Abstract: Analysis of a golfer's putting stroke towards a target-hole (2) is derived by an analyzer (12;50) from sensor-signals representative of initial ball-speed and direction, using accumulated sets of historical putting-data, each set of historical data including initial putted ball-speed and direction and the resultant ball-speed and direction in approach to the target-hole (2), together with representation of whether the putt was successful. Initial ball-speed and direction is sensed by opto-electronic sensors (45) responding to back-reflection of infrared beams (13) from retro-reflectors (22-26) on the putted ball (1;20;52), or, is using retro-reflectors (71-73; 77,75) on the putter (3;51;70;74). Resultant ball-speed and direction in approach to the target-hole (2), and whether the putt is successful, is sensed by a monitor (7) from infrared beams (8-10).

Abstract: Each golfer (1-3) on a golf range (4) has an individual display (12-14) showing at least a predicted outcome of each of his/her shots, and a launch-analyser (6-8) to measure velocity vectors of the ball and/or club at strike for central-computation (9) of the prediction. Vibration and piezo-cable sensors (54,55;68,69) at instrumented targets (5;41-45,47) distributed throughout the range (4), detect the presence of balls arriving in their respective locations for matching with launched balls using the computed predictions and probability; active or passive radio-frequency identification and location of balls may also be used. Where a match is found, error between predicted and actual outcome is applied to adaptive correction of the prediction-computing process, and the actual outcome is displayed to the golfer instead of the prediction.

Abstract: A putter-head (1) has its center of mass (15) spaced p mm behind its impact-face (8) at a height hc mm above the head-bottom (9), a loft angle ?12 at height 12 mm above the head-bottom (9), a moment of inertia l kg-mm2 about the vertical axis through the center of mass (15), a mass M kg and a radius of gyration of K mm about the heel-toe axis (2-10) of the head through the center of mass (15), where p/l is not more than 0.18, hc is less than [12?p×sin(?12)]. The ratio d2/K is less than 1.0, d2 mm being the vertical offset above the heel-toe axis (2-10) of the axis of attachment of the putter-shaft (3) to the putter-head (1); the attachment-axis of the shaft may be spaced by no more than the shaft-radius from the center of mass.

Abstract: A putter-head (1) giving positive ball-topspin (S) for impact-heights (hi) above 5 mm from its sole (6), has its center of mass (9) located p mm behind its impact face (8) at height hc mm above the sole (6), a mass M kgm and a radius of gyration K mm about the heel-toe axis (4-5) through the center of mass (9). The loft (?) of the impact face (8) increases monotonically with height from 5 to 15 mm above the sole (6), where (K2/p) is greater than 5 mm and S=SG+SL where SG and SL are percentage spin rates based on: SG=(250×h)/[(3.2+70×M)×(K2/p)+p] SL=(?0.76×?i)/[1+0.04×(p/K)2] for which: h=hi?hc?p×sin(ai) and ?i degrees is impact-face loft at height hi. From the sole (6) upwards, the impact face curves (16) from negative- to positive-loft and merges into an upper flat-portion (15) of positive loft. Alternatively, it has upper and lower flat-portions (21, 22) of positive- and negative-loft respectively.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising one or more light sources (18, 15) for providing light emitted from or reflected by the moving article and one or more light sensing mechanisms (15, 12, 50, 51) arranged to provide a signal when illuminated by the light, at least one of the light sensing mechanisms (15, 12, 50, 51) being arranged to detect when the moving article intercepts a known detection plane (19, 20, 21, 64, 65, 66, 67) wherever the article intercepts the plane. The sensing mechanism may comprise a slit aperture (10, 11, 12, 23, 60, 61) and/or cylindrical lens to define a detection plane. The apparatus may be used to measure the pre-impact and post-impact position and/or motion of a golf clubhead (7) and/or of a golf ball (1) during execution of a golf shot.