Abstract: A practice device includes a base, a support tube, a post, an axle, a first ball rod, and a brake. The support tube extends upward from the base and has a support tube longitudinal axis. The post extends from the support tube and has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is engaged with the support tube and the second portion includes a first arm. The axle is coupled to the first arm and has a rotation axis. The first ball rod is coupled to a first practice ball and extends between the first practice ball and the axle. The first ball rod is coupled to a first practice ball and extends between the first practice ball and the axle. The first ball rod is configured to rotate about the rotation axis of the axle and when the first ball rod rotates about the rotation axis of the axle, the first practice ball contacts the brake to slow rotation of the first ball rod.

Abstract: A game system is disclosed that can be played using gross motor skills. The game system is mountable on the player's torso and comprises a tethered ball that can be kicked by the player into a goal mounted on the neck of the base of the game system. The game system can include a fastener for detachably connecting different balls to the game system.

Abstract: The golf swing training aid for simulating the feeling of creating a divot during a practice golf swing includes a flexible mat including an upper surface and a leading edge. A flexible ball support member is spaced from the leading edge for temporarily supporting a golf ball therebetween. The support member resiliently flexes away from the leading edge as the golf ball is struck by a golf club permitting the golf club to travel below the upper surface immediately beyond the leading edge and provide a divot feedback to a golfer. The upper surface or the ball support member comprises resiliently flexible plastic and can also include a ball alignment feature. The flexible mat includes an upper pad overlying a turf layer disposed above a resiliently flexible base layer. The flexible mat comprises a U-shaped recess where the ball support member is disposed within.

Abstract: A golf swing practice apparatus is provided including a rotating drum, a plurality of laser generating means mounted on the rotating drum, an elongated cord including a proximal end secured to the rotating drum and a distal end secured to a golf ball whereby the golf ball is tethered to the rotating drum, a base member having an impact area over which a user may swing a golf club, and a frame structure secured to the base member and to the rotating drum whereby the frame structure holds the rotating drum in an elevated position above the base member. The rotating drum rotates with the golf ball when the golf ball is struck by the user. At least one of the plurality of laser generating means generates a laser beam which propagates substantially along the path of the golf ball. Additionally, at least one of the plurality of laser generating means generates a laser beam which propagates parallel to a theoretical path of a fairway.

Abstract: A personal driving range apparatus is provided including a platform, a ball having at least one aperture that passes through the ball, at least one line having a first end and a second end. The first end is detachably connected to the platform, and the at least one line is drawn through the at least one aperture of the ball so that the ball is slidably disposed on the at least one line extending from the platform. The apparatus also includes a strap disposed at the second end of the at least one line for detachably securing the at least one line to a stationary object.

Abstract: A golf practice and exercise device has an elevated arm from which an impact object is suspended for swinging movement. The object is positioned with a clubhead impact target in position for striking by the clubhead of a golf club swung by a golfer. The resistance to the impact of the golf club is adjustable. A sensor detects the magnitude and velocity of the striking force, and a display displays an indication as to how far a golf ball would have gone after being struck with a force and velocity of the detected magnitude.

Abstract: An indoor and outdoor golf swing practicing device for a user is disclosed. The device comprises at least one hard board having a plurality of holes, at least one hinge means having a first hinge arm, a second hinge arm and a pivot arm, a plurality of wedges mounted to the hard board, at least one hanger bolt, at least one extension spring, at least one golf ball, a plurality of supporting pads attached to opposing first and second ends of an inner surface of the first hinge arm, a set of plurality of pads fixed to at least one end of the plurality of wedges proximate the hinge means and a plurality of pads fixed to the at least one hard board. A carpet is placed partially over the device to facilitate a user to stand on the hard board to practice their swing techniques.

Abstract: A practice golf swing device which permits the swinger of a golf club to hit a variable height replica golf ball that is fixedly attached to a universally pivoting arm (swivel arm) that moves in direct proportion to the swing path and speed of the golf club. The motion thus initiated in the swivel arm may be measured at the base of the arm (knuckle ball) using an optical/digital sensing output as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,288,993 and 5,703,356 with this measurement being computed so as to numerically or graphically depict the movement. This graphical depiction may be viewed as a pictorial view of a golf ball in flight along the path that would be expected had the ball been struck by a golf ball with the same force and direction that is imparted to the replica golf ball, which is attached to the pivot arm of the device. The apparatus has a self-zeroing capability that provides an identical “at rest” position prior to impact.

Abstract: An embodiment of an apparatus and method for training of golf playing and/or simulate a golf game is disclosed. The apparatus mainly comprises a standing platform, a ball supporting assembly, a retainer, a motor driven assembly, and a controller. As part of the ball supporting assembly, a golf ball is raised above the standing platform, where a player stands; ready to be hit by a player. After the golf ball being hit, the retainer restrains the golf ball supporting assembly and the motor driven assembly restores the golf ball supporting assembly back to its original position ready for next hit. A sensor is used to measure the impact exerted on the golf ball. The method to operate the apparatus mainly comprises a program to processes the sensor signals and a program to display the projected trajectory of the golf ball with a user selected scenery background.

Abstract: An apparatus for developing and practicing golf skills that is readily portable and which can be used in a relatively restricted or confined areas is provided. The apparatus includes a shot indicator mounted on a vertical shaft which is caused to rise on the vertical shaft during use as indicator of the effectiveness of the shot in terms of distance of flight which would have been attained by a golf ball if driven by a blow of equal force and direction. The shot indicator is caused to rise on the vertical shaft by a user hitting a target which is laterally spaced from the vertical shaft. A target support is rotatably attached to the vertical shaft at one end and supports the target at an opposite end. Rotation of the target support releases a compression spring which acts on the shot indicator causing it to rise on the vertical shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for practicing a golf swing. The apparatus includes a rotationally mounted golf ball, the movement of which is slowed by movement of a piston against a spring and through a liquid. A valve mechanism incorporated in the apparatus facilitates movement of the piston in one direction and retards movement of the piston in an opposite direction.

Abstract: The golf swing practice device has a floor pad; a hollow tee extending upward from a surface of the floor pad, a ball resting on an end of the tee; and an elastic cord attached to the ball and to the floor pad and extending through the tee. The golf swing practice device also has a socket on a lower end of the tee and a bulge on a surface of the pad. The bulge has a forward-facing slot enclosing the strike side of the elastic cord. The socket on the tee encloses the bulge. The socket and the bulge have complementary spherical shapes that are easily but fitly mounted over and into one another. In other aspects of the invention, the floor pad has a ramp on a strike side of the bulge, and a semicircular groove in its surface, on a forward side of the bulge.

Abstract: A sports training device comprises a substantially vertical standard with a suitable ball at the top for practicing sports such as baseball or tennis or a bent over standard with a ball close to the ground for practicing sports such as golf. The ball is attached to an arm that is, in turn, attached to a pivot and a spring both on the standard. Striking the ball in the normal manner for the particular sport causes the ball to move away from the bat, racket or club until clear. The ball then returns under the influence of the spring and oscillates about the starting location of the ball. Depending on spring tension and damping effects of the arm, spring and standard, the ball will become stationary very quickly or continue to oscillate widely. For some sports, heavy damping is preferred. For other sports, light damping may be preferred.

Abstract: A mobile device for practicing golf ball strokes, the mobile device resting on a base (1), onto which a cabinet (3) is attached by means of a mounting (2), the cabinet (3) housing a reel (4) provided with a brake (5), a cord (6) and a switch lever (7) connected with a control and guiding rod (8), the reel (4) being equipped with a motor (9) connected to the control unit (10) incorporating a source (11) and a display (12), with the cord (6) passing at the exit from the cabinet (3) through a sensing unit (13) connected with the control unit (10), with the ball (14) being attached in a rotary manner at the end of the cord (6).

Abstract: A mono-filament plastic line is formed into a tether by forming a loop intermediate first and second ends of the line and crossing and re-crossing the line over itself to form link-like line sections between each cross-over. A washer-like retainer is disposed at each cross-over to retain and maintain the link-like sections and cross-overs. The tether so formed is utilized for a sports practice activity, such as golf, baseball, football and the like by connecting free ends of the tether over a guide line that is to extend at an angle between spaced supports and so as to suspend a sports practice device, such as a golf ball or baseball to be struck by a person practicing the sport, or a football to be kicked by a person. Stops are carried by the guide line to limit the travel of the tether and thereby of the sports practice device therealong.

Abstract: A device for golf practice, comprising an adjustable sloping board shaped with a board, formed with a support mat, on the top face of which a golf ball is located, a plurality of leg sets each provided at positions adjacent to four sides of the bottom face of the adjustable sloping board. A shortest leg of each leg set is positioned outermost, and a longest leg is positioned innermost. A guide channel is depressed downward and is extended longitudinally on the top face of the adjustable sloping board. A plurality of receiving holes communicating with the guide channel are formed inwardly at regular intervals. A rotatable member, on which a coupling part coupled with the golf ball is rotatably formed, is received in the receiving hole after being moved along the guide channel.

Abstract: A mobile device for practising golf ball strokes resting on a base (1), onto which a cabinet (3) is attached by means of a mounting (2), the said cabinet (3) housing a reel (4) provided with brake (5), cord (6) and switch lever (7) connected with a control and guiding rod (8), the said reel (4) being equipped with a motor (9) connected to the control unit (10) incorporating a source (11) and a display (12), with the cord (6) passing at the exit from the (3) through a sensing (13) connected with the control unit (10), with the ball (14) being attached in a rotary manner at the end of the cord (6).

Abstract: A golf practice and exercise device having a frame with a horizontally projecting arm spaced from a base or from the ground and from which is suspended a member such as a resilient flat strip. The suspended member is positioned with a clubhead impact surface in position for striking by the clubhead of a golf club. The impact surface is sufficiently large that a golfer need not concentrate on striking a small target as is required when swinging at a golf ball. The member is formed to provide substantial resistance to the impact of a golf club to impose muscle strain on the golfer for muscle development, while being limited in resistance to allow the head of the golf club to move the member sufficiently for the golf clubhead to ultimately pass under the member and allow the golfer to complete the follow-through of the golf swing.

Abstract: Practice ball hitting device with a hollow housing made of molded rigid plastic material having a parallel pair of spaced apart triangular side planes joined at their perimeter by a flat plane that forms a bottom and inwardly angled sides, the flat sides having a removed U shaped section at the apex portion of the triangular planes, an S shaped low mass arm having an integral, horizontally disposed shaft, the shaft being slip fit into sockets on the inside face of said U shaped cut out section, said S shaped arm terminating at each end in a ball shape, and said lower section of said housing capable of retaining water which acts as a stabilizing element. An optical encoder on the end of the shaft interacts with a photo diode to measure number of rotations of the shaft. A microprocessor translates the number of rotations into distance the ball is hit. A numeric display or an audible sound tells the distance the ball has been hit.

Abstract: A device for golf practice, comprising an adjustable sloping board shaped with a board, formed with a support mat, on the top face of which a golf ball is located, a plurality of leg sets each provided at positions adjacent to four sides of the bottom face of the adjustable sloping board. A shortest leg of each leg set is positioned outermost, and a longest leg is positioned innermost. A guide channel is depressed downward and is extended longitudinally on the top face of the adjustable sloping board. A plurality of receiving holes communicating with the guide channel are formed inwardly at regular intervals. A rotatable member, on which a coupling part coupled with the golf ball is rotatably formed, is received in the receiving hole after being moved along the guide channel.

Abstract: A mobile golf practice device adapted for attachment to the bumper of a standard electric golf cart which allows a golfer to practice his or her stroke with the selected club, proximate the actual shot to be played. The device has an L shaped rigid shaft fixed attached to the cart bumper on one end and carrying a swivel on the other. A flexibly tethered golf ball is attached to the swivel such that the ball moves freely in a arc about the shaft when struck. By striking a golf ball and observing the motion of the ball as it orbits the shaft as well as the number of orbits the golfer can judge the effectiveness of the proposed shot in respect to his actual lie of the course.

Abstract: A golf training device for use with a swinging driver golf club on a golf ball simulating target having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of a real golf ball and a durable turf simulation apparatus. The target unit comprises a golf ball simulating target disposed on a curved tee attached to a pivotal base. The turf simulation apparatus includes a foundation layer, stiffening layer and upper layer. The foundation layer defines an aperture which surrounds the area around the target unit. The turf simulation apparatus dampens the force of a striking golf club head for reducing damage to the club head and rebounding forces to the golfer's wrists and arms.

Abstract: A golf practice device comprising: a spring assembly, wherein the spring assembly is capable of at least partially reducing kinetic energy of an associated golf ball; a golf ball, wherein the golf ball is associated with the spring assembly; and a damper assembly, wherein the damper assembly is capable of at least partially dissipating kinetic energy of the golf ball.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a training device for golf strokes which enables a user to practise his/her golf strokes, or warm up before a round on the golf course within a restricted area with simple means. In an embodiment of the invention, moreover, the invention can provide an indication of how far the ball would have travelled as a function of the force of the stroke and the ball's angle of departure.

Abstract: A mobile golf practice device adapted for attachment to the bumper of a standard electric golf cart which allows a golfer to practice his or her stroke with the selected club, proximate the actual shot to be played. The device has an L shaped rigid shaft fixed attached to the cart bumper on one end and carrying a swivel on the other. A flexibly tethered golf ball is attached to the swivel such that the ball moves freely in a arc about the shaft when struck. By striking a golf ball and observing the motion of the ball as it orbits the shaft as well as the number of orbits the golfer can judge the effectiveness of the proposed shot in respect to his actual lie of the course.

Abstract: A tethered golf ball return device is disclosed which includes an elongated tube member with a piston disposed therein, the front end of which piston is attached to the golf ball's tether line and a pull cord is attached to the rear of the piston such that when the golf ball is struck by a golfer, the tether line pulls the piston forward which forward movement is resisted by air pressure within the tube member and which golf ball can be returned to the vicinity of the golfer by manual pulling of the pull cord which action causes the piston to return to its original location within the tube member.

Abstract: A simplified golf practice equipment is sampled to four bare parts only which comprises a rectangular base block, an "L" shaped metal supporting plate mounted on one side of the base block by nuts, a steel cantilever shaft having one end fixed to a vertical slot of the vertical portion of the supporting plate by a nut and a ball swinging rod having a mounting socket at the top for sleeving over the free end of the cantilever shaft and retained by a nut and a washer, and a target ball at a free end of the ball swinging rod and all the nuts are simplified of uniform size.

Abstract: A golf putting practice device comprising a stroke panel and a stance panel, said stance panel adjustably connected to said stroke panel so that said panels are spaced apart in a predetermined relationship, a ball-bell resiliently mounted on the stroke panel and an aperture provided in said stroke panel, in front of said ball-bell, whereby when the ball-bell is struck by a putting stroke it is pushed into the aperture thereby not interfering with the follow-through of the putting stroke.

Abstract: A golf training device includes base pad on which an anchoring base is fixed. The anchoring base has a primary column and a secondary column extending upright therefrom and each defining therein a bore. An L-shaped support has a first section movably received within the bore of the primary column and a second section extending transversely from the first section to define a cantilever. A secondary support bar extends from the second section of the L-shaped support to be movably received within the bore of the secondary column. A dummy ball assembly includes a spherical member and two suspension rods having lower ends connected to and extending from the spherical member in a diverging manner to upper ends to define a V shape. A tubular member connects between the upper ends of the suspension rods.

Abstract: A process in which copper, nickel, cobalt and molybdenum are recovered by leaching comminuted raw manganese nodules with an aqueous ammoniacal leach solution containing cuprous ions. An improvement is disclosed in which the metal values are extracted directly from the leach slurry with an organic extractant. To accomplish such extraction the amount by weight of solids in the slurry is maintained at less than 20 percent, the pH of the slurry is lowered to 9.5, the volumes of slurry and organic are maintained at a ratio so that the organic is the continuous phase and the organic and slurry are mixed with gentle agitation.