Patent Application
20250144499
The present disclosure is in the field of sporting equipment. More particularly the present disclosure provides systems and methods of a ramped device and flat area at the top of the ramp that allows users to practice putting to improve both striking force and alignment of putting direction.
Putting is one of the most challenging and important aspects of the game of golf. While all aspects of golf have a substantial mental aspect that affects the physical aspects of positioning and delivering proper strokes, putting in particular, because of the precision required and the pressure to complete the hole, involves even more mental pressure.
Putting can be difficult for various reasons, including combining line and speed control. It can be difficult to control the exact speed or force applied to the ball. Hitting a putt too hard or too soft can lead to failed putts, three-putts and higher scores. Further, putting can be difficult if the golfer does not develop an ability to see the line of the putt properly.
Putting is also difficult because of ball position. If the ball is too far forward or back in the golfer's stance, it can make it difficult to control distance and direction.
Also, with green reading and putt planning, it can be difficult to judge the distance and break of a putt, especially when uphill or downhill. Finally, mechanical thoughts by the golfer can be disabling. Thinking about too many mechanical aspects of one's stroke can be detrimental.
Systems and methods described herein provide a teaching device, a practice aid, a competition game, and a fun hobby to complement and evolve the users' understanding and skill in making putts on a golf course during a real golf game. The results may be mental and emotional clarity, better scoring and more enjoyment of the game of golf. Systems and methods are directed to golfers of all ages and all skill levels to teach or complement their core understanding and delivery of successful putting.
Systems and methods specifically teach, illustrate and provide feedback about the entry of a golf ball into a hole, specifically that a wide array of putts (with both striking force and direction components) may be successful. The golfer does not have to be perfect to make putts.
Systems and methods described herein provide a putting improvement device comprising a ramp, side walls to the ramp, and a flat area at the top of the ramp. The ramp is about 4.25 inches wide, the same width as golf holes on golf courses.
The golfer putts golf balls to the device with the intention of putting the ball up the ramp without hitting the side walls and reaching the flat area. The vertical center of the golf ball of putts that achieve those goals successfully enter the ramp in an approximately 2.50 inches wide center area and would be considered sunk if played on an actual course. The center area is bounded by points called “in-boundaries” that are each approximately 0.875 inches from the edges of ramp.
The device may be turned at an angle from the golfer as opposed to facing the golfer straight on. This action effectively trains the user to visualize the proper path of entry to the device and to the golf hole during a real golf game when the ground surface or putting green is nonlevel and the player must putt the ball along the sloped surface at an angle for the ball to approach the turned device straight on. This is of course more challenging but trains and tests the player skills in more difficult situations.
In an embodiment, the ramp is provided that is bordered at the top by the flat area that serves as notice to the user that the maximum ideal weight or force of the putt is met or exceeded. This allows the user to train her or his feel for the maximum ideal force of the putt. Any less force whereby the golf ball reaches anywhere on the ramp teaches and gives the golfer feedback that the putt is still successful and may solidify mentally and emotionally that many various line and force combinations can result in holed putts. Systems and methods promote feedback as to learning the ideal approach path of a straight or breaking put as the device may be turned or rotated relative to the degree that the putt breaks from straight or sloped.
Another purpose of the systems and methods described herein is to provide a device that allows golfers to practice and play games indoors and outdoors that may improve their putting ability. The device may have stabilization slots through which golf tees or other components may be used to secure the device to the golf green or other surface such that the device may be immobilized and quickly restabilized in various desired positions, whether atop of a real golf hole or on any putting surface location, for practice, teaching, games, or competition.
On a flat area beyond the ramp of the device may exist an indentation to accept the golf ball with the purpose of a fun game and/or for training golfers to be acute with the line and force that a putt is struck with. A golfer may be tempted by successful advancing of their ball into the indentation, while being mindful not to over-shoot the level area and go over, indicating the limit reached for ideal suggested striking force for the putt.
An embodiment provided herein comprises embedded marks in the device, called in-boundaries, to signify borders where a golf ball's vertical equator must roll within or between to cause a golf ball to fit completely onto the ramp device or completely within the borders of a golf hole in a real game of golf. More than 2.5 golf balls fit inside a real golf hole, an important statistical reminder that may calm the minds of many golfers. The in-boundaries are approximately 2.50 inches apart and signify the width that the center vertical equator of the ball would have to roll over to have the entire ball still be completely inside the hole, virtually guaranteeing a successful putt.
The ramp, because of its slope and bumper walls on either side of the ramp, permits convenient return of a golf ball back towards the golfer once the golf ball has been struck onto the ramp, without the user having to fetch the golf ball out from a golf hole. Each bumper wall may be square, rounded, or angled in shape so long as the bumper wall defines the border of the ramp.
The device contains a flat surface at the top of the ramp that may defines a correct speed or striking force of a properly struck putt. The indentation at the middle of flat surface, into which the ball may settle, may define both the ideal line or direction of the putt and an ideal speed or striking force of a properly struck putt.
The device contains a lower back ledge located beyond the flat surface that determines a putt struck with more force than to stay on the flat surface but still defines a successful putt if the golf ball touches the lower back ledge in its extended travel. If a struck putt causes the golf ball to fly completely over the lower back ledge without touching it, the putt is deemed to be struck with too much force and is considered unsuccessful.
Yet another purpose herein is to allow two systems to be combined in a back-to-back manner for use as a practice device whereby one or more golfers can create two generally opposed putting lines for individual practice and feedback, or for where practice time and feedback can be shared, and competitive games can be played among multiple golfers. The lower back ledges may act as a golf ball catch when two devices are lined up back-to-back, creating a unique functionality for practice, games and competition.
The ramp is the width of an actual golf hole bordered by bumper walls such that any practice putt performed by a user that enters anywhere onto the ramp would represent a golf putt where the entire golf ball enters completely within the borders of a real golf hole. Such a putt may be deemed to be successful so long as the golf ball doesn't travel so fast and far as to fly beyond contact with the lower back ledge in which case the said putt would be deemed to have been struck with too much force to have been successful.
The length and slope of the ramp lead to the flat surface that trains the user to practice repeating putts that are struck with the desired speed that is not too slow to risk the putt being short of the flat surface, not too hard to risk hitting the putt over the back of a real hole, or too hard so that the putt goes far past the hole inviting the risk of a lengthy return putt. The ramp contains a central notch at the front entry of the ramp that represents the center of the ramp as well as the center entry point of the golf hole in the circumstance that the device is being utilized over a real golf hole and the central notch can thus be rotated appropriately to train golfers to visualize the entry point on putts that curve into the golf hole.
The device has a central line that represents the center of the ramp as well as the center of the golf hole in the circumstance that the device is positioned over top of a real golf hole. The device has an anterior notch at the front of the ramp and a posterior notch at the back of the back ledge so both notches can be used to place the device over a straight line on the putting surface or to construct a string line with supports over the putting surface to practice hitting straight putts.
A putt hit that rolls past the flat surface (6) is less likely to successfully enter a real golf hole. A putted ball that enters anywhere on the ramp surface (2) indicates a successful putt. Thus, the user learns the feel of desirable striking force over and over and may come to understand that many weight and line combinations can produce a successfully holed putt.
One main practice drill or game that can be practiced is to try to make a putt enter the ramp and ideally settle into the ball slot without going over the flat summit. Boundary posts (3) define the outer edge of a real golf hole, thus giving the golfer feedback of putt paths that are challenging the outside edge of the hole and are less likely to be successful.
Tee stabilizer holes (4) are located on each side of the device and allow the golfer to anchor the device on a real golf putting green. IN boundaries (5) give the golfer special feedback of putts where the golf ball does not touch either outer edge of the hole and are thus successful putts in almost any situation, save for extremely hard struck putts.
The golfer may become familiar with striving to enter the hole within the IN boundaries. This may settle their mind mentally and their body emotionally that many line and weight putt combinations will result in successfully holed putts. The ball collection area (7) collects balls that are hit too firmly if the device is positioned indoors against a wall or when two devices are placed back-to-back.
System 400 comprises an indentation or ball slot 401 that is partially obscured by an image of a golf ball in
A preferred embodiment of systems and methods provided herein is a device with ramp (2) that is bordered at the sides by boundary posts (3) on each side and by a flat surface (6) at the top. The user may practice and derive feedback and enjoyment from striking golf putts that aim to direct a golf ball onto the ramp (2) without hitting the boundary posts (3) or going over the flat surface (6).
Putts that do so would define successfully holed putts on a real golf hole. The shape of the boundary posts (3) can be squared when viewed superiorly.
An alternate embodiment would give the boundary posts (3) a rounded or angled appearance, viewed superiorly, to give the user feedback that certain putts will still enter the ramp successfully even if they make contact with the boundary posts, especially on putts that strike the boundary post on the ‘high side’ of the breaking putt, or the side from where the putt breaks in from toward the center. This rounded or sloped appearance of the boundary posts (3) may be helpful in giving feedback about real putts that are more likely to be successful entering the high side of the hole due to the natural effects of gravity and ball spin.
The golf ball indentation or slot (1) is positioned in the middle of the flat surface (6) and is effective for teaching, giving feedback, practicing and engaging in putting games. The golf ball slot (1) teaches and gives feedback to users of the maximal force that a putt should carry to allow the golf ball to be successfully holed.
Ideally the force of the struck putt should be less than needed to reach the flat surface (6) because any putt that then successfully enters the ramp (2) would be assured to be a holed putt on a real golf hole. Users would thus practice putting the golf ball up the ramp (2) attempting to settle the ball into the golf ball slot (1) without going over (see
By repetition, users may learn the upper and lower limits, or range of ideal ball speed. They additionally do not have to retrieve these successfully made putts from a golf hole because the ramp gives them the feedback of a made putt while at the same time eliminating the inconvenience of having to continuously retrieve the ball from the bottom of a real golf hole.
The ramp slope itself also creates a return function by natural gravity. Putting games can be created whereby points are rewarded for putts that enter the ramp. More points can be given for putts that settle in the golf ball slot (1), and points are taken away for putts that strike the boundary posts (3) or go over the flat surface (6), for example. Users may have fun as they develop skill as improved putters gaining both proper feel of ideal striking force of a putt and proper alignment.
IN boundaries (5) are inventive in that they determine the key points where the golf ball will enter the ramp without striking the boundary posts (3), and thus represent and teach to the golfer the area where the ball will enter a real hole without touching the hole's edge. The golfer learns physically, mentally, and emotionally that there is much leeway for successfully holing putts at various rates of speed, as any reasonable speed will be successful as long as the user practices putting their golf ball such that it enters the ramp between the IN boundaries (5).
The IN boundaries (5) also teach users how to strategize their approach to a) subtle breaking putts and b) to putts where there may be some confusion on reading the putt if it is straight or breaks slightly. The IN boundaries (5) provide a confident approach that a subtle putt will be successful if it goes straight and if it breaks.
Embodiments described and depicted herein allow a user to learn that breaking putts do not enter the hole in the visual middle. The device can be rotated by grasping the lip of the collection area (7) and rotating the device to illustrate physically that the entry point of a breaking putt is toward the side where the putt breaks in from.
The centerline of the ramp (2) is simply rotated left or right relative to the high tilt side of the surface or real golf green. Thus, the user can easily see that the IN boundaries (5), the ramp (2) and the boundary posts (3) also change.
This may be helpful for planning the line and strategizing putt path to be successful when facing a breaking putt. This is also why many golfers miss breaking putts as they don't consider that the center of entry of the putt rotates to the side of the breaking putt on sloped surfaces. Systems provided herein may enable users to practice breaking putts and understand how the center of the hole rotates relative to the degree of slope on surfaces, making the widest hole entrance rotate as well.
Embodiments herein provide the ball collection area (7) at the back of the device that catches golf balls that pass over the flat surface (6) when the device is against a wall indoors or set back-to-back against another same device (see
At the center posterior of ball collection area (7) is a slot that allows the device to be easily paired with an alignment device of choice, either a chalk line or a string line, making a convenient testing and practicing combination for putting and visual alignment on a straight putt. Other embodiments would include several notches along the posterior border of the ball collection area (7) for the purpose of teaching, learning and strategizing alignment and speed for various breaking putts.
Embodiments also comprise two angled tee stabilizer holes (4) that are ideally conical in shape to accept one golf tee each for the purpose of stabilizing the device when being used outdoors on a real golf putting surface.
Previous implementations in the prior art may be of interest. A single item that has been identified that has similarities to present disclosure is a putting device that includes an inclined surface within which is a hole to be considered the ideal target. This device differs from the system of the present disclosure in multiple ways. First, the device of the prior art provides no level area beyond the incline that provides a means to give feedback to the user for excessive weight of a putt.
Further, with the device of the prior art there are no defining barriers that determine hole edges to represent the golf ball entry into the golf hole, such as a barrier that will stop or deflect a wayward putt to give the golfer feedback of a likely missed putt. The device of the prior art mentioned herein also has no defining barriers that can aid to assist a golfer to learn that the entry point of a breaking putt is not the same as the center of the hole as the golfer views it on a straight putt but is instead to the side of center from where and how much the putt breaks from.
The item of interest also provides no dots to define the spatial orientation where the golf ball can enter the hole to be fully inside the hole without touching the edge of the hole thus allowing the golfer to learn that there is a fairly wide area where the putt will be assured successful with most reasonable weights. The prior art item provides no catch area on the back of its system that allows two devices to be paired back-to-back to allow multiple users to practice or play at the same time.
The prior art item also provides no back notches that accept an alignment device such as a chalk-line or string-line to be assembled and aligned by to assist the golfers in checking and maintaining proper alignment on a straight putt. Finally, the prior art item provides no center line to teach golfers to favor the ‘high side’ of a breaking putt.
In an embodiment, a system for supporting improvement in golf putting is provided. The system comprises a raised flat surface and an indentation in the flat surface. The system also comprises vertical panels at left and right sides of the flat surface and extending forward of the flat surface. The system also comprises a ramp with an upper edge approaching and attached to a front edge of the raised flat surface and bounded by the panels that receives initial contact with an oncoming putted and rolling golf ball at a lower edge of the ramp, the ball putted from a surface area approaching the lower edge. After the received initial contact, the system allows the ball to naturally roll upward toward the upper edge. In a first event, when the rolling ball has a first quantity of momentum, the system allows the ball to roll past the upper edge and onto the raised flat surface and come to rest in the indentation in some cases. In a second event, when the rolling ball has a second quantity of momentum, the system allows the ball to discontinue rolling prior to reaching the upper edge and further allows the ball to roll back down the ramp to the ground surface area. In a third event, when the rolling ball has a third quantity of momentum, the system allows the ball to roll past the upper edge and past the raised flat surface.
The ramp is approximately 4.25 inches wide, about a width of a golf hole on a golf course. The panels are of height higher than the ramp and are directed to blocking errantly struck golf balls.
In-boundary points ((5) in
The system additionally comprises a vertical back surface that supports the system along with the vertical panels. The system additionally comprises a lower back ledge within the vertical back surface that stops a putt struck with too much force, a putt touching the lower back ledge in its travel deemed still to represent a successful putt, a putt flying beyond without touching the lower back ledge in its travel deemed to represent an unsuccessful putt struck due to carrying too much force.
The ramp has a first notch at its central lower ramp entry and the lower back ledge has a second notch at its back ledge center such that both notches are used to align with a straight line on a putting surface or to construct a string line with supports over the putting surface to facilitate practice of repeatedly aligning to and hitting straight putts. The system is rotatable to represent an angle of entry that a putted ball would be required to be travelling on to enter the center of the hole on a sloped or non-flat putting surface. Two of the systems may be placed back-to-back to produce a multi putt scenario where one or more users participate using two generally opposing putt lines to practice, compete, or participate in enjoyable drills and games, and the two lower back ledges of each system amalgamate to form a functional ball-collection trough.
In another embodiment, a system for building golf putting skills is provided. The system comprises a flat surface suspended above one of a floor level and a ground level and an indentation in a center area of the flat surface. The system also comprises a ramp leading upward and at an angle from the one of the floor level and the ground level to the flat surface that receives golf balls putted from points located on one of the floor and the ground associated with the one of the floor level and the ground level, respectively. In a first event when a first golf ball is putted with a first force, the system provides a first means for the first ball to roll back down and to return to the one of floor and ground. In a second event when a second golf ball is putted with a second force, the system provides a second means for the second golf ball to roll to a top of the ramp and to the flat surface and settle in the indentation in some cases.
The system further comprises vertical side panels and a rear panel supporting the flat surface and the ramp. The second force exceeds the first force when the golf balls are putted from a same location on the one of floor and ground.
The system may be turned so as not to directly face the user to reduce access of the putted ball and to simulate a sloped putting surface. In-boundary points are situated about 0.875 inches each from the right and left sides of the ramp at a lower edge, leaving about 2.50 inches of space between the in-boundary points, space into which entering putts are assured to represent successful putts unless struck excessively hard. The system has holes in the vertical panels to facilitate fastening the system to a ground surface.
In yet another embodiment, a method for supporting growth in golfing skills is provided. The method comprises a golf putting improvement device receiving a first putted golf ball on a sloped surface of the device. The method also comprises the device, based on the first ball having received a first strike of a first force, allowing the first ball to reach and overcome a top edge of the sloped surface and thereafter reach a flat surface attached to the sloped surface. The method also comprises the device receiving a second putted golf ball on a sloped surface of the device. The method also comprises the device, based on the second ball having received a second strike of a second force, allowing the second ball to roll back down and off the sloped surface and roll away from the device.
The first force exceeds the second force when the first and second balls are putted from a same location. Putted balls that enter the sloped surface in a center section of width about 2.5 inches within an overall 4.25-inch width of the sloped surface would sink in a golf course environment.
The method also comprises the device providing a vertical sidewall on each side of the sloped surface, the vertical sidewalls providing boundaries indicating an unsuccessful putt when hit. The method also comprises the device receiving placement at an angle as opposed to facing the user directly, thus reducing access of the putted ball to the sloped surface and to simulate a nonlevel putting surface.
The present non-provisional patent application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/629,535 filed Nov. 6, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63629535 | Nov 2023 | US |
