FIELD OF THE INVENTION

THIS INVENTION relates to a variation of the game of golf and relates in particular to golf tournaments.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Currently the overall scoring of the game of golf as played by individuals and groups of individuals is done by the aggregation of a series of sub-scores. Each of these sub- scores relates to how many strokes are needed to drive a golf ball from a series of teeing-off points to a series of corresponding cups in the greens of the golf course. Each of these "teeing-off to green" subdivisions of the golf course is referred to in the game as a "hole".

The present rules of golf only provide for score adjustments relating to penalties and to score adjustments for the "handicapping" of players with different levels of ability.

At present, for all golf courses, a determination is made of the degree of difficulty of each "hole" in achieving the objective of driving a golf ball between its teeing-off point and the cup of its corresponding "green". This rating is expressed as an expected number of strokes that an expert (defined as a "zero handicap player") takes to complete the "hole". The rating is generally referred to as "par", but in this document it will be referred to as "stroke par" to distinguish it from another concept ("time par"). In current golfing parlance "time par" is just an estimate of the time it should take to complete 18 holes. In this specification 'time par" is a time which is allocated and which is the time that is allowed for completing the number of holes to be played.

This invention provides for a modification of the present rules to provide an incentive in completing the course in a significantly shorter time than would be expected at present. The invention relates to a new format for the game of golf where an increased speed of play is required by the players and the increased speed of play forms an essential component of the scoring.

Application of this new format time-related scoring thus contrasts with the current practice of scoring in golf where the time taken is not considered when the score is calculated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a golf tournament scoring method which comprises, allocating a "time par" for the course within which the round is to be played, providing a clock with stop-start facilities and which is started to commence a timed period starting with the player teeing off from the first hole to be played and which terminates when the ball falls into the cup of the last hole of the round, recording the number of strokes taken for the round and increasing the number of strokes deemed to have been taken by the player for the round in dependence on the amount by which the time taken exceeds the par time allocated to the course.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a golf tournament scoring method which comprises allocating a par time within which the hole is to be played, providing a clock with stop-start facilities and which is started to commence a timed period which starts with teeing off and terminates when the ball falls into the cup, recording the number of strokes taken from tee to cup, recording the time taken from tee to cup, increasing the number of strokes deemed to have been taken by the player for that hole in dependence on the amount by which the time taken exceeds the par time allocated to that hole, and recording the number of strokes deemed taken by the player for that hole, including the number of strokes added to the actual number taken if necessitated by excessive time taken.

To further shorten the time taken to complete a golf tournament, players can start simultaneously from all the holes in use (which can be nine or eighteen) so that 18 or 36 players tee off almost simultaneously. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a modification of the scoring of golf in which players are required to complete their actions on a golf course within a defined time. The intention is to provide a fair method of scoring that will result in a considerable increase in the speed of play.

In the game of golf the number of strokes at each "hole" taken by a player is referred to as the "score". A "round" is the prescribed number of "holes" used in a competition.

A golf competition in accordance with the present invention is preferably held over a lesser number of holes than the full eighteen holes of a golf course. Nine is the preferred number of holes to be used but any other number of holes is possible. It is also possible to play the same nine holes twice, three time or four times to increase the number of holes played to 36.

Each hole on the golf course has a par value meaning the number of strokes that a player with a zero handicap is expected to take from the tee shot to dropping the ball into the cup either by putting or as a result of a well-played approach shot.

In accordance with the present invention each hole is allocated a time which, it is judged, is the reasonable time that a zero handicapped golfer requires from tee shot to dropping the ball into the associated cup. This is referred to herein as "time par" for that hole. The aggregate of the "time pars" for all the holes is the "time par" for the course. "Time par" for the course includes an allowance for the time taken for the players to move from each green to the next tee. Where applicable par in terms of strokes will be referred to herein as stroke par and the time allocated as time par.

It is preferred that the competitors play in pairs, each pair constituting a team. A "shot-clock" is provided for each pair of players and the clock is started when the first player of the pair is ready to "tee-off". The shot-clock is preferably mounted on a golf buggy so that it can follow the playing pair from tee to green. The players tee-off in succession and will normally play their shots alternately until the ball of one player enters the cup. In one form the other player does not play any further on that hole. However, if the second player's score is possibly going to be better, then the second player finishes the hole. The lower of the number of strokes is the one recorded. At the end of the round comprising a number of holes pre-selected to constitute the round, the "shot-clock" is stopped as the ball falls into the cup at the last hole. The time recorded on the "shot-clock" is compared to "time par" for the course. If the time on the "shot clock" exceeds "time par" then a number of strokes is added to the actual number as a penalty for slow play.

Examples of the time penalties that can be imposed are as follows:

The time taken is less than the time par. In this event no stroke penalty is applied.

The time taken is less than one minute longer than time par. In this event a penalty of one stroke can be applied.

The time taken is less than two minutes longer than time par. In this event a penalty of two strokes can be applied.

The time taken is between two and three minutes longer than time par. In this event a penalty of three strokes can be applied, and so on as the time taken increases. It will be understood that the first time period does not have to be one minute. It could be long or shorter. Also, the time intervals do not have to be consistent. For example, less than two minutes of excess time taken might incur a one stroke penalty but going into the next 30 seconds might itself incur other penalty stroke. Different combinations of times and penalties are possible. It is also possible to allow a short "grace" period of, for example, two minutes over "time par" for the course before any penalty is imposed.

It is possible for competitors to start simultaneously from all, or some of, the tees of the holes of the golf course that are in use. If the players play in pairs, then the number of players in play at any one time is twice the number of holes in use. If nine holes are used then eighteen players are in play simultaneously.

To enable the number of players competing to be increased to twenty, one hole can be designated a rest hole and the players reaching that hole wait whilst the players ahead of them, and who have already taken their rest break, play that hole. The rest break can be five minutes or any other time sufficient to enable the players previously teeing-off from that hole to be clear of the next pair's tee shots. One or more rest holes can be used to enable the number of players to be increased above that which results from having two players per hole. For example, if there are two rest holes, the number of players can be increased to twenty two. If more than one pair of players is held at a rest hole, the number of players can be increased still further.

The "time-par" allocated takes into account that the players will not be playing for a number of rest periods. Alternatively the clock timing those players can be stopped for the rest period or periods.

It is possible, in a variation of the above, to record the time taken for each hole, compare that with a "time par" allocated to that hole and add a penalty to the number of strokes taken for that hole if "time par" is exceeded.