Description

THE TARGET FOR PUTTING TRAINING OF GOLF

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a target for golf putting training, and in particular, to a target for golf putting training, which includes: a thin circular plate; sidewalls protruded upward at both sides on an upper surface of the thin circular plate; a straight- opened guide formed at a central position between the sidewalls in front and rear directions, wherein the plate, the sidewalls, and the guide are integrated with one another so that a golf ball rolls along the guide. Background Art

[2] In a golf game, putting is a general stroke on a putting green by means of a defined club for rolling the ball into a hole (i.e., cup), and most clubs employed for the puttering are a putter. For its reference, the putter is widely employed for the golf, since it is designed to push or roll the ball in the most accurate and easiest way, however, any clubs other than the putter may be employed.

[3] In actual, the ball does not move into the cup when the putted golf ball does not roll above the cup on the green, so that it is most preferable to make the golf ball putted and stopped at distance of 30cm to 50cm from the cup.

[4] In addition, an accurate straight stroke of the putting allows the ball to roll into the cup, and almost inaccurate straight strokes at the time putting occur due to the closed (left directivity) or opened (right directivity) putter head.

[5] Accordingly, the putting requires many focuses to make the ball roll into the cup, so that many training devices associated with the putting have been developed.

[6] For example, a Korean Utility Registration No. 0302655 discloses a golf putting training device, which includes a mat having a predetermined inclination angle, a curve adjusting portion and a groove portion capable of adjusting various inclinations and curves in the mat, a main body having a cup formed at one side of the mat, and a guiding portion formed in one side of the main body for allowing the golf ball in the cup to move to the original putting position by means of the inclination.

[7] In addition, a Korean Utility Registration No. 0817729 discloses a cup for golf putting training, which has an inclination surface at its forward area, a hole formed at a center of its upper portion, a delivery path and anti-deviation wall formed at an outline of the hole, and a golf ball guiding section formed at a backward area of the hole, wherein the forward area of the hole bottom is higher than the backward area of the hole bottom, and the guiding portion on the bottom of the delivery path of the hole is higher and becomes lower toward the forward area.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[8] However, according to the conventional arts mentioned above, the inclination around the cup has a fixed angle, which is thus quite different from the actual environment in the putting green.

[9] In addition, according to the conventional arts mentioned above, an inclination is present between the ground and the cup and the golf ball is prevented from rolling past the cup in order to make the putted ball in the hole return to its original position, so that a speed and a direction of the golf ball rolling past the cup after putting can not be expected.

[10] Accordingly, when the putted golf ball rolls into the cup due to its inclination angle or training structure according to the conventional arts mentioned above, it is difficult to attain proficiency in directivity (straightforward stroke) for allowing the putted golf ball to exactly pass on the center of the cup, and it could be visually checked and analyzed whether the exact straightforward stroke occurred at the time putting.

[11] Inaddition, according to the conventional arts mentioned above, a putter must disad- vantageously check the sense of putting distance by visually seeing the travel distance of the ball after it is putted and then stopped. Technical Solution

[12] Therefore, in order to solve the problems mentioned above, one aspect of the present invention provides a target for golf putting training, which includes a thin circular plate; sidewalls protruded upward at both sides on an upper surface of the thin circular plate; a straight-opened guide formed at a central position between the sidewalls in front and rear directions, wherein the plate, the sidewalls, and the guide are integrated with one another so that a golf ball rolls along the guide. The target may be put at any desired position such green, indoor training mat, carpet of hotel room, artificial lawn, and so on, so that it can be putted along and within the guide, thereby increasing the putting accuracy, facilitating position adjustment and putting analysis of the putter by checking the travel path of the golf ball, and facilitating keeping and portability.

[13] In addition, the guide of the target may have various widths so that the width can be properly selected in consideration of the putter ability or the putting distance.

[14] The circular plate and each of the sidewalls can be assembled or disassembled, and the widths of the guide can be varied, so that the width can be properly selected in consideration of the putter ability or the putting distance.

Advantageous Effects

[15] According to thepresent invention, a target for golf putting training is provided, which includes a thin circular plate; sidewalls protruded upward at both sides on an

upper surface of the thin circular plate; a straight-opened guide formed at a central position between the sidewalls in front and rear directions, wherein the plate, the sidewalls, and the guide are integrated with one another so that a golf ball rolls along the guide. The target may be put at any desired position such green, indoor training mat, carpet of hotel room, artificial lawn, and so on, so that it can be putted along and within the guide, thereby increasing the putting accuracy, facilitating position adjustment and putting analysis of the putter by checking the travel path of the golf ball, and facilitating keeping and portability.

[16] In addition, the guide of the target may have various widths so that the width can be properly selected in consideration of the putter ability or the putting distance.

[17] The circular plate and each of the sidewalls can be assembled or disassembled, and the widths of the guide can be varied, so that the width can be properly selected in consideration of the putter ability or the putting distance. Brief Description of Drawings

[18] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a target in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

[19] FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating a target in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

[20] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a target in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

[21] FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating a target in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

[22] FIG. 5 is a disassembled perspective view illustrating a target in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; and

[23] FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a target used in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

[24] The present invention relates to a target for golf putting training, which includes: a thin circular plate 10; sidewalls 20 and 20' protruded upward at both sides on an upper surface of the thin circular plate 10; a straight-opened guide 30 formed at a central position between the sidewalls 20 and 20'in front and rear directions, wherein the plate, the sidewalls, and the guide are integrated with one another so that a golf ball rolls along the guide, so that the target 100 can be placed at any desired position and can be putted along and within the guide 30.

[25] The target 100 for golf putting training according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.

[26] The target 100, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a circular plate 10 and a pair of

sidewalls 20 and 20', the circular plate 10 has a thin circular shape and has an area with the same diameter as that of the cup. For its reference, the cup has a diameter of 107.9mm and a depth of 102mm or greater.

[27] When the circular plate 10 has the same diameter as that of the actual cup as described above, the target 100 for the putting training has the same diameter as that of the cup which is the final goal of the putting in an actual green, so that a visual changecan be reduced as much as possible at the time of putting toward the cup on the actual green and senses of directivity and touch resulting from the straightforward stroke can be enhanced with putting training toward the target 100.

[28] In addition, the circular plate 10 preferably has the thinnest thickness up to 2mm as much as possible as shown in FIG. 2, and allows its upper edges to be inclined so that the putted golf ball 20 may roll on the circular plate 10 without any significant friction or interference.

[29] The pair of the sidewalls 20 and 20'of the target 100, as shown in FIG. 2, is protruded upward at both sides of the circular plate 10, the guide 30 is formed with a predetermined width on the circular plate 10 between the sidewalls 20 and 20', right and left directions of the guide 30 are blocked by the upward protruded sidewalls 20 and 20', and front and back directions of the guide 30 are opened.

[30] In other words, the formation of the sidewalls 20 and 20'allows the guide 30 to be relatively formed, wherein inner surfaces of the sidewalls 20 and 20' in contact with the guide 30 are protruded with a height of 5mm to 10mm upward with respect to the circular plate 10, and upper edges of the sidewalls 20 and 20', that is, upper edges of the outlines of the sidewalls 20 and 20', are inclined to cause the cross-sections of the sidewalls 20 and 20' to be narrower toward the upper portion. By means of the inclination of the sidewalls 20 and 20', the putted golf ball 200 travels upward along the inclination of the sidewalls 20 and 20' and then moves backward along the inclination, or travels upward along the inclination of the sidewalls 20 and 20' and then get into the guide 30.

[31] In addition, the guide 30 is straightforwardly formed at a central position of the circular plate 10, usually has width of 40mm to 60mm and a relative groove with respect to the sidewalls 20 and 20', so that the guide causes the golf ball 200 to move from a front direction to a back direction

[32] Further, the guide 30 on the circular plate 10 has a displaysection 40 for displaying information, which includes information about the width of the guide 30, a standard or recommended putting distance (a distance between the golf ball and the target) represented using a raised engraving, a depressed engraving, a laser, a printer, and so on along the guide width G so that the user can easily use, install, or set the target 100. For example, "4cm" and "2M" displayed in the display section 40 of FIG. 1 mean that

the width of the guide 30, (i.e., the guide width G shown in FIGS. 2 and 4) is 4cm (40mm) and the distance between the target 100 and the golf ball 200 to be put, that is, the putting distance P (shown in FIG. 6) is in a range of 2000mm to 3000mm for putting training.

[33] For its reference, the guide width G is preferably narrower when the ability of putting the target 100 is enhanced. When the guide width G is narrower, the distance P for putting training is preferably increased, and the exemplary distance between the user and the target 100 along the guide width G is shown the table 1 below:

[34] Table 1

[Table 1] [Table ]

[35]

[36] In the meantime, the target 100 for putting training (the target of the present invention is also referred to as a line hole, which means that the guide of the target is formed straightforward and the cup may be replaced by the target) allows the guide width G to be variously adjusted depending on its embodiment, so that the plate, the sidewalls, and the guide are integrated with one another in accordance with the first embodiment, and the circular plate 10 and the sidewalls 20 and 20' may be separated from each other in accordance with the second embodiment. The target 100 according to thefirst embodiment will now be described in detail.

[37] The target 100 according to the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS, land 2, allows the circular plate 10 and the sidewalls 20 and 20'above the circular plate 10 to be integrated with each other, and is usually formed of a synthetic resin, metal, and so on.

[38] In addition, according to the target 100 of the first embodiment, the guide width G is determined at the time of manufacture, so that the display 40 individually displays the guide width G and the recommended (or standard) putting distance P depending on the guide width G as shown in FIG. 2.

[39] The target 300 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, has the circular plate 10 and the sidewalls 20 and 20' abovethe circular plate 10 separated from one other, so that these components are integrated and formed of synthetic resin, metal, or the like, and each of the components will now be described.

[40] The circular plate 10, as shown in FIG. 4, has a rail 11 with a predetermined distance at right and left edges of the circularplate 10, that is, in a direction vertical to the direction where the guide 30 is formed, and the rail 11 starts from both ends of the circular plate, however, does not need to be matched at a center of the circular plate.

[41] In addition, the circular plate 10, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, has a display section 40, which displays several diameters that are usually referred to, and several circles depending on the respective diameters.

[42] The sidewalls 20 and 20'may be separated from each other, and the rails 21 and 21 'at the bottom surface of the sidewalls are integrated with the respective sidewalls 20 and 20'.

[43] In the meantime, the rail 11 of the circular plate 10 are coupled with the rails 21 and

21' of the sidewalls 20 and 20'by means of protrusion and depression and may be coupled with various cross-sections depending on the structure of the protrusion and depression, so that the guide width G can be adjusted depending on the movement of the sidewalls 20 and 20'. When the sidewalls are moved to be positioned at the desired circle displayed on the display section 40, the desired guide width G can be obtained.

[44] For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the rails 21 and 21 'of the sidewalls 20 and 20' are protruded, ends of the protruded rails 21 and 21 'have a larger cross-sectional structure than the inner sides of the protruded rails, the rail 11 of the circular plate 10 is formed to receive the cross-sections of the rails 21 and 21' of the sidewalls 20 and 20' or to have a groove to allow the rails 21 and 21' of the sidewalls 20 and 20'to be coupled at the side surface of the rail 11 of the circular plate 10, so that the sidewalls 20 and 20' may move straightforward depending on the desired guide width G to adjust the degree of difficulty of putting training.

[45] Features and a method of using the target 100 having the configuration as described above will now be described. The target 100 may be installed and used regardless of place or environment. The target 100 is small so that it facilitates keeping and portability, and may be installed at any place such as indoor and outdoor training centers, an actual green for putting, house, office, roof, house mat, hotel room carpet, artificial lawn, and so on.

[46] Accordingly, the target 100 for putting training is installed in consideration of the ability of the putter and the table 1. The target 100 of the first embodiment has a fixed width so that the target 100 having a proper guide width G is selected and installed. The target 100 of the second embodiment allows the guide width G to be adjusted so that the sidewalls 20 and 20' are moved to set the desired guide width G, and the golf ball 200 and the target 100 for putting training are put in consideration of the putting distance P between the club and the installed target 100, and then the golf ball 200 is hit by the club 300 (usually, the putter) to pass along and within the guide 30 of the

target 100 as shown in FIG. 6 (Referring to FIG. 6, the cross-section of the target is shown).

[47] Referring to the putting training types using the target 100, the putted golf ball 200 is made to move along and within the guide 30 to stop in a range of 30cm to 50cm, which most frequently occurs in the actual green for training the short putting straight stroke.

[48] In the case of the straight stroke putting through the target 100, the intensity of putting (i.e., the sense of distance) and the sense of touch matching the standard putting distance P can be effectively enhanced under a limited indoor space and environment.

[49] In addition, while the putter uses the target 100 for putting training, the putted golf ball 200 does not pass through the guide 30 since the putter head is closed (left directivity) or opened (right directivity) at the time of putting when the stroke of the putter 12 is not correct.

[50] The incorrect putting can be analyzed and corrected utilizing the position where the golf ball 200 falls due to the inclination of the sidewalls 20 and 20' of the target 100, that is, thegolf ball 200 that has not passed through the guide 30 of the target 100 falls along the outer inclination of the sidewalls 20 and 20' and then moves in a left direction with respect to the putter when the putter head is closed or a right direction when the putter head is opened, so that the putter can see his or her incorrectstroke based on the visual information of the moving golf ball 200 and can enhance the putting ability (senses of distance, directivity and touch) while correcting his or her postureby correctly passing the golf ball 200 through the center of the target 100, that is, the guide 30.

[51] In addition, the degree of difficulty can be adjusted by adjusting the guide width G at the time of putting training using the target 100. At this time, the target 100 may be replaced by another target having a narrower guide width in accordance with the first embodiment. In the case of the target 200 according to the second embodiment, without replacement of the target 100, the guide width G may be varied to be narrower while the sidewalls 20 and 20' are moved toward the center of the target along the display of the display section 40 so that the putting training can be continued.

[52] Therefore, in consideration of the putting ability of the putter, the putting ability can be enhanced in a more convenient and effective way by selecting or setting the target 100 depending on the guide width G and properly adjusting the putting distance P.