Interactive pressurized water miniature golf course

Inactive Publication Date: 2015-10-01
BARTZ LARRY D +1
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention describes how water can be used in golf to change the game's trajectory. This can be done by using gravity, pumps, nozzles, jets, misting, or flow to create hydraulic pressure on the water. It can be used to make the ball move differently or make the player have to make choices about how to play the hole, all while getting them wet. The invention makes golf more interesting and challenging for players.

Problems solved by technology

However, most modern miniature golf courses have in fact got quite old fashioned play of the holes.
But, by and large, the design of the hole continues to be conservative, if changed at all.”

Method used

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  • Interactive pressurized water miniature golf course
  • Interactive pressurized water miniature golf course
  • Interactive pressurized water miniature golf course

Examples

Experimental program
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Effect test

first embodiment

[0270]FIG. 1 is a planform view of a miniature golf hole according to the invention, having geysers or fountains erupting from the fairway of the miniature golf course hole. In a preferred embodiment and best mode now contemplated for carrying out the invention water feature 11 is a set of geysers or fountains. These fountains are shown to span the fairway area 12 of the miniature golf course, however, they may in fact be located upon green area 18, tee-off area 14 or the like.

[0271]The geysers or fountains may be constant, requiring players to get their ball through them or suffer having the motion of the ball altered by the motion of the water, or the water features 11 may be spasmodic in operation. They may erupt randomly, or may be triggered by the presence of the ball or player in a first area of the course, and so on. They may also erupt in a pattern, such as a ripple pattern from one side of the fair way 12 to the other, forcing the players to successfully time their shots th...

second embodiment

[0273]FIG. 2 is a side view of a miniature golf hole according to the invention, having a vertical feature which can be traversed by using hydraulic water pressure to advance the ball. Ball 20 is pictured in flight after being launched by the water feature, in this case, a skewed fountain which makes a “ball jet”21. While the ball is depicted above the water it may simply flow with water which is being forced by hydraulic pressure to flow UPWARD, from lower fairway area 22a to upper fairway area 22b.

[0274]Vertical feature (bump) 23c may be seen in profile, and it will be understood that for safety reasons this vertical feature may have alternative dry path which is a set of steps, so as to minimize the risk of accidents to people attempting to step on a wet sloped surface. Customers will not normally be allowed to walk on obstacles presenting tricky footing.

[0275]Hole 26 may be seen in profile.

third embodiment

[0276]FIG. 3 is a planform view of a miniature golf hole according to the invention, having a slanted fairway, a river type water feature which advances the ball to a grate upon which the ball automatically is retrieved.

[0277]River water feature 31 may be used with a ball which is able to float, that is which is lighter than water. While a standard PGA competition ball sinks, floating balls allow a stream to meander along carrying the ball easily visible to the player, who may not even have the end of the stream in view and thus may find themselves wondering where they are going to end up.

[0278]Alternatively, with clean water of shallow depth a player may see a ball which is heavier then water being rolled along the (clean, smooth) stream bed to its final destination.

[0279]Arrow 35 depicts the flow direction, which in this embodiment is toward the hole 36, not away from it. Thus, the water feature of the present invention is not necessarily classed as a water obstacle or water hazar...

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Abstract

An improved miniature golf course provides water features which may advance, retard, or randomly impact the motion of the golf ball. The features may also wet the players by spraying them, forcing them to wade, misting them, etc. The features may take the form of water jets, streams, waterfalls, cascades, swirling turbulent water, water tunnels, triggers, alternative routes to the green, alternative parts of the green reached by different water features, fountains, gratings, nets, floating fairways and greens, ramps, waterwheels, water cannons, and combinations thereof.

Description

[0001]A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 37 CFR 1.71(d).CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0002]N / AFIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]This invention relates generally to golf games, and specifically to miniature golf games having interesting course layouts and features.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH[0004]This invention was not made under contract with an agency of the US Government, nor by any agency of the US Government.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0005]Miniature golf courses in modern times tend toward exciting decorations. Most modern miniature golf courses have lush planting, ponds, and outré additions like volcanoes and pirate ships, especi...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): A63B67/02
CPCA63B67/02A63B2225/60
Inventor BARTZ, LARRY D.ARCAND-BARTZ, SHARON L.
Owner BARTZ LARRY D
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