Two problems associated with conventional golf are the time it takes to play a round and the amount of land needed for a golf course.

As prior art there may be mentioned EP-A-0 308 833, WO 92/12767 and US-A-3 695 619.

According to the present invention, there is provided a layout for playing a golf game, comprising: a putting green with a plurality of holes; a plurality of tee positions around and adjacent the putting green; and a plurality of target greens, each of which is associated with and can be played to from a respective one of the tee positions.

Preferably, the putting green and at least some of the tee positions are elevated with respect to the target greens.

Preferably, there is a path around the putting green between the latter and the tee positions.

Preferably, the putting green at least partly surrounds an area provided with facilities for players-such as at least one of a reception area, registration facilities, a restaurant, a patio, a club hire area, a club house for example.

Preferably, each of the target greens is marked to delineate areas within which a ball settles. In this case, each hole of the putting green may be marked to indicate from where a putt is to be taken in dependence on the area

on the associated target green within which a ball has settled.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a layout according to an example of the invention; Fig. 2 is a section of part of the layout showing a tee position and part of a putting green; Figs. 3a, 3b and 3c show examples of how tee positions can be elevated with respect to their associated target greens ; Figs. 4a and 4b show examples of target greens; Fig. 5 is a plan view of an example of the putting green; Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the holes of the putting green; Fig. 7 is a schematic view of a section through the layout; and Fig. 8 shows an alternative arrangement of target greens.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 1 designates a reception/registration/bar/restaurant/patio/clubhouse/ club hire area; reference numeral 2 designates a central putting green approximately 100 metres in diameter surrounding the majority of area 1 and having 18 holes; and reference numeral 3 designates an all-weather path alongside green 2. Path 3 gives on to 18 tee positions T1- T18, each adjacent path 3 and thereby the green 2, each tee

position being associated with a respective one of the holes of the putting green 2. At least some of the tee positions T1-T18 are raised above path 3, steps 4 leading to them. References B designate bunkers and references WH denote water hazards. Each tee position may be covered by a cover arrangement 5-see Fig. 2. Steps 6 lead from each tee position to the green 2. The path 3 may also be covered if desired.

Each tee position T is also associated with a respective one of 18 target greens TG1-TG18. The area 1, green 2, path 3 and tee positions T1-T18 are all above the greens TGl-TG18-see for example Figs. 3a, 3b and 3c-so that each tee position T is always higher than its associated target green TG, enabling visual verification of a ball's position on the target green. On each target green TG, there is an outer, white fluorescent band 8, a red fluorescent band 9 inside that and an innermost, gold fluorescent band 10-see Figs. 4a and 4b for example.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of an example of the putting green 2, a patio viewing area 11 being raised above the level of green 2 and landscaped down to it. Reference numerals 12 designate stepping stones to which steps 6 lead to protect the areas near those steps. Referring also to Fig. 6, between the cup and the stepping stones 12 of each hole of the green 2 are three movable markers W, R and G coloured white, red and gold respectively, from where putts are taken in dependence on where a ball has settled on that one of the target greens TGl-TG18 associated with the respective one of the associated tee positions T1-T18.

Finally, in describing the layout, which typically may be about 500 m by about 500 m in total area, reference numeral 13 designates a car park; reference numeral 14 designates maintenance/storage sheds; reference numeral 15 designates

a driving range; reference numeral 16 designates a practice chipping/putting area; and reference numeral 17 designates a possible chipping area above each set of steps 6.

By having the target greens TG1-TG18 around a substantially central putting green 2 and the use of graded target areas on the target greens, defined by bands 9,10 and 11, each player never leaves the tee positions T1-T18, path 3 and green 2 when playing. Visual verification of where a ball is on a particular target green TG allows him to make his putt on the central green 2 with the putt length determined by the relevant area of the target green in which the ball has settled.

The game can be played by two to four players. The first player drives a ball from the first tee position T1 until a ball finishes on the associated target green TG1. All players do the same, counting how many shots they have taken to place a ball on the green and the colour of that one of the bands 9,10 and 11 within which their ball has settled. Each player then moves to the central green 2 and makes putts at the hole on the green 2 associated with the first tee position T1 from a designated position defined by the marker W, R or G whose colour is that of the band within which a ball has settled on the target green TG1, completing putting out in normal fashion.

The total hole score is calculated by adding shots taken to the target green TG1 to the number of putts taken. Hole scores can then be added and normal golfing handicaps deducted. It may be provided that a player who fails to hit the target green TG1 after three strokes must play his fourth stroke from the indicated farthest putt position on green 2 for that hole.

The above is repeated from the second tee position T2, and so on through all 18 tee positions.

All holes to target greens TG1-TG18 played from the tee positions T1-T18 are Par 3 and could range from short (100 metres) to long (200 metres).

By using a system of video surveillance (e. g. eight fixed point video cameras-four covering 90° each on a clubhouse in area 1 and four placed in each of four corners of the site), it would be possible to monitor play by players. If prizes were given for holes in one, then such a system would enable verification of the scoring of a hole in one.

Fig. 8 shows an alternative arrangement of target greens, namely an extra set of target greens TGla-TG18a each associated with and about 30m-60m away from a respective one of target greens TG1-TG18. From any particular one of tee positions T1-T18, either of the two associated target greens may be selected to be played to, depending on the ability of the player. The target greens TGla-TG18a are marked as in Figs. 4a and 4b like the target greens TG1- TG18.