Golf board game

Abstract

A golf board game that combines simulated play through the use of a board and random outcome generating device and includes trivia questions that are integrated into the play of the game.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] Applicant hereby claims priority based on U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/303,174 filed Jul. 5, 2001, entitled “Roll-A-Round” which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to board games and more particularly to a new golf board game for simulating a round of golf.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The use of board games is known in the prior art. Known prior art golf board games include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,000,460; 4,380,338; 5,316,302; 5,273,290; 4,790,534; 6,105,963; 5,924,693; 5,722,659; 5,692,751; and 5,518,248.

[0004] What is needed is a golf board game that includes both simulated golf play and golf trivia questions to provide an entertaining, educational game.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention meets the above-described need by providing a board game that combines simulated play through the use of a board and a random outcome generating device and includes trivia questions that are integrated into the play of the game.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The invention is illustrated in the drawings in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures of which:

[0007] FIG. 1 is a top view of the game board used in the golf board game according to the present invention;

[0008] FIG. 2 is a top view of the game board indicating the layout of the course depicted on the board in FIG. 1;

[0009] FIG. 3 is a side view of a dice shaker;

[0010] FIG. 4 is a plan view of all of the dice used in the present invention;

[0011] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the playing cards used with the present invention;

[0012] FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the Champion's trophy;

[0013] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the play money used with the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the playing pieces; and,

[0015] FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the scorecard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The present game can be played by any number of players, however, it is generally most enjoyable when from 2 to 8 play the game. The game may be played in at least two ways: individual play, with two, three, or four players; or team play, with teams of two, three or four golfers per team.

[0017] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the game may be played with a game board 10 to enhance the entertainment value and to help keep track of where the players are on any given hole. The game board 10 helps keep track of the positions and next shot of the players. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the game board 10 is a schematic overhead view of an existing or newly designed eighteen hole golf course so the players can see their progress throughout the course of an eighteen hole golf game.

[0018] Referring to FIGS. 1-9, each player or team selects one of four colored flags 13 (FIG. 8) to represent their golf ball on the golf course. The flags 13 are initially lined up at the clubhouse 14 and are ready to begin play. The game may consist of nine or eighteen holes.

[0019] The order of play may be determined by rolling a standard six-sided die (not shown) or a spinner device with the highest roll having honors. The game begins with the first player taking their tee shot from the tee box at the first hole to be played. Play typically begins at the tee box for hole number one. The tee box is divided into three regions with championship tees 19, middle tees 22 and forward tees 25. The first player begins the game by rolling a large white die 28 (FIG. 4) having sixteen sides. A golf bag shaped die shaker 27 may be used to shake the die 28. As an alternative a spinner device could be substituted for the die 28. As known to those of ordinary skill in the art, a spinner comprises a flat board having a circle divided into a number of segments. Each segment has a number associated therewith. A pointer is rotationally attached at the center of the circle such that it can be spun relative to the board to fall within a particular segment. There are also other random outcome generating devices such as electronic devices. The term random outcome generating device as used herein is intended to include dice, spinners, electronic random outcome generators, or the like.

[0020] The outcome of the tee shot is determined by which side the die 28 ends up on and is illustrated in the table below. The table below indicates the set of possible outcomes associated with each die. The table lists the outcome and the number of sides of the die corresponding to that outcome.

[0021] The large white die 28 represents the tee shot and is also the fairway shot for par 5 holes. Each time that the player rolls the die 28 it represents a swing of the golf club or a stroke, and therefore the players keep track of how many times that they roll each die.

[0022] After the die 28 is rolled for the tee shot, the player's flag 13 is placed on the location indicated by the large white die 28. The locations or shot outcome zones may include the fairway 27, a sand trap 33, a water hazard 29, a hook, or a slice.

[0023] If the roll of the die 28 indicates a hazard, the player must choose a card that corresponds to the hazard (either sand or water), and the player must answer a golf-related trivia question on the card and keep track of the outcome. If the player rolls a water hazard 29 for the tee shot, the player must select a card from the Water Hazard pile 31 and attempt to answer the question on the card. If the question is answered correctly, the hazard is deemed unusual course conditions and the player resumes play without taking a penalty stroke. If answered incorrectly, the player must take a one stroke penalty.

[0024] If a player rolls a sand trap 33 for the tee shot, the same rule applies for the sand trap hazard. The player draws a card from the Sand trap pile 34 and answers the question on the card as described above.

[0025] If the player rolls a hook or slice for their tee shot, they must roll the die 28 again until they enter the fairway 27. The hook or slice must be counted as a stroke as it represents an out of bounds tee shot.

[0026] The next player then takes their tee shot by rolling the large white die 28 and proceeding to the area of the hole as indicated on the die 28. With regard to the hazards, the same rules apply as discussed above. This continues until all of the players have “hit” their tee shots.

[0027] After all the players have completed their tee shots, play goes back to the first person who will now roll the small white die 40. The small white die 40 also has sixteen sides and the outcome of the shot is determined by the roll of the die 40. The small white die 40 determines how the player approaches the green 41. As with the tee shot, the first player proceeds to the area or shot outcome zone indicated on the small white die 40. The first player continues rolling the die 40 until they reach the green 41. Once the first player reaches the green 41, the next player takes their turn until all of the players have reached the green 41. The hazards are also in play on the small white die 40, and the same rules as discussed above apply.

[0028] Once all of the players are on the putting green 41, the first player rolls the green die 50 to determine the number of “putts” to “hole out” or finish the hole. If the player rolls a green dot, the player chooses a card from the “Shot of the Day” pile 53. If the player answers the trivia question correctly, they are credited with a zero putt which means that they holed out from their previous location. If the question is answered incorrectly, the player is credited with a 1 putt. All other putts are indicated by the number on the green die 50. After the first player has completed the hole, the remaining players continue play as described above.

[0029] After the first hole is completed, the players move their flags 13 to the tee boxes 19, 22, or 25 on the second hole. All golfers tally their rolls/strokes from the previous hole and mark the totals in the area on the scorecard 60 designated for Hole 1. The scorecard 60 may comprise a tablet of preprinted disposable sheets having spaces for entry of the scores for each player on each hole. The game may come with a pencil, and the used scorecard sheets may be discarded after each game.

[0030] For the remaining holes, play continues in the same fashion as described above for Hole 1 until all nine or eighteen holes have been completed.

[0031] For holes with a par of five, the large white die 28 is rolled on the first and second turn respectively. Next, the small white die 40 is rolled until the player reaches the green 41. Once on the green 41, the green die 50 is rolled once.

[0032] For par four holes, the large white die 28 is rolled once, the small white die 40 is rolled until the player reaches the green 41, and then the green die 50 is rolled once.

[0033] For par three holes, the small white die 40 is rolled first, and the player continues to roll the small white die 40 until the player reaches the green 41. On the green 41, the green die 50 is rolled once.

[0034] The object of the game is to finish the nine or eighteen hole course with the least total number of strokes. The player with the lowest total can move their flag 13 to the Winner's Circle 70 and claim the Champion's Trophy 80. 1 TABLE 1 Dice Outcomes APPROACH TO THE TEE SHOT (large GREEN (small ON THE GREEN white die with white die with (green die with sixteen sides). sixteen sides) sixteen sides). Number of sides Number of sides Number of sides with a particular with a particular with a particular outcome indicated outcome indicated outcome indicated below below below 10-Fairways 10-Green 8-Green Dots 2-Sand 2-Sand 2-1 putt 2-Water 2-Water 3-2 putts 1-Hook 1-Short 3-3 putts 1-Slice 1-Long

[0035] The game play described above may be adapted to any variation that is used for actual golf. Examples include scrambles, four ball, threesome, round robin, Chapman and Match Play.

[0036] Another variation to the game is a tournament format. One player acts as a banker and distributes play money 90 (FIG. 7) in the sum of $50 dollars to each player in the following denominations: ten $1's, four $5's; and two $10's. The entry fee is $20.00 per player or $40.00 per team (of two players) and is placed in the Winner's Circle 70 to be collected by the tournament's low scoring player or team. Mulligans can be purchased for $5.00 each and may be used only once per nine holes per player. The mulligan fee is also added to the winner's purse.

[0037] Nassau's may be made with the remaining money among individual players or teams. The side bets are the responsibility of each player and are not part of the winner's purse. The tournament may consist of 18, 36 or 72 holes.

[0038] While the invention has been described in connection with certain embodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular forms set forth, but, on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of playing a golf board game, comprising:

providing a game playing piece for each player;

providing a board which is a schematic overhead view of a plurality of holes of a golf course;

dividing each hole into a plurality of shot outcome zones;

providing at least one random outcome generating device having a set of outcomes that dictate the result of a golf shot;

providing at least one set of trivia questions, the questions being associated with at least one of the shot outcome zones;

each player moving a game playing piece on the board to the zone designated by the random outcome device;

selecting one of the questions when the game playing piece is moved into a predetermined zone; and,

repeating the moving and selecting steps until the outcome of the hole is complete.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the shot outcome zones include a fairway, a hazard, and a putting green.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the hazard includes at least one sand trap.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the hazard includes at least one water hazard.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the random outcome generating device comprises at least one die.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the questions are associated with the hazard.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the questions are associated with the putting green.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the die has sixteen sides.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one die comprises a first die for tee shots and a second die for approach shots.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second die have sixteen sides.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one die comprises a first die for tee shots, a second die for approach shots and a third die for putting.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the questions pertain to golf trivia.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein answering the question correctly results in avoiding a penalty associated with the hazard.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein answering the question correctly results in the player holing out from their previous position.

15. A golf board game, comprising:

a game board which is a schematic overhead view of a plurality of holes of a golf course, each hole having a plurality of shot outcome zones;

a game playing piece for moving about the board as a representation of the player's golf ball;

a random outcome generating device having a set of outcomes that dictate the result of a golf shot; and,

a plurality of questions associated with at least one of the shot outcome zones.

16. The golf board game of claim 15, wherein the shot outcome zones further comprise a fairway, at least one hazard and a putting green.

17. The golf board game of claim 15, wherein the random outcome generating device comprises at least one die.

18. The golf board game of claim 17, wherein the at least one die further comprises a first die for tee shots and a second die for approach shots.

19. The golf board game of claim 17, wherein the at least one die further comprises a first die for the tee shot, a second die for the approach shot, and a third die for the putting green.

20. The golf board game of claim 19, wherein the set of outcomes for the third die include the player selecting a question.

21. The golf board game of claim 17, wherein the at least one die has sixteen sides.

22. A golf board game, comprising:

a game board which is a schematic overhead view of a plurality of holes of a golf course, each hole having a plurality of shot outcome zones;

a game playing piece for moving about the board as a representation of the player's golf ball;

at least one random outcome generating device having a set of outcomes that dictate the result of a golf shot;

a plurality of questions associated with at least one of the shot outcome zones; and,

wherein the at least one random outcome generating device generates an outcome associated with a putting surface such that the outcome is either a number of putts to hole out or the outcome is that the player takes a question.

23. The golf board game of claim 22, wherein the questions are associated with at least one other shot outcome zone in addition to the putting green.