Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to golf mats which are used for practice or during the game of golf, to provide a dry surface on which to strike the ball or to prevent damage to the grass on the course from the impact of the golf club, when the ground is softer and damp.

Background

Golf mats are known and are widely available to be used by golfers; these are derived in various ways. The mats are provided with a planar square or rectangular base which is often flexible; made of a rubber variant, into which a covering of artificial grass or a textured even surface is applied.

This surface can be marked if desired, with guides for the player, and an area on which to place the ball; such as a rubber tee. The tee is flexible in many examples and allows the ball to be placed on top of it and struck with force, due to this flexibility. The tees are often made of a rubber to enable this. The ball may also be placed directly onto the surface of the mat for striking, as if in play.

The mat is placed on the tee off area of the course which is at the start of each played hole, or it may be placed upon the fainway during play for golf ball launching. This is usually done when the ground is soft or wet during winter and similar damp conditions. By striking the ball from a mat, in these conditions, the ball strike and play is improved and the ground on the golf course is not affected. If a golf club does disrupt the grass on the course, a piece of the grass and earth can be removed by the force of the club, this is called a divot.

Divots, over time, will damage the course surface and create issues over long term, which can also affect the players and their golf game.

The mats that are known in the prior art provide all of these abilities but often have very artificial grass. Use of a real golf tee is usually not provided and they move when struck by the players club. When the player strikes the golf ball on the mat or a tee, the force pushes the mat forward at some speed, moving it along the ground, which is most undesired by the players.

The mat is therefore having to be constantly picked up from its new location and the accuracy of the ball strike and travel may be affected by the mat being propelled forward.

The present invention aims to provide an improved golf mat, which has means to prevent it moving in any way during play when used by the golfer; it also provides a more natural grass surface and means to insert a real golf tee.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention there is provided a golf mat, which is derived from a rectangular or square mat having an artificial grass surface. This is more realistic to the eye and offers an improved feel when played upon. This is also of suitable size for the playing of a golf ball from its surface and easy transportation by the player. The surface has an artificial yet realistic grass, made of individual plastic polypropylene or nylon derivative fibre strand groups, which are set into a depth of planar rubber liner.

The liner and its grass are affixed to a ridged plastic base, which may be of exacting size to the grass mat or slightly smaller to provide a slight overhang of the liner over the base edging. The grass mat is bonded to the base due to the base having a smooth planar plastic surface, by means of a suitable adhesive compound.

To the underside of the planar base; near to the edges of the two longitudinal sides, are at least three or more claw members or spikes. In this first embodiment the claw is referred to. The claw member is shown in the Figures and is a curved fin shaped narrow blade, which is angled toward the direction it is inserted into the ground. These claws members are mounted perpendicular to the planar surface of the base underside; to the edge of the base. The claws are angled at a posture of, or nearing, seventy degrees from the base level.

The claws gradient of forward angle is directional to the way in which they are inserted into the ground. The narrowed thickness of each of the claws and their forward angle fixture, enable improved insertion info the ground. The user places the mat with its base onto the ground, and places their shoed foot onto the mat surface. By pressing down and forward with their foot, the forward angled claws cut info the ground and all embed equally, until the underside of the planar base is in contact fully with the golf course ground and grass surface. Some grass is compressed underneath the planar base as if is fully inserted.

The claws may number six, with three of them protruding in alignment from each of the two longitudinal side edges on the underside of the base. These are shown in the Figures. Once inserted into the ground, the claws prevent the mat from moving in any way, when the user strikes the golf ball, which is placed on the top surface of the mats grass or onto a golf tee, toward the frontal area of the mat thereto. The forward angle of the narrowed claws inside the ground prevent any forward propelling of the mat, due to the mat being anchored by them and their insert angle being forward and the club strike direction also being forward. For example: If the claws were faced in an angle and direction that was against or opposite to the direction of the golf club striking the ball, the mat may still move, as the claws can be withdrawn from the ground, as little propulsion resistance is provided by them, because the angle of withdrawal from the ground is in the same direction of the golf club swing and impact direction.

Therefore, in this preferred embodiment the angle of the claws and their insertion into the ground are crucial to the mats performance, and its staying ability when struck by the golf club. The broader profile of a claw shaped member adds further movement prevention when in the ground. To summarise: The user inserts the mat in the same direction in which the claws point, which is always forward.

Due to the claws being multiply arranged along the longitudinal edge of the two sides of the mat base, the ability for the mat to move in forward or in other directions is prohibited. For example; if only two claws where provided to the central area of the base; movement of the front of the mat base and the rear of the mat base is still possible, due to a twisting ability of the two centrally protruding claws in wet or loose earth in the ground.

As there are claws along the centre and front and rear areas of the mat base, twisting is not possible as other claws compensate for any possible movement, creating a steadfast anchoring into the ground.

The golf ball may also be struck from a golf tee when the mat is inserted and secured into the golf course ground. A hole is provided toward the frontal centre of the mat surface, this may be provided as a slit in the grass and a hole length in the planar plastic base. The golf tee is pushed into the mat’s grass surface by the player and passes through the slit in the grass; through the hole in the base into the ground.

The slit option allows the golfer to place the tee in a variation of positions along the slits line, for personal preference.

The hole may also be a single through opening, which is visible from the surface of the matt and passes as one continued opening though the base, to allow for tee insertion thereto. A hole may also be provided in the rear of the mat and base, for the purposes of hanging from a golf cart or other location.

In a second embodiment; the claws, as shown in the figures, may also be arranged with two claws parallel to each other and a single claw to the frontal or rear centre, as shown in Figures 9 and 10. This arrangement may vary but it is always important that at least three claws or more are arranged on the underside of the base, to provide sufficient purchase and prevention of the mat twisting in loose or wet ground. In a further embodiment; the claws may be of a more narrowed member. These being a spike in nature, with the forward angular degree provided in their presentation, to ensure anchorage into the ground when inserted.

A multiple of at least three or more spiked members located to the base of the mat, will provide ground insertion and a secure fixture to prevent the mat moving when struck. If the spikes of three or more are not claws but are narrowed spikes and are arranged without any angle, such as verticals, the mat may also remain in place; as shown in Figure 12. However, by having broader claws as shown in Figures 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 the base and therefore the mat is more secure, due to their angled fixture, as described and the broader profile adding further movement prevention when in the ground.

These features prevent any movement of the golf mat when being used; this also provides other important aspects to the golfer as they prepare to strike the ball. A golfer addresses the ball when preparing to strike it, and when using golf mats which are in the prior art, they feel unable to do this as these mats tend to move. The golfer will address the ball by placing the golf club just before the ball several times, with some impact, quickly positioning and tapping the club on the mat surface to gain the feel and club position for the shot. This also tends to slightly disrupt the position of the ball, should the mat move, which is not helpful for the shot. As the ball is then stuck, in a microsecond of ball movement, if the mat was to move, the ball is able to jar slightly which can affect the shot direction and overall accuracy. These pre-shot fears of mat movement affect the golf player on known prior art mats, and they often feel that they have to hover the golf club to prevent any contact with the golf mat; these issues are solved with the invention herein disclosed.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be clearly understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the Patent Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved golf mat which has all the advantages of the prior art golf mats and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved golf mat which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved golf mat which is of durable and reliable construction.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved golf mat which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labour, and which accordingly is then susceptible of suitable prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such a product available to the buying public.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved golf mat which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith, including the physical movement of the golf mat during play and use.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and detailed descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. Brief description of figures

Figure 1 shows a side view of the golf mat inserted into the ground.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the golf mat inserted into the ground with the golf ball on a tee.

Figure 3 shows a side view of the golf mat being inserted by foot into the ground.

Figure 4 shows a dimensional view of the golf mat with six claws.

Figure 5 shows an expanded side view of a pointed claw.

Figure 6 shows an expanded side view of a curved claw.

Figure 7 shows a plan view of the underside of the golf mat base with six claws. Figure 8 shows a frontal view of the golf mat.

Figure 9 shows a plan view of the underside of the golf mat base, with three claws.

Figure 10 shows a plan view of the underside of the golf mat base, with three claws.

Figure 11 shows a plan view of the underside of the golf mat base, with four claws.

Figure 12 shows a side view of the golf mat with vertical narrow spike options.

Detailed description of figures

A typical embodiment of the improved golf mat is shown in Figure 1. It comprises a mat surface 1 which is derived of artificial grass set into a rubber liner 16. The rubber liner is attached to the base 7 using adhesive fixture means.

To the underside edge are located claws 6, 8 and 10 which are mounted perpendicular to the horizontal planar base underside, on both of the longitudinal edges of the base 7. One side only is shown in Figure 1.

In Figure 1 the golf mat surface 1 and base 7 with the vertically protruding claws 6, 8 and 10, is shown fully inserted into the ground 4, through the golf course grass 2 and the ground surface 5. A hole opening 9 provides means for a golf tee to pass through if required. A golf ball 11 can be played from the golf mat surface 1 using a golf club 3.

1

In Figure 2 a golf tee 12 is shown vertically inserted through the hole opening 9 in the golf mat 1A and through into the ground 4A. A golf ball 11 A is placed into the golf tee 12 ready for play. The base 7A is in contact with the ground surface 5A, when fully inserted for use.

The golf mat surface 1B, as shown in Figure 3, is pressed into the ground 4B by the golf player’s foot 13. The claws 6B, 8B and 10B have their points facing forward when pressed into the ground, as shown.

The golf mat surface 1C has its artificial grass surface set into a rubber liner 16C, as shown in Figure 4. The claws 6C, 8C, 10B, 13, 14 and 15 protrude from the base underside 7C, this may be a single moulded piece to include the base 7C. The golf tee hole may be provided as a slit 9C through the mat surface 1C to enable the user’s adjustment of the tee when inserting it. A hanging hole 17 is shown, which may be used to hook the golf mat onto a golf trolley or other article thereto, when not in use or between holes on the golf course.

The claw 8D as shown in Figure 5, may have pointed ends 18 to help pierce the ground. Figure 5 also shows an expanded side view of the mat surface 1D, the rubber liner 16D and the base 7D.

The claw 8E may also be a curved fin shape as shown in Figure 6.

Figure 7 shows an underside plan view of the golf mat base 7F. The rubber liner 16F may be arranged slightly wider than the base 7F, as shown. The claws 6F, 8F, 10F, 13, 14 and 15 are parallel and located near the edge of the base 7F. The hole 9F is located toward the front centre of the base 7F. Figure 8 shows a front end view of the golf mat surface 1G set onto the rubber liner 16G. The horizontal base 7G end is shown with the claws 6G and 13G extending vertically from it.

The claw positions to the base 7H underside may vary, as shown in Figure 9. Claws 6H and 13H may be located toward the frontal area as shown and a single central rear claw 8H provided to add purchase and prevent twisting.

The claw positions to the base 7I underside may vary as shown in Figure 10, the claws 61 and 81 may be located to the rear of the base underside 71. A single claw 131 may be located toward the frontal area of the base underside 71, to add purchase and prevent twisting.

In Figure 11, the four claws 6J, 10J, 13J and 15J are located adjacent to each other on the edge areas of the base underside 7J, as shown.

Figure 12 shows an alternative embodiment using straight vertical spikes 6K, 8K and 10K which may be provided to hold the golf mat surface 1K in place. As the spikes are not angled forward, their ability to prevent forward propulsion of the mat surface 1K when struck by the golf club may be reduced.