Virtual caddy system and method

Abstract

A caddy system and method of providing a shot recommendation to a golfer is disclosed wherein real-time shot information, including the current location of a golf ball on a golf course, as well as golf course information, are used to provide a recommended golf shot to the golfer. According to another aspect of the invention, a golfer's shot history is used, in addition to the current location of the golf ball and the golf course information, to provide a shot recommendation to the golfer. According to yet another aspect of the invention, a caddy system and method of providing real-time shot information are disclosed, wherein the real-time information may be displayed alone or in conjunction with certain information about a golf course being played, including the display of the golf ball location in relation to a digital course map.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention is directed to a virtual caddy system and method, and more specifically to a system that uses real-time shot information, including the current location of a golf ball on a golf course, as well as golf course information, to provide a suggested golf shot or golf strategies to a user. Additionally, the system can display various real-time information to the user, including shot location relative to a golf course and shot trajectory. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Various types of electronic scoring and caddy systems are presently known in the art. All suffer from various limitations that make them impractical or unduly limiting for use by golfers. Many of these systems do not provide any shot or strategy advice at all, and, at best, they provide generic shot advice that is not tailored to the individual user or the particular situation being faced. At best, some track only a golfer standing near a ball, rather than the ball itse...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] One type of ball location system is a laser finder within a pair of binoculars, such as the Bushnell laser rangefinder distance measuring equipment. By focusing the binoculars on the ball once it stops moving, the distance from the golfer to the ball (and thereby from the ball to the hole) can be determined. Such systems do not provide real-time location information as these systems cannot measure the distance to or track a moving ball, nor do they provide any real-time flight information on the ball itself. A larger scale version of this system is the ShotLink laser based system used by the P

Problems solved by technology

All suffer from various limitations that make them impractical or unduly limiting for use by golfers.

Many of these systems do not provide any shot or strategy advice at all, and, at best, they provide generic shot advice that is not tailored to the individual user or the particular situation being faced.

None of these systems provide suggested shot advice based on real-time ball information.

These type of systems are low priced and widely available.

Moreover, none of these systems are capable of independently monitoring ball location or other real-time shot information, other than through manual entry by the golfer.

Being focused on the golfer, these video systems provide no information about an actual shot trajectory.

These systems are generally bulky and very expensive, and can be used only in fixed positions (e.g., at a driving range), rather than during regular play on a golf course.

They also fail to provide actual ball trajectory information, and instead give only an estimated shot distance information based on the calculated parameters.

Such systems do not provide real-time location information as these systems cannot measure the distance to or track a moving ball, nor do they provide any real-time flight information on the ball itself.

However, this system cannot track the trajectory of the ball, cannot collect real-time data, and is only useful for determining the distance and start / stop positions.

While this type of system is capable of providing the resting ball location, it does not provide any real-time ball information.

Because holes around the golf course are moved around the green regularly, precise to-the-pin distances cannot be provided.

Thus, none of them are capable of providing real-time ball information.

Images