The present invention relates to a putting green apparatus suitable for use in putting practice, and a putting game which may be played on said apparatus.

It has been recognized that good putting is vitally important to successful golfing, and various devices have been previously proposed for use in practising putting. Examples of such known devices include US Patent No. 4240637 (Cross), US 4114887 (DelRaso) , US 4222568 (Russo) and US 4790538 (Gettelfinger) . In general though these have provided only very poor or unrealistic representations of practical putting conditions and/or have been relatively complex or cumbersome in construction.

It is an object of the present invention to avoid or minimize one or more of the above disadvantages.

The present invention provides a golf putting green apparatus comprising a putting green surface having a putting-off area and a hole area which putting green surface is provided on a flexible panel means supported on spaced apart elongate generally rigid, at least in use, side members which are pivotally mounted at an intermediate portion on first leg means, and are mounted at the putting- off end on independently height adjustable second leg means so that as the putting-off end of each said side support member is raised or lowered the hole end of said side support member is lowered or raised, respectively, and when the putting-off ends of the side members are supported at different heights, the flexible panel means is twisted between said putting-off and hole ends, whereby adjustment of said height adjustable second leg means provides a variety of pitch and roll putting conditions.

Thus with an apparatus of the present invention a wide variety of substantially realistic putting conditions with different combinations of longitudinal slope (uphill or

downhill in the putting direction) , and borrow (left or right slope transversely of the putting direction) , can be readily selected using a relatively simple and economic form of construction.

In another respect the present invention provides a golf putting green apparatus comprising a putting green surface having a putting-off area and a hole area which putting green surface is provided on a flexible panel means supported on spaced apart elongate generally rigid side members, respective ones of said side members being secured to side edge portions of said flexible panel means, and displacement means formed and arranged for displacement of at least a portion of at least one of said side members towards an opposed side member for deforming said flexible panel means into a curved, convex or concave, shape, whereby displacement of at least a portion of one side member with respect to another opposed side member provides a variety of putting conditions.

Various forms of displacement means may be used including for example a turnbuckle; a wire and pulley system; threaded rods, or a chain link/belt and buckle arrangement for deforming said flexible panel into said curved shape. Preferably said displacement means is provided with means, for example a handle, to manually adjust said displacement so as to vary the degree of curvature of said panel in a convex or concave shape.

As the hole area of the putting green does not require to be load-bearing, this is most conveniently simply supported by cantilevering thereof. If desired though the hole end (or some other part of the hole area) of the panel means could be provided with height adjustable leg means as well.

Preferably there is provided between said side members an elongate rotable member having at least one, desirably a plurality of cam means spaced apart therealong, and a lever means arranged to bring at least one of said cam means into

contact with the underside of said flexible panel means so as to raise at least one portion of said putting green surface and thereby to provide a further degree of variety of pitch and roll conditions.

In order to _. facilitate storage and/or transport of the apparatus, the flexible panel means is conveniently comprised of at least two sections (which may conveniently correspond to the putting-off and hole areas) hingedly connected together and mounted on correspondingly hingedly connected side members. Advantageously the side members are interconnected by a plurality of cross-members pivotally connected at opposite ends to respective ones of said side members to provide additional support to either or both of said putting-off and hole areas of the flexible panel means whilst allowing a degree of independent movement of said side members by means of differential adjustment of the height adjustable leg means.

Where there is used a folding flexible panel means, the hinged connection is desirably at opposite side edges offset forwardly from the rear side of the panel means, and the opposed edge portions of the flexible panel sections are provided at the rear side of the panel means with respective interlocking formations formed and arranged for mutual interlocking in the fully deployed condition of the flexible panel means so as to maintain substantially alignment of said opposed panel section edge portions when said flexible panel means is subjected to twisting.

Preferably the underside of said flexible panel means has a plurality of elongate substantially parallel grooves therein to facilitate curvature, especially convex curvature of the putting surface.

The hole area may be provided with more than one hole at various positions to provide variation in approach distance, direction, and/or pitch and roll conditions relative to a given putting-off position. The putting-off area is also

conveniently provided with markings to indicate one or more putting-off positions for similar purposes.

Advantageously the hole area is provided with a ball collection (and optionally return) means for collecting 'holed' balls, and desirably also un-holed balls exiting the hole area. Conveniently these may be in the form of a housing extending underneath and around the free edges of the hole area and may include channel and/or other guide means for directing collected balls to a collecting zone from which they can be conveniently retrieved for re-use, optionally by means of a coin-, token-, card- or other payment- or authorization device- operated control mechanism.

In a further aspect the present invention provides a golf putting game comprising: a putting green apparatus of the present invention with marking means defining at least one putting-off position and at least one hole, and adjustable height leg control means formed and arranged for defining a plurality of pitch and roll configurations of the flexible panel means; at least one ball, and at least one putter, said game being played by means of playing a series of putts using a plurality of different putting-off position, hole location, and pitch and roll configuration, combinations, and scoring successfully holed putts. Desirably a plurality of different scores is applied to different combinations corresponding to the ease or difficulty of holing a putt with the respective combination.

Further preferred features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description given by way of example of some preferred embodiments illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a generally schematic perspective view of the principal parts of a putting green apparatus of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a complete putting apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus of Fig. 2 along the axis X-X;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the apparatus of Fig. 2 along the axis Y-Y; Fig. 5 is a side view of the apparatus of Fig. 2 in a stored configuration;

Fig. 6 is a detailed view showing the interlocking means and crossmembers, respectively of the flexible panel means; Figs. 7 to 11 are detailed views of the height adjustable legs and control means thereof;

Figs. 12 to 14 show a further embodiment of the invention; Fig. 15 is a schematic side view of another embodiment of the invention; and

Figs. 16 and 17 show respectively two different embodiments of support leg 4 suitable for use with the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. l shows a golf putting green apparatus 1 comprising a flexible panel 2 mounted on first and second support legs 3, 4, and a golf ball 5 and putter 6. The flexible panel 2 is supported at opposite sides 7 on elongate side members 8 and crossmembers 9 (only one shown) which are pivotally connected 10 (see Fig. 6) at each end 11 to a respective side member 8.

Each side member 8 is pivotally mounted 12 at a generally central portion 13 between a putting-off area 14 and a hole area 15 on a putting green playing surface 16 on the flexible panel 2. The putting-off ends 17 of the side members 8 are mounted on respective ones of the second legs 4 which are independently height adjustable.

The disposition of the flexible panel 2 when entirely horizontal is shown in dashed outline 2A. In Fig. 1 the effective height of the righthand second leg 4a has been increased to raise the putting-off end 17a of the right-hand side member 8a whilst the effective height of the left-hand second leg 4b has been reduced to lower the putting-off end

17b of the lefthand side member 8b. Due to the central pivotal mounting 12 of the side members 8a, 8b, the cantilevered respective hole ends 18a, 18b of the right hand and left hand side members 8a, 8b are correspondingly lowered and raised, respectively. This results in the flexible panel being twisted as shown in Fig.l so as to provide a pitch and roll configuration of the playing surface 16 which has a left to right corkscrew character which provides a significant degree of playing difficulty and at the same time provides a substantially realistic simulation of an actual green. (It will incidentally be appreciated that the height variations in Fig. l have been exaggerated somewhat for illustrative purposes and would normally be quite small) . Thus for example with a typical playing surface area of around 1200 to 1800mm by 2400 to 4800mm, the maximum deviation above or below a horizontal level at each adjustable leg height might be in the region of + or - 40 mm from the horizontal.

The playing surface 16 is provided with markings defining a plurality of putting-off positions 19 on which a ball 5 may be placed and the flexible panel 2 has a number of holes 20 into which a player attempts to putt the ball 5. This provides a range of different putt length and putting direction combinations indicated by chain line 21, for each pitch and roll configuration.

PUTTING APPARATUS

As shown in Figs. 2 to 5 'Shoot 18' (TM) putting green apparatus is played on a synthetic grass surface, indicated by reference number 1, which can be varied in texture to represent different putting green surface characteristics.

The synthetic grass surface 1 is fixed with self release adhesive to the putting table 2 and laid over the putting platform 3. The putting table 2 contains six putting holes

4 with different coloured sleeves fitted at predetermined positions to accommodate the 'Shoot 18™ Format' . A gutter

5 is formed between the synthetic grass surface 1 and a

raised barrier 6 fitted to the periphery of the putting table 2. Drop holes 7, having a diameter greater than that of a golf ball, are positioned at suitable intervals along the course of the gutter 5 to trap spent balls and allow them to drop onto the dual angled collecting base 8 of the putting table housing 9 which directs them into a common collecting box 10 (see Fig. 5) . Golf balls entering the putting holes 4 also drop onto the dual angled collecting base 8 and are directed into the common collecting box 10 (see Fig. 5) . The synthetic grass surface 1 laid over the putting platform 3 has nine putting -off points 11 positioned in a predetermined layout to accommodate the 'Shoot 18™ Format'. A tray 11a is set into the table to house golf balls (not shown) during play and a scoreboard lib is provided behind the tray 11a to indicate the sequence of play of the balls in the tray. Each putting-off point 11 consists of a spot encircled by a ring and is formed with two different colours of paint which correspond with two of the six coloured putting hole sleeves 4 fitted within the putting table 2. The paint used to form the putting points 11 is introduced underneath the top surface of the synthetic grass surface 1 in order to maintain the consistency of the synthetic grass top surface 1 when a golf ball passes over the putting points 11.

The putting table 2 and the putting platform 3 comprises two steel main members 12 and support crossmembers 13 fixed to the main members 12 by way of pivoting joints 14. A plywood board e.g. 12mm plywood, or similar type board/sheet, which forms the putting table 2 and the putting platform 3 , is fitted over, and securely fixed to the support crossmembers

13. The putting table 2 and the putting platform 3 are linked together by two pivoting hinges 15 which in turn are fixed to the stationary support legs 16 of the putting table housing 9. The putting platform 3, which accommodates the weight of the player(s), is of a heavier construction than that of the putting table 2 and rests on two independently adjustable legs 17 fitted at the end of the two main members 12 of the putting platform 3 by way of a swivel and lock

joint 18 (See Figs 6 and 7) . This leaves the putting table 2 suspended from the pivoting hinges 15 and floating in mid¬ air within the putting table housing 9. This in turn pressurises the butting joint face between the putting table 2, the putting platform 3, and their respective main members 12. The butting joint 19 of the putting table 2 and the putting platform 3, is fitted with an interlocking castellated butt strap 20 securely fitted to the underside of the putting table 2 and the putting platform 3. The alternation of each castellation and overlapping between the respective halves of the castellated butt strap 20, helps provide and maintain a level plane and lateral stability for the synthetic grass surface 1. The combination of the pivoting hinges 15 and the castelled butt strap 20 facilitates the folding up of the platform 3 over and onto the top edge of the putting table housing 9. In doing so, the far end of the putting table 2 lowers itself onto the back level point of the collecting base 8 and the putting table housing 9. This facilitates storability and portability of the unit. As shown in Fig. 4 there are provided folding legs 17 ¹ on the underside of the housing which fold down to support the housing as a table. The flat surface provided on the stored unit provides a useful worksurface.

The whole of the synthetic grass surface 1, fixed to the putting platform 2, and laid over the putting platform 3, can have its horizontal and vertical plane altered to introduce a variety of pitch and roll modes to simulate various types of non-level surfaces encountered on a putting green during short to medium play. This is achieved by way of the two independent adjustable support legs 17 each fixed to the end of each main member 12 by way of a swivel and lock joint 18 which is attached to an inner sliding plate 21 contained within the static sleeve of the adjustable support leg 17 (See Figs 7 to 10) . The sliding plate 21 is moved in a vertical plane by rotating the control lever 22 which moves a profiled cam disc 23 whose periphery defines a plurality of lugs a-e which engage selectively. Between two

wheels 24 which are fixed to the sliding plate 21 and have different offsets from the pivoted axis of the cam disc 23, thereby defining different height settings for the support leg 17. This moves the sliding plate 21, which is guided by ball bearings 25, in a vertical plane. This in turn moves the main members 12, which pivot on the pivoting hinges 15, and cross members 13 , of the putting table 2 , and the putting platform 3 , and ultimately the synthetic grass surface 1, into one of a possible twenty five different putting modes. The twenty five putting modes are programmable by moving the control lever 22 on each of the adjustable legs 17 to each of the program indicators 26 a, b, c, d, e, set out on the control lever guard 27.

The main modes are as follows:

a - a = level play uphill. c - c = level play. e - e = level play downhill. c - a = level lefthand with borrow right to left uphill. c - e = level lefthand with borrow right to left downhill. a - c = level righthand with borrow left to right uphill. e - c = level righthand with borrow left to right downhill. a - e = corkscrew right to left, then left to right. e - a = corkscrew left to right, then right to left.

Substituting program indicators 'a ^! with 'b' and 'e' with 'd', produces the same modes as above, but less pronounced.

RULES OF THE GAME

The game can be played singularly , in pairs, and in multiples thereof, or in teams. A total of 36 golf balls are used, 18 yellow , 18 white.

The object of the "Shoot 18"™ game is to shoot the golf balls from putt off points 11 into the respective coloured putting holes 4 with a single stroke using a putter. Only

balls that enter their respective coloured putting hole 4 as directed by the colour of spoy, or circle of the putt off point, are counted. Once a ball has stopped moving and remains on the playing area, even is it is on the lip of the putting hole, it must be removed from the playing area.

Balls rebounding from the peripheral barrier 6 or the gutter 5, and enters its respective putting hole 4, are discounted. Record the holed putts on a "Shoot 18"™ score board. In competition the player with the highest number of successful putts wins the game/match.

Single Play: The game is played by one person using 18 golf balls. In effect, the person is playing against a pre¬ selected program (course) . The golf balls are played from a 9 point play off grid marked on the synthetic grass surface l of the putting platform 3. Play is directed by the symbol and numbered sequence displayed on the score-board layout. Using a putter, the golf balls are played to the coloured putting holes 4 indicated by the correspondingly coloured spot and circle of the play off points 11, thus directing the course of play. The 9 coloured spots are played first

(out) , and the 9 circles last (in) .

Double Plav: The game is played by two players using 36 golf balls, 18 coloured yellow and 18 coloured white, played over a pre-selected program (course) . The golf balls are played from a 9 point play off grid marked on the synthetic grass surface l of the putting platform 3. Play is started from any one of the corner play off points 11, and is progressed in a 'S', or reverse 'S' direction across the gird or as directed by the symbol and numbered sequence displayed on the score board layout. Using a putter, the golf balls are played to the coloured putting holes 4 indicated by the correspondingly coloured spot and circle of the play off points 11, thus directing the course of play. Each of the two persons play each shot from the same play off point 11 in tandem. One plays to the putting holes 4 indicated by the coloured spots, and one plays to the putting holes 4 indicated by the coloured circles over the

first 9 putts (out) , and crossing over for the second 9 putts (in) . The player using the yellow coloured balls always leads. Each player, although putting in tandem from the same putting off point 11, and covering the same course, head to head, has shots that differ in length and direction, thus removing the advantage given to a player following on behind the first player.

Competitive Plav: A team comprises of 5 players. Each match will be played over 5 games. Each game will be played in the pre-selected program modes (courses) aa - cc - ee - ae - and ea. Each game will be played by 2 members of the opposing team and played in the same manner as double play.

The putting table platform as shown in Fig.l provides 18 variable length putts, ranging from 12 feet (3657.6mm) to 3.5 feet (1066.8mm) in length, increments of 6 inches

(152.4mm) . From the starting point, indicated in Fig. 1 and following a reverse 'S' across the grid, starting on the 9 spots, and returning on the 9 circles at the cross over the putting sequence and distance is as follows:

1 Black Spot to Black Hole 9' 6" (2895.6mm)

2 Blue Spot to Blue Hole 3 ^■ 6" (1066.8mm)

3 White Spot to White Hole 1 * 0 " (2133.6mm)

4 Brown Spot to Brown Hole 11 O" (3352.8mm)

5 Yellow Spot to Yellow Hole 5'0" (1524.0mm)

6 Red Spot to Red Hole 7' 6" (2286.0mm)

7 Black Spot to Black Hole 11'6" (3805.2mm)

8 Blue Spot to Blue Hole 5' 6" (1676.4mm)

9 White Spot to White Hole gι ₀ ιι (2743.2mm)

10 Brown Circle to Brown Hole 12 O" (3657.6mm)

11 Yellow Circle to Yellow Hole 6'0" (1828.8mm)

12 Red Circle to Red Hole 8 '6" (2590.8mm)

13 Black Circle to Black Hole 10 '6" (3200.4mm)

14 Blue Circle to Blue Hole 4 '6" (1371.6mm)

15 white Circle to white Hole 8'0" (2438.4mm)

16 Brown Circle to Brown Hole 10 O" (3048mm)

17 Yellow Circle to yellow Hole 4'0" (1219.2mm)

18 Red Circle to Red Hole 6'6" (1981.2mm)

In the case of double play, the second player follows the same course, in tandem, starting on the circles and returning on the spots.

The adjustable leg mechanism, in Fig. 10 controls the pitch and roll of the whole putting surface 1, 2, 3 shown in Fig. 1. The cam 23, with 5 variable points a,b,c,d and e, in each of the two hinged adjustable legs 17, at the rear of the putting platform 3, controls and programmes 25 different modes as follows:

a a, a b, a c, a d, a e, b a, b b, b c, b d, b e, c a, c b, c c, c d, c e, d a, d b, d c, d d, d e, e a, e b, e c, e d, e e,

It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus instead of a purely mechanical height adjustment system there could be used electrically and/or pressurized fluid e.g. hydraulically operated height adjustment means for controlling the pitch or angle of inclination of the side members relative to the horizontal. The height adjustment system need not moreover be exclusively mounted on the second legs but could for example be mounted for acting between the side members and the first legs.

An additional element of play involves the introduction of two pentagonal discs attached by a centralised spindle fitted to each of the telescopic legs 17. Each point of the respective pentagonal disc 28 is marked a, b, c, d and e, see Fig. 11. Prior to each shot being taken, each disc is spun by the player. On arrest ent of discs the letter indicated on the lowest positioned point of the pentagon is selected on the control lever indicator of the telescopic

leg. This alters the mode of the course for each shot and introduces an element of luck/chance.

The score-board lib referred to is mounted behind the ball tray located at the rear of the putting platform, and in the main, consists of two sets of 18 hinged discs which directs the player around the 18 putting points and in turn indicates the score pattern as the discs are turned face down when a putt is missed, thus leaving the putted shots showing on the score-board.

Random Play

Random Play can be introduced into single, double and competitive play by altering the mode of the (course) before each shot is played. Prior to playing each shot the player will spin each of the pentagonal discs 28 mounted on each adjustable support leg. Each point of the pentagonal discs 28 has a mode letter a, b, c, d and e. On each arrestment the letter at the lowest point of a pentagonal disc is selected on the programmable control lever of the respective adjustable support legs, thus introducing a chance element into the playing of 'Shoot 18'.

Figs. 12 to 14 and Fig. 15 show two further embodiments of the apparatus of the invention, generally similar to that described above, which includes an elongate connecting rod 29 which extends along the middle of the apparatus 1 between the side members 12. The rod 29 has two spaced apart and off set cams 30 a_,_ b along its length and a lever 31 at one end 32 which rotates the rod and brings one or other of the cams 30 a_,_ b into contact with the underside of the putting table 2 so as to cause the table 2 to become convex (see Fig. 13) . As shown in Fig. 14 the underside of the table has several elongate grooves 33 which facilitates the flexing/curvature of the table.

Fig. 15 is a schematic side view of a further embodiment of the invention which comprises a flexible table 2 secured to two spaced apart elongate side members 12. A turnbuckle 34

adjustable by a handle 35 enables displacement of one side member with respect to another and thereby deforming the flexible table 2 into a convex (as shown) or concave shape.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention which comprises a flexible table 2 (not shown) which is secured to two spaced apart elongate side members 12 as in Fig. 13. An elongate rod 37 having an arcuately offset central portion 38 constituting a cam means is rotatable by a handle 35 to displace the flexible table 2 supported thereby to a greater or lesser degree into a more or less convex shape.

Figs 16 and 17 are perspective views and show respectively two different embodiments of height adjustable support leg 4 for use with the apparatus of the invention. The positioning of the panel 2 with respect to the support leg 4 allows for the effective height of the panel to be adjusted. The panel 2 is supported on side members 8 and the side member 8 has an elongate pin 39 (shown in broken line) which extends through an elongate slot 40 made up of a series of interconnected holes 40a. A handle 41 on the end of the pin

39 has a collar portion 42 formed and arranged to be received by each one of said holes 40a. The handle 41 is axially displaceable along the pin 39 such that when the handle 41 is pulled back the collar portion 42 disengages from the selected hole so as to allow the pin and thus the panel 2 to move up and/or down with respect to the support leg. Each one of the holes on the support leg may be colour coded or suitably marked e.g. with numbers/letters so that the respective corner of the panel 2 may be adjusted in height according to the rules of the game.

Fig. 17 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of height adjustable support leg 4. In this embodiment a jack means 43 has a handle 41 and an elongate male threaded portion 43a. screwed into a female threaded portion 44 fixed to the side member 8. The bottom portion 45 of the threaded portion 43a abuts against a plate 46 fixed to the base of

the apparatus. Rotation of the handle 41 causes the side member 8 and thus the corner of the support panel 2 to be vertically displaced with respect to the support leg 4 and thus for the height of the corner of the panel 2 with respect to the support leg 4to be adjusted. As in the embodiment described above with reference to Fig. 16 the support leg may be provided with colour coding or other suitable markings so that the panel may be adjusted in height according to the rules of the game.