Golf gaming systems and methods

Abstract

The present inventions relate to golf gaming systems and methods for evaluating a golfer's performance and facilitating golf gaming and competition. Specifically, The present invention provides methods, locations, installations, devices and systems adapted and arranged for observing, processing, analyzing and communicating data and images of individual or group golf gaming performance with respect to golf balls in play in three dimensional environments.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of pending U.S. application Ser. No. 12 / 185,013, filed Aug. 1, 2008; which claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Application No. 60 / 935,295, filed Aug. 3, 2007; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The invention relates generally to the game of golf and more specifically to improvements in golf gaming systems allowing groups of golfers to play competitive golf using full length shots in minutes instead of hours. In specific, the present invention relates to methods, locations, installations, devices and systems adapted and arranged for observing, processing, analyzing and communicating data and images of individual or group golf gaming performance with respect to golf balls in play in three-dimensional environments.[0004]2. Background Information[0005]The game of golf is enjoyed world-wid...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]The present invention provides a golf gaming system capable of accurately recreating golf play and competition on multiple known courses with multiple players in a three-dimensional environment.

[0010]The present inventions integrate a launch monitoring system with a ball trajectory or flight modeling algorithm, operating with respect to data sets obtained from one or more launch monitors, to predict the flight path and landing position of a struck golf ball. This prediction is then used to identify with specificity the one struck ball of a particular player from all other balls which land in a target area or zone. These, and other, data sets are thereby used to filter out, and thereby exclude, all other balls in that area or zone from the struck ball being tracked. In another aspect, the inventions provide one or more impact detection systems, grids or sensor arrays to detect the impact of the struck ball. The impact data sets are integrated and compared with the struck ball / trajectory data sets (i.e., the calculated flight model) to confirm the identity of the specific ball, and to match it with the particular player who struck that specific ball. These integrated data filter systems and processes are software-mediated and provide predictive and detected data redundancy to such a high degree that, ball-to-player matches, and ball to stroke matches, are instantaneous and virtually error-free.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, a system that provides these basic capabilities has yet to be described.

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