Ball game and equipment

Abstract

Game apparatus for playing a baseball-like and golf-like game to be played on a golf course or a sports field or yard with rules of play for golf courses and sports fields or yards. The game apparatus includes a unitary bat-putter that resembles a baseball bat but has a flat surface at at least one end of the bat-putter, to be used to putt a ball. The game apparatus for sports field or yard play includes a targets including flagsticks inserted through stackable above ground target bodies set in advance of play on a sports field or yard to create a course of play.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to games and game equipment, and particularly to a game combining certain aspects of golf and certain aspects of baseball, and a set of equipment for use in such a game.

A slender, long baseball bat known as a “fungo” bat has long been used to hit baseballs to provide practice for fielders. A fungo batter tosses a ball up to about eye height or above, then hits the ball with the fungo bat as the ball falls. The fungo batter, in time, can learn to “toss up and hit” the ball with reasonable accuracy and much enjoyment. Without fielders eager to catch the ball, however, the batter must follow after the ball when it has been hit.

In golf at least one and usually several clubs of various specialized types are carried and used to move a small ball along a prescribed course and into each of several holes. The ball is hit from its latest position on the ground using a club chosen for each shot. However, a set of clubs is expensive to purchase and tiring to carry.

Additionally, a great deal of land, specially prepared, planted, and maintained, is required for a golf course, and care of a golf course is often extremely costly. Use of land for a golf course is therefore basically exclusive of other uses for that land.

Golf courses normally include a flag mounted on a stick set into each hole, but for yard games intended to be played in a fashion similar to that of golf other targets are known, as shown, for example, in Benson U.S. Design Pat. No. D500,349; Alder U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,267; Reck U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,134; Folsom U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,086; Dineen et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,483; Gubany U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,671; and Rokusek U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,833. Previously known sets of targets to be used for a small-scale golf-like game, however, have been mostly bulky and hard to transport.

Sets of game equipment for games in which a ball may be propelled toward each of a series of targets are disclosed, for example, in Folsom U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,086 and Eldredge et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,849,238. Targets for such games are disclosed, for example, in Switzer U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,570 and Guyer U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,713. Various modified golf clubs are known, as shown, for example, in Kruspe U.S. Pat. No. 2,144,846, which discusses using the disclosed golf club to strike a ball thrown up into the air, in much the same manner as is done in fungo.

Many baseball bat modifications have been proposed, apparently primarily for the purpose of improving baseball batting accuracy. Several of these modified bats include flat areas along a portion or all of a side of the barrel of the bat. The objective of such flat areas, however, is to supposedly be able to hit a pitched baseball more easily in a specific direction, depending on the orientation of the flat surface when the ball is struck. Several patents disclose other bat shapes that are not the ordinary generally cylindrical bat barrel shape. See, for example, Merritt U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,687; Pendergast U.S. Pat. No. D351,868; LaBorde et al. U.S. Pat. No. D397,385; Kelliher U.S. Pat. No. D543,251; Wells et al. U.S. Pat. No. 7,086,973; Fulp U.S. Pat. No. 6,923,738; and Gregg U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,462.

What is desired, therefore, is a game and playing equipment for such a game that can offer the enjoyment and challenges of both “toss-up and hit” batting and golf, but without the need for the investment in equipment and real estate demanded by golf, and without the need to carry a heavy set of golf clubs along a playing course.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a combination fungo bat and golf putter, and related game equipment that may be used to provide answers to the needs and desires for a game combining some of the more enjoyable aspects of baseball batting and golf play as disclosed herein and defined in the appended claims.

As a first important aspect of the playing equipment disclosed herein, a combination bat-putter may include an elongate generally cylindrical ball-striking barrel portion having an outer tip end and a circular cross-sectional shape with a diameter, a tapered mid portion extending in a first direction away from the barrel portion, a slender handle portion connected with the barrel portion through the tapered mid portion, and a planar ground-stroke ball-striking face located at the outer tip end of the barrel portion and extending along the barrel portion over a short distance.

In another embodiment of the bat-putter a planar ball-striking face may be provided on the knob at the end of the handle.

As another important aspect of the playing equipment disclosed herein a target toward which a ball may be batted and putted may include a slender rod, which may be provided with a flag at an upper end, and a target body of a desired size that can rest on the ground, held in place by the slender rod extending down through it into the ground.

In one embodiment of such a target, the target body may be a tapered frustoconical cup that can easily be stacked with similar cups so that a set of several such target bodies can be nested and stored in a compact stack whose height is but a small fraction of an equal multiple of the height of each such target body.

In one embodiment a target body retainer and stabilizer may be fitted snugly on the rod to help keep the target body in place on the ground.

A game according to the present disclosure may be played on a golf course, using existing golf tee areas, greens, and holes, or may be played on a smaller area, such as an available athletic field, or in a yard associated with a person's house, for example. In either version, a player attempts to move a ball around a course of preferably several targets such as golf course holes in a minimum number of strokes, first using the bat-putter to hit the ball using “toss-up and hit” fungo or baseball skills. When the ball rests on a golf course green or within a prescribed distance from a target, the ground-stroke face of the bat-putter must be used to move the ball the remaining distance to place the ball in the cup on a golf course green, or to cause the ball to strike the target body of one of the targets provided as part of a set of game equipment.

Depending on where a game as disclosed herein is played, the ball used may be a golf ball, a baseball, or another ball as selected. For example, a ball of a size and configuration designed to present a greater air resistance or to have less weight or a smaller ability to rebound or be driven by the bat-putter may be used, so that the game can be played in a more restricted area. Thus the game can be played, for example, on an ordinary golf course, using a golf ball, or on an athletic field using a baseball, or on a home lawn, using a limited-flight, lightweight ball such as a Wiffle® ball.

The foregoing and other features of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a modified fungo bat including a putter portion at its outer tip end for use in a game according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the outer tip end of the modified bat shown in FIG. 1, showing the putter face.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the modified bat shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is an exploded isometric view of the outer tip end portion of the modified bat shown in FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the outer tip end, or putter portion, of the modified bat shown in FIGS. 1-4, showing its use in putting a ball.

FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 are side elevational views of the outer tip, or putter, ends of bats similar to that shown in FIG. 1, each including an alternative embodiment of the putter portion thereof.

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the knob end of a modified fungo bat including a modified knob having a face that can be used as a golf club.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the knob end of a bat similar to that shown in FIG. 9, showing its use as a golf club.

FIGS. 11 and 12 are side elevational views similar to FIG. 10 showing knobs that are alternative embodiments of the knob shown in FIG. 10, with alternative angles of inclination of a golf club face thereof.

FIG. 13 is a view of a person using a modified fungo bat such as that shown in FIG. 1 on a green of a golf course.

FIG. 14 is an exploded view of a target for use in playing a game as disclosed herein, utilizing a modified bat such as one of those shown in FIGS. 1-12.

FIG. 15 is a view of a game target such as that shown in FIG. 14, in an assembled condition.

FIG. 16 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a portion of a simplified version of the target shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, in an assembled condition.

FIG. 17 is an isometric view of a set of game equipment and a container for use in storage and transport of the entire set of game equipment.

FIG. 18 is a view of a portion of a game course including targets such as those shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 and arranged for use in playing the game disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5 of the drawings which form a part of the description herein, a combination fungo bat and golf club, which will be referred to hereinafter as a bat-putter 20, has a barrel portion 22 which is generally cylindrical and has a diameter 24 that is generally uniform. The diameter 24 may, for example, be about 1.85 inches in a bat-putter 20 based on a conventional fungo bat, although a somewhat greater or smaller diameter 24 in the range of 1.75 to 2.75 inches would also be acceptable. A tapered mid portion 26 extends in a proximal direction from the barrel portion 22 toward a slender handle portion 28, and at the proximal end of the bat-putter 20 there is a knob 30. The bat-putter has a length 31 that may be between about 24 inches (for a child's use) and a greater length (for adult use) limited to 38 inches in accordance with the rules as the game is envisioned. At the outer tip end 32, opposite the knob 30, there is a recessed planar ball-striking face 34. The planar ball-striking face 34 extends from the outer tip end 32 in a generally longitudinal direction toward the knob 30 at the proximal end of the bat-putter 20 for a distance 36, shown in FIG. 5, that is great enough to allow the ball-striking face 34 to contact the outer surface of a round ball 38 without the cylindrical outer surface 42 of the cylindrical barrel portion 22 coming into contact with the ball 38. For example, the distance 36 may be about 2.75 inches, and may be about twice the diameter 24, but should be no more than about 4.5 inches. The distance 36 is thus ample to permit the bat-putter 20 to be used with a conventional golf ball, whose diameter is about 1.7 inch. A connecting surface 40 extends from the ball-striking face 34 to the cylindrical surface 42 of the barrel portion 22. The connecting surface 40 may extend radially, normal to a central longitudinal axis 44 of the bat-putter 20, as shown in FIGS. 1-5.

The planar ball-striking face 34 may be an outer surface of an insert such as a face plate 46 fastened closely against a base surface 48 of the bat-putter 20. The plate 46 may be held in place by suitable fasteners such as screws 50, extending through holes 51 in the plate 46 and into corresponding holes 53 in the base surface 48, and optionally by suitable adhesives (not shown) as well. The surface 48 is recessed with respect to the cylindrical outer surface 42 by a distance 52 that is somewhat dependent upon the thickness 54 of the plate 46 so that the ball-striking face 34 is located at a distance somewhat less than half the diameter 24 from the adjacent cylindrical surface 42 when the planar ball-striking face 34 is parallel with the diameter 24 and the central longitudinal axis 44.

The thickness 54 of the face plate 46 may be chosen depending at least partially upon the density of the material of the plate 46, in order to result in the plate 46 being heavy enough to substantially balance the bat-putter 20 around the central longitudinal axis 44, compensating for the weight of material omitted or removed from the barrel 22 to form the base surface 48 and the connecting surface 40 at the outer tip end 32 of the barrel portion 22. The face plate 46 may be of any of several materials, including without limitation, wood, metal, composites, and plastic, to vary the weight, speed, and power of the bat-putter 20 for the toss-up and hit. Thus for a bat-putter 20 whose primary material is wood, a stainless steel or bronze plate 46 may have a thickness 54 of about 0.1 inch where the base surface 48 is a small distance from the central longitudinal axis 44, as shown in FIG. 3 and where the distance 36 is about 2.2 inches and the planar ball-striking face 34 is recessed by a distance 56 of about 0.5 inch with respect to the cylindrical outer surface 42 of the barrel portion 22, as shown best in FIG. 5.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6 a plate 60 could be smaller, extending from the outer tip end 32 over a distance 36′ in the range of, for example, 1.5-2.2 inches, and the connecting surface 40 may be inclined at a suitable angle 62 of, for example, 135 degrees to the plate 60, to insure ample clearance to strike a ball 38.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the ball-striking face 34 need not be parallel with the central longitudinal axis 44, but could be inclined downward as shown in FIG. 7 or upward as shown in FIG. 8.

Thus the ball-striking face 34 may be used to putt a ball 38 in a conventional golf putt fashion with the ball-striking face 34 parallel with the central longitudinal axis 44, or the bat-putter 20 with the ball-striking face angled down as shown in FIG. 7 may be used with a slightly different swing technique, or, when the ball-striking face 34 is inclined at an upward, or lofting, angle as shown in FIG. 8, the bat-putter 20 may be used either to putt or to chip a ball toward a target.

While the ball 38 may be an ordinary golf ball for play on a golf course, for play in a smaller area a ball that will not travel so far should be used, such as standard commercially available limited flight golf balls, commercially available perforated golf balls, commercially available hollow plastic light weight golf balls, commercially available baseballs, commercially available perforated baseballs, commercially available softballs or commercially available perforated softballs.

As shown in FIG. 9, a bat-putter 70 may be similar in most respects to a conventional fungo bat, or to the bat-putter 20, but includes a knob-club 72 including a ball-striking club face 74 shown in one version in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10. The club face 74 may be a generally planar surface intersecting the shape of the knob 72, which may otherwise have the usual shape of a thick disk with an arcuately rounded edge 76. At least for a bat-putter 70 made primarily of wood, the knob 72 may be attached by a fastener such as a screw 78 extending axially into the proximal end of a knobless handle portion 80 of the bat-putter 70. The knob-club 72 may be made of a suitably hard and durable material such as a metal, particularly a metal whose density is greater than the density of the principal material of the bat-putter 70, so that the knob-club 72 will have the effect of facilitating a pendulum-like swing of the bat-putter 70, when using the knob-club 72, as shown in FIG. 10 to strike a ball 38. Alternatively, the knob-club 72 may be of wood, integral with the handle 80, but with a face plate (not shown) of a suitable material to stand up to striking a ball. While the club face 74 is inclined slightly upward, as shown in FIG. 11 the knob-club 72 may include a club face 82 with a slightly downward inclination, or, as shown in FIG. 12 the knob-club 72 may include a club face 84 parallel with the central longitudinal axis 44 of the bat-putter 70. The knob-club 72 may have a thickness 86, in an axial direction with respect to the bat-putter 70, that is greater than the usual thickness of an ordinary knob 30 of an ordinary fungo bat, in order to have an amply large club face 74, 82 or 84, and thus the thickness 86 may be as great as one inch. A diameter 88 may also be larger than the diameter of an ordinary knob 30, so long as it is not so large that it would interfere with use of the bat-putter 70 in its batting function.

As shown in FIG. 13 a player using the bat-putter 20 can putt a ball 38 toward a target such as an ordinary golf course hole 90 on a golf course green 92, holding the handle portion 28 of the bat-putter 20 or 70 as if it were the handle of a golf club. Similarly, if the player preferred, he or she might use the knob-club 72, gripping the barrel portion 22 of the bat-putter 20 or 70 as a handle, although it would be much larger than the usual handle of a golf club. The bat-putter 20 or the bat-putter 70 may thus be utilized to strike a ball in either of two ways while playing a game that will be explained subsequently in greater detail on an ordinary golf course where each hole 90 is marked by a flagstick 94 carrying a flag 96, as shown in FIG. 13.

As explained previously, in many instances an ordinary golf course will not be available, or it may be desired to play a golf-like game in a smaller area in connection with a family gathering where players of various levels of skill would be involved and where many players would have little or no golf ability nor any desire to bear the costs usually associated with play on a conventional golf course. There is thus disclosed a set of game equipment that may be used to provide a suitably challenging course of play including suitable targets.

Referring to FIGS. 14, 15, and 16, a target 100 includes a flagstick 102 and an associated flag 104, together with a target body 106 and a target body retainer and stabilizer, or anchor 108, located slidably on the flagstick 102.

The flagstick 102 may be of strong yet slender and not too heavy material such as wood, fiber reinforced plastic, or composite, or may be a slender hollow metal tube or a heavy wire, with a length 110, of, for example, about 36 inches, long enough for the flag 104 to be visible easily at a distance over somewhat uneven ground. The flagstick 102 should have a sharp pointed end 112 that can easily pushed into the ground where it is desired to have a target 100, as in an area of a yard or playground where a course is to be set up for play in accordance with the game, as will be described in greater detail subsequently. For compact storage of several flagsticks 102, the diameter 113 of the flagstick 102 should be small, no greater than one inch and preferably no greater than about 0.3 inch, and more preferably no greater than about 0.1 inch.

The flag 104 should include markings to show the order of play, such as the numeral seven illustrated in FIG. 14, to designate the seventh of a series of targets correlating to holes in a golf course. While the size of the flags 104 is not critical, a suitable size is 3 inches high by 4 inches long.

As shown in FIG. 15, the flag 104 is marked with the word “START” which would correlate with the tee of the first hole of a golf course and can be used to mark a start point for place. In FIG. 15, the flagstick 102 is shown extending through the target stabilizer 108 and the target body 106, and a lower end of the flagstick 102 including the pointed end 112 protrudes below the target body 106 and could be inserted into the ground beneath the target body as far as necessary to securely and stably support the flagstick 102 and the attached flag 104.

As shown in FIG. 16, if desired the flagstick 102 may be inserted through the target body 106 and extend upward to a flag 104, not shown in FIG. 16, without the inclusion of the target stabilizer 108.

The target body 106 should be large enough to present a target which can be struck without requiring too precise a path to be followed by a ball 38, and thus may conveniently have a maximum diameter 114 in the range of 2½ inches-4½ inches. The target body 106 should be tapered and hollow, with an interior cavity 115, and having a smaller diameter 116 at an upper, closed, end 118. While the target body 106 may be conical or pyramidal, for convenience and visibility it may be in the form of a frustoconical cup with a circular closed upper end 118 and a height 120, as shown in FIGS. 14, 15, and 16, which may be in the range of 3 inches-6 inches and preferably may be about 4 inches. The diameter 116 at the upper end 118 in any case should be enough smaller than the diameter 114 at the lower end of the target body 106 so that several of the target bodies can be stacked, or nested, within one another. Thus for a set of game equipment all of the target bodies 106 should be able to be nested together with one another to facilitate transportation and allow storage within a smaller, more compact, package than would be the case if all of the target bodies 106 were solid, with a total height 128 no greater than the height 120 of a first target body 106 plus one fourth the total of the heights 120 of all the target bodies 106. It would be desirable, for example, for 18 target bodies each having a height 120 of 4 inches to be nested together in a stack having a total height 128 no more than about five times the height 120 of one target body 106, and preferably less than three times the height 120.

For example, a target body 106 may be in the form of a thin-walled, tapered, inexpensive cup, such as a tapered plastic beverage cup with a rolled rim 122 to provide some rigidity and stability. For example, such a cup may have a maximum diameter 114 of 4 inches, a closed-end diameter 116 of 3.5 inches, and a height 120 of 4 inches. The cup may or may not have ornamental coloring, printing or painting of words or numbers of most any kind and most any purpose. A hole 124 is located in the center of the closed end 118 to receive the flagstick 102 when the target 100 is in use. Similarly, a bore 126 extends through the target stabilizer 108, so that the flagstick 102 can pass through both the target body retainer and stabilizer 108 and the target body 106.

The target body retainer and stabilizer 108 may be made of a variety of materials, including without limitation, hollow plastic, solid plastic, hollow rubber, solid rubber or foam rubber, with a diameter or largest dimension 109 preferably no greater than 4.5 inches. The target body retainer 108 may, but need not, be an ornamental representation of a golf ball, baseball, or softball. With the target body 106 being light in weight the weight of the target body retainer and stabilizer 108 can keep the target body 106 in its desired position on the ground.

As shown in FIG. 17, an entire set of playing equipment includes several targets 100, a ball 38, a bat-putter 20 or 70, and a carrying container 130 large enough to contain all of the game equipment in an easily stowed and easily carried configuration. For example, the container 130 may be conveniently be manufactured from a length of rigid plastic tubing 132 such as four-inch-diameter schedule 40 ABS foam core pipe with a length 134 of about four feet. Mating end caps 136, 138 may be provided for the ends, with the bottom end cap 136 optionally being permanently fastened to and covering the end of the pipe 132, while the top end cap 138 remains removable. A carrying strap 140, which may be as simple as a suitable length of extruded plastic strap or woven webbing, may be attached to each of the end caps 136 and 138 to prevent the top end cap 138 from being lost. A handle 142 may provide a place for entering an owner's name and other identifying information, or to provide a inventory check list of the set of game equipment. The container 130 is thus large enough to contain at least one bat-putter 20 or 70, a full set of 18 targets 100, and a “start” marker. The flags 104, together with their flagsticks 102, are separated from the target bodies 106, which can be stacked in a nested configuration. The target stabilizers 108 may for convenience be kept together within an inner container (not shown) such as a net bag or a plastic bag. A score pad or rule book 144 may also be provided, and a number of suitable balls 38 may also be stored within the container 130.

As shown in FIG. 18, a playing course can be laid out in a fairly small area if desired, such as in a home backyard. The numerals or other markings on the flags 104 can be used to establish the direction and sequence of play. A line 152 may, if desired, be marked on the ground surrounding each target 100 to establish a “green” area within which the ball may be struck only by using the bat-putter 20 or 70 as a putter.

Method of Play on a Golf Course

For play on a golf course, the bat-putter 20 or 70 described above is used, and the ball 38 should be a commercially available standard golf ball. Preferably each player should have a separate bat-putter 20 or 70, and each player must have an individual ball 38. The bat-putter may not exceed 38 inches is length and may not have a barrel diameter 24 greater than 2¾ inches or less than 1¾ inches. The bat-putter 20 or 70 is the only batting and putting device that may be used by a player to complete the course, unless the bat-putter 20 or 70 breaks, splits, cracks, chips etc., in which case the player may continue play with a replacement bat-putter or use another player's bat-putter to complete the course.

The object of the game is, within these rules, to play the golf course in the fewest swings. The player to complete the golf course with the fewest swings is the winner. Scoring should be kept by each player for the number of swings to complete each hole, as in the game of golf.

Play is commenced on each hole, on the designated golf teeing area, with each player tossing-up a respective ball 38 above the player's head and swinging at the ball on its downward flight (“toss-up and hit”) with the bat-putter 20 or 70, with the intention of hitting the ball 38 in the direction of the flagstick 94 in the hole on the golf green 92. Each swing at a tossed up ball 38 is counted as a swing in the player's score, regardless of whether or not the swing comes into contact with the ball. In making the toss-up and hit swing, the player should turn the bat-putter 20 in the player's hand so that the putting face 34 of the bat-putter is turned up, down, or back, away from the ball, so as to avoid hitting the ball 38 with the putting face 34. After the ball is struck by the player in the teeing area of the golf course, the player's next toss-up and hit occurs over the place where the ball lies. At that place, the player stands over the place where the ball lay and proceeds with the player's next toss-up and hit in the direction of the flagstick 94 in the hole 90 on the green 92 and so on until the ball is on the green. Switch-hitting, as in baseball, from the left or right, is allowed and may be useful to the player to avoid hitting obstacles, as will be explained below.

The toss-up and hit swing may not be used on a golf green 92. On the golf green 92 putting the ball with the putting face 34 or club face 74, 82, or 84 on an end of the bat-putter 20 or 70 is the only allowed manner of striking the ball 38. The ball 38 is putted from where it comes to rest on the green 82 in the direction of the hole 90 until the ball falls in the hole. Each putt on the green is counted as a swing in the player's score.

Hazard Play. A hazard is any sand bunker or designed water hazard (as opposed to standing rainwater, over-irrigation etc.) on the course. If a ball 38 goes into a hazard the player is charged with a swing and may take another toss-up and hit swing from where the ball landed in the hazard, if playable, or if not playable, may move the ball to an area just past the hazard and resume play from there, in which event the player is charged with two swings. If the ball 38 lands in an unplayable area such as standing irrigation or rainwater that is not designated as a hazard, the ball may be moved without penalty to the area just beyond the standing water, etc., towards the next flagstick 94.

Obstacle Play. Obstacles are things on the course so close to where the player's ball rests that the player cannot take a swing without hitting the obstacle, e.g., trees, bushes, poles, buildings, etc. The player is allowed to avoid hitting the obstacle without a penalty swing by switch-hitting. If a player's ball 38 lands on an obstacle or so near to it that the player cannot take a swing without hitting it, the player is charged with a swing and may move the ball to a selected position within twice the length 31 of the player's bat-putter 20 or 70 from the original lie and must resume play from there.

Lost Ball Play. In the event the player loses his ball 38 in play, the player is charged with one swing and must go back as nearly as possible to the place of the player's last swing and resume play from there.

Out-of-Bounds Play. Out-of-bounds is where play is prohibited according to the golf course regulations. It may be indicated by stakes, fences, lines above or on the ground, electronic light etc. Any ball 38 on or over the boundary line is out-of-bounds. If a player's ball 38 lands out-of-bounds the player is charged with a swing and must move the ball to a spot just inside the boundary line that is the closest possible lie to where the ball was lying out-of-bounds and must commence play from there.

Order of Play and Etiquette. Off the first teeing area, the order of play is by agreement of the players or determined by lot such as by drawing straws. After all players' balls 38 are hit out of the teeing area, the player with the ball furthest from the hole is the next to play and so on. After play of the first hole is completed, on the next hole's teeing area, the player with the best score on the prior hole has the honor to start play and where two or more players on the prior hole have the same score the order of play is again determined by agreement or by lot. No one should move, talk to the player or stand close to the player when the player is in the process of swinging at a ball. When a ball 38 has been played, or the hole play completed, a player should move quickly to where the ball lies for the next swing or to the next teeing area for commencement of the next hole.

Care of the Golf Course. Players shall take care of the golf course as is customary, by raking bunkers, repairing ball-marks and spike-marks on greens and by avoiding damage to the greens by leaning on their bat-putter 20 or 70 or course flagsticks 94.

Method of Play on a Sports Field or Private Yard

Equipment for Sports Field or Yard Play. In order to play safely in a limited area, the ball 38 should be a ball that will not travel as far as a golf ball, such as standard commercially available limited flight golf balls, commercially available perforated golf balls, commercially available hollow plastic golf balls, commercially available baseballs, commercially available perforated baseballs, commercially available softballs or commercially available perforated softballs. Also needed are a bat-putter 20 or 70 as described above, one “start” or similarly named flag 104 and a flagstick 102 and nine or eighteen targets 100 with consecutively numbered flags 104 and flagsticks 102 as described above. The recessed and flattened area of the ball-striking face 34 of the barrel portion 22 of the bat-putter 20 may not exceed the last 4½ inches adjacent to the outer tip end 32.

The bat-putter 20 or 70 for sports field or yard play is to be as described above. The bat-putter 20 or 70 is the only batting and putting device that may be used by a player to complete the course, unless the bat-putter breaks, splits, cracks, chips, etc. in which case the player may continue play with a replacement bat-putter 20 or 70, or use another player's bat-putter to complete the course.

The “start” or similarly named flag 104 and flagstick 102 and nine (9) or eighteen (18) consecutively numbered game flags 104 and flagsticks 102 may be identical except for coloring, lettering and/or numbering. The lettered and numbered flagsticks are placed on the sports field or yard from which play is commenced for the “start” or similar named flagstick and play follows in the order of the consecutively numbered flagsticks until completed at the last flagstick as further described below.

The Sports Field or Yard Course. The sports field or yard course of the game allows for play to occur in smaller areas due to the use of limited flight balls as described above. The course is set in advance of any play. Instead of putting the ball 38 into a hole, it is putted into a target body 106 of a flagstick 102 as in the game of croquet. The play from one target 100 to another target 100 is an “inning” to be completed in the fewest number of swings, as in a hole of golf. To play a nine-inning game, the course would have one “start” or similarly named flagstick and nine flagsticks numbered 1 though 9 planted in the field or yard. To play an eighteen-inning game the course would have one “start” or similarly named flagstick and eighteen (18) flagsticks numbered 1 though 18. Play commences with a toss-up and swing by each player from the location of the “start” flagstick 102 and proceeds around the course in the order of the consecutively placed numbered flags 104 until the course of targets 100 has been completed when the last putt has been made into the target 100 including the last consecutively numbered flagstick.

Object of the Game. The object of the game is, within these rules, to play the sports field or yard course in the fewest swings. The player to complete the sports field or yard course with the fewest swings is the winner. Scoring should be kept for the number of swings required to complete each inning as for a hole in the game of golf.

Toss-up and Hit. Play is commenced, within 5 bat-putter lengths 31 (approximately 15 feet) from the “start” flagstick 102 with the player tossing-up the ball 38 above the player's head and swinging at the ball on its downward flight (“toss-up and hit”) with the bat-putter 20 or 70 with the intention of hitting the ball 38 in the direction of the first flag 104, numbered “1.” Each swing at a tossed up ball 38 is counted as a swing in the player's score, regardless of whether or not the bat-putter 20 or 70 comes into contact with the ball 38. In making the toss-up and hit swing, the player should turn the bat-putter in the player's hand so that the putting face 34 of the bat-putter is turned up, down, or back, away from the ball, so as to avoid hitting the ball 38 with the putting face 34. After the ball 38 is struck by the player to commence an inning, the player's next toss-up and hit occurs over the place where the ball lies when it has come to rest. At that place, the player stands over the place where the ball lay and proceeds with the player's next toss-up and hit in the direction of flagstick “1” and so on until the ball is within 5 bat-putter lengths 31 (approximately 15 feet) of the flagstick “1.” Switch-hitting, as in baseball, from the left or right, is allowed and may be useful to the player to avoid hitting obstacles, as explained below regarding Hazard and Obstacle Play. After putting into flagstick “1,” play proceeds toward the next consecutively numbered flagstick “2” with a toss-up and hit swing made within 5 bat-putter lengths (approximately 15 feet) of flagstick “1.” After completion of play of the second inning by putting into flagstick “2,” play proceeds as described above in the order of the remaining numbered flagsticks on the course and is completed with the last putt into the last consecutively numbered flagstick, or in the event of a tie, then into extra innings commencing at the “start” flagstick until one of the players posts a lower extra inning score than any of the other previously tied players.

Putting. As play approaches the flagstick “1,” the toss-up and hit swing may not be used within 5 bat-putter lengths (approximately 15 feet) of flagstick “1,” the “green” area. In the green, the ball is putted toward the target 106 at the base of the flagstick 102 as in croquet. In the “green” area, putting the ball with the putting face 34 or the club face 74, 82, or 84 on and end of the bat-putter is the only allowed swing. The ball 38 is then putted from where it lies on the field or yard in the direction of the numbered target 100 until the ball 38 hits the target body 106, at which point the inning is completed.

At that point the next inning begins with a toss-up and hit swing within 5 bat-putter lengths 31 (approximately 15 feet) from the just completed target 100, in the direction of the next consecutively numbered target, and so on until all of the innings are completed as described above. Each putt is counted as a swing in the player's score. The score for the number of swings to complete each inning should be recorded at the conclusion of each inning as in a hole in the game of golf.

Hazard Play. A hazard is any sand bunker or designed water hazard (as opposed to standing rainwater, over-irrigation etc.) or other designated hazard established when setting up the course. If a player's ball 38 goes into a hazard the player is charged with a swing and may take another toss-up and swing from where the ball 38 landed in the hazard, if playable, or if not playable, may move the ball to an area just past the hazard and resume play from there, in which event the player is charged with two swings. If the ball 38 lands in an unplayable area such as standing irrigation or rainwater that is not designated as a hazard, the ball may be moved without penalty to the area just beyond the standing water etc. towards the next target 100. Hazards shall be designated in advance of play.

Obstacle Play. Obstacles are things on the course so close to where the player's ball 38 rests that the player cannot take a swing without hitting the obstacle, e.g., trees, bushes, poles, buildings, etc. The player is allowed to avoid hitting the obstacle without a penalty swing by switch-hitting. If a player's ball 38 lands on an obstacle or so near to it that the player cannot take a swing without hitting it, the player is charged with a swing and may move the ball to a selected position within two lengths 31 of the player's bat-putter 20 or 70 from the original lie and must resume play from there.

Lost Ball Play. In the event the player loses his ball 38 in play, the player is charged with one swing and must go back as nearly as possible to the place of the player's last swing and resume play from there.

Out-of-Bounds Play. Out-of-bounds is where play is prohibited. It may be indicated by stakes, fences, lines above or on the ground, electronic lights, etc., or as otherwise decided in advance by the players. Any ball 38 on or over the boundary line is out-of-bounds. If a player's ball 38 lands out-of-bounds the player is charged with a swing and must move the ball to a spot just inside the boundary line that is the closest possible lie to where the ball was lying out-of-bounds and must commence play from there.

Order of Play and Etiquette. The order of play to commence the first inning is by agreement of the players or determined by lot, such as by drawing straws. After all players' balls 38 are hit to commence the inning the player with the ball furthest from the next target 100 is next to play and so on. After the first inning is completed, the next inning is commenced by the player with the best score in the prior inning, who has the honor to start play. Where two or more players in the prior inning have the same score, then the order of play is again determined by agreement or by lot. No one should move, talk to the player or stand close to a player when the player is in the process of swinging at a ball.

The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.

Claims

1. An elongate bat for propelling a ball in a game, comprising:

(a) an elongate generally cylindrical ball-striking barrel portion having an outer tip end and a circular cross-sectional shape with a diameter;

(b) a tapered mid portion extending in a first, proximal direction away from said barrel portion;

(c) a slender handle portion connected with said barrel portion through said tapered mid portion, said barrel portion, mid portion, and handle portion together including a central longitudinal axis; and

(d) a recessed planar ball-striking face located at said outer tip end of said barrel portion and extending along said barrel portion over a distance equal to not more than about twice said diameter of said barrel portion.

2. The elongate bat of claim 1 wherein the ball-striking face is parallel with said central longitudinal axis.

3. The elongate bat of claim 1 including a central longitudinal axis and wherein said ball-striking face is oriented at an acute angle to said central longitudinal axis.

4. The elongate bat of claim 3 wherein said ball-striking face is oriented at a lifting angle.

5. The elongate bat of claim 1 including a connecting surface extending between said ball-striking face and an outer surface of said barrel portion and oriented at an obtuse angle to said ball-striking face.

6. The elongate bat of claim 2 including a connecting surface extending between said ball-striking face and an outer surface of said barrel portion and oriented normal to said ball-striking face.

7. The elongate bat of claim 1 including a face plate attached to said barrel portion and having an outer surface including said ball-striking face.

8. The elongate bat of claim 7 wherein said face plate is of a material having a density greater than a density of a principal material of said barrel portion.

9. The elongate bat of claim 1 including a knob at a proximal end of said handle portion, said knob defining a planar club face.

10. The elongate bat of claim 9 wherein said knob is of a material having a density greater than a density of a principal material of said handle.

11. The elongate bat of claim 9 wherein said knob is of metal.

12. The elongate bat of claim 9 wherein said club face is parallel with said central longitudinal axis.

13. The elongate bat of claim 9 wherein said club face is oriented at an acute angle with respect to said central longitudinal axis.

14. The elongate bat of claim 9 wherein said club face is oriented at a lofting angle with respect to said central longitudinal axis.

15. The elongate bat of claim 9 wherein said knob includes a face plate defining said planar club face.

16. The elongate bat of claim 15 wherein said face plate is of a greater density than that of a remaining part of said knob.

17. A target assembly for use in a ball game, comprising:

(a) a slender flagstick having a length and a diameter no greater than one inch;

(b) a flag attached to a top of said flagstick;

(c) a target body having an upper part defining a flagstick aperture, said body being generally hollow and defining a cavity shaped to receive a portion of a similar target body nested in said cavity; and

(d) wherein said flagstick extends through said flagstick aperture and into a playing area with said target body resting on said playing area when said target assembly is in use.

18. The target assembly of claim 17 including a target anchor mounted slidably on said flagstick above said target body.

19. The target assembly of claim 17 wherein said upper part of said target body includes a horizontal part defining said flagstick aperture.

20. The target assembly of claim 19 wherein said target body is frustoconical in shape.

21. The target assembly of claim 17 wherein said flagstick is of metal wire.

22. A set of game equipment, comprising:

(a) a bat including an elongate generally cylindrical ball-striking barrel portion having an outer tip end and a circular cross-sectional shape with a diameter;

(b) a tapered mid portion extending in a first, proximal direction away from said barrel portion;

(c) a slender handle portion connected with said barrel portion through said tapered mid portion;

(d) a recessed planar ball-striking face located at said outer tip end of said barrel portion and extending along said barrel portion over a distance equal to not more than about twice said diameter of said barrel portion;

(e) a plurality of target assemblies, each including: (i) a slender flagstick having a length and a diameter no greater than one inch; (ii) a flag attached to a top of said flagstick; (iii) a target body having a body height and an upper part defining a flagstick aperture, said target body being generally hollow and defining a cavity shaped to receive a portion of a similar target body nested in said cavity; and (iv) wherein said flagsticks are separated from said target bodies and a plurality of said target bodies are nested together as a group having a height less than an equal multiple of the body height of one said target body; and

(f) a tubular elongate rigid container having an internal cavity large enough to receive all of said flagsticks, said target bodies and said bat, and having a carrying handle and a removable end cover.

23. The set of game equipment of claim 22 wherein said tubular container is generally cylindrical and said internal cavity has a diameter about twice said diameter of said bat.

24. The set of game equipment of claim 22 wherein said plurality of target assemblies includes at least nine of said flagsticks, nine of said flags, and nine of said target bodies, all of said target bodies being nested together as a single group having a height no greater than about fourteen inches.

25. The set of game equipment of claim 24 wherein said container is of rigid cylindrical plastic tubing having a cap at each of a pair of opposite ends, at least one of said caps being removable, and said carrying handle being attached to each of said end caps, and wherein said tubing has an outside diameter of not more than about six inches.

26. The set of game equipment of claim 22 wherein each said target body is one of a set of several tapered frustoconical hollow cups capable of nesting closely together in a stack having a height no greater than the body height of one said target body plus one-fourth the total of the body heights of the several target bodies.

27. The set of playing equipment for a game of claim 22 including a start point marker.

28. The set of playing equipment for a game of claim 22 wherein the start point marker includes a flagstick and a flag.

29. The set of playing equipment for a game of claim 22 wherein said ball is a limited flight baseball.

30. The set of game equipment of claim 22 wherein said ball is a limited-flight golf ball.

31. The set of game playing equipment of claim 22 wherein said bat is of hollow molded plastic construction.

32. The set of game playing equipment of claim 22 wherein said bat includes a knob at a proximal end of said handle portion, said knob defining a planar club face.

33. A method of playing a game based partially on golf, comprising:

(a) providing a course for play including a plurality of apart-spaced targets, each said target being surrounded by a respective area designated as a green and said course including a designated starting point for play with respect to each said target;

(b) providing a ball to be moved along said course by a player;

(c) providing a bat-putter including a barrel portion, an outer tip end, a handle, a knob at a handle end located opposite said outer tip end, and a generally planar ball-striking face located at one of said ends;

(d) commencing at said starting point for a respective one of said targets, tossing said ball upward; and, before said ball falls to the ground striking said ball with said bat to drive said ball along said course toward said respective one of said targets;

(e) following said ball once it has been struck, to a resting place at which said ball has stopped, and from said resting place again tossing said ball upward and, before said ball falls to the ground, striking said ball with said bat to drive said ball toward said respective one of said targets;

(f) repeating step (e) until said ball either comes to a resting place on said green of said respective one of said targets or strikes said respective one of said targets without first coming to a resting place on said green;

(g) at any time when said ball stops at a resting place on said green of said respective one of said targets prior to striking said respective one of said targets, utilizing said bat as a putter and striking said ball from said resting place on said green toward said respective one of said targets;

(h) keeping track of and counting each swing required to move said ball from said starting point to said respective one of said targets, while attempting to move said ball along said course for play utilizing a minimum number of swings.

34. The method of claim 33 including the step of counting as a swing any unsuccessful attempt to strike said ball once it has been tossed upward.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein said course is a golf course and each said target is a respective hole on a respective green of said golf course.

36. The method of claim 33 including the step of selecting and marking a zone surrounding each said target to be a green.

37. An elongate bat for propelling a ball in a game, comprising:

(a) an elongate generally cylindrical ball-striking barrel portion having an outer tip end and a circular cross-sectional shape with a diameter;

(b) a tapered mid portion extending in a first, proximal direction away from said barrel portion;

(c) a slender handle portion connected with said barrel portion through said tapered mid portion, said barrel portion, mid portion, and handle portion together including a central longitudinal axis; and

(d) a knob located at a proximal end of said handle portion, said knob defining a generally planar club face directed outwardly away from said central longitudinal axis.

38. The elongate bat of claim 37 wherein said knob is of a material having a density greater than a density of a principal material of said handle.

39. The elongate bat of claim 37 wherein said knob is of metal.

40. The elongate bat of claim 37 wherein said club face is parallel with said central longitudinal axis.

41. The elongate bat of claim 37 wherein said club face is oriented at an acute angle with respect to said central longitudinal axis.

42. The elongate bat of claim 37 wherein said club face is oriented at a lofting angle with respect to said central longitudinal axis.

43. The elongate bat of claim 37 wherein said knob includes a face plate defining said planar club face.

44. The elongate bat of claim 37 wherein said face plate is of a greater density than that of a remaining part of said knob.