Patent Application
20190232139
Golf is a difficult sport to master. And improving a golfer's golf swing requires time and much practice. Most golfers, however, are forced to limit their practice to the golf course, a driving range, or a golf-training facility.
In other words, there is limited opportunity to practice hitting a golf ball with a golf club (such as an iron) at home that fully simulates the experience of actually hitting a real golf ball on a golf course with immediate feedback. In addition, in order to be able to practice on a consistent basis at home, golfers need to be able to practice indoors, which allows them to practice independent of weather conditions or time of day.
Previous indoor golf practice devices miss integral aspects of the golf-swing-practice experience when using a golfer's irons (i.e., such as the three iron through pitching/sand wedge). While hitting a golf ball is integral to effective golf swing practice, most indoor golf practice inventions miss this part, because the devices fail to allow the golfer to strike a real golf ball with full force inside a house.
And devices that involve allowing a golfer to actually strike a real golf ball indoors miss other aspects of the golf swing practice experience, such as allowing the golfer to analyze the trajectory of the ball after it is hit. Some devices also use adjusted, weighted, altered, or substituted equipment, which does not allow the golf to develop muscle memory that translates directly to using the actual clubs and golf balls the golfer would use on the golf course.
Described is a golf-training apparatus that addresses many of the deficiencies discussed above.
In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a frame, a rebounding surface, an extension arm, a cord, and an optional mat. The frame may rest on the floor, or be connected to the ceiling or a wall. The frame generally supports the rebounding surface in a substantially coplanar position with the ground surface, and about four and eight feet above the ground surface.
The extension arm is connected adjacent to the frame and the rebounding surface, and extends in a horizontal fashion away from the frame and rebounding surface. The extension arm may be repositioned on either the left or right side of the rebounding surface to adjust for the golfer's handedness.
The cord is secured to the arm at the end of the extension arm opposite of the frame. That is, the cord is vertically suspended from the arm opposite the frame. The unsecured end of the cord may be connected to a golf ball that rests on a mat or on the ground surface itself. The cord generally restricts movement of the golf ball in a circular-longitudinal path toward the rebounding surface after the golf ball is struck in the direction of the rebounding surface by a golfer. The rebounding surface stops the golf ball after being struck by a golfer. That is the rebounding surface dissipates the force of the ball so that the golf ball falls back toward the ground surface in a controlled and safe manner after the ball hits the rebounding surface.
In one example, the rebounding surface may also produce an audible sound when struck by a golf ball. For instance, if the golf ball makes contact with the center of the rebounding surface it will produce a deep bass sound. Whereas if the golf ball hits the outer periphery of the rebounding surface, it will produce a higher-pitch sound. The audible sound allows the golfer to know if the ball was struck properly, or hit in a non-straight line, such as hooked/sliced. For instance, if the golf ball impacts the center of the rebounding surface after a practice shot, it produces a deep bass sound. In contrast, if the golf ball is miss-hit or hit on a trajectory that isn't straight, than the ball will tend to make contact with an outer peripheral position of the rebounding surface, which in turn, may produce a sharper higher-pitch sound.
Thus, based on the motion of the ball along the circular-longitudinal path, and the sound produced when the ball hits the rebounding surface, and any divot marks on the mat (if chalk is used on the golfer's club or the mat is made of a material that allows such marks), the golfer can use the apparatus to judge the quality of the golfer's swing. The divot marks can also be used to judge whether the golf club hits the ground before or after hitting the ball.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below. This summary is not necessarily intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it necessarily intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
The foregoing outlines examples of this disclosure so that those skilled in the relevant art may better understand the detailed description that follows. Additional embodiments and details will be described hereinafter. Those skilled in the relevant art should appreciate that they can readily use any of these disclosed embodiments as a basis for designing or modifying other structures or functions for carrying out the invention, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Reference herein to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an aspect,” “an implementation,” “an example,” or similar formulations, means that a particular feature, structure, operation, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, different appearances of such phrases or formulations herein do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, various particular features, structures, operations, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.
Described is an apparatus for practicing a golf swing in either an indoor or outdoor environment that provides immediate feedback based on ball trajectory, the sound produced when the golf ball impacts a rebounding surface (to be described herein), and any divot marks left in a golf mat. Some embodiments of the apparatus may be described with reference to
Frame 110 generally supports rebounding surface 120 in a substantially coplanar position with the ground surface, between about four and eight feet above the ground surface. As appreciated by those skilled in the art after having the benefit of this disclosure, rebounding surface 120 may be angled so it is not exactly parallel with the ground surface. In addition, rebounding surface may be lower than four feet, such as for use with young children.
Frame 110 includes a leg portion 112, which supports the weight of apparatus 100. In the embodiment shown in
In addition, each leg 114 of frame 110 may be adjustable in height, by raising or lowering each leg 114. For instance,
In the embodiment shown in
All of the aforementioned parts of frame 110 may be composed of any suitable hard material such as aluminum, steel, wood, plastic, or any combination thereof.
Still referring to
Still referring to
Turning to
Protective covering 124 may be composed of any suitable flexible, resilient material such as thin polyvinyl chloride. Hard rail 122 may be composed of any suitable hard material such as aluminum, steel, wood, plastic, or any combination thereof. Rebounding surface 120 may be composed of any suitable stretchable-resilient material such as polypropylene mesh.
Referring back to
Arm 130 could also be attached to a ceiling or wall (not shown) or setup in a configuration where an end of arm resides on the ground surface (not shown).
Apparatus 100 includes cord 140. As depicted in
In one embodiment, cord 140 is secured to arm 130 using an eyelet clamp 142 connected to an eyelet 144 that is screwed into arm 130, but cord 140 could be secured to arm 130 using other methods such as a clamp (not shown) or knot (not shown).
In one embodiment, lower end 135 of cord 130 is secured to golf ball 150 via an eyelet clamp 146 connected to an eyelet 148, which may be screwed into golf ball 150. As appreciated by those skilled in the art after having the benefit of this disclosure, that a sling or other suitable fastening mechanisms could be used to secure lower end 135 of cord 130 to golf ball 150.
Cord 140 may be composed of any suitable flexible, resilient, and minimally stretchable material such Kevlar cord, polyester rope, galvanized steel cable or any combination thereof. Golf ball 150 may be composed of a conventional golf ball or any suitable substitute.
Apparatus 100 includes mat 160 placed on the ground surface below the free end of arm 130 positioned such that golf ball 150 rests on mat 160. Mat 160 may be composed of any suitable semi-hard, resilient material such rubber, artificial turf, or any combination thereof. Mat 160 has placement and guidance markings 162 and 164 that may be placed on the mat beforehand by a golfer, or permanently affixed to the mat. Placement and guidance markers 162 and 164 may be composed of any suitable marking material such as ink, vinyl, tape, chalk, or any combination thereof.
Frame 110 includes a ceiling-mounting portion 700, which secures apparatus 100 to a ceiling. Ceiling-mounting portion 700 is configured in
All of the aforementioned parts of frame 110 may be composed of any suitable material such as aluminum, steel, wood, plastic, or any combination thereof.
In this embodiment, rebounding surface 120, arm 130, cord 140, golf ball 150, and mat 160 are otherwise as described in the embodiment described with reference to a frame 110, which resides on the ground surface.
When apparatus 100 is correctly configured, golf ball 150 will rest on mat 160 before being struck with little to no slack in cord 130, see, i.e., C
As shown in
For instance, referring to
For example, if ball return is slightly left or right (referring to
In addition, any sound associated with the ball contacting the rebound surface other than a deep bellow thump may imply a miss-hit ball or miss alignment; especially if ball return is something other than a straight back and forth (see
When configured correctly, apparatus 100 will allow a golfer to practice their swing with their own conventional set of clubs. Allowing the golfer to practice with his or her own clubs while hitting a golf ball 150 replicates the experience of the driving range or course which allows the golfer to improve eye-hand-ball coordination and develop muscle memory for a repeatable golf club swing and consistent swing speed. Apparatus 100 can be used at home at any time, which allows a golfer to practice during the winter, bad weather, or any time the golfer has downtime. Additionally, because of the thousands of hours of golf-instructional videos available, apparatus 100 can allow a golfer to practice at home while watching the swing of a chosen golf professional.
In embodiments that include safety netting 118, safety netting 118 may prevent golf ball 150 from flying past apparatus 100, if golf ball 150 somehow becomes unsecured from cord 140 during a practice golf shot.
Thus based on the foregoing, the example apparatus 100 allows:
Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as illustrative forms of implementing the claims.
