labeled 8L, 8, 9R, 9, 10, and 10. For a LONG IRON, the cells below each numbered column are labeled 7L, 7, 8R, 8, 9 and 9. For a MEDIUM IRON, the cells below each numbered column are labeled 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, and 8. For a SHORT IRON, the cells below each numbered column are labeled 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, and 7. For a PITCHING WEDGE, the cells below each numbered column are labeled 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, and 6. For a SAND IRON, the cells below with each numbered column are labeled STAY, 1, 2, 2, 3, and 4. For a LOB WEDGE, the cells below each numbered column are 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, and 3. For a PUTTER, the cells below each numbered column are merged into one cell labeled (See Below), referring to said second chart 86 on said list card 80 front side 82.
Said club column 109 and numbered columns 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115 of said second area 86b, imprinted below said first chart 85 on said list card 80 front side 82, appear as extensions from said first area 86a, provide the number of moves for a token based upon the number spaces on the green area 37 a token 70 is from a flag 36. For a PUTTER located 0 green area 37 spaces from a flag 36, the cells 116 below each numbered column are labeled 2-PUTT, 2-PUTT, IN, IN, IN, and IN. For a PUTTER located 1 green area 37 space from a flag 36, the cells 116 below each numbered column are labeled 3-PUTT, 2-PUTT, 2-PUTT, IN, IN, and IN. For a PUTTER located 2 green area 37 spaces from a flag 36, the cells 116 below each numbered column are labeled 3-PUTT, 3-PUTT, 2-PUTT, 2-PUTT, IN and IN. For a PUTTER located at least 3 green area 37 spaces from a flag 36, but no more than 6 green area 37 spaces from a flag 36, the cells 116 below each numbered column are labeled 3-PUTT, 3-PUTT, 3-PUTT, 2-PUTT, 2-PUTT, and IN. An example of a set of rules for using each club according to the preferred embodiment of the present golf board game 10 described herein and illustrated in the drawings is imprinted on the back 94 of said scorecard 90, as shown in FIG. 8, discussed hereinbelow. In FIG. 7, more detail is provided with respect to a facade 92 of said scorecard 90.
FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment which provides a stick-on flag 96 in addition to a list card 80, a die 100, a plurality of scorecards 90, and a plurality of tokens 70. Said stick-on flag 96 allows players to determine flag placement according to their own imagination on said game board 20.
Referring to FIG. 6, the rear side 84 of said list card 80 is labeled “SYMBOLS & PENALTIES” and forms a grid of four columns labeled “SYMBOL”, “EVENT”, “STROKES LOST”, and “NEXT SHOT TO BE TAKEN FROM” and ten rows labeled ““, ““, “W”, “W”, ““, “Lost Ball”, “o”, “x”, ““, “B”, and ““. The cells across a first row 130, are labeled a blank space, “Unplayable Ball”, “1”, and “2 spaces back on the numbered spaces”. The cells across a second row 132 contain” “, “Tree obstruction”, “0”, and “Play from where it lies”. The cells across a third row 133 are labeled “W”, “Water Hazard (except due to hook or slice)”, “1”, and “1 space behind the water hazard”. The cells across a fourth row 134 are labeled ““W”, “Water Hazard Due to Hook/Slice”, “1”, and “1 space behind the numbered space form where ball entered into the water”. The cells across a fifth row 135 are labeled blank, “Bridge Over Water Hazard”, “1” and “1 space behind the water hazard”. The cells across a sixth row 136 are labeled “Lost Ball”, “Lost Ball”, “1”, and “Spot where original ball was last played”. The cells across a seventh row 137 are labeled “o”, “Out of Bound (OB)”, “1” and “Spot where original ball was last played”. The cells across an eighth row 138 are labeled “X”, “Bush/Lost”, “1”, and “Play provisional ball from spot where original ball was played. Determine whether ball was lost/found by throwing die once and if a 1 is thrown, play ball as Lost Ball. (If provisional ball is played off the tee box space, the player has taken 3 strokes.)” The cells across a ninth row 139 are labeled““, “Non-rough are”, blank, and blank. The cells across a tenth row 140 are labeled “B”, “Bunker”, blank and blank.
Turning now to FIG. 7, said scorecard 90, in addition to displaying rules for using each club, provides an area for keeping score for the number of shots or moves taken by each player on each hole on the facade 92 of said scorecard 90. An area is provided on said scorecard 90 where players may place their handicaps next to their names for playing an alternative embodiment in which players reflect their true capabilities in playing real golf.
Referring to FIG. 8, rules for club use for the preferred embodiment of the present golf board game 10 described herein and illustrated in the drawings are displayed on the back 94 of said scorecard 90 are provided as follows: A short iron is recommended for playing out of a fairway bunker 63. A pitching wedge is recommend for playing out of a group of trees 66 or bushes 65. A sand iron must be used to move out of a greenside bunker 60. A putter may be used only on a green area 37. Said back 94 of said scorecard 90 provides blank spaces to allow players to add their own rules for club use as an alternative embodiment.
The present golf board game 10 is made of typical materials known in the art.
Exemplary Rules of Play:
The object of the present golf board game 10 is to complete the game, which is a round of golf, with the fewest number of strokes. To achieve the object, the challenge is to choose the most suitable golf club for each shot/move and to decide when to take a risk and when to play safe when encountering hazards, obstructions and the like.
To initiate game play for the preferred embodiment of the golf board game 10 described herein and illustrated in the drawings, each player throws the die 100 on the game board 20, illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, to determine which player moves a token 70 first. The first player to tee off and begin moving his token 70 forward, is the player who rolls the highest number of eyes 104 on face 102 of the die 100 turned upwardly. The second highest roller goes next and so on. After all players have moved their tokens 70 forwardly on said game board 20 once starting with the first hole tee box space 52, each token 70 or ball is declared to be in play, and the order of the play follows normal golf rules, such that the player whose token 70 is farthest from the flag 36 is the first to play the next shot or, in other words, to make the next move. The play order on successive tee box spaces 32 is determined by the result of the previous hole, with the player whose token 70 reaches the flag 36 with the least number of strokes or moves being declared the winner of the hole and thus being first player to cast the die 100 and move his token 70 forwardly on the next hole. The movement of the token 70 depends on which golf club is being used by a player and the roll of the die 100. Before rolling the die 100, a player must decide and declare which club he intends to use, following rules for club use illustrated on the back 94 of a scorecard 90. A sand iron must be used to move out of a greenside bunker 60 and a putter may be used only on a green area 37. After rolling the die 100, the player's token 70 should be moved the number of spaces indicated by the numbers in the Distances and Outcome chart as shown on the front side 82 of a list card 80, illustrated in FIG. 4, and following rules for taking a next shot depending on the position of such player's token 70 on the game board 20, as provided on a rear side 84 of said list card 80, shown in FIG. 6. Rules providing the number of spaces a player may move such player's token dependent upon 1) the number of eyes 104 facing upwardly on a face 102 of said die 100 after a player throws said die 100, 2) the number of spaces indicated in the distances and outcome table for the roll of the die 100, the club used by such player, and for a putter, the number of spaces on the green area 37 from the token 70 ball to the flag 36, which is as follows: Clubs listed on said list card 80 are selected from the group consisting of driver, 3-wood, 5-wood, long iron, medium iron, short iron, pitching wedge, sand iron, lob wedge, and putter. Using a driver, a token 70 is moved forwardly 10L spaces for a 1-roll, 10 spaces for a 2-roll, 11R spaces for a 3-roll, 11 for a 4-roll, 12 for a 5- or 6-roll. If a player uses a 3-wood, such player may move his token 9 L for a 1-roll or 9 for a 2-roll, 10R spaces for a 3-roll, 10 spaces for a 4-roll, 11 spaces for a 5- or 6-roll. If a player uses a 5-wood, such player may move his token 8L spaces for a 1-roll of the die 100, 8 spaces for a 2-roll, 9R spaces for a 3-roll, 9 spaces for a 4-roll, 10 for a 5- or 6-roll. Using a long iron, a player moves his token 7L spaces for a 1-roll of die 100, 7 spaces for a 2-roll, 8R spaces for a 3-roll, 8 spaces for a 4-roll, 9 spaces for either a 5- or 6-roll. If a player uses a medium iron, such player may move his token 6 spaces for either a 1-, 2-, or 3-roll, and 7 spaces for either a 4- or 5-roll, and 8 spaces for a 6-roll. Using a short iron, a token 70 is moved 5 spaces forwardly for a 1- or 2-roll, 6 spaces for a 3-, 4-, or 5-roll, and 7 spaces for a 6-roll. Using a pitching wedge, a token is moved 3 spaces for a 1-roll, 4 spaces for a 2- or 3-roll, 5 spaces for a 4- or 5-roll, and 6 spaces for a 6-roll. Using a sand iron, a token is moved 0 spaces for a 1-roll, 1 space for a 2-roll, 2 spaces for a 3- or 4-roll, 3 spaces for a 5-roll, and 4 spaces for a 6-roll. Using a lob wedge, a token is moved 1 space for a 1-roll, 2 spaces for a 2- or 3-roll and 3 spaces for a 4-, 5- or 6-roll.
If a token 70 lands on a flag 36 from a fairway space 37, without prior entry onto a green area 37 of that particular golf link 21, then whether a Hole-in-One has been attained must be determined. A Hole-in-One occurs when a player twice throws the same number of eyes 104 on the die 100 as were shown on the die 100 by which the player originally landed upon such flag 36. In this event, no putting is necessary. Thus, a Hole-in-One is attained on a Par 3 golf link 21 or an Eagle is attained on a Par 4 or Par 5 golf link 21.
An example of a set rules for using a putter, according to the preferred embodiment of the present golf board game 10 described herein and illustrated in the drawings is as follows: 2 strokes are taken if a token 70 is 0 spaces on the green area 37 to the flag 36 and the roll on the die 100 is 1 or 2. 1 stroke is taken if the token is 0 spaces on the green area 37 to the flag 36 and a 3, 4 or 5 is rolled. If a token is 1 space on the green area 37 from the flag 36 and 1 is rolled, 3 strokes are taken; however, 2 strokes are taken if 2 or 3 is rolled, and 1 stroke is taken if 4, 5 or 6 is rolled. If a token is 2 spaces on the green area 37 from the flag 36, 3 strokes are taken for rolling 1 or 2, while 2 strokes are taken for rolling 3 or 4 and 1 stroke is taken for rolling 5 or 6. If a token is 3 through 6 spaces on the green area 37 from the flag 36, 3 strokes are taken if 1, 2, or 3 is rolled, while 2 strokes are taken on a 4- or 5-roll, and 1 stroke is taken for a 6-roll.
Using symbols and penalties as illustrated in FIG. 6 to determine movement of a player's token 70 dependent upon various obstructions, hazards, or terrain and to determine whether a player has to take an extra stroke to add to his score as follows: If a player's token 70 lands on an unplayable area, the player takes one stroke and takes his next shot from 2 spaces back on numbered spaces. Said unplayable area does not have a symbol, but is a location on said game board 20 from which a token may not be moved forwardly. If a token 70 lands on a tree 66, no strokes are taken and the token 70 must be played from where it lies. If a player's token 70 lands upon a water hazard 64 or upon a bridge 69, but not due to a hook or slice, the player's next token 70 move will be from 1 space behind the water hazard 64 and the player must add 1 to his score for the hole. If a player's token 70 lands on a water hazard 64 due to a hook or slice, the next move of the token 70 will take place from one space behind the numbered space from where the token 70 entered into the water hazard 64. If a player's token lands upon a fairway space 34 marked “Lost Ball” or on an out-of-bound, the player's token 70 must be moved back to the space from where the original token 70 was last played and must add 1 to his score for the hole. If a player's token 70 lands in a bush 65, the player must place a second token 70 on the spot where his first token 70 was played and the player throws a die 100. If a 1 is thrown, the ball is played as a Lost Ball; provided, however, if any other amount is thrown, the player continues to play from the first token's 70 position.
From the last fairway space 34 before entering the green area 37 or from the off-green space 48, a player must always choose the middle route 54, the left route 55, or the right route 56 in which the flag 36 is located. Also, if a move forward to the green area 37 goes beyond such green area 37, the token 70 is considered to be over the green and should be placed on the off-green space 48, regardless of the number of eyes 104 showing on the face 102 of the die 100 turned upwardly. In addition, when a move to the green area 37 occurs with a hook or slice, the token 70 will be positioned to the outside of the green area 37 on the greenside area 59 to the left or to the right, respectively, of the space in the green area 37 where the token 70 would otherwise have landed. When making the next move from a space in the greenside area 59, the token 70 may only be moved in a horizontal direction until it is on the green area 37, regardless of the position of the flag 36. Crossing a space on and around the green area 37 counts as a move of one space. Further, in case a token 70 hits a water hazard 64 to the left or right of a green area 37, the player must make the next move from the last fairway space 34 of the hole, which is in front of the green area 37. If a hazard such as a fairway bunker 63 or water hazard 64 occupies the last fairway space 34, the next move would be from the fairway space 34 behind such hazard. After playing each hole, the number of strokes/moves taken by each player for each hole is recorded on the facade 92 of a scorecard 90. The player taking the least amount of total moves for all holes is the winner. The player taking the second least amount of total moves for all holes is the second-place winner and so on.
In other embodiments of said golf board game 10, players may play a game in any format of stroke play or match play used in real golf or may use handicaps. In still another embodiment, players may create their own Distances and Outcomes chart by changing the parameters to reflect their own capabilities in true golf. For instance, the parameters could be changed such that the lower a player's handicap is, the more the outcome would cluster around a higher number of strokes while, conversely, as a handicap increases, the outcome would have a wider spread to cluster around a lower number of strokes. The outcomes for putting would similarly reflect better or poorer capabilities.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the present golf board game to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and the manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Directional terms such as “front”, “back”, “in”, “out”, “downward”, “upper”, “lower”, and the like may have been used in the description. These terms are applicable to the examples shown and described in conjunction with the drawings. These terms are merely used for the purpose of description in connection with the drawings and do not necessarily apply to the position in which the present invention may be used.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
Patent Application
20070235930
