Patent Application
20110294587
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf and particularly to a compact URBAN GOLF COURSE™ which comprises a full size golf course on an area the size of six city blocks (approximately 32 acres) and incorporates the elements of a full size golf course including over 7,400 yards, dogleg right, dogleg left, bunkers, clubhouse, gallery, and concessions and alternate compact golf courses and golf practice courses which occupy from one city block (5.5 acres) to six city blocks.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Presently, urban dwellers have to drive to the suburbs or to the country—sometimes an hour or more—to play golf. Existing golf courses tend to take up much land and spread out over large tracks of land. Prior art attempts to make more compact golf courses have not adequately solved the problem of reducing the land area of a golf course while still providing the same driving distances and same level of playing and course structure and spectator amenities including doglegs, bunkers, clubhouse, gallery, and concessions as in present golf courses.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,686, issued Oct. 10, 1989 to Trasko, claims a golf course and method of playing a golf game. A substantially rectangular golf course comprises a grouping of three relatively close holes spaced from a plurality of tee areas each for playing a respective hole. This arrangement can be combined in side by side or mutually opposed relation with one or more repetitions of the same arrangement. The course is played by teeing off for all three holes in a grouping before putting out on any hole in that grouping, and all holes are putted out before teeing off any further. All the holes in a grouping are played simultaneously as a group. Trasko provides a 30-acre 9-hole course.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,875, issued Nov. 30, 1993 to Fitzgerald, describes a reduced area, night playable golf course which is achieved by utilizing a common driving area for all par 4 and par 5 holes on the course. Separate laterally spaced tees are provided at one end of the driving area for each hole. The ball landing region of the driving area is covered by a grid of ball catching nets having relatively small areas. A ball caught by a particular net is directed to a ball return conduit which includes a ball actuated switch which inputs a signal to a computer which records the distance and lateral position of the ball as two coordinates which are printed on the player's score card. The playing course is conventionally constructed, except that the initial 100 to 150 yards of each par 4 and par 5 hole is omitted. A grid pattern of markers bearing coordinates corresponding to those of the ball catching nets is installed in the initial portions of the par 4 and par 5 holes and the ball is dropped for the second shot adjacent the marker showing the coordinates of the drive.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,330, issued May 25, 1993 to Benson, indicates a golf course having a single fairway of conventional length common to at least three putting greens and cups, the course having a Tee area designated for use in connection with the three putting greens and cups, and a set of balls that are color coded in correlation to the green to which they are to be played. The Tee area is also delineated to provided specific areas from which golf balls are driven to the various greens, these areas also bearing indicia correlated to the green to which golf balls are to be played. In addition to being color coded, the balls are also marked with indicia indicating the sequence in which they are to be hit, and indicia indicating the golfer to which the balls belong. The course, the set of golf balls, and the method of play thus permit the completion of nine or eighteen holes of golf in a short time span in comparison to conventional golf courses.
U.S. Patent Application #20020111221, published Aug. 15, 2002 by Terry, discloses a compact golf course which is formed of a series of holes which are formed by a plurality of hole groups. Each hole group includes a par three hole and a par four hole and a par five hole. Each par three hole has its own putting green with the par four hole and par five hole of each said hole group sharing a separate putting green. The direction of play of each par three hole is in substantial alignment with the direction of play of the par four hole of its hole group. The direction of play of the aligned par three hole and par four hole of each hole group is located substantially parallel to the direction of play of the par five hole within the hole group.
U.S. Patent Application #20050096143, published May 5, 2005 by Anton et al, provides a golf course and a method of configuring a plurality of holes for playing a game including providing a plurality of holes and putting greens having predetermined shapes, locating a hole and a putting green on a course selected from the plurality of holes and putting greens. A plurality of hole corridors may be configured to define a grid wherein respective longitudinal axes of at least two hole corridors are substantially parallel and at least one of the hole corridors includes a fairway, a putting green selected from a plurality of putting greens having respective predetermined shapes and sizes and a plurality of tee boxes defining a respective plurality of course-playing routes. A scoring method may include selecting a course-playing route, determining a target score, hitting a ball with a club to a three-dimensional target, determining a score and calculating a differential between the score and the target score.
U.S. Patent Application #20060287120, published Dec. 21, 2006 by Weaver et al, shows a golf game to be played on a local field comprising, a plurality of tee markers, a plurality of flag sticks, a plurality of simulated bunkers, a plurality of simulated water hazards, a plurality of holes or simulated holes, limited flight balls, and limited distance golf clubs, wherein the tee markers, flagsticks, simulated bunkers, simulated water hazards and holes or simulated holes are laid out on the field to simulate a golf course.
U.S. Patent Application #20060154736, published Jul. 13, 2006 by McBride et al, claims a golf course including a plurality of holes, where at least one of said holes includes a plurality of initial teeing areas displaced at similar, or different specific par distances from a target cup, and at different directions from a target cup such that plurality of teeing areas are disposed at different acute angles from the target cup, and encompass different terrain and different trajectories to target cup. A gold hole of the invention comprises a target green encompassing a target cup, and a middle area between a plurality of initial teeing areas and the target green. A method of playing the golf course and golf hole is also described. The method of sequentially playing a golf game on the present course results in a relatively inexhaustible number of different games of golf thereon.
U.S. Patent Application #20070184910, published Aug. 9, 2007 by Aronchick, describes a compact golf course, a privatized golf course community having a compact golf course, methods of designing a compact golf course and/or privatized golf course community, and methods of dynamically playing a compact golf course. The compact golf course includes a plurality of regulation distance hole possibilities that are condensed to occupy a parcel of land that is substantially smaller than the amount of land required to accommodate a conventional golf course. The dynamic method of playing the compact golf course allows a player to play from any tee box to any one of a plurality of greens, thus increasing the number and variety of hole possibilities. The compact golf course is particularly well suited for low-volume usage since the holes can be played in a dynamic and/or random fashion. The compact golf course allows a player to play a round of golf in a random order (i.e., randomly playing a round by dynamically selecting to play any of said plurality of hole possibilities in any order). The compact golf course may be integrated with a residential design to form a privatized golf course community. The privatized golf course community is particularly well suited for parcels of land having low-density zoning. The compact golf course can occupy the open-space required by the zoning thus providing golf-front properties and increased property values.
U.S. Patent Application #20050119059, published Jun. 2, 2005 by Marshall, is for a golf facility comprising a universal design concept and entities that support this concept. The universal concept is to stimulate a person's mind, body, and soul by instilling intellectual, physical, and social/emotional values through tangible and intangible design of the present invention. These design elements are inclusive to, but not limited to, a clubhouse area with a plurality of housings containing rooftop miniature golf, a range area containing the “3-Green” concept and a driving range that takes the form of, but not limited to, either an illuminated driving range or an aqua driving range. Batting cages are also included with the makeup of the driving range. The golf course contains a plurality of holes, where each hole contains a concept, that are inclusive to the universal concept. The golf course also includes a plurality of station areas displaced at various locations on the golf course to fulfill the universal concept. A typical golf hole of the present invention comprises of a hole marker structure that supplies the golfer with information and products, the Personal Tee™ system for arranging tees, a middle area between an initial teeing system and the target green, and an artificial target green of various colors encompassing a target structure/cup that displays various flags and combines the play of traditional golf and disk golf. The golf holes contain similar, or different specific par distances from a target structure/cup, and at different directions from a target structure/cup such that the teeing areas are disposed at different angles from the target structure/cup, and encompass different terrain and different trajectories to the target structure/cup therein. A method of operation of the golf facility is also described. The method of randomly participating at the golf facility results in a method of operation that appeals to the mind, body, and soul of the participant through a relatively inexhaustible number of stimulating design concepts therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,003,074, issued May 28, 1935 to Gage, is for a golf playing field with the primary object of providing facilities for playing a game of golf within the limits of a relatively small tract of ground, but without materially detracting from the enjoyment of the game or eliminating the varied conditions of play that characterize the game as played on regulation courses.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,083,021, issued Mar. 26, 1963 to Reilly, provides a compact golf course which minimizes the time required to play, the distance a player has to walk and the amount of land needed for the course.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,402, issued Jul. 11, 1995 to Aguilera, discloses a golf course for playing golf in a reduced space while maintaining the continuity of the game and minimizing the time that other players have to wait. The golf course includes elongated first, second and third shot areas adjacent to each other. The areas are provided with the teeing area of the first shot area in close proximity to the fairway and approach/putting shot areas thereby minimizing the walking required from the player. The landing grid areas and the fairway and approach/putting areas are quadriculated in order to permit the ready identification of where a ball landed and to transpose to the landing position for the next shot. A slight grading of the landing grid area of the first and second shot areas permits the determination of the ball's position with the unaided eye. The teeing area is raised with respect to the adjacent fairway area of the first shot area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,561, issued May 30, 1995 to Weber, provides a method of playing traditional, championship golf using only a putter and single golf ball, comprising the steps of a) providing a reduced size course on limited acreage including a series of holes requiring 72 strokes for par play, the said holes requiring par strokes respectively of four par-3 holes, four par-5 holes and ten par-4 holes. b) providing representations of natural hazards along said holes as bunkers and water hazards by selectively colored areas wherein a selected color is employed to represent a particular hazard and any penalty associated therewith, and, c) providing and indicating maximum distance boundaries along said holes in selective manner past which the player must not stroke a ball with the putter without incurring a penalty, and, d) thereby permitting the player to play the reduced area course with only a putter as if it were a full size championship course by virtue of the selective stroke distance boundaries and hazard indications
U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,586, issued Dec. 31, 1991 to Taniguchi et al, illustrates a miniature layout of 3-course miniature golf links that can afford golf players as satisfactory a feeling of golf play as experienced at a formal 9-hole golf links without necessitating a large area for construction. In a limited narrow area, three courses are arrayed in a triangular configuration. In each one of two courses among the three courses are disposed one tee position for a long course, one tee position for a middle course, one tee for a short course and a putting green, and in the other one course are disposed three tee positions for middle courses and a putting green, whereby it is made possible to play golf of 9 holes, par 36, by playing golf while going around the above-mentioned three courses either in the clockwise direction or in the anticlockwise direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,831, issued Jun. 12, 1979 to Renn, describes a compact golf course. Outdoor golf course layouts are described for providing a complete eighteen-hole course in a minimum area. The golf course layouts are characterized by a substantially polygonal outside course perimeter utilizing straight lines from tee area to hole. The preferred embodiments are in the figure of a hexagon. Fairways of different holes will intersect other fairways in the embodiments. It is also contemplated that doglegs can be provided in the fairways for each or some of the holes rather than the straight line configuration from tee to hole, still substantially utilizing the hexagonal outer shape of the course. Each of the apices of the hexagon will include, in the general surrounding area, the holes or green and tee areas for a plurality of the holes in the course. In addition, there will be one area located in the interior of the hexagon which will provide in the general area thereof tee and hole or green locations for a plurality of the holes of the layouts.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,819, issued Apr. 25, 2000 to Wilk, concerns a golf park including a golf course having a single fairway with multiple greens. At least two greens are provided, at opposite ends of the fairway. One or more additional greens may be provided between the first two greens and along the fairway. Also, multiple tees are provided for the one fairway. At least one tee is provided at each end of the fairway, the tee facing down the fairway towards the green at the opposite end of the fairway. Each green may be the target of two or more tees disposed at different locations on the fairway. The golf course is occupied for a predetermined limited period of time by an individual or a single group of golfers. The individual or single group of golfers plays back and forth along the fairway, for as long as they have reserved the course. They can play at their own pace, undisturbed by other golfers because there are no other golfers on the course. The only limitation is duration: eventually they will have to stop because their reserved interval of play has terminated.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,361, issued Mar. 6, 1973 to Rotolo, provides a golf course with an improved layout of tees and greens including spectator stands extending along and at least partially around the golf course area. The layout of the course provides for regulation play on a relatively small area of ground compared to conventional regulation golf courses. The distance from tee to green for any hole is not greater than slightly more than the distance a tournament player can drive the ball from the tee. Players travelling from tee to green travel along a walkway surrounding the course and hence, the usual fairway and rough areas are unobstructed by players so several groups can tee off from the same tee in quick succession. Since each player plays the ball from its lie adjacent the green, play on the course is the same as play on conventional regulation courses. In the preferred embodiment, the course is of circular outline and the tees and greens are so arranged that the play is generally across the course along a diameter of the course. The course can also be elliptical, rectangular, polygonal or square in outline. Signal lights can be provided on each green to indicate to players on the tee that the green is clear and it is safe for them to hit their tee shots.
What is needed is an urban golf course or other golf course constructed on a greatly reduced land area compared with current golf courses while still providing the same driving distances and same level of playing and course structure and spectator amenities including doglegs, bunkers, clubhouse, gallery, and concessions as in present golf courses.
An object of the present invention is to provide an urban golf course or other golf course having overlapping full size fairways constructed on a greatly reduced land area compared with current golf courses while still providing the same driving distances and same level of playing and course structure and spectator amenities including doglegs, bunkers, clubhouse, gallery, and concessions as in present golf courses.
In brief, the present invention provides a method for building a full feature golf course on an area the size of six city blocks (approximately 32 acres) and other full feature golf links and practice golf links on areas ranging from one to six city blocks. The average, standard golf course is approximately 150 acres (approximately 27.50 city blocks.) The present invention uses the features of the Augusta National Golf Course as well as other known golf courses and fit each into a golf course on only 32 acres of land. This is an area the size of six (6) city blocks (Manhattan, N.Y. blocks.) The present invention incorporates the elements of a full size golf course including over 7400 yards, dogleg right, dogleg left, bunkers, clubhouse, gallery, and concessions.
A golf course the size of Augusta National—tee to green—could be built on only 11 acres of land, the area of 2 city blocks.
An advantage of the present invention is that it would bring golf to the urban dwellers with a very economical use of urban land space.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the present golf course could fit into a small area of many of the larger urban parks, such as 3.79% of the total area Central Park, N.Y. and 5.47% of the total area of Prospect Park, Brooklyn N.Y.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it would provide a source of revenue and jobs.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that it would enable hosting small tournaments in an urban area or other small area of land.
One more advantage of the present invention is that some urban driving ranges could be converted to urban golf courses.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it brings golf courses into the urban area, and reduces the time and resources required to travel to the suburbs or country to play golf.
Additionally an advantage of the present invention is that many elementary schools, middle schools, high schools and colleges can now have golf courses.
Another related advantage of the present invention is that many companies located in suburban areas can now build golf courses on their property for the benefit of their workers and customers.
A professional advantage of the present invention is that championship golf courses can now build practice facilities with the same design of the full course, in a much smaller space and therefore much more economical to maintain.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that some small countries, such as some island nations that cater to tourism and have a need for golf courses, can now build full size golf courses in less land space and return much of the arable land, now used for golf courses, to the farmers for crop production.
An environmental advantage of the present invention is that tropical rainforest domes that are now built in temperate and arctic areas can now incorporate golf course in their design and generate revenue to help to defray the cost of maintaining these facilities while offering year-round golf.
A further land related advantage of the present invention is that mountainous areas that do not have vast expanses of level land to build conventional golf courses can now use the urban design to build courses.
A commercial advantage of the present invention is that many driving ranges can now be turned into full-function golf courses.
A golf promotional neighborhood outreach advantage is that that golf courses of the present invention can be built within urban areas so that it will not be necessary to have a car to get to the golf course and golf can greatly expand its fan base through greater community involvement by urban golf courses offering the use of its facilities (clubhouse, fairways etc.) to community and other groups to expose a much larger community to the game of golf for use by chess clubs, music groups, bridge clubs, and senior groups to use the clubhouse, fitness groups to use the clubhouse and golf course, horticultural groups for landscaping sections of fairways to beautify the golf course.
A health advantage of the present invention is that with a big focus on childhood obesity at this time, the present invention facilities could provide greater outdoor activity for children previously not having access to golf facilities.
A public advantage of the present invention is that golf fans who are not necessarily golf players can benefit from the easy access so that local golf tournaments can be played.
These and other details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and in which drawings:
In
The urban golf course 10A comprises an array of at least two (preferably three) multiple use fairways 22A, 22B, and 22C abutting each other along the lengths of the fairways, each of the fairways having a length equal to a par five link on a professional golf course, each of the multiple use fairways comprising playing features of a professional golf course.
At least one green 23A, 23B, and 23C is located at an end of each of the fairways.
In
The playing features comprise at least one dogleg, such as the doglegs of fairways 22A and 22C or straight fairways 23B, a plurality of bunkers 24C, smooth grass areas, rough grass areas, trees 24A, water hazards 24b, uneven terrain, and variously sloping greens 23A, 23B, and 23C.
The clubhouse 25A is adjacent to the first tees and the gallery and concessions 25B are preferably adjacent to the greens 23A, 23B, and 23C.
The array preferably comprises three multiple use fairways 22A, 22B, and 22C abutting each other along the lengths of the fairways so that the width of the urban golf course is 176 yards and the length of the urban golf course is 880 yards (660 yards for the clubhouse 25A and fairways 22A, 22B, and 22C and 220 yards for greens 23A, 23B, and 23C and facilities 25B).
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A method of making an urban golf course having a plurality of multiple par fairways in a closely positioned side by side array to replicate the playing distances, configurations, and playing challenges of a full size professional golf course on a fraction of the land area occupied by a professional course, the urban golf course comprising:
a first step of creating an array of at least two multiple use fairways abutting each other along the lengths of the fairways, each of the fairways having a length equal to a par five link on a professional golf course, each of the at least two multiple use fairways comprising playing features of a professional golf course;
a second step of creating at least one green at an end of each of the fairways;
a third step of creating a series of at least three tee areas spaced along the length of each of the fairways so that a first tee area at a beginning of each of the fairways located at a par five distance from the at least one green, a second tee area is positioned approximately a third of the length of the fairway located at a par four distance to the at least one green; and a third tee area is positioned approximately two thirds of the distance down the fairway at a par three distance from the at least one green so that a golfer can play eighteen holes of golf on an urban golf course having a plurality of multiple par fairways in a closely positioned side by side array to replicate the playing distances, configurations, and playing challenges of a full size professional golf course on a fraction of the land area occupied by a professional course.
The step of creating playing features may comprise creating at least one dogleg or straight fairways, a plurality of bunkers, smooth grass areas, rough grass areas, trees, water hazards, uneven terrain, and variously sloping greens.
The method may further comprise a step of creating a clubhouse 25A adjacent to the first tee areas 21A, and a gallery and concessions 25B adjacent to the greens 23A, 23B, and 23C.
The first step preferably comprises making an array comprising three multiple use fairways abutting each other along the lengths of the fairways so that the width of the urban golf course is 176 yards and the length of the urban golf course is 880 yards, equal to six city blocks.
In use, the present invention provides a full play distance golf course on an area the size of six city blocks (approximately 32 acres compared with about 150 acres for a standard existing golf course, which would be approximately 27.50 city blocks). The playing dimensions of Augusta National Golf Course fits onto a golf course of the present invention on only 32 acres of land, an area the size of six (6) city blocks (Manhattan, N.Y. blocks.) The urban golf course of the present invention incorporates the elements of a full size golf course—over 7400 yards, dogleg right, dogleg left, bunkers, clubhouse, gallery, and concessions.
The urban golf course of the present invention could fit into a small area of many of our larger urban parks, (Central Park, N.Y. 3.79% of total area, Prospect Park, Brooklyn N.Y. 5.47% of total area) and provide a source of revenue. The urban golf course could host small tournaments. Some urban driving ranges could be converted to urban golf courses.
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It is understood that the preceding description is given merely by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention and that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.
The present utility patent application claims the advantage of provisional application No. 61/216,058 filed May 26, 2009.
