Golf Putting Pad and Game

Abstract

In some embodiments, a golf putting pad may include a substrate, a boundary area extending about a periphery of the substrate, and a putting area extending over a portion of the substrate inside of the boundary area. The putting area may include a plurality of holes, each of which may be sized to receive a golf ball. The golf putting pad may further include an out-of-bounds gutter area between the putting area and the boundary area and defining a periphery of the putting area. In some embodiments, the putting area may be substantially planar and may define a slope. The slope may be within a range of zero percent to five percent. In some embodiments, the slope may be adjustable.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a non-provisional of and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/186,081 filed on Jun. 29, 2015 and entitled “Golf Putting Pad and Game”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure is generally related to training devices for golf, and more particularly, to golf putting pads or putting surfaces and games or contests that can be played with such golf putting pads.

BACKGROUND

Practice putting greens are commonly provided at golf courses for practicing putting before or after playing a round of golf. Stores sometimes provide putting areas so that consumers may try a particular putter before choosing to purchase it.

In general, practice putting greens often provide either substantially flat or randomly undulating surfaces with multiple holes distributed thereon to allow a golfer to putt. However, such surfaces do not provide completely flat areas of known slope and fall-line direction over multiple-hole layouts, with slope values that a golfer may face on a golf course.

SUMMARY

In some embodiments, a golf putting pad may include a substrate, a boundary area extending about a periphery of the substrate, and a putting area extending over a portion of the substrate inside of the boundary area. The putting area may include a plurality of holes, each of which may be sized to receive a golf ball. The golf putting pad may further include an out-of-bounds gutter area between the putting area and the boundary area and defining a periphery of the putting area. In some embodiments, the putting area may be substantially planar and may define a slope. The grade of the slope may be within a range of zero to five percent. In some embodiments, the slope may be adjustable in this slope range.

In another embodiment, a method may include providing a golf putting pad including a boundary area, a putting area, and an out-of-bounds gutter area. The boundary area may extend about a periphery of the golf putting pad. The putting area may be located inside of the boundary area and may include a plurality of holes where each hole may be sized to receive a golf ball. The out-of-bounds gutter area may be located between the putting area and the boundary area and may define a periphery of the putting area. In some embodiments, the method may further include determining a score for a golfer based on at least a first attempt to putt a golf ball into each hole of a selected sequence of the plurality of holes. The selected sequence may define a round. The method may further include recording a total score for the round for the golfer based on the score for each hole.

In still other embodiments, a golf putting pad may include a putting area defining a substantially planar surface including a plurality of holes, where each hole may be sized to receive a golf ball. The golf putting pad may further include an out-of-bounds gutter area along a periphery of the putting area. The putting area may define a grade within a range of zero to five percent. In some embodiments, the slope may be adjusted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf putting pad, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a golf putting pad, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 3A-3C are cross-sectional views of a portion of a golf putting pad, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a golf putting pad, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 5A-5D are side views of a golf putting pad having different slopes, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of the golf putting pad and arrows indicating an ordered sequence by which a golfer may play a game, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a method of playing a game using a golf putting pad, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a method of playing a game using a golf putting pad, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a method of playing a game using a golf putting pad, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a method of playing a game using a golf putting pad, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

In the following discussion, the same reference numbers are used in the various embodiments to indicate the same or similar elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of a golf putting pad and associated methods are described below. In some embodiments, the golf putting pad may include a substantially planar playing surface having a plurality of holes and defining a substantially uniform slope or grade within a range of zero to five percent. In some embodiments, the slope may be adjustable within the range. In some embodiments, the golf putting pad may include a center hole and a plurality of peripheral holes spaced apart from the center hole by a first distance. In some embodiments, the peripheral holes may be evenly spaced from one another by a second distance. In some embodiments, the first distance may be ⅔rds of the second distance. Further, the holes may be sized according to United States Golf Association (USGA) Golf Rule specifications, or other size to receive a golf ball.

In a particular embodiment, the golf putting pad may include a putting surface including the holes, an edge area having a deeper cut about a periphery of the putting surface, and an out-of-bounds area between the putting surface and the edge area. In some embodiments, the out-of-bounds area may be a gap between a putting green grass and a deeper cut grass. In some embodiments, the slope may be adjustable. In some embodiments, the golf putting pad may be formed of a rigid material, such as wood, plastic, or metal. The golf putting pad may include a substantially rectangular, planar surface and a support structure configured to secure the surface at a desired angle relative to horizontal. One possible example of a golf putting pad is described below with respect to FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf putting pad 100, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The apparatus 100 may include a putting area 102 including peripheral holes 104 and a center hole 106. The apparatus 100 may further include a boundary area 108 and an out-of-bounds gutter area 112 between the putting surface 102 and the boundary area 108.

In some embodiments, the putting area 102 may have a putting surface formed of artificial turf having a first turf length, and the boundary area 108 may have a grass surface formed of artificial turf having a second turf length that is longer than the first turf length. In a particular embodiment, the apparatus 100 may be approximately 16 feet by sixteen feet, of which the putting area may be approximately fifteen feet by fifteen feet and the boundary area may be approximately six inches on each side. The out-of-bounds gutter area 112 may be formed by the transition between the first turf length and the second turf length or by a gap between the putting area 102 and the boundary gutter area 112.

In some embodiments, the golf putting pad 100 may be formed from eight sheets of plywood, each having dimensions of four feet by eight feet. The apparatus 100 may further include a support structure to which the sheets of plywood may be attached. In some embodiments, the support structure may include one or more wedge-shaped ramp elements, which may be positioned beneath the sheets of plywood to provide a stable slope. In some embodiments, the support structure may include a frame and may include one or more adjustable elements configurable to provide a desired slope relative to the ground or to an underlying surface, which may be uneven or which may have a slope.

The golf putting pad 100 is configured to provide a substantially constant slope and slope-fall-line direction across the playing surface, making it possible for a golfer to practice putting on equally breaking putts in opposite directions, without the added difficult of variable slopes and the unknown break value of opposite breaking putts. In particular, the putting surface 102 provides uphill, downhill, cross-slope, and hybrid putting opportunities known to be of “equal-but-opposite” break values and directions. The golf putting pad may be used indoors or outdoors and may provide precisely equal breaking puts in opposite directions as described above. This is of great value to a golfer who knows the opposite breaking putts will break the same amount, as some putters may struggle with a left-to-right cross-slope putt while easily sinking a right-to-left cross-slope putt, even when the slope is the same. The golf putting pad 100 allows a golfer to identify weaknesses in perception, green-reading (evaluating the amount of break for putts) technique, or both and to practice challenging putts on a slope or grade.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a golf putting pad 200, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the golf putting pad 200 may be an example of the apparatus 100 in FIG. 1. The golf putting pad 200 includes a putting area 202 that may be substantially square and that may have a width (P). The golf putting pad 200 may also include a boundary area 208 that may also be substantially square. In some embodiments, the golf putting pad 200 may have a width (W) and the boundary area may have a width (P), which forms a frame around the putting area 202. The golf putting pad 200 may further include an out-of-bounds area 212, which may extend about the periphery of the putting area 202 between the putting area 202 and the boundary area 208. The boundary area may have a width (B).

In a particular embodiment, the golf putting pad 200 may have a width (W) of approximately 16 feet, the putting area 202 may have a width (P) of approximately 15 feet, and the boundary area 208 may have a width (B) of approximately five inches. In some embodiments, a small gap may provide an out-of-bounds area 212 between the boundary area 208 and the putting area 202, which out-of-bounds area 212 may have a width (O) of approximately an inch.

In some embodiments, the putting area 202 may include peripheral holes 204, which may be arranged about a periphery of the putting area 202. In some embodiments, the peripheral holes 204 may be spaced apart from one another by a distance (d1) and spaced apart from the peripheral edges of the putting area 202 by a distance (h1). The putting area 202 may further include a center hole 206 arranged at a center point of the putting area 202, spaced apart from the peripheral edges of the putting area by a distance (h2), and spaced apart from each of the peripheral holes 204 by a distance (d2). In a particular embodiment, the distance (h1) may be approximately three feet, the distance (d1) may be approximately nine feet, the distance (d2) may be approximately six feet, and the distance (h2) may be approximately seven and a half (7.5) feet. Other dimensions are also possible.

In the illustrated example, the peripheral holes 204 are arranged symmetrically about the center hole 206. The peripheral holes 204 are further arranged adjacent to the corners of the putting area 202, which is substantially square, and are offset from the sides by three feet. The arrangement of the holes provides four nine-foot putts around the peripheral holes 204. The arrangement also provides four six-foot putts from the peripheral holes 204 toward the center hole 206, and four six-foot putts from the center hole 206 toward the peripheral holes 204. Finally, the arrangement of the holes provides four twelve-foot putts diagonally from the peripheral hole on one side to the peripheral hole on the opposite corner (in both directions).

While the golf putting pad 200 has been described with respect to a particular configuration, in some embodiments, the putting pad 200 may be circular, rectangular, or may have a different shape having four or more sides. In some embodiments, the spacing between the perimeter holes 204 may be greater than nine feet. In some embodiments, the spacing of the perimeter holes 204 from the sides of the putting area 202 may be greater than three feet or less than three feet, depending on the implementation. In some embodiments, the relative positioning of the holes 204 and 206 may be changed.

In some embodiments, the golf putting pad 200 may have an adjustable slope, such that the slope of the putting pad 200 may be varied with a range. In an example, the golf putting pad 200 may be configured to provide a putting surface having five possible slopes at zero percent, one percent, two percent, three percent, and four percent relative to horizontal. In some embodiments, the slope may be within a range of zero percent to five percent. In some embodiments, the golf putting pad 200 may include adjustable supports. Further, in some embodiments, the golf putting pad 200 may include a controller configured to adjust the supports to provide a desired slope.

FIGS. 3A-3C are cross-sectional views of a portion of a golf putting pad 100 of FIG. 1 or 200 of FIG. 2, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In FIG. 3A, a portion 300 of the golf putting pad is shown that includes a putting area 102, a boundary area 108, and an out-of-bounds gutter area 112. The portion 300 may include a substrate 302, which may be configured to support artificial turf and associated under-layers. In the illustrated example, the substrate 302 is configured to support a putting turf 306 associated with the putting area 102 and an under-layer 304 between the putting turf 306 and the substrate 302. The substrate 302 is further configured to support a second turf 308 that is longer than the putting turf 306 and that is associated with the boundary area 108. An under-layer 304 may be positioned between the second turf 308 and the substrate 302. A gap between the putting turf 306 and the second turf 308 may define the out-of-bounds gutter area 112. In some embodiments, the out-of-bounds gutter area 112 may be the surface of the substrate 302.

In FIG. 3B, the portion 320 of the golf putting pad may include all of the elements of the portion 300 in FIG. 3A. However, the portion 320 may further include a cut-out portion 322 extending into the surface of the substrate 302. In the illustrated example, the cut-out portion 322 may form a curved bottom portion. However, in other embodiments, cut-out portion 322 may be rectangular, triangular, beveled, or may have some other shape.

In FIG. 3C, the portion 340 may have all of the elements of the portion 300 in FIG. 3A, except that the gap between the putting turf 306 and the second turf 308 may be omitted such that the putting turf 306 and the second turf 308 may contact one another. In this instance, the out-of-bounds gutter area 112 may be provided by the interface between the putting turf 306 and the second turf 308. Other embodiments are also possible.

In an alternative embodiment, the second turf 308 may be omitted, such that the entire boundary area 108 constitutes the out-of-bounds gutter area. In other embodiments, the out-of-bounds gutter area 112 may include an artificial turf layer that is longer than the putting turf 306 and shorter than the second turf 308. Other embodiments are also possible.

In some embodiments, the golf putting pad 100 in FIG. 1 and the putting pad 200 in FIG. 2 may be formed in the ground, by defining a putting area, for example, by pouring a concrete slab or processing an area to produce the sloped substrate or surface. Alternatively, the golf putting pad may be constructed of rigid materials, such as metal, wood, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or other materials. In some embodiments, the constructed golf putting pad may provide mechanical adjustability with respect to the slope. One possible embodiment of a golf putting pad that may have an adjustable slope is described below with respect to FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a golf putting pad 400, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The golf putting pad 400 may a plurality of supports 402, 404, 406, and 408, which may be spaced evenly relative to the golf putting pad 400. In some embodiments, some or all of the supports 402, 404, 406, and 408 may be adjustable in terms of their height to tilt the golf putting pad 400 to provide a desired slope.

The golf putting pad 400 may include circuitry 410 coupled to each of the supports 402, 404, 406, and 408. In some embodiments, the circuitry 410 may include an incline controller 412 configured to determine a slope associated with the golf putting pad 400 based on incline data. The circuitry 410 may include one or more incline sensors 414, which may communicate the incline data to the incline controller 412. The circuitry 410 may further include support adjustment circuitry 416 configured to adjust one or more of the supports 402, 404, 406, and 408 to selectively alter a slope of the golf putting pad 400 to provide the desired slope. In some embodiments, one or more of the supports 402, 404, 406, and 408 may extend or retract in response to a control signal from the support adjustment circuitry 416 to adjust its relative height and to provide a desired slope for the golf putting pad 400. In some embodiments, one of the supports, such as support 408, may be fixed, and the other three supports 402, 404, and 406 may be adjustable. In some embodiments, all four of the supports 402, 404, 406, and 408 are adjustable. In some embodiments, each of the supports 402, 404, 406, and 408 may be adjusted independent of the others to provide a desired slope.

In some embodiments, the circuitry 410 may include other sensors 418, such as gyroscopes and other sensors. In some embodiments, the other sensors 418 may include pressure sensors, contact sensors or other sensors within the holes to detect when a golf ball rolls into one of the holes. The circuitry 410 may further include a game controller 420, which may be configured to implement one or more putting games by selectively altering a slope of the golf putting pad 400 in accordance with a pre-configured game setting. The circuitry 410 may also include one or more input/output interfaces 422, such as a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a high speed interface, an Ethernet interface, a wireless transceiver interface, or some other circuit configurable to communicate data to and receive data from an electronic device 426 via a communications link 424. The communications line 424 may be wired or wireless. In some embodiments, the I/O interface 422 may receive data, settings, instructions, or other information from the electronic device 426 and may communicate such data, settings, instructions or other information to at least one of the game controller 420 and the incline controller 412. In some embodiments the electronic device 426 can include a smart phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, another computer device, a remote control, or any combination thereof.

In some embodiments, the incline controller 412 may receive an incline adjustment signal from an electronic device 426 via the I/O interface 422. The incline adjustment signal may indicate a desired slope. The incline controller 412 may cause the support adjustment circuitry 416 to adjust the slope of the golf putting pad 400 to provide a desired angle relative to a horizontal slope.

In a particular embodiment, the golf putting pad 400 may be programmed for a particular game. In an example, the game may include putting toward each of the holes from a particular start location and counting strokes until the player putts the ball into the selected hole and accumulating the count until the round is complete. The golf putting pad 400 may be configured to provide a particular slope for each round, which may be different from the previous round. In one particular example, the first round may be played at a slope of approximately one percent grade, and the slope may be increased, one percent at a time for each round, until the last round is played at a four percent slope. Other selected slopes may also be possible. In a particular embodiment, the slope is maintained between zero percent and five percent because the ball tends to roll off of the putting pad 400 if the slope exceeds five percent. In some embodiments, increments other than integer increments may be used to adjust the slope.

While the embodiment described in FIG. 4 uses a circuit to control adjustable supports to provide a desired slope, other embodiments are also possible. In a particular example, the golf putting pad may include one or more mechanical elements that may be accessed by a user to adjust the height of one or more supports, making it possible to selectively adjust the slope of the golf putting pad, mechanically. Other embodiments are also possible.

FIGS. 5A-5D are side views of a golf putting pad having different slopes, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In FIG. 5A, the golf pad 500 is shown having a one percent slope. As discussed with respect to FIG. 4, supports 402, 404, 406, and 408 may be adjusted to provide the selected slope.

In FIG. 5B, the slope of the putting pad 520 is shown at two percent. In FIG. 5C, the slope of the putting pad 530 is shown at three percent. In FIG. 5D, the slope of the putting pad 540 is shown at four percent. Other angles between zero percent and four percent may also be selected, such as 2.5 percent, 3.3 percent, 3.5 percent, 4.5 percent and so on.

In the above-embodiments, the putting pads have a substantially planar, smooth surface having a slope that extends substantially uniformly from one end to the other. The term “substantially” is used in this context because of manufacturing error tolerances, which may cause slight variations in the surface of the substrate underlying the artificial turf. In some embodiments, the artificial turf overlaying the substrate may mitigate or eliminate such variations.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of the golf putting pad 600 and arrows indicating an ordered sequence by which a golfer may play a game, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The golf putting pad 600 may include peripheral holes 602, 604, 606, and 608, and a center hole 610. The peripheral holes 602, 604, 606, and 608 may be spaced apart by an equal distance and may also be equally spaced from the center hole 610. In a particular embodiment, the center of the peripheral hole 602 may be approximately nine feet from the center of the peripheral hole 604, and each of the peripheral holes 602, 604, 606, and 608 may form a square spaced by nine feet center-to-center. The center hole 610 may be six feet from each of the peripheral holes 602, 604, 606, and 608.

In the illustrated example, the golf putting pad 600 is configured at a slope of approximately four percent. The peripheral holes 604 and 606 are at the top of the slope, and peripheral holes 602 and 608 are at the bottom of the slope.

In the illustrated example, a tee area for each hole is at a location within six inches on either side of a corner hole 602, 604, 606, or 608 and at a midpoint of the hole relative to the selected hole (i.e., relative to the target hole). The tee area 614 for the first hole 604 can be aligned with the center of the hole 602. The tee area 616 for the hole 606 may be aligned with the center of the hole 604. The tee area 618 for the hole 608 may be aligned with the center of the hole 606. The tee area 612 for the hole 602 may be aligned with the center of the hole 602. Similarly, the tee areas 620, 622, 624, and 626 can be aligned with the respective centers of the holes 602, 604, 606, and 608 and relative to the center hole 610.

In one possible embodiment of a game, only a first putt toward each hole counts toward a golfer's score. When the first putt is made, the golfer receives a score of 1 stroke for that hole. Otherwise, when the first putt is missed, the golfer receives a second putt, unless the first putt rolled into the out-of-bounds gutter area 112. If the first putt stopped on the putting area 102, the golfer receives a score of 2 strokes for that hole. Otherwise, if the first putt rolled into the out-of-bounds gutter area 112, the golfer receives a score of three strokes for that hole. The total number of strokes for nine holes constitutes the game score for the golfer.

In another embodiment, the golfer may attempt any number of putts to sink the golf ball in the selected hole. A ball struck into the out-of-bounds gutter area 112 may result in a two-stroke penalty, and the golfer is allowed to replace the ball on the putting surface 102 in a drop area that is approximately the length of a putter head from the location of the out-of-bounds gutter area 112 where the golf ball rolled to a stop. The total number of strokes for each hole constitutes the score for the hole, and the total number of strokes for nine holes constitutes the game score for the golfer.

In still another embodiment, the golfer may attempt up to a threshold number of putts to sink the golf ball in the selected hole. A ball struck into the out-of-bounds gutter area 112 may result in a two-stroke penalty, and the golfer is allowed to replace the ball on the putting surface 102 in a drop area that is approximately the length of a putter head from the location of the out-of-bounds gutter area 112 where the golf ball rolled to a stop. The total number of strokes for each hole up to the threshold number constitutes the score for the hole, and the total number of strokes for nine holes constitutes the game score for the golfer. In some embodiments, the threshold number may be three strokes, four strokes, five strokes, or some other number. Other embodiments are also possible.

As shown, the first hole may provide an uphill putt from the tee area 614 to the hole 604. The second hole may provide a cross-slope putt from the tee area 616 to the hole 606. The third hole may provide a downhill putt from the tee area 618 to the hole 608. The fourth hole may provide a cross-slope putt from the tee area 612 to the hole 602 that has a break that is opposite to the cross-slope putt of the second hole. In a particular embodiment of the golf putting pad 600, the first, second, third, and fourth holes provide nine foot putts that are uphill, downhill, or cross-slope. The fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth holes provide six foot putts that are at a forty-five degree angle that are both cross-slope and either uphill or downhill. The last hole may include a 12 foot putt at a diagonal, either uphill and cross-slope or downhill and cross-slope.

From a practice perspective, some golfers may succeed in putting from the tee area 616 to the hole 606, and may struggle to make a putt from the tee area 612 to the hole 602. Though the slope may be the same for both putts, golfers may struggle to read the amount of putt break on the slope the same way in both directions. Accordingly, the golf putting pad 600 may be used to practice a sequence of putts that may improve a golfer's putting and green-reading (amount of putt break).

The particular sequence of putts described with respect to the putting golf pad 600 of FIG. 6 represents one possible sequence. Other sequences are also possible. In a particular example, the sequence may include the four peripheral putts, followed by four long diagonal putts, and followed by one short diagonal putt to the center hole 610. In other embodiments, still other sequences for playing the holes may also be used.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a method 700 of playing a game using a golf putting pad, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The method 700 may include providing a putting pad including a plurality of holes and including an out-of-bounds gutter area, at 702. The putting pad may be an embodiment of the putting pads described above with respect to FIGS. 1-6.

The method 700 may further include defining an ordered sequence by which each golfer is to complete a round by putting the ball to each hole in the ordered sequence, at 704. Examples of ordered sequences are described above with respect to FIG. 6, for example. Other ordered sequences may also be possible.

Further, the method 700 may include defining a plurality of tee areas, where each tee area corresponds to a start point for putting toward a particular one of the plurality of holes, at 706. In some embodiments, the tee area for a particular hole may be aligned to a center of a corner hole or peripheral hole and may extend a number of inches, such as up to six inches from an edge of a hole. The tee area may be oriented relative to the hole toward which the golfer is to putt. One possible example of tee areas is described above with respect to FIG. 6.

The method 700 may also include maintaining a count of a number of putts taken by a golfer to advance a golf ball from the tee area into a corresponding hole of the plurality of holes and for each hole of the plurality of holes until the round is complete, at 708. In some embodiments, the golfer may putt the ball as many times as needed in order to sink a putt into the selected hole. If the ball falls into an unintended hole or enters the out-of-bounds gutter area 112, the golfer may receive a penalty (such as a one stroke or two stroke penalty) and the golfer may have to place the ball at a pre-determined drop zone, such as within a golf head distance of stop location of the ball.

In some embodiments, the golfer may be limited to a maximum number of putts for each hole. The limit may facilitate advancing multiple golfers through the sequence of holes rapidly, such as in a contest type of setting.

In some embodiments, the rules may specify that only the first putt counts to determine the score for a particular hole. In this example, if the golfer makes the first putt, the golfer receives a score of one for the hole. If the golfer misses, but the putt remains on the putting surface, the golfer receives a score of two for the hole. If the golfer misses and the ball enters the out-of-bounds gutter area, the golfer receives a score of three for the hole. The golfer completes the round by completing nine (or some other designated number of) holes.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a method 800 of playing a game using a golf putting pad, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In an example, the method 800 may be used with the golf putting pad 600 of FIG. 6 to provide a nine-hole competition. In some embodiments, the game may be played over multiple rounds, and the slope of the golf putting pad 600 may be changed from round to round to increase the difficulty with respect to the selected slope.

In some embodiments, a golfer may place a golf ball in a tee area for the first hole of the course and putt toward the first hole. The method 800 may include determining a score for the selected hole of the plurality of holes for the golfer based on a single putt, at 802. If the putt is made at 804, the method 800 may include incrementing a count of the number of putts by one for the golfer, at 806. The method 800 may further include determining if there are more holes to be played, at 808. If there are more holes, the round is not yet complete. The method 800 may also include selecting a next hole in the ordered sequence, at 810. The method 800 may then return to 802 to determine a score for the selected hole.

Returning to 804, if the putt is not made, the method 800 may include determining if the putted ball ended up out-of-bounds (i.e., in the out-of-bounds gutter area 112), at 812. If not, the putted ball remained in the putting area 102 of the golf putting pad. The method 800 may include incrementing a count of the number of putts by two for the golfer, at 814. The method 800 may further include determining if there are more holes to be played, at 808. If there are more holes, the round is not yet complete. The method 800 may also include selecting a next hole in the ordered sequence, at 810. The method 800 may then return to 802 to determine a score for the selected hole.

Returning to 812, if the putted ball is out-of-bounds, the method 800 may include incrementing a count of the number of putts by two for the golfer, at 814. The method 800 may further include determining if there are more holes to be played, at 808. If there are more holes, the round is not yet complete. The method 800 may also include selecting a next hole in the ordered sequence, at 810.

Returning to 808, if there are no more holes to be played, the method 800 may include recording a final score of the round for the golfer, at 818. The method 800 may further include comparing the final score of each of a plurality of golfers to determine a winner based on the lowest final score, at 820.

In the above-example, only the first putt toward each hole counts to determine the score. However, in other embodiments, the golfer may be allowed any number of putts up to a threshold, at which point the threshold score would be recorded for the particular golfer. In some embodiments, if the ball rolls into the out-of-bounds gutter area 112, a penalty may be applied, such as a two-stroke penalty, and the golfer may have to reposition the ball on the putting area 102 of the golf putting pad approximately one club head length from a place where the ball came to a stop.

In some embodiments, a contest may be held, which may involve each participant playing multiple rounds. In some embodiments, the slope may vary from round to round, such that golfer has to adjust to the changed slope of the golf putting pad with each new round. In some embodiments, the starting hole, the slope, the direction of rotation (clockwise rotation versus counter-clockwise rotation), or any combination thereof, may change with each successive game.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a method 900 of playing a game using a golf putting pad, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The method 900 may include providing a putting surface including a plurality of holes and including an out-of-bounds area, the putting surface having a slope, at 902. The putting surface may be an embodiment of the golf putting pads of FIGS. 1-6. The method 900 may also include defining a tee area for each hole and an ordered sequence by which each golfer is to play each of a plurality of holes to complete a round, at 904. As discussed above, the order in which the holes are to be played and the tee area for each hole may be defined, such that each golfer performs substantially the same putts. Once the golf putting pad is provided and the sequence is defined, one or more games, matches, or contests may be played using the golf putting pad and the associated ordered sequence.

The method 900 may further include placing a golf ball at the tee area for a selected hole according to the ordered sequence, at 906. The method 900 may also include putting the ball toward the selected hole, at 908. The method 900 may further include incrementing a count of the number of putts, at 910.

At 912, if the count is greater than a pre-determined threshold, the method 900 may include assigning the threshold count for the hole as the golfer's score, at 914. The method 900 may advance to 916 and may add the count to the golfer's total score. At 918, the method 900 may include resetting the count. At 920, if there are more holes, the method 900 may include selecting a next hole according to the ordered sequence, at 922. The method 900 may return to 906 and the golfer may place a ball at the tee area for the selected hole.

Returning to 912, if the count is less than the threshold, the method 900 may include determining if the ball rolled into the out-of-bounds area, at 924. If so, the method 900 may include assigning the threshold count for the hole as the golfer's score. The threshold may serve as the out-of-bounds penalty. Otherwise, at 924, if the ball remained on the putting area 102, the method 900 may include determining if the ball went into the selected hole, at 926. If not, the method 900 returns to 908 and the golfer may put the golf ball toward the selected hole.

If, at 926, the ball is determined to be in the selected hole, the method 900 may include adding the count to the golfer's total score, at 916. The method 900 may reset the count, at 918, and may determine if there are more holes to be played, at 920. If there are more holes to be played, the method 900 may include selecting the next hole according to the ordered sequence, at 922, and may return to 906 to place the golf ball at the tee area for the selected hole.

Returning to 920, if there are no more holes to be played, the method 900 may include reporting the score as the final score for the golfer. The score may be reported to a computing system, recorded on a written score card, or otherwise provided to a contest host.

It should be understood that the method 900 is similar to the method 800 of FIG. 8, except that the golfer may be allowed to continue putting toward the selected hole provided that the ball does not roll into the out-of-bounds area or that the golfer does not exceed a threshold number of putts. In some embodiments, when the ball rolls out of bounds (at 924), instead of assigning the threshold count for the hole (at 914), the method 900 may be changed to adjust the count by a pre-determined penalty and the method may include allowing the golfer to move the golf ball to a location on the putting pad that is a pre-determined distance from a stop location of the golf ball. In some embodiments, the pre-determined distance may be approximately one club head length from the out-of-bounds area where the previous putt came to a stop. In some embodiments, if the ball falls into an incorrect hole, the method may include assigning penalty strokes to the golfer's score and may include allowing the golfer to remove the ball from the incorrect hole and to reposition the ball on the putting surface at a club head length distance from an edge of the incorrect hole. Other embodiments are also possible.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a method 1000 of playing a game using a golf putting pad, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. At 1002, the method 1000 may include providing a putting surface including a plurality of holes and including an out-of-bounds area, where the putting surface has a slope. The putting surface may be an embodiment of the golf putting pads described above with respect to FIGS. 1-6. The method 1000 may further include defining an ordered sequence by which each golfer is to play each hole of the plurality of holes to complete a round, at 1004.

At 1006, the method 1000 may include maintaining a count of a number of putts taken by a golfer to complete the round. The method 1000 may further include adding a count to a total score associated with the golfer and reset the count. At 1010, the method 1000 may include determining if the golfer is to complete another round. If so, the method 1000 may include adjusting at least one of the slope of the putting surface and the ordered sequence, at 1012. The slope may be adjusted either by configuring the support structures to provide the desired slope or by providing a second putting surface having the desired slope. In some embodiments, the ordered sequence may be adjusted by changing an order in which the holes are to be played, changing which shots are to be played (e.g., changing one of the shots from a corner hole to center hole shot to a corner hole to opposite (diagonal) corner hole shot), and so on. Other embodiments are also possible.

The method 1000 may further include incrementing a count of a number of rounds for the golfer, at 1014. The method 1000 may then return to 1006 to maintain a number of putts taken by the golfer to complete the round.

Returning to 1010, if there is no other round to be played, the method 1000 may include finalizing the total score associated with the golfer, at 1016. The method 1000 may also include reporting the total score, at 1018. The score may be reported to a contest host, a computing system, and so on.

In some embodiments, a golf contest may be conducted using the sloped golf putting pad and methods described above with respect to FIGS. 1-9. In an example, a contest may be played at multiple venues, each of which may include one or more of the golf putting pads. The slopes of the golf putting pads may be substantially the same. In some embodiments involving multiple rounds, the slopes of the putting pads may be adjusted with each round to provide the same slopes. Further, the sequence in which the holes are to be played to complete each round may be the same for each venue.

In some embodiments, golfers may complete a round, recording the score for each hole and a final score for the round. The golfer may then deposit a score card, enter the score in an electronic device, or otherwise report the score. At the end of a period of time (such as the close date and time of the contest) or after all of the registered golfers have completed their rounds, the contest host may compare the scores of the golfers to determine a winner. The winner will be a golfer having the lowest total score.

In conjunction with the apparatus and methods described above with respect to FIGS. 1-9, a golf putting pad is described that includes a putting area having a plurality of holes, a boundary area, and an out-of-bounds gutter area between the putting area and the boundary area. The holes may be distributed on the putting area such that one of the holes is located substantially at a center of the putting area and the other holes may be spaced apart about the periphery of the putting area. In some embodiments, the peripheral holes may be spaced apart from the center hole by a substantially equal distance. In some embodiments, the peripheral holes may be located near corners of the putting area and may be spaced apart by substantially equal distances. In some embodiments, the golf putting pad may be formed from a substantially planar surface defining a substantially uniform slope. In some embodiments, the slope may be adjustable. In certain embodiments, the golf putting pad may include adjustable supports and circuitry configured to control the adjustable supports to provide the desired slope. Various scoring options may be employed to score a golfer and he or she traverses a sequence of holes to complete a round using the golf putting pad.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A golf putting pad comprising:

a substrate;

a boundary area extending about a periphery of the substrate;

a putting area extending over a portion of the substrate inside of the boundary area and including a plurality of holes, each hole sized to receive a golf ball; and

an out-of-bounds gutter area between the putting area and the boundary area and defining a periphery of the putting area.

2. The golf putting pad of claim 1, wherein the out-of-bounds gutter area comprises a gap between a putting turf associated with the putting area and a second turf associated with the boundary area.

3. The golf putting pad of claim 1, wherein the out-of-bounds gutter area comprises an interface between a putting turf associated with the putting area and a second turf associated with the boundary area.

4. The golf putting pad of claim 1, wherein the out-of-bounds gutter area comprises a cut-out portion of the substrate.

5. The golf putting pad of claim 1, wherein the golf putting pad defines a substantially planar surface having a grade of slope within a range of zero percent to approximately four percent relative to a horizontal plane.

6. The golf putting pad of claim 5, wherein the slope is adjustable.

7. The golf putting pad of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes comprises:

a first hole positioned at a center of the putting area; and

a plurality of second holes positioned around and spaced substantially equidistant apart from the first hole.

8. The golf putting pad of claim 1, wherein the putting area comprises a substantially square shape, the golf putting pad further comprising:

a first hole positioned at a center of the putting area; and

four peripheral holes, each peripheral hole associated with a corner of the putting area and spaced apart from the first hole by a substantially equal distance.

9. The golf putting pad of claim 6, wherein:

the golf putting pad has a width of approximately sixteen feet;

the putting area has a width of approximately fifteen feet; and

each of the four peripheral holes is spaced apart from the center hole by approximately six feet, from each other by approximately nine feet, and from sides of the putting area by approximately three feet.

10. A method comprising:

providing a golf putting pad including a boundary area, a putting area, and an out-of-bounds gutter area, the boundary area extending about a periphery of the golf putting pad, the putting area inside of the boundary area and including a plurality of holes, each hole is sized to receive a golf ball, the out-of-bounds gutter area between the putting area and the boundary area and defining a periphery of the putting area; and

determining a score for a golfer based on at least a first attempt to putt a golf ball into each hole of a selected sequence of the plurality of holes, the selected sequence defining a round; and

recording a total score for the round for the golfer based on the score for each hole.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the golf putting pad comprises a slope within a range of zero percent to five percent.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the slope is adjustable within the range.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising defining the selected sequence of the plurality of holes to include at least one uphill putt, at least one downhill putt, and at least two cross-slope putts.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

recording the total score of each golfer of a plurality of golfers; and

comparing the total scores to determine a winner based on the lowest total score.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

changing at least one of the slope and the selected sequence of the plurality of holes to define a second round; and

determining a second score for the golfer for the second round based on at least a first attempt to putt the golf ball into each hole of the second round; and

recording a total score for the second round for the golfer based on the score for each hole.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the score comprises:

assigning a score of one for a selected hole when the golfer makes a first putt from a tee area into the selected hole;

assigning a score of two for the selected hole when the golfer misses the first putt and the golf ball remains on the putting area; and

assigning a score of three for the selected hole when the golfer misses the first putt and the golf ball rolls into the out-of-bounds gutter area.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the score comprises:

counting a number of putts used by the golfer to advance the golf ball from a tee area for a selected hole into the hole;

adding a penalty stroke to the number of putts when the golf ball rolls into the out-of-bounds gutter area or into another hole of the plurality of holes; and

determining the score for the hole when the golf ball falls into the selected hole.

18. A golf putting pad comprising:

a putting area defining a substantially planar surface including a plurality of holes, each hole sized to receive a golf ball; and

an out-of-bounds gutter area along a periphery of the putting area; and

wherein the putting area defines the grade of a slope within a range of zero percent to five percent.

19. The golf putting pad of claim 18, further comprising one or more supports controllable to adjust the slope to provide a selected slope.

20. The golf putting pad of claim 18, wherein:

the putting area includes a substantially square putting surface;

the plurality of holes includes a center hole at an approximate center of the putting area and includes four peripheral holes near corners of the substantially square putting surface, the four peripheral holes spaced apart from each other by a first distance and from the center hole by a second distance that is approximately ⅔rds of the first distance.