Background Art Golf is an outdoor game in which individual players use specially designed clubs to propel a small, hard ball over a field of play known as a course or links. The object of the game is to place the ball in each hole and advance the ball around the course in sequence using as few strokes as possible.

The modern rules of play for golf are numerous and complex and include a code of etiquette for behavior on the green. The rules of regulation play are set and maintained in the U. S. by the United States Golf Association (USGA). The USGA also establishes the standards for the mechanical aspects of the game, for example the number of holes, the size of the ball and the size of the cup required for regulation play.

A conventional golf course is divided into 18 sections, called holes. The overall course length is about 6,500 to 7,000 yd (about 5,943 to 6,400 m); the individual holes may vary in length from 100 to 600 yd (from 91 to 548 m).

Each hole has at one end a starting point known as a tee and, imbedded in the ground at the other end, marked by a flag, a cup or cylindrical container (also called a hole) into which the ball must be propelled in order to complete play at each hole. The cup is usually made of metal or plastic, 4.2 inches (10.6 cm) in diameter, and at least 4 inches (10 cm) deep.

Play begins at the first tee, a level area of turf, generally raised slightly above the surrounding terrain. From there each player tries to drive the ball onto the fairway or main part of the golf course, a carefully tended strip of land,

30 to 100 yd (27 to 91 m) wide, on which the grass has been cut to provide a smooth rolling surface for the ball. On either side of the fairway is the rough, which consists of areas covered with long grass, bushes, or trees, and which sometimes contains sandy, rough, or marshy land and other hazards that compel golfers to use additional skill and judgment in playing their shots. In the absence of such natural obstacles, artificial hazards may be constructed. Among these are bunkers, also known as traps, which. are hollows dug in the earth and usually filled with loose sand; mounds and other earthen embankments; and water hazards, such as ditches, creeks, ponds, or lakes.

At the far end of the fairway from the tee is the putting green, an area of closely cropped grass surrounding the hole or cup. The smooth surface of the putting green is designed to facilitate the progress of the ball into the cup after the ball has been given a tap or gentle stroke known as a putt.

Several forms of competition exist in golf including two basic kinds: match play and medal play (also known as stroke play). In match play the player (or, if more than one player, the team) taking the fewer number of strokes to sink the ball into any particular hole--called"to hole out" --is the winner of the hole; the contest is won by the player or team winning the most holes. If each player or team takes the same number of strokes on any hole, the hole is said to be halved (tied). A final score of"9 and 8"in match play means that the winner was 9 holes ahead with only 8 holes left to play, sufficient to clinch the match. When the match goes tied until the last hole, the winning score is"one up." In medal play, currently the more popular kind of play in major United States tournaments, the winner of the contest is the team or player taking the least number of strokes over the total number of holes agreed upon. Although a round usually consists of 9 or 18 holes, the play in championship contests covers 18,36,54, or 72 holes. In

medal play, ties are decided by play-off rounds.

Par is the term applied to the number of properly played strokes an expert golfer would be expected to use in completing a particular hole without mishap; the aggregate for all of the holes is called par for the course. Par is based primarily on the number of strokes necessary to reach the green, plus two putts. Par for a single hole varies from three strokes for a hole of less than 250 yd (less than 228 m) to five strokes for a hole of more than 471 yd (more than 430 m).

Occasionally, on a par-three hole, a player makes a hole in one --that is, drives the ball from the tee into the cup in one stroke. A score of one less than par is referred to as a birdie, and two less than par (for example, a score of three on a par-five hole) is called an eagle. Three strokes less than par is known as a double eagle. One stroke over par is called a bogey; two over par is a double bogey.

Regulation play golf courses, both public and private, are laid out in various hole configurations to allow for use of a wide variety of clubs, including drivers, fairway woods, long, middle and short irons, pitching irons, chippers and putters.

Disclosure of the Invention The lay-out of conventional golf courses which may be used for regulation play is constantly being improved, within the playing rules and regulations established by the USGA. In the present invention, an improved golf course is designed to accommodate casual as well as regulation play in a unique lay-out allowing for many of the variety of strokes encountered on a conventional golf course, but in a compact arrangement which requires less acreage for regulation play and on which twenty-two holes can be played at par in about two hours, thirty minutes.

These advantages are provided, according to the present invention, by a golf course that is laid out for play in a front round and a back round, with each round being played

over a sequence of putting greens spaced apart along the course. Each putting green is located inside of an out-of-play boundary line, wherein the distance between the center of each putting green and the out-of-play boundary line is proportional to a predetermined fraction of the spacing distance which separates the center of the putting green of the present hole from the center of the preceding green in the sequence.

Each out-of-play boundary line is located at least thirty yards from all other out-of-play lines and at least thirty yards from an imaginary line which bisects the centers of any two putting greens. Further, each putting green includes an internal boundary line that is enclosed within the out-of-play boundary line, and the distance between the center of a putting green to the putting green's internal boundary line is proportional to a predetermined fraction of the hole- to-hole spacing distance separating the center of the putting green from the center of the preceding putting green in sequence. In the preferred embodiment, the putting green boundary line fraction is less than the out-of-play boundary line fraction, which locates the putting green wholly within and spaced from the out-of-play line.

Brief Description of the Drawing For a more complete understanding of the present invention and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures in which: FIGURE 1 is a simplified topographical plat or aerial plan view of a golf course laid out according to the present invention; FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of a putting green laid out according to the present invention; FIGURE 3 is a side sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, which illustrates the formation of a green boundary line and an out-of-play line by differential height grass cut fringe landscaping; and

FIGURE 4 is a simplified topographic plat or aerial plan view of a golf course laid out according to an alternative embodiment of the invention that is suitable for casual play, either outdoors or by computer simulation.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Referring now to FIGURE 1, the golf course 10 of the present invention includes eleven holes extending over about fifteen acres (6 hectare) of land, as compared with about sixty acres (24 hectare) or more of land required for a conventional nine-hole golf course. A round of eleven holes, numbered Hole #1 through Hole #11, extends over a walking distance of from a minimum of about 1,000 yards (914 m) to a maximum of about 1,265 yards (1,156 m) starting from a tee box 12 adjacent a clubhouse and parking area P and advancing sequentially from hole-to-hole along a circuitous round and terminating at Hole #11 near the starting tee box. The round or course 10 is partially convoluted and is interrupted by a pair of water hazards W, with each water hazard being surrounded by a cluster of holes.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 2, the golf game of the present invention, referred to as"Golf-22,"is played on the outdoor golf course 10 consisting of a front round and back round of golf, each round being played on the eleven holes designated #1-#11, with a cup 14 on each hole. Each round includes nine (9) par three holes and two (2) par 2 holes, for a total of twenty-two holes suitable for regulation play.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 and FIGURE 3, and using Hole #5 as an example, all holes have the following in common: a regulation cup 14, or optionally an oversized 6 inch (15 cm) inside diameter cup, with a permanent flag 16 (FIGURE 3); a putting green 18 in which the cup is embedded; a grass cut fringe line 20 which delineates the internal boundary of the putting green; an out-of-play (OP) line 22 which marks the boundary of each hole; and, the area 24 between the out of play boundary line and the putting green boundary line forms a part

of the fairway 24.

The distances between holes and the configuration of the OP lines and putting green boundary lines are determined by the following rules: The spacing distances between all holes are measured from the center of the previous green to center of the present green. The center C of the putting green 18 is located at a spacing distance L, for example 100 yards (91 m) from the preceding hole, as shown in FIGURE 2. For purposes of the present invention, the center of the putting green is defined as being coincident with the center or origin point C of an imaginary circle 26 substantially coincident with the putting green. As used herein,"hole-to-hole spacing distance"refers to the straight line distance L between the center of any two putting greens in the playing round sequence.

Distances are rounded to the nearest yard. All par 2 holes are 65 yards (59 m) 5 yards ( 5 m) in length. Two of the par 3 holes are 135 yards (123 m) minimum, 5 yards ( 5 m) and 150 yards (137 m) maximum, 5 yards 5 m). Two of the par 3 holes are 80 yards (73 m), 5 yards ( 5 m). Two of the par 3 holes are 105 yards (96 m), 5 yards ( 5 m). Three of the par 3 holes are 95 yards (86 m) minimum, 5 yards ( 5 m), and 125 yards (114 m) maximum, 5 yards ( 5 m).

Preferably, the out-of-play boundary lines 22 and the putting green boundary lines 20 are established by differential height grass cut fringes as shown in FIGURE 3. The minimum and maximum boundary limits are determined as follows: The distance G from the center C of the putting green to the putting green boundary 20 is the spacing distance L between the center of the present green to the center of the preceding green multiplied by a predetermined fraction Kl, +5 yards (+5 m) maximum,-2 yards (-2 m) minimum. In the preferred embodiment, the fraction Kl = 0.10. In this example, if the present green is 100 yards (91 m) from the preceding green, the present green boundary line 20 would meander or vary from 8 to 15 yards (7 to 14 m) relative to the center point C.

The distance F between the center C of a putting green 18 and its OP boundary line 22 varies in the range of about K2 times the distance L between the center of the putting green on the present hole to the center of the putting green on the preceding hole, +5 yards ( 5 m) maximum, -2 (- 2 m) minimum. In the preferred embodiment, the fraction = 0.20. For example, if the center of the preceding green is 100 yards (91 m) from the center of the present green, the out-of- play line 22 would meander or vary from a minimum of 13 yards (12 m) to a maximum of 25 yards (23 m) relative to the center C of the putting green.

According to the preferred course lay-out, the putting green boundary line fraction Kl is less than the out- of-play boundary line fraction K2, which locates the putting green wholly within and spaced from the out-of-play line.

While Kl = 0.10 and K2 = 0.20 are the preferred fractions, it is evident that other fractions could be selected that would satisfy the spacing relationship of the putting green relative to the out-of-play line, where the fractions Kl and K2 are each less than 1.0, and K2 is greater than Kl. In particular, the spacing relationship can be established by selecting Kl to be less than or equal to 0.10, and selecting K2 to be less than or equal to 0.20.

Each OP boundary line 22 is spaced a minimum of 30 yards (27 m) from any other OP line and a minimum of 30 yards (27 m) from an imaginary line L joining or bisecting the centers of any two greens.

The cup 14 is located anywhere on the putting green 18 at least 2 yards (2 m) inside the putting green boundary line 20.

There are three tee box locations per hole: the Red box R is located the shortest distance to the center of next green; the White box W is located at the median distance to the center of the next green; and the Blue box B is located the longest distance to the center C of the next green.

Preferably, each tee box consists of a synthetic turf mat

located within about 5 yards (5 m) of the OP line 22, either fully inside or outside of the OP line or extending across the OP line.

The contour of the putting greens and the preferred type and location of hazards (sand traps, water hazards, mounds) are determined as follows: There are at least two sand traps S per hole. There is at least one mound M per hole. A tee box inside or crossing the OP line is treated as a mound. Each sand trap S is located at least 1 yard (1 m) from the OP line 22 and 1 yard (1 m) from the putting green boundary line 20. A sand trap may be combined with a tee box, but must be located as described above. Water hazards W can cross an OP line, but must be at least 1 yard (1 m) from the putting green boundary.

The golf game of the present invention can be played on the golf course 10 in two ways: Total Points; and, Stroke Play. For Total Point play, hole-in-one shots and green shots are counted only for the initial placement, and points are allocated as follows: Hole-in-one = 50 points Placement on Green = 10 points Each stroke under par = +10 points Each stroke over par =-10 points For Stroke Play, par for 11 holes is 31 strokes, par for 22 holes is 62 strokes, and strokes are allocated as follows: Par = 0 strokes Each stroke under par =-1 stroke Each stroke over par = +1 stroke If a tee shot falls out of play, the player must take a penalty stroke, move the ball in a straight line toward the cup 14 from where the ball lies or was last seen. The player

must take a drop anywhere on this line no more than one club length inside the OP line 22.

When a ball lands in a water hazard W, the player must take a penalty stroke and take a drop ball at the OP line to the left or right of the water hazard, no more than one club length inside the OP line 22.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, a golf course 100 constructed according to an alternative embodiment of the invention is disclosed. This alternative embodiment is suitable for play out-of-doors or simulated on a computer, and is substantially identical to the course layout shown in FIGURE 1, except for the inclusion of three circular rings 102,104 and 106 which are concentrically disposed about the cup 14.

Points are allocated according to the following rules: Initial placement of the ball in the cup corresponding with a hole-in-one, 50 points. Initial placement within the first ring 102 nearest to the cup, 35 points.

Initial placement within the second or middle ring 104,25 points. Initial placement of the ball within the outermost ring 106,15 points. Par, 0 points. Each stroke under par, plus 10 points. Each stroke over par, minus 10 points.

In order to maintain a high level of game quality, a system of course rating is provided to allow development of a handicap system based on golfer performance over different courses. For example, a course rating system has been established on distance and hazards, with a higher rating point total signifying greater difficulty in play: Rating Hole Nominal Yards Points Par 2 65 (59 m) 0 Par 3 @ 75 yards (60 m) 75 (60 m) 0 Par 3 @ 120 yards (110 m) 120 (110 m) 0 Par 3 @ 130-150 yards 130 (119 m) 2 (119-137 m) 135 (123 m) 4 140 (128 m) 6

145 (132 m) 8 150 (137 m) 10 Par 3 @ 80-120 yards 80 (73 m) 2 (73-110 m) 90 (82 m) 4 100 (91 m) 6 110 (100 m) 8 120 (110 m) 10 Each Water Hazard 2 Although the invention has been described with reference to certain exemplary arrangements, it is to be understood that the forms of the invention shown and described are to be treated as preferred embodiments. Various changes, substitutions and modifications can be realized without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.