Method For Conducting A Golf Tournament Over A Plurality Of Geographic Locations
In one embodiment, a method is provided for conducting a golf tournament over a plurality of geographic locations. The method includes the steps of providing a golf course with a fixed layout in each geographic location and directing one or more players to simultaneously commence play at the golf course in each geographic location. The method further includes the steps of recording a score of each player at the golf course in each geographic location and ranking the scores of the players over the plurality of geographic locations with a computer. The method further includes the step of broadcasting the ranking of the scores over a broadcast medium linked to the computer. Another method and system are also included.
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The invention relates to golf tournaments, and more particularly to a method for conducting a golf tournament over a plurality of geographic locations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONGolf tournaments are common among various skill levels, from beginner to professional. Various patents have been granted in relation to golf tournaments. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,775,580 to Jira is directed to a system for registering golfers for a schedule of golf tournaments, collecting entrance fees, determining the winner of each tournament and paying the prizes to the winners. Another example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,133,124 to Braun, discloses a method for a golf tournament, in which the scoring of the golf tournament is affected by viewer interaction and whether a viewer observes a golfer complying with the tournament rules.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONIn one embodiment, a method is provided for conducting a golf tournament over a plurality of geographic locations. The method includes the steps of providing a golf course with a fixed layout in each geographic location and directing one or more players to simultaneously commence play at the golf course in each geographic location. The method further includes the steps of recording a score of each player at the golf course in each geographic location and ranking the scores of the players over the plurality of geographic locations with a computer. The method further includes the step of broadcasting the ranking of the scores over a broadcast medium linked to the computer.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the method includes the steps of recording the score of each player in a local database at each geographic location and transmitting the score of each player in each geographic location from the local database to a central database. The method further includes ranking the scores of all of the players over the plurality of geographic locations with the computer linked to the central database. The method further includes broadcasting the ranking of the scores over a website linked to the computer.
The invention is explained in the following description in view of the drawings that show:
The present inventors have recognized several limitations of the conventional methods for conducting golf tournaments. For example, the inventors recognized that conventional methods for conducting a golf tournament are limited to a golf tournament conducted at a golf course at a single geographic location. This is due to the inherent requirement that a golf tournament must be played over a fixed golf course layout and conventional golf course layouts vary from geographic location to geographic location. Based on this recognition, the present inventors developed a method for conducting a golf tournament over a plurality of geographic locations, by providing a golf course with a fixed layout at each geographic location. By permitting the golf tournament to be conducted over a plurality of geographic regions, several notable advantages are achieved over conventional methods, such as an increased capacity of players in the tournament, for example.
The term “golf tournament” is used herein. This term is not meant to be limiting as the tournament may involve a golf game or a golf-like game. Thus, the use of the term golf tournament relates to a golf game and/or a golf-like game. Additionally, the term “golf course” is used herein. This term is not meant to be limiting as the golf course may pertain to any location where a golf game or a golf-like game may be played.
In order to commence the golf tournament, one or more players are directed to the golf course 116 at each geographic location 110, 112, 114. Once the player(s) are located at the golf course 116 in each geographic location 110, 112, 114, the player(s) are instructed to simultaneously commence play at the golf course 116 at the geographic location 110, 112, 114. In one example, a shotgun start may be used, where a player at each geographic location 110, 112, 114 is assigned a starting hole between 1-18 at the golf course 116, and thus each player simultaneously commences play at the start time of the tournament. In another example, a normal tournament start may be used, where each player at each geographic location 110, 112, 114 is given a tee time to start play at the first tee on the golf course 116 at each geographic location 110, 112, 114. Since the geographic locations 110, 112, 114 are positioned in different time zones, the tee times provided to each player in each geographic location 110, 112, 114 are adjusted, such that the players commence play simultaneously over the plurality of geographic locations 110, 112, 114. The players at each geographic location 110, 112, 114 may be grouped into groups of at least two, for example. Additionally, the playing time of the tournament is based on whether a shotgun start (shorter playing time) or a normal start (longer playing time) is used. For a normal tournament start, the tee times distributed to the players at each geographic location 110, 112, 114 span a time range, based on the number of players at each geographic location 110, 112, 114. The tournament may take place during one day or more than one day.
As further illustrated in
As previously discussed, the local database 111, 113, 115 records the player scores at each geographic location 110, 112, 114. In an exemplary embodiment, the local database 111, 113, 115 may further record playing condition data associated with each geographic location 110, 112, 114. For example, one or more personnel may be designated at each geographic location 110, 112, 114 to record playing condition data and input this playing condition data into the respective local database 111, 113, 115. As with the scoring data, such playing condition data from the local databases 111, 113, 115 may also be transmitted to the central database 117.
Based on the playing condition data 130 of
In addition to using the playing condition data 130 to determine the net ranking 140 of the scores, the computer 118 may determine a ranking 142 of the scores, where the only scores included in the ranking 142 are those scores recorded at a geographic location that meets a range of the playing condition data 130. For example, as illustrated in
In addition to the score data and playing condition data 130, the local database 111, 113, 115 at each geographic location 110, 112, 114 may be used to store data related to each player at the geographic locations 110, 112, 114. In an exemplary embodiment, the player data may include one or more of the age, gender and handicap of each player, for example.
Based on the player data 144 of
In addition to using the player data 144 to determine the net ranking 152 of the scores, the computer 118 may be used to determine a ranking 154 of the scores, where the scores included in the ranking 154 are based on a range of the player data 144. For example, as illustrated in
In an exemplary embodiment, the golf tournament of the present invention may be scheduled within various time zones. For example, within the Eastern Standard Time Zone (EST) of the United States, a tournament may be held among the geographic locations of Detroit and Pittsburgh. However, this is merely one example of how one tournament may be scheduled and the tournament of the present invention need not be restricted to any one specific time zone. Additionally, the tournament of the present invention may be scheduled within geographic locations that are restricted to a local area, a regional area, a national area or even an international region, for example. Indeed, an international regional tournament provides players with the benefit of participating in a simultaneous international or global tournament without needing to travel outside the players local neighborhood.
In an exemplary embodiment, in addition to each golf course 116, 118, 120 having a fixed layout, each golf course 116, 118, 120 may feature greens that have a fixed flagstick placement on each green. For example, the greens of the fixed golf course layout of each golf course 116, 118, 120 may be separated into numbered quadrants, and a fixed quadrant of each green may be selected for each day of the tournament across all of the golf courses 116, 118, 120. However, the fixed flagstick placement is optional and the tournament need not include numbered quadrants and assign a fixed quadrant for each green across all the golf courses.
In an exemplary embodiment, the website 120 may also feature a profile for each player, with introductory information including their geographic location, background information and photos/video to introduce the player to the viewing public. However, the player profiles are optional for the website 120, provided that the ranking of the scores displayed by the website 120 adequately identifies each player within the ranking.
While various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes and substitutions may be made without departing from the invention herein. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A method for conducting a golf tournament over a plurality of geographic locations, said method comprising:
- providing a golf course with a fixed layout in each of the plurality of geographic locations;
- directing one or more players to simultaneously commence play at the golf course in each geographic location;
- recording a score of each player at the golf course in each geographic location;
- ranking the scores of the players over the plurality of geographic locations with a computer; and
- broadcasting the ranking of the scores over a broadcast medium linked to the computer.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the recording step further comprises recording data related to playing conditions at each geographic location.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the data includes at least one of wind speed, temperature, precipitation and altitude at each geographic location.
4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
- adjusting the ranking of the scores of the players into a net ranking of the scores with the computer, said adjusting based on the data related to the playing conditions at each geographic location; and
- broadcasting the net ranking of the scores over the broadcast medium.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the broadcasting step further comprises broadcasting the data related to the playing conditions for each score within the ranking of the scores.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein the broadcasting step comprises broadcasting a respective ranking of the scores for the players over the plurality of geographic locations, wherein the scores included within each respective ranking are based on a respective range of the data related to the playing conditions.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the recording further comprises recording data related to each player at each geographic location.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the data includes at least one of age, gender and handicap of each player.
9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
- adjusting the ranking of the scores of the players into a net ranking of the scores, said adjusting based on the data related to each player at each geographic location; and
- broadcasting the net ranking of the scores over the broadcast medium.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein the broadcasting step further comprises broadcasting the data related to each player for each score within the ranking of the scores.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein the broadcasting step comprises broadcasting a respective ranking of the scores for the players over the plurality of geographic locations, wherein the scores included within each respective ranking are based on a respective range of the data related to each player.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of geographic locations are a plurality of distinct metropolitan areas.
13. A method for conducting a golf tournament over a plurality of geographic locations, said method comprising:
- providing a golf course with a fixed layout in each of the plurality of geographic locations;
- directing one or more players to simultaneously commence play at the golf course in each geographic location;
- recording a score of each player in a local database at each geographic location;
- transmitting the score of each player in each geographic location from the local database to a central database;
- ranking the scores of all of the players over the plurality of geographic locations with a computer linked to the central database; and
- broadcasting the ranking of the scores over a website linked to the computer.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the recording step further comprises:
- recording playing condition data at each geographic location in the local database, said playing condition data including at least one of wind speed, temperature, precipitation and altitude; and
- recording player data of each player at each geographic location in the local database, said player data including at least one of age, gender and handicap.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:
- adjusting the ranking of the scores into a net ranking of the scores, based on at least one of the playing condition data and the player data for each score; and
- broadcasting the net ranking of the scores over the website.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein the broadcasting step comprises broadcasting the ranking of the scores and broadcasting at least one of the playing condition data and the player data for each score within the ranking of the scores.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein the broadcasting step comprises broadcasting a respective ranking of the scores, wherein the scores included within each respective ranking are determined based on a respective range of playing condition data or player data.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the respective ranking of the scores includes scores based on one of:
- the wind speed at the geographic location of the score being greater than a threshold wind speed; and
- the wind speed at the geographic location of the score being less than a threshold wind speed.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the respective ranking of the scores includes scores based on one of:
- the handicap of the player is less than a handicap threshold; and
- the handicap of the player is greater than a handicap threshold.
20. A system for conducting a golf tournament over a plurality of geographic locations, said system comprising:
- a local database maintaining data about a golf course with a fixed layout in each of the plurality of geographic locations, said local database configured to store gross scores of each player, playing condition data and course condition data at the golf course at each geographic location, said playing condition data including wind speed data and altitude data;
- a computer located at a central database, said computer configured to receive the gross scores, the playing condition data and the course condition data from the local database at each geographic location;
- wherein the computer is configured to calculate a par adjustment of each hole of the golf course at each geographic location, based on the playing condition data and course condition data from the local database at each geographic location;
- wherein the computer is configured to adjust the gross scores of the players at the golf course at each geographic location into net scores based on the par adjustment of each hole of the golf course at each geographic location;
- and wherein the computer is configured to upload the net scores to a website.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 16, 2013
Publication Date: Apr 16, 2015
Applicant: Snag, Inc. (Tahlequah, OK)
Inventor: Terrence P. Anton (Tahlequah, OK)
Application Number: 14/055,518
International Classification: A63B 71/06 (20060101);