FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus for teaching golfers to putt with a particular focus on controlling ball speed and distance.
BACKGROUND
Golf is played by millions of people around the world. Despite its popularity, golf is an extremely frustrating exercise for many. A well-known golf saying states “Drive for Show, Putt for Dough.” That is, a player's ability to putt is often the primary factor in determining his or her score and ability to win. Becoming a good putter requires many different skills including putter grip, ability to read greens, body movement, ability to judge the speed of putts, etc. The embodiments of the present invention focus on improving a player's ability to judge and control the speed of putts.
Different golf courses have different greens and therefore the speed of greens on one golf course are not the same as speeds on another golf course. Green speeds are measured and identified by a Stimp rating with a higher Stimp rating equating to faster green speeds. Thus, any meaningful system for improving a player's ability to judge and control putt speeds needs to be portable to account for different courses and greens.
It would be advantageous to develop a simple, inexpensive, portable apparatus and method for teaching golfers to putt with a particular focus on controlling ball speed and distance.
SUMMARY
The embodiments of the present invention broadly comprise an elongated strap contained in a rolled configuration within a housing. When used, the elongated strap is unrolled and laid out on a putting green whereby the golfer can putt adjacent thereto. In one embodiment, the strap is 33 feet in length and includes three target zones and three putting zones. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the strap can be shorter or longer and have more or less than three putting zones and target zones without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The three putting zones each correspond to one of the target zones with the correspondence visually identified by common colors. For purposes of reference, the three putting zones will be deemed short (e.g., 5-10 feet), medium (e.g., 10-20 feet) and long (e.g., 20-30 feet). In one embodiment, each putting zone incorporates hash marks every six inches. As the putting zones increase from short to long, the target zones increase in length whereby the target zone (e.g., 1 foot) for a short putt is shorter than the target zone (e.g., 2 feet) for a medium putt and the target zone for a medium putt is shorter than the target zone (e.g., 3 feet) for a long putt.
During use, a golfer attempts to advance from the short putting zone to the long putting zone by successfully executing putts from each putting zone to a resting location within the corresponding target zone. As detailed below, in one embodiment, golfers advance one hash mark farther back each time he or she successfully makes a putt into the target zone. Other training techniques allow golfers to skip certain hash marks.
Other variations, embodiments and features of the present invention will become evident from the following detailed description, drawings and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates a top-down view of a putting strap according to the embodiments of the present invention;
FIGS. 2A-2B illustrate top-down detailed views of a long putting zone and medium putting zone, respectively, of the putting strap according to the embodiments of the present invention;
FIG. 2C illustrates top-down detailed view of the target zones of the putting strap according to the embodiments of the present invention;
FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate perspective views of a golfer using the putting strap on a putting green according to the embodiments of the present invention;
FIG. 4 illustrates a method of using the putting strap according to the embodiments of the present invention;
FIG. 5 illustrates the basic concept behind the putting strap according to the embodiments of the present invention;
FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate a housing for storing the putting strap during non-use and conveniently transporting the putting strap as needed according to the embodiments of the present invention; and
FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart detailing one methodology for using the putting strap
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive feature illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, which would normally occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention claimed.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that the putting strap and housing according to the embodiments of the present invention may be fabricated of any suitable materials. For example, the putting strap may be fabricated of polyester, vinyl, plastic, alloy, composites, rubber, etc., whereas the housing resilient be fabricated of plastic, metal, rubber, alloy, or other protective materials.
In broadest form, the embodiments of the present invention comprise a putting strap configured to teach and improve the art of putting including speed and distance control.
FIG. 1 shows a top-down view of a putting strap 100 according to the embodiments of the present invention. As shown, the putting strap 100 incorporates several putting zones and target zones. In one embodiment, each putting zone has a corresponding target zone with each being designated by the same color. It is conceivable that the putting zones and target zones may also be designated by the same pattern, symbols or other indicia.
In one embodiment, the putting strap 100 is 33 feet in length and includes three putting zones and three corresponding target zones. In such an embodiment, there is a short putting zone 105, medium putting zone 110 and long putting zone 115 each designated with a different color. In this instance, the short putting zone 105 is blue, the medium putting zone 110 is orange and the long putting zone 115 is green. Short putting zone 105 has a corresponding target zone 125 of the same color blue, medium putting zone 110 has a corresponding target zone 130 of the same color orange and long putting zone 115 has a corresponding long target zone 135 of the same color green. As shown, the target zones 125-135 are nested into a 3-foot length of the putting strap 100 such that the short target zone is 1 foot in length, the medium target zone is 2 feet in length and the long target zone is 3 feet in length. A black zone 120 separates the putting zones 105-115 from the target zones 125-135.
FIG. 1 shows the short putting zone 105 at 5 feet in length, the medium putting zone 110 at 10 feet in length, the long putting zone 155 at 10 feet in length, the black zone 120 at 5 feet in length and the target zones 125-135 at 3 feet in length resulting in the 33 foot long putting strap 100. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the lengths of the putting zones, target zones and black zone may differ without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
FIG. 2A shows a close-up, top-down view of the long putting zone 115 comprising hash marks 116 every 6 inches for purposes detailed below. The short putting zone 105 and medium putting zone 110 similarly include hash marks every 6 inches. FIG. 2B shows a close-up, top-down view of a 1-foot portion of the medium putting zone 110 where hash marks 111 include numerical distances 112 (measured from the corresponding target zone 130) and advertising or branding 113. FIG. 2C shows a top-down view of the target zones 125-135 and the nested arrangement.
FIGS. 3A-3C show perspective views of a golfer using the putting strap 100 on a putting green 140 according to the embodiments of the present invention. In FIG. 6A, the golfer is putting from the short putting zone 105, in FIG. 6B, the golfer is putting from the medium putting zone 110 and in FIG. 6C, the golfer is putting from the long putting zone 115. FIG. 4 shows a side view of the putting strap 100 and target zones 125-125 with golfers superimposed in different putting zones 105-115.
FIG. 5 shows a chart 200 detailing the concept behind the putting strap 100. As shown, each color-coordinated putting zone 105-115 has a corresponding color-coordinated target zone 125-135. When using the putting strap 100, as detailed below, the objective is to: (i) stop putts from the short putting zone 105 in the corresponding target zone 125; (ii) stop putts from the medium putting zone 110 in the corresponding target zone 130 and (iii) stop putts from the long putting zone 115 in the corresponding target zone 135. Thus, as the putting zones move from shorter to longer lengths, the corresponding target zone increases in length. Accordingly, any putt ending short (e.g., in the black zone 115) or beyond the corresponding target zone 125-135 is deemed unacceptable.
FIGS. 6A-6D show a housing 300 for containing, storing and transporting the putting strap 100. As best seen in the exploded view of the housing 300 in FIG. 6C, the housing 300 includes a pair of outer portions 305-1, 305-2, a pair of outer spool members 310-1, 310-2 and a central spool member 315 configured to retain the putting strap 100. In one embodiment, a lock (not shown) is configured to lock the putting strap 100 in place once fully or partially extended from the central spool member 315. A collar 101 on an end of the putting strap 100 provides for easy grasping of the putting strap 100 for extending the putting strap 100 from the housing 300. An opening 102 in the collar 101 is configured to receive a stake (not shown) or similar article to maintain the putting strap 100 in place against wind or other external forces. /In one embodiment, a spring-biased member (not shown) is configured to automatically retract the putting strap 100 onto the central spool member 315 when desired. An integral handle 320 provides for portability. Any number of suitable housing designs are conceivable.
FIG. 6D shows the housing 300 with an optional level device 325 for ensuring the housing 300 is positioned properly on a putting green. A level collar 326 may also include an opening 327 for receiving a spike (not shown) to maintain the housing 300 against external forces.
FIG. 7 shows a flow chart 400 detailing a methodology for using the putting strap 100 according to the embodiments of the present invention. At 405, a golfer putts from a starting point at the front of the short putting zone 105. The golfer putts adjacent to the putting strap 100. The starting point is 5 feet from the front of the short target zone 125 and 6 feet from the rear of the short target zone 125. At 410, it is determined if the golfer hit a successful putt into the 1-foot short target zone 125 (i.e., hit a putt of between 5 and 6 feet) identified by the putting strap 100. If not, the golfer attempts again until succeeding. Once succeeding from the starting point of the short putting zone 105 location, at 415, the ball is moved back 6 inches as identified by the hash marks. At 420, it is determined if, after moving the ball back 6 inches, the ball remains in the short putting zone 105. If so, at 425, the golfer putts from the new distance. At 430, it is determined if the golfer hit a successful putt into the 1-foot short target zone 125. If so, at 420, the ball is again moved back 6 inches. If not, the golfer attempts again from current distance. The process continues until, at 420, it is determined that the ball has been moved into the medium putting zone 110. Then, at 435, the golfer putts from the medium putting zone 110. At 440, it is determined if the golfer hit a successful putt into the 2-foot medium target zone 130. If not, at 435, the golfer attempts the putt again until succeeding. Once succeeding from the current medium putting zone 110 location, at 445, the ball is moved back 6 inches as identified by the hash marks. At 450, it is determined if, after moving the ball back 6 inches, the ball remains in the medium putting zone 110. If so, at 435, the golfer attempts the putt from the new distance. This process continues until, at 450, it is determined that the ball has advanced to the long putting zone 115. Then, at 455, the golfer putts from the long putting zone 115. At 460, it is determined if the putt it is determined if the golfer hit a successful putt into the 3-foot target zone 135. If not, at 455, the golfer attempts the putt again until succeeding. Once succeeding from the current long putting zone 110 location, at 465, the ball is moved back 6 inches as identified by the hash marks. At 470, it is determined if, after moving the ball back 6 inches, the ball remains in the long putting zone 115. If so, at 455, the golfer attempts the putt from the new distance. This process continues until, at 475, it is determined that the ball has advanced to the end of the long putting zone. Following the method detailed in flow chart 400, the golfer will hit 60 successful putts (and any number of unsuccessful putts).
Other methods may be used with the putting strap 100. For example, after hitting the 60 successful putts, the golfer may hit putts from random locations from each of the short, medium and long putting zones.
In another method similar to that detailed in flow chart 400, after putter and ball impact, the player immediately guesses if the putt is short or long of the target. If the putt is successful and the guess is correct, the player may move the ball rearward skipping 5 hash marks and attempts a putt from the new location. If the putt is successful and the guess is incorrect, the player may move the ball rearward skipping 3 hash marks and attempts a putt from the new location. If the putt is unsuccessful and the guess is correct, the player attempts the putt again from its current location. If the putt is unsuccessful and the guess is incorrect, the player moves the ball forward 1 hash mark and attempts the putt again from its new location. The objective is to complete the exercise in the least number of putts. This may facilitate a competition amongst multiple players as well.
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to several embodiments, additional variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.
Patent Application
20220409977
