Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to the field of golf.

Background of the invention

The teeing area (or tee box) is the whole area that have been prepared by the greens staff for locating various teeing grounds. The teeing ground is the starting place for the hole to be played. It is a rectangular area two club-lengths in depth, the front and the sides of which are defined by the outside limits of two tee- markers. Most courses have at least three sets of tee markers (some may have six or more), each a different colour, and denoting different yardages. The tee markers must be moved regularly, about once a day, to avoid damage to the grass within the teeing ground. If players are playing practice rounds before a major event, it is suggested that the Committee places the tee markers for practice as far back on the teeing areas as possible, while still enabling a stroke to be made.

Hence, the tee markers are to be moved regularly, and are also in the way when the golf course must be mowed.

Object of the Invention

The objective of the present invention is to provide an alternative solution to existing tee markers that alleviates some of the above-mentioned problems.

Description of the Invention

A first aspect of the present invention relates to a device for use in a golf course, the device comprising:

- a first indicator means adapted for flanking a side of a teeing ground or teeing area; the first indicator means comprising one or more indicators each adapted to change between an invisible state and a visible state; and - a control unit configured to instruct each indicator to be in either its invisible state or in its visible state.

A second aspect relates to teeing ground or teeing area comprising a device positioned a) within the ground, below ground surface or b) on or below the ground surface and below the cutting height of the grass, the device comprising:

- a first indicator means adapted for flanking a side of a teeing ground or teeing area; the first indicator means comprising a plurality of indicators each adapted to change between an invisible state and a visible state; and

- a control unit configured to instruct each indicator to be in either its invisible state or in its visible state.

A third aspect of the present invention relates to a teeing ground or teeing area comprising a device according to the present invention.

A fourth aspect of the present invention relates to the use of a device according to the present invention as a marking for a teeing ground or teeing area.

By using the device according to the present invention, there is no need to reposition any tee marker. Rather, the first indicator means is mounted in the ground flanking a side of a teeing ground or teeing area. Thereby, at least when the individual indicator is in its invisible state, the device is positioned below the mowing height.

The device may be used to both as a single-sided version and a double-sided version. In one or more embodiments, the device further comprises a second indicator means adapted for flanking the opposite side of the teeing ground than the first indicator means; wherein the second indicator means comprises one or more indicators each adapted to change between an invisible state and a visible state, and wherein the control unit is configured to instruct each indicator to be in either its invisible state or in its visible state. Preferably, a visible indicator of the first indicator means is aligned or paired with a visible indicator of the second indicator means in order to define a teeing area boundary therebetween.

In one or more embodiments, the first and/or second indicator means comprises 2-10,000 indicators, such as 5-9,000 indicators, e.g. 10-8,000 indicators, such as 15-7,000 indicators, e.g. 20-6,000 indicators, such as 25-5,000 indicators, e.g. 50-4,000 indicators, such as 100-3,000 indicators, e.g. 500-2,000 indicators, such as 750-1 ,000 indicators.

In one or more embodiments, each first and/or second indicator means comprises a plurality of indicators positioned in line along the length of the device. This configuration allows for automatically moving (both forward and backwards) the tee marker along the length of the teeing ground or teeing area by deactivating (making invisible) one indicator and activating (making visible) another. The distance between individual indicators along the length of the device may be a fixed length or may vary. The distance may e.g. be within the range of 1 -100 cm, such as within 5-90 cm, e.g. within 10-80 cm, such as within 15-70 cm, e.g. within 20-60 cm, such as within 25-50 cm, e.g. within 30-40 cm. The control unit may be configured to instruct each indicator to change from its invisible state to its visible state, or vice versa, within predefined time intervals. This configuration secures that the tee marker is moved regularly to avoid wear of the grass. The control unit may also be programmed to activate specific indicators for specific tournaments at certain times of the year. In one or more embodiments, the control unit comprises a microcontroller configured to control each individual indicator, and a timer.

In one or more embodiments, the length of the device is within the range of 1 - 1000 meters, such as within the range of 5-900 meters, e.g. within the range of 10-800 meters, such as within the range of 15-700 meters, e.g. within the range of 20-600 meters, such as within the range of 25-500 meters, e.g. within the range of 30-400 meters, such as within the range of 35-300 meters, e.g. within the range of 40-200 meters, such as within the range of 50-100 meters. A part of the device may simply be a cord serially connecting subunits with one or more indicators.

In one or more embodiments, each indicator is a light source. This configuration is easier to implement rather than e.g. a mechanical up/down movement of a tee marker. The light source may be selected from the group consisting of a light- emitting diode, an incandescent light bulb, a fluorescent light bulb, an

electroluminescent light source, a neon light, a light pipe received from a remote light source, a fiber optic-received light, a liquid-crystal display, a laser, and mixtures thereof.

In one or more embodiments, the control unit is configured to instruct each indicator to change colour in its visible state.

In one or more embodiments, the device further comprises a second indicator means adapted for flanking the opposite side of the teeing ground or teeing area than the first indicator means; wherein the second indicator means comprises a plurality of indicators each adapted to change between an invisible state and a visible state, and wherein the control unit is configured to instruct each indicator to be in either its invisible state or in its visible state.

In one or more embodiments, each first and second indicator means comprises a plurality of indicators positioned in line along the length of the device, and wherein the control unit is configured to pairwise activate an indicator of the first indicator means with an opposed indicator of the second indicator means in order to define a teeing area boundary therebetween.

In one or more embodiments, the control unit is configured to instruct each indicator to change from its invisible state to its visible state, or vice versa, within predefined time intervals. In one or more embodiments, each first and second indicator means comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes, and wherein each first and second indicator means are each positioned within the lumen of a flexible tubing of an elastomeric material, and wherein said flexible tubing is transparent to at least a part of the light emitted by said light-emitting diodes. This configuration provides weather protection to the light-emitting diodes. Preferably, the elastomeric material comprises UV stabilizers. The elastomeric material may e.g. be of silicone, PVC, polyacrylic, polyurethane, polycarbonate, or the like.

In one or more embodiments, the flexible tubing is clear-coloured or diffuse coloured. This configuration provides a better contrast to the light-emitting diodes, thereby enhancing the light from the light-emitting diodes.

UV stabilizers are chemical compounds, which can engage in the physical and chemical processes of light-induced degradation. Suitable examples are Tinuvin 770 and Tinuvin 312 and tertiary butylphenol type antioxidant agents, such as Irganox 1010, Irganox 1070, Irganox 1098, which can be used alone or in combination. Other examples may be benzotriazole derivatives, triazine derivatives, pyrimidine derivatives, and/or hindered amine derivatives as disclosed in WO2010132535A1 , hereby incorporated by reference.

In one or more embodiments, the device is positioned within the ground such that the upper face of the device is aligned with the ground surface.

As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a",

"an", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from "about" or "approximately" one particular value and/or to "about" or "approximately" another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent "about", it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.

It should be noted that embodiments and features described in the context of one of the aspects of the present invention also apply to the other aspects of the invention.

Brief description of the figures

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a teeing area comprising a device in

accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

Figure 2 is a top view of a teeing area comprising a device in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; and

Figure 3 shows the cross-section A-A of Figure 2.

References

10 Teeing ground or teeing area

12 Grass

14 Ground

1 10 First indicator means

1 12 Indicator

120 Second indicator means

122 Indicator

130 Control unit

140 Tubing

Detailed Description of the Invention

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a teeing area comprising a device 100 in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. The device 100 comprises a first 1 10 and second 120 indicator means flanking each side of a teeing ground or teeing area 10. The first and second indicator means is here each shown as a LED Strip, e.g. a WS2812B LED strip. Any type of LED strip may be suitable for the present invention. Hence, the first 1 10 and second 120 indicator means each comprise a plurality of indicators (LEDs) 1 12, 122 each adapted to change between an invisible state (off) and a visible state (on). The LED strip may e.g. be 40 meters long and comprise 2,400 RGB LEDs. The RGB LED has a tiny red, green and blue LED light closely placed together. By adjusting the intensity of each of these LED lights, it is possible to create any colour.

The device 100 also comprises a control unit 130 configured to instruct each indicator (LED) to be turned off (invisible state) or on (visible state). The control unit 100 preferably comprises two hardware parts, a microcontroller (e.g. an ATmega2560 powered microcontroller) configured to control each LED, and a timer (e.g. DS3231 ) to set time and date. The DS3231 is an I2C real-time clock (RTC) with an integrated temperature compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) and crystal.

Figure 2 is a top view of a teeing area comprising a device in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. Here, two pairs of indicators 1 12A, 122A;

1 12B, 122B are shown to illustrate that the tee marking may be moved from a forwarded position to a retracted position on the teeing ground or teeing area 10 to avoid damage to the grass of the teeing ground.

Figure 3 shows the cross-section A-A of Figure 2, where an indicator (LED) 122 is shown positioned within the ground 14, below the ground surface, and below the grass 12. The indicator means 120 in the form of a LED strip does not necessarily need to be positioned that low but should be positioned below the mowing height. The indicator means 120 is positioned within the lumen of a flexible tubing 140 of an elastomeric material for weather protection and for enhancing the light from the light-emitting diodes.