DESCRIPTION FLAG GOLF BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to the field of golf and, more particularly, to a golf game which eliminates driving, provides varying degrees of difficulty for"challenge-based" scoring, and provides multiple golf holes per green to produce golf courses of reduced geographic design for increased speed of play.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART Traditional golf has enjoyed widespread popularity over the years, with literally millions world-wide involved in the sport. Few would argue, however, that traditional golf is free from defect. The requirement of driving the ball, for example, presents a significant problem for many who find it physically discomforting to perform the act of driving the ball. This is especially true for golfers of advanced age or those suffering physical limitations who cannot drive without experiencing great discomfort and pain. A second disadvantage of traditional golf is that it separates the sexes. Women lack the physical strength of men in driving the ball which, in general, means that women are oftentimes incapable of competing effectively with men of the same skill level when driving. Another drawback of traditional golf is that it requires a substantial time investment, where it is not atypical to spend 4 to 5 hours to complete a full round of 18 holes. For many, this time investment is simply too great such that they simply forbear in lieu of other activities or hobbies that can be conducted in substantially less time. Another drawback of traditional golf is that, after putting, the player must bend over to retrieve the golf ball out of the cup, thereby producing an increased risk of causing or aggravating back trouble.

A still further drawback of traditional golf is that the play of the short game consisting of approach shots is interrupted by the long game consisting of tee shots and fairway shots. Play of the short game occurs at the end of each hole after the player has been taking a totally different

kind of swing and exerting a totally different kind of physical energy. The finesse and skill required in the short game is practiced on each hole, only to be disrupted in the subsequent tee and fairway shots of the next hole.

The present invention is directed at overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention involves a method of playing golf hereinafter referred to either "flag golf'or"short golf."This method eliminates the drive and fairway shots of traditional or "long"golf as it is commonly known. The chipping, pitching, and other approach shots and putting are the only shots played in flag golf. Flag golf is so named because all play is in view of the flag on the green.

Flag golf embodies the same hazards and terrain features as a normal golf course, but on a reduced size and scope, thus negating the need for the large tract of land necessary for a regulation size golf course. This dramatically reduces installation and maintenance costs. The holes of a short golf course consist of a chipping area of up to 60 yards in radius around a large green. Depending on available land and course design, two or more holes may share the same golf green. In the situation of double or triple or multiple holes on a green, flags for each hole would be designated prominently by color and number. The flags are not removable and are fixed to point north, so that players on and off the green can identify direction of a chipping shot.

The rules require those players that are chipping to assist other players on the green identifying the direction from which the shot is coming before they chip.

A distinctive aspect of short golf or flag golf is that the position a particular player starts from may vary at the discretion of that player or the playing group. The player or the group may choose the initial lie of the ball and thereby choose the hazards associated with that lie and the corresponding degree of difficulty assigned to that lie to make their initial shot to the green. The course layout and rules are designed for fast and efficient play. Play is as in ready golf so that players are not required to wait on each other. On the green the player closest to the cup putts first, eliminating the time-consuming tradition of marking balls so that the player farthest out can putt over the location of another player's ball. The pin is not removed and a retriever on the pin facilitates quick retrieval of the balls. These features maximize quick repetitive practice of the

short game to improve this aspect of the players overall golf game. This also allows a round of short golf to be completed quickly, opening the game of competitive golf to a wide range of players who often lack the time to play conventional golf. The objective of the game is the same as a regulation golf game in that the person with the least strokes wins the hole/game. Flag golf is both a competitive game and means of practice for regulation or traditional golf.

Flag golf also employs a unique flag arrangement which facilitates quick play. Each flag assembly comprises an elongated pin member having a rigid"flag"member disposed at the upper end and a bent portion at the bottom end. The rigid flag member is fixed on the pin member such that, when the pin member is secured within a cup on the green, the flag member may be used as a reference to determine the direction from which players are approaching the green. The bent portion at the bottom of the pin member is designed to cooperate with a groove formed in the cup to secure the pin member to the cup. In this fashion, players do not have to remove the pin member from the hole to putt out, thereby saving the time required to remove and replace the pin. The cup is dimensioned slightly larger than conventional golf cups to ensure that the ball is capable of dropping properly into the cup with the pin in place.

In yet another inventive aspect of the present invention, the flag assembly also includes a ball retriever assembly which facilitates removal of the ball from the cup without causing the player to bend down to pick the ball out of the hole. The ball retriever assembly includes a hollow elongated sleeve member having a ball basket disposed its lower end. The sleeve member is slideably disposed about the pin member such that it is normally positioned with the ball basket disposed proximate the bottom of the cup. Once a ball has been putted into the cup, the sleeve member can be moved slideably upwards along the length of the pin member to raise the ball basket (with the ball disposed therein) to the player. A player is therefore capable of retrieving their ball while standing erect, thereby preventing the discomfort commonly experienced by those having back trouble when bending down to retrieve their golf balls after putting. The sleeve member is preferably equipped with a shock absorbant outer coating to prevent the incoming golf balls from bouncing away from the sleeve member when entering the hole.

Short golf is intended to completely equalize the features of golf which depend upon physical strength and body structure and to emphasize those aspects of golf which relate to skill and accuracy. The game is designed to be played on a course of nine or more holes varying in

layout up to 60 yards and in size up to 1 1/2 acres in order to maximize variety and challenge in the approach game. The course has large greens physically divided into two or more holes in order to maximize the opportunities for approach play and provide a variety of putting challenges. Short golf entirely eliminates the long game from the traditional game of golf. There is no driving from tee or fairway and no shot longer than 60 yards. Short golf makes major changes in the design of the traditional golf course to maximize the challenges of chipping and putting situations. The rules of short golf create a game that is both fun and challenging and allows a lot of individual choice and flexibility of play. Parties up to eight players can enjoy this game. An exciting and competitive round can be completed in less than half the time of conventional golf.

The present invention is also directed at assisting players who enjoy traditional golf by improving the short game. A disadvantage of traditional golf is that the play of the short game consisting of approach shots is interrupted by the long game consisting of tee shots and fairway shots. Play of the short game occurs at the end of each hole after the player has been taking a totally different kind of swing and exerting a totally different kind of physical energy. The finesse and skill required in the short game is practiced on each hole, only to be disrupted in the subsequent tee and fairway shots of the next hole. Flag golf offers a distinct advantage to traditional golf players who want to improve their short game by constant repetitive practice of approach shots and putting, which together comprise over 2/3 of the score of most traditional golfers.

Flag golf courses are specially designed to provide a wide variety of chipping and putting challenges. Holes may be laid out in interlocking areas ranging in size from about 1 to 1 t/2 acres.

Depending on the version of short golf selected, balls may be placed within set locations known as chipping boxes or, in the individual player's discretion, anywhere up to the apron of the green.

Trees, shrubs, vegetation, rough, slopes, water hazards, sand traps, and other obstacles are placed to maximize difficulty in the approach game. On the greens a variety of slopes and hole locations provide a broad range of putting experiences. The greens are large to separate play.

Two or three holes are located on each green, separated by low berms that may be shaped to provide variety in the long putting game.

Because there are no long distance shots, there is no need for large removable pins with flags on the short golf course. Instead, a shorter and narrower pin is installed in each cup, and

this pin is designed to be non-removable. The pins are preferably made of metal with an impact absorbent rubber coating. The hole is cut 1/4"wider to leave space for a ball passing to either side so the drop of a properly placed putt is not affected. Each pin will be topped with a rigid metal flag pointing north, so that players on and off each green can identify the direction of a shot coming on to the green. The twofold purpose of using a non-removable pin is (1) to provide an obvious and immediate way for all players to identify direction and (2) to reduce time on the green and speed play.

By saving the time involved in tee shots and fairway drives, the time between approach and putting shots from one hole to the next is shortened. Frequent repetition will help improve each player's short game.

In one aspect of the present invention, a method of playing a golf game is provided. The first step involves providing a golf course having a plurality of approach areas defined by a perimeter within which at least one green is disposed, the approach area including a plurality of physical obstacles located between the perimeter and the green for the purpose of presenting challenges to the player during an approach shot to the green. The second step involves providing a plurality of chipping areas within each of the plurality of approach areas, the chipping areas having associated therewith varying degrees of difficulty depending upon the physical obstacles disposed in between the chipping area and the green. The third step involves providing a challenge-based scoring method whereby the player can initiate play on each approach area by chipping from a selected chipping area and obtain a score which is adjusted to reflect the degree of difficulty for the selected chipping area.

In another aspect of the present invention, a golf course is provided including a plurality of approach areas defined by a perimeter within which at least one green is disposed. The approach area includes a plurality of physical obstacles located between the perimeter and the green for the purpose of presenting challenges to the player during an approach shot to the green.

A plurality of chipping areas are provided within each of the plurality of approach areas, the chipping areas having associated therewith varying degrees of difficulty depending upon the physical obstacles disposed in between the chipping area and the green, whereby a player can initiate play on each approach area by chipping from a selected chipping area and obtain a score which is adjusted to reflect the degree of difficulty for the selected chipping area.

In a still further broad aspect of the present invention, a ball retrieval device is provided for use with a golf flag assembly including a cup for placement within a hole in a putting surface, and a pin member for placement within the cup. The ball retrieval device comprises a slide member and a ball lifting structure coupled to the slide member. The slide member is capable of slideably cooperating with the pin member such that the slide member can be selectively raised and lowered relative to the pin member while the pin member is disposed in the cup. The ball lifting structure is capable of being disposed within the cup such that a golf ball entering the cup will drop into the ball lifting structure, whereby the slide member may be selectively raised from the cup to retrieve the golf ball.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a top elevational view of an exemplary flag golf approach area according to the present invention having a single green (with two holes), a plurality of"chipping challenges," and a plurality of chip sites designated with circled numbers representing the"degree of difficulty"of each approach shot to the green; Fig. 2 is a top elevational view of a variation of the exemplary flag golf approach area shown in FIG. 1 having a plurality of chip zones having numbers disposed therein representing the"degree of difficulty"of each approach shot to the green; Fig. 3 is a top elevational view of an exemplary flag golf course design according to the present invention comprising 9 approach areas having"chipping challenges"of the type shown generally in FIGS. 1 and 2, each approach area including a single green with 2 golf holes; Fig. 4 is a top elevational view of another exemplary flag golf course design according to the present invention comprising 6 approach areas having"chipping challenges"of the type shown generally in FIGS. 1 and 2, each approach area including a single green having 3 golf holes; Fig. 5 is a top elevational view of yet another exemplary flag golf course design according to the present invention comprising a plurality of approach areas having"chipping challenges"of the type shown generally in FIGS. 1 and 2 surrounding a single green having 9 golf holes;

Fig. 6 is a top elevational view of a still further exemplary flag golf course design according to the present invention comprising 9 greens disposed about the periphery of a rectangular boundary for clockwise or counter-clockwise play from green to green where the land in between each green comprises an approach area having"chipping challenges"of the type shown generally in FIGS. 1 and 2; Fig. 7 is a top elevational view of another exemplary flag golf course design according to the present invention comprising 9 greens disposed about the periphery of a rectangular boundary for instructional or practice play from a central chipping area where the land in between each green and the central chipping area comprises an approach area having"chipping challenges"of the type shown generally in FIGS. 1 and 2; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a flag golf green having a pair of flag assemblies according to the present invention; Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the elements of each flag assembly shown in Fig.

8; Fig. 10 is a side view of a flag assembly of the present invention with the ball retriever assembly in a lowered, normal position having a ball basket disposed within the hole to accept golf balls that enter the hole; Fig. 11 is a side view of the flag assembly shown in Fig. 10 with the ball retriever assembly in a raised, retrieval position such that a player may easily remove the golf ball from the raised ball basket; Fig. 12 is a perspective view illustrating the engagement of the golf hole cup and the bottom of the flag pin member to maintain the flag in a fixed, rigid manner for providing direction for players; Fig. 13 is a bottom view of the golf hole cup shown in Fig. 12 illustrating an engagement groove formed on the bottom thereof for matingly maintaining the flag pin member in a fixed position within the hole; Fig. 14 is a perspective view illustrating the elements of an alternate flag assembly according to the present invention; Fig. 15 is a bottom view of the golf hole cup shown in Fig. 14 illustrating an engagement member formed within a flag pin base receiving aperture for matingly engaging with the flag pin base shown in Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view illustrating the flag pin base disposed on the bottom of the flag pin; and Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the flag pin base taken along lines 17-17 in Fig. 16 illustrating an engagement groove formed therein for matingly engaging with the engagement member of the golf hole cup to maintain the flag is a fixed position for directional purposes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers'specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

Flag Golf Overview The present invention involves a new, useful, and non-obvious variation of traditional golf referred to hereinafter as"flag golf'or"short golf."The golf game of the present invention is referred to as"flag golf'or"short golf'because the playing area is substantially shorter than traditional golf, preferably 60 yards or less to the green, such that players are always within view of the flag on a putting green. As will be described below, the present invention provides various advantages over traditional golf, including substantially faster play, elimination of advantage based on physical strength,"challenge-based"scoring for added excitement, and the ability to remove golf balls from the hole after putting without bending over to minimize the risk of back pain.

Flag Golf Course Design Flag golf is restricted to chipping and putting and completely eliminates the aspect of driving found in traditional golf. Flag golf courses therefore do not employ"fairways"but rather "approach areas"adjacent each hole for players to approach the green via chipping. Once on the green, the players putt in as in traditional golf. A unique aspect of flag golf, however, resides in the"challenge-based"scoring system which, as will be explained in greater detail below, allows

a player to select from a variety of predetermined approach shots having varying"degrees of difficulty" (D/D) in order to dictate how aggressively or conservatively they wish to attempt scoring on a particular hole.

Fig. 1 illustrates an exemplary approach area 10 according to the present invention. The approach area 10 is defined as the terrain between the out of bounds boundary 12 and the putting green 14. Within the approach area 10 are a plurality of natural or man-made obstacles which serve as"chipping challenges"for the player approaching the putting green 14. The chipping challenges shown are set forth by way of example only and may include, without limitation, a marsh 16, a plurality of sand bunkers 18, a stream 20, a lake 22, a plurality of trees 24, a plurality of hills 26, two areas of tall grass or rough 28, a plurality of bushes 30, and a maintenance shed 32. In accordance with the present invention, flag golf allows a player to approach the green 14 from any one of the predetermined chip sites 34,36,38,40 disposed within the approach area 10 in order to dictate how many points they would like to attempt to obtain on their approach. The number of points available for any particular approach shot is dependent upon the degree of difficulty (D/D) associated with the shot or, in other words, the type of"chipping challenge"in between the chip site and the green 14. The chip sites 34-40 may be designated with markers on the ground to indicate to the players where they are to chip from, although it is also contemplated to provide maps or other indicia to the players so they can easily locate the chipping sites 34-40.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the predetermined chip sites 34 have the number 1 associated with them because they have the lowest degree of difficulty (D/D 1) with few, if any,"chipping challenges"in between the chip site 34 and the green 14, whereas the predetermined chip sites 40 have the number 4 associated with them because they have the highest degree of difficulty (D/D 4) by being encumbered with extremely problematic"chipping challenges"in order to reach the green 14. Under this same convention, the predetermined chip sites 36 and 38 have degrees of difficulty D/D 2 and D/D 3, respectively, indicating that chip sites 36 have a greater degree of difficulty than chip sites 34 and a lesser degree of difficulty than chip sites 38, while chip sites 38 have a greater degree of difficulty than chip sites 36 and a lesser degree of difficulty than chip sites 40.

The"challenge-based"scoring system of flag golf assigns a particular point value for each degree of difficulty (D/D 1-D/D 4) such that the player can select how many points they can attempt on the approach in an effort to dictate their overall score on the hole. In one

embodiment, the valuation of points progresses in reverse order such that degree of difficulty D/D 1 is assigned a value of 4 points, degree of difficulty D/D 2 is assigned a value of 3 points, degree of difficulty D/D 3 is assigned a value of 2 points, and degree of difficulty D/D 4 is assigned a value of 1 point. In this fashion, a player approaching from chip site 34 would have 4 points after the first shot, a player approaching from chip site 36 would have 3 points after the first shot, a player approaching from chip site 38 would have 2 points after the first shot, and a player approaching from chip site 40 would have 1 point after the first shot. After the first approach shot, scoring continues as with traditional golf with each shot adding 1 point to the player's score.

In this fashion, a player shooting from one of the chip sites 40, for example, can take the more aggressive approach to the green 14 which will leave them with a score of 1 if they are successful in reaching the green 14 on the approach. On the contrary, a player shooting from one of the chip sites 34 can take the more conservative approach, with a relatively simple and unobstructed shot to the green 14, but will have a score of 4 points if they are successful in reaching the green 14 on the approach. Each player will then putt out to determine their score for the hole, adding 1 point for each putt. As will be appreciated, this scoring system allows players to make up lost ground on their opponents by undertaking shots having higher degrees of difficulty, thereby adding to the excitement of the game.

An alternative method of scoring is to simply subtract the number associated with the degree of difficulty from the score the player gets on the hole. In this manner, for example, a player shooting from chip site 40 who makes the green 14 in two shots and takes three more shots to putt out would have a raw score of 5. Under this alternate scoring scheme, their flag golf score would be 1 because the degree of difficulty for the approach shot from chip site 40 was 4 (D/D 4), which number is subtracted from the raw score of 5. Note that in this scoring method, it is possible for a player to get a negative score for a hole, such as where an expert golfer reaches the green on the first approach shot from a challenging chip site and putts out with few additional strokes.

In a preferred embodiment, the putting green 14 is equipped with two holes 42,44 to allow multiple parties to play on the same putting surface. To serve as a natural boundary between the holes 42-44, the green 14 may be equipped with a berm 46 which divides the green 14 into a first putting area 48 and a second putting area 50. For convenience, the approach area

10 is shown with a line of bisection 52 illustrating the division of the green 14 and land within the approach area 10. As will be explained below, the distance between the boundary 12 and the green 14 is preferably not greater than 60 yards such that all approach shots are well within chipping range. This, coupled with a compact course design and unique rules of etiquette set forth below, allow flag golf to be played in a time period substantially shorter than traditional golf.

Fig. 2 illustrates a variation of the approach area 10 shown in Fig. 1. In this embodiment, the approach area 10 includes enlarged chipping zones 54,56,58,60 provided instead of the smaller chip sites 34-40 shown in Fig. 1. The chipping zones 34-60 are preferably designated with appropriate markers on the grass to denote the boundaries thereof. With the main exception of size, the chipping zones 54-60 function in the same fashion as the chip sites 34-40 described above. Consequently, a detailed description of the approach area 10 of Fig. 2 is deemed duplicative and unnecessary.

In accordance with the present invention, the approach areas may be distributed in any number of different fashions to produce any of a variety of different course designs. By way of example and not limitation, several flag golf course designs are set forth in Figs. 3-7 in order to demonstrate the virtually unlimited number of course design variations capable of being employed with the present invention. Fig. 3 shows a flag golf course design 70 according to one embodiment comprising 9 individual approach areas 10 having a single green 14 with 2 golf holes 42-44. Fig. 4 shows another flag golf course design 80 according to the present invention comprising 6 individual approach areas 10 having a single green 14 with 3 golf holes 42,43,44.

Fig. 5 shows yet another flag golf course design 90 according to the present invention comprising a plurality of approach areas 10 surrounding a single green 14 having 9 golf holes 42. Fig. 6 shows a still further flag golf course design 100 according to the present invention comprising 9 greens 14 disposed about the periphery of a rectangular boundary 102. This allows clockwise or counter-clockwise play from green to green. The land in between each green 14 comprises an approach area designated generally at 10. Fig. 7 shows another flag golf course design 110 according to the present invention comprising 9 greens 14 disposed about the periphery of a rectangular boundary 112. This design facilitates instructional or practice play from a central chipping area 114. The land in between each green 14 and the central chipping area 114 comprises an approach area designated generally at 10. Although not shown, the approach areas

10 in each of the foregoing embodiments will include"chipping challenges"of the type shown generally in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Flag Golf Flag Assembly Referring to Fig. 8, shown is a dual-hole green 14 having a pair of flag assemblies 120 according to yet another inventive aspect of the present invention. As will be described in greater detail below, the flag assemblies 120 are advantageously constructed to serve several important purposes, including: (1) indicating the direction of incoming approach shots for the safety of players located on the green 14; (2) allowing players to retrieve their golf ball after putting without bending over so as to reduce the risk of back pain; and (3) facilitating quick play by eliminating the need to remove the flag during putting.

Referring to Figs. 10 and 11, each flag assembly 120 includes an elongated pin member 122, a golf cup 124 (shown in phantom) in the green 14, a ball retriever assembly 126 slideably disposed on the pin member 122, and a rigid"flag"member 128 fixed to the pin member 122.

The ball retriever assembly 126 includes a hollow elongated sleeve member 140 having a ball basket 142 disposed its lower end. The sleeve member 140 is slideably disposed about the pin member 122 such that, as shown in Fig. 10, it is normally positioned with the ball basket 142 disposed proximate the bottom of the cup 124. Once the ball 138 has been putted into the cup 124, the sleeve member 140 can be moved slideably upwards along the length of the pin member 122, as shown in Fig. 11, to raise the ball basket 142 (with the ball 138 disposed therein) to the player. A player is therefore capable of retrieving their ball 138 while standing erect, thereby preventing the discomfort commonly experienced by those having back trouble when bending down to retrieve their golf balls after putting.

With further reference to Figs. 8 and 9, the elongated pin member 122 is generally circular in cross-section and may be comprised of any number of suitable materials. The pin member 122 is straight at the upper end and includes a cup-engaging member comprising a bent portion 130 at the lower end. The straight upper end of the pin member 122 is capable of extending through an aperture (not shown) formed in the golf cup 124, through a lumen 132 extending through the sleeve member 140 of the ball retrieval assembly 126, and onward for connection to the rigid flag member 128. With brief reference to Figs. 12 and 13, the bent portion 130 at the bottom of the pin member 122 is designed to cooperate with a groove 134 formed in the cup 124 to secure the pin member 122 when the cup 124 is disposed within a hole formed in

the green 14. Cup 124 is preferably equipped with apertures 136 for facilitating water drainage into the green 14. The rigid flag member 128 is preferably fixed on the pin member 122 such that, when the pin member 122 is secured within the cup 124 on the green 14, the flag member 128 may be used as a reference to determine the direction of incoming approach shots. In this fashion, players do not have to remove the pin member 122 from the cup 124 to putt out, thereby saving the time required to remove and replace the pin 122.

The cup 124 is preferably dimensioned slightly larger than conventional golf cups to ensure that the ball is capable of dropping properly into the cup 124 with the pin 122 in place.

For example, with reference to Figs. 10 and 11, the width W of the cup 124 may preferably be set at 4 and 1/2 inches as opposed to the 4 and 1/4 inch diameter employed with conventional cups.

Because the pin member 122 remains in the cup 124 during putting, it the sleeve member 140 is preferably equipped with a shock absorbant outer coating to prevent the incoming golf balls 138 from bouncing away from the sleeve member 140 when entering the cup 124. The sleeve member 140 may be constructed of shock absorbant material or, alternately, may have an outer sheet or layer of shock absorbant material applied to the exterior of the material employed to construct the sleeve member 140.

The sleeve member 140 is also preferably equipped with a lip or ring member 144 at the upper end which allows a player to easily obtain a purchase on the ball retrieval assembly 126 to selectively raise and lower the ball basket 142. When in the lowered position, the lip or ring member 144 is located a height H from the green 14. It is fully contemplated that this height H may range any number of suitable distances without departing from the scope of the present invention. Height H may preferably be of such height that the lip member 144 is at approximately waist or hip level on the average player such that the player may lift the ball retriever 126 without bending over.

The ball basket 142 may be constructed from any number of suitable materials and preferably includes apertures for permitting water drainage into and through the cup 124 to avoid the accrual of water within the golf hole. As shown in Fig. 10, the ball basket 142 has a slightly smaller width than the width W of the cup 124 in order to facilitate the raising and lowering of the basket 142 with respect to the cup 124. The ball basket 142 may take any number of different shapes and sizes without departing from the scope of the present invention. All that is important

is that sufficient structure exists to raise the ball out of the cup 124 without making the player bend over.

It is contemplated that the flag assembly 120 described above may take any of a variety of different forms without departing from the scope of the invention, including but limited to the embodiment shown in Figs. 14-17. In this exemplary embodiment, the flag member 128 is fixedly attached to the upper end of the pin member 122. The lower end of the pin member 122 is straight and capable of passing into and through the lumen 132 of the sleeve member 140 of the ball retrieval assembly 126 where it is fixedly coupled to a base member 148. As shown in Figs. 16 and 17, the base member 148 may be equipped with an engagement groove 150 capable of matingly engaging with an engagement member 152 extending into a pin-receiving aperture 154 formed in the cup 124. In this fashion, the pin 122 and flag 128 can remain in a fixed position relative to the cup 124, once again, providing a benefit by aiding individuals in determining the direction of incoming approach shots.

Flag Golf Rules of Etiquette Because of the increased proximity of players and the speed of play, the rules of etiquette are critical to the game of short golf. There are, however, some differences from the rules of etiquette associated with conventional long golf. The primary reason for these differences is that all players on a hole, whether on the green or chipping, will be in view of each other and the distances between them will be relatively short. Correspondingly, the speed of approach shots is reduced and the opportunity to see the ball approaching is increased.

In order to speed the game and reduce the time between shots, short golf is played under the conventional rules of ready golf. Players in a group will proceed together through each hole, but will play at their own pace and do not have to wait for another player to shoot except when this would cause a conflict or distraction or would create a dangerous situation. For example, a player to the rear of another in his or her line of fire should shoot first or wait until the other player has shot and moved on. Players in front and on the green are expected to be aware of and watch approaching players. Players to the rear are expected to be certain that players in front and on the green are watching before they shoot.

On the green, players may putt simultaneously, as long as they are not distracting other putters. Contrary to long golf etiquette, if one player's ball is in the approach of another player's

lie, the player closest to the cup will putt first. Chip shots from longer distances approaching 60 yards and shots from obstructed lies may involve the need to alert others in the group. Players making such shots should call out before the shot and be certain everyone is looking their way and no one is in the close area of the line of fire. To be certain of being observed by players on the green, the player chipping from a distance should call out his direction from the green. For example,"Chipping from the east."Players on the green should turn in that direction and watch the shot.

Essentially this is much the way a foursome moving efficiently and playing ready golf plays conventional long golf when it reaches the approach shot area near the green. Some players may have chipped on and are on the green studying their putt or putting out, while others off the green may chip on, as long as they know everyone is alert for their shot. As for the closest putter in the same lie putting first, there is no particularly good reason why long golf applies the convention that the player furthest out goes first on the putting green. It makes sense on the fairway for the player to the rear to shoot first so he won't have to wait until players to the front pass out of his range. But on the green the opposite situation applies, and the convention that the player farthest from the cup goes first simply slows down play by requiring ball marking.

Where multiple groups are using different cups on the green, short golf etiquette must vary from the tradition of simply calling"Fore"to warn of a close shot. If a chip is off enough to go to an adjoining section of the green, the player should warn the players by identifying the portion of the green they are on. So short golf etiquette is to call,"Fore, left green"or"Fore, center green"or"Fore, right green."Right and left are in the direction of play going out from the clubhouse on the course. Players on the green are responsible to be aware of which portion of the green they are on.

Unless the course is relatively clear behind a group, it is bad short golf etiquette to take extra practice shots or putts or to take more than two warm up swings. A major advantage of short golf is that in ordinary play practice opportunities for the short game are enhanced simply by speeding the time between chipping on one hole and chipping on the next. So the practice opportunity for the player who muffs an approach shot is to select a comparable lie on the next hole, rather than to delay others by taking a"mulligan."There are no mulligans in short golf.

The final and most essential rule of etiquette in short golf is that no player is allowed to get impatient or behave rudely to another player. Players are close together and always within

earshot of ordinary conversation, so anything negative that is said or done might provoke a reaction. A round of short golf can be completed in the time of a decent lunch hour. Bearing this in mind, many short golf players will have limited time to play. Groups are expected to move efficiently from one hole to the next. However, because of the short chipping distances, no one should be looking for lost balls. Therefore, there should be plenty of time to complete a round without pushing the players in front. They should be allowed time, without pressure, to focus on their shot and gain the best practice and competition benefits from their round.

If a player or group is obviously abusing these rules and causing undue delay, a trailing group may politely ask to play through. However, if a slower group refuses to cooperate, players should bring the matter to the attention of the course managers rather than start a public argument. This should be easy to do because no hole on the short golf course will be far from the club house or a ranger. Approaching another group in an accusatory manner to demand they change their play could start an alteration and simply delay play for everyone.

Rules of Flag Golf In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the rules of flag golf may include, but are not necessarily limited or restricted to, the following: 1) The player with the lowest score wins.

2) All initial shots are made within sixty yards of the hole.

3) Each player may select his initial lie for each hole and the degree of difficulty the course has determined for the area of that lie will apply to his score for that hole. Degree of difficulty ratings do not apply to second and successive shots.

4) The degree of difficulty for each area surrounding a green is determined by course management based on distance from the hole and hazards and obstacles affecting shots from that area.

5) If course management defines chipping zones within a degree of difficulty area, the players may agree in advance to use them rather than dropping any place in the degree of difficulty area. If the players elect, the player with honors from winning the previous hole may choose to designate a chipping zone for the entire party. Course management may require use of chipping zones.

6) The degree of difficulty rating for the initial shot on each hole is subtracted from the score for the hole.

7) It is possible to get a negative score for a hole.

8) Play is as in ready golf. However, to avoid striking a fellow competitor, each player is responsible to warn any player on the green he is shooting to that he is making an approach shot. This is done by calling out,"Chipping to (green #) from the (direction of the shot). [For example,"Chipping to 3 from the north!"] The player then waits to chip until those on the green look at him. Penalty is two strokes for stroke play, loss of hole for match play.

Successive violation disqualifies the player.

9) Each player on a green is responsible to acknowledge a warning by looking at the player who is chipping. That player may then continue play or wait for the chipping shot at his or her option.

10) The area from which a player may chip is limited to 60 yards from the pin and this area is marked on the course. Balls struck out of this area are out of bounds. There is a one stroke penalty for a ball struck out of bounds, into a water hazard, into an unplayable lie (such as a bush), or lost. The ball is dropped and play resumed from the nearest playable point to point where the ball went out of bounds, into the hazard, or was last seen.

11) Each green has a fixed immovable pin with a flag giving the number of the hole and pointing to the north with the direction NORTH printed on it to help the players know the green they are on and the direction to look for the chipping player.

12) On the green the player closest to the pin may putt first to avoid having to mark balls.

13) The pin is left in (it can't be removed), and balls are retrieved by lifting the retriever around the pin.

14) Local course management may determine specific rules or exceptions to the rules applicable to that course and determine a penalty for violation of local rules.

15) In all other cases the USGA Rules of Golf prevail.

16) These rules may be amended by the Governing Committee for Flag Golf.

Flag Golf Alternate Scoring Methods Depending on course management, layout, and the selection made by individual player groups, a variety of short golf games can be played, including the following: 1) Pre-determined lie This is the closest game to conventional or"long"golf. In this game players will chip from selected sites or"drop zones."These drop zones may be laid out on a multiple hole course to provide a variety of chipping experiences. Score is kept by straight stroke count, and no handicap is assigned. Pars of 2 or 3, depending on location of the drop zone, may be posted at each hole.

This variation of short golf has a number of advantages. It enables course management to control play and maximize efficient green use. On a 3-hole green, the center hole can be left vacant to separate play for large groups. This will reduce the risk of interfering with play and will speed play from one hole to the next. It will maximize the comparison of score results between a number of players and is ideal for handicapping and tournament scoring.

In a variant of this version of short golf, a course manager may double or triple the length of the course using the same holes by setting up two or three drop zones for each hole--each drop zone associated with one of the three cups on the green. Players can play two or three times on each hole, chipping from different drop zones to different cups on the green. Play can proceed laterally. In a third variant, three additional drop zones can be designated for play on an "out and back"format. In this way, a 9-hole short golf course can be converted without additional expense into an 18-hole course or a 27-hole course, depending on course management selections.

To provide a variety of golf experiences, course management may choose to vary the location of the drop zones from one day to the next, just as course management in long golf typically changes the location of the cup on the green periodically.

2) Degree of difficulty The layout of short golf course allows any player to choose his or her own individual lie.

Because the course is designed to provide a wide variety of chipping experiences involving the full range of hazards and obstacles, each individual golfer may choose the desired obstacle to face on the approach shot for each hole, either to practice and improve some aspect of his or her short game or to gain a competitive advantage in the game.

This variant of short golf assigns a"degree of difficulty"in reverse order up to three for each area around a short golf hole. The harder the approach shot, the lower the number assigned.

Depending on course management and course layout, a typical guideline for assigning degree of difficulty might be as follows: D/D 3: Unobstructed shots from the apron out to 30 yards would have a degree of difficulty of 3.

D/D 2: Unobstructed shots from 30 to 60 yards, obstructed shots up to 20 yards out, and bunker shots up to 10 yards out would have degree of difficulty of 2.

D/D 1: Obstructed shots from 20 to 60 yards, bunker shots from 10 to 60 yards out, shooting under or through trees, or shooting around obstacles would have a degree of difficulty of 1.

On the first shot from a selected area the golfer will score the degree of difficulty assigned to that area. So a close-in unobstructed chip shot would score 3 points, while a 60-yard bunker shot would be scored 1 point. Second and subsequent shots would be scored straight.

A variant may employ a 1 stroke penalty assessed for chipping past the berm on the target green to an adjoining portion of the same green containing a cup the group is not pitching to.

3) First ball This is a combination of the degree of difficulty short golf game and the pre-determined lie short golf game available for multiple player parties. In this game the winning player on a hole will determine the lie for the entire party on the next hole. The right to selection on the first hole may be decided by coin toss or on the putting green. Play may proceed with straight scoring or use the degree of difficulty ratings for each hole. The players may choose to locate their balls within one club length of the spot selected, as with"scramble"in long golf, or they may agree to locate their balls at the spot selected.

4) Chip to zones If course management chooses, it may mark some or all of the greens for two or three zones around the hole. Bonus points may be assigned (subtracted) or chipping into the closer zones. Or bonus points may be assigned (subtracted) for sinking a putt from the distant zone.

The objective of this variant of short golf is to give an extra reward (besides the location for the

next shot) for accuracy and distance control in chipping and putting. Over time this variant will emphasize the ball control skills of individual players.

5) Handicap play Handicaps can theoretically be developed for each type of game of short golf. However, because of the consistency of play, the easiest version to handicap is the pre-determined lie.

Because the courses will not vary as widely as in long golf, it will not be necessary to rate individual courses. Handicaps will be based on overall average, as in bowling.

6) Team play Because of the speed of play and the equalization of physical strength factors, short golf lends itself particularly well to team play. There are a lot of fun and exciting team play options.

These are some of them: Scramble: This would play exactly as in conventional long golf with the players locating their succeeding shots within a club length (off the green) or at the point (on the green) of the shot the team selects as the best of the team's preceding shots.

However, since driving is eliminated and holes will be par 3 or par 2, very low scores will be achieved and play will proceed very quickly.

Greek scramble: This is a variant of scramble team play that follows the format of the Greek scramble in conventional long golf. In this competition two players would play from the best lie and two from the second best lie after the first shot, and the scores would be combined. This will reward the strength of the overall team rather than rewarding the teams that have one or two highly skilled players.

Combined score team play: Teams of four combine scores. Because of the speed of play and multiple holes on greens, team size could be increased to six, eight, or even 12 players.

Handicap weighted team play: This variant is best suited to league play or to teams made up of players with established handicaps at a particular short golf course. A team's handicap-weighted scores would be added. Team size could also be increased above 4 players.

Degree of difficulty team play: In this version of team play, teams would play degree of difficulty short golf an could pick their starting lie. In this way teams could

choose to play it safe or try to gain an advantage by making effective chips from harder lies.

Battle of the sexes: Because the physical strength factor is taken out of short golf by removing the drive and fairway play, the advantages men have over women are removed. So it is perfectly possible that teams of women might frequently-- perhaps regularly--beat teams of men, and this makes an interesting competitive stake for small group team play or league team play.

Benefits of Flag Golf There are a number of benefits to the short golf game that will appeal to all golfers, including but not limited to: 1) Short golf improves those aspects of the traditional game of golf which account for over half the score of most players. Even professional players two-putt more than half the holes they play and will often chip far from the cup or wide of the green. As for the other 99.995% of the world's golfers, most who play even a couple of times a season would agree that the short game adds far more to their scores than driving. In the design of short golf courses there are a number of options to increase practice opportunities: -Short golf courses can be designed to include two or three practice holes where players can sharpen their skills by making repetitive shots from the same lie.

These practice greens can also be used for lessons by club pros.

-Short golf courses can include training centers in which players may study the game or consult with a pro to improve their play by observing their swing video- taped on the practice holes, by observing video tapes of professional players, or by using virtual golf as a teaching tool.

2) Short golf equalizes golf between the sexes. Chipping and putting do not require physical strength or endurance, and women will have just as much opportunity to excel as men.

3) Short golf allows more players on a hole and allows larger groups to play together. Because the greens are lengthened to accommodate three cups and are configured so that each area may be approached from its surrounding quadrant, three foursomes may play each green simultaneously. Because the ready golf format of play is faster, and there is no long delay

getting to the next shot, more players than four can be putt in a group without significantly slowing play for other groups.

4) Short golf increases the players'focus on accuracy and skill. Shorter intervals between play increase the frequency of repetition of both chipping and putting, so that players have a better opportunity to correct their mistakes without slowing play for others.

5) Short golf gives more flexibility in play. There are a wide number of competitive options and individual play options that can be accommodated on a short golf course and would be impractical on a conventional golf course or on a par three executive course.

6) Short golf permits quicker play. As a result: -Lunch hour golf is possible.

-27 or 36 hole golf is possible.

-Tournament play time can be shortened.

-More players can use the course.

7) Short golf is more economical. Course acquisition and maintenance costs are reduced, the equipment needed to play is reduced to just a few clubs and a small bag, and the cost of lost balls drops dramatically. Riding golf carts are not required (or allowed) on a short golf course.

8) Short golf affords greater selection of course location.

-Short golf courses will normally take less than 15 acres and can be built on less than 10 acres.

-Using the out-and-back play design, a 9-hole course can be set up on three greens using less than 5 acres, including club house and parking.

-Because of their smaller size, short golf sites can be located in inner city areas, utilizing vacant or marginal land and bringing accessible golf to inner city residents.

-Short golf courses can also be laid out on marginal land sites with rough terrain which will not have as great an impact on the short game.

-Short golf courses are convenient and economical to locate with other sports sites, such as bowling alleys, baseball diamonds, hockey rinks, or football and soccer fields. This allows municipalities and private recreational centers to

add golf to combined recreational centers without extraordinary additional costs of land acquisition, development, and maintenance.

-Short golf courses can also be readily added to conventional golf courses to expand playing opportunities and provide a greater variety of golfing experiences and practice opportunities.

-Short golf courses can be designed to include training centers affording intensive focus on improvement of the short game.

9) Short golf can expand the golf season. Lower maintenance costs and expanded use can make it cost effective for short golf courses to stay open later in the season. Faster play and shorter shots allow players to start later in the day than is possible in conventional golf as the daylight hours grow shorter. It is also possible to design short golf holes and practice holes that are small enough to be economically domed, permitting some short golf play or practice throughout the year.

10) Short golf should increase course revenues. Most courses are already full throughout much of the golfing season, but there are still slack times during the week because the length of time required for a round of even par 3 golf is too much to fit into the work day. A round of short golf can be played in an hour. The addition of a short golf course at a conventional golf course site will allow those now waiting for a tee time to play when they want, and this increased utilization will more than cover the cost of setting up and maintaining a short golf site.

11) Short golf will open up the game of golf to new players. Inner city residents who cannot afford to get out to suburban sites and rent clubs can acquire a 4 to 6-club set and bag and can play in their neighborhood. Older persons and people with disabilities that make the driving game difficult may still be able to play short golf. Short golf is less intimidating for many who simply don't try to learn conventional golf now. And many people who avoid conventional golf because of the time constraints and expense of learning to play well enough to enjoy the game will find that learning to play short golf involves far less time and cost commitment.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternative falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.