WO2002004979A1

WO2002004979A1 - System to facilitate evaluation and decision making when playing golf

Info

Publication number: WO2002004979A1
Application number: PCT/SE2001/001486
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hans Hällström
Original assignee: Haellstroem Hans
Priority date: 2000-07-07
Filing date: 2001-06-28
Publication date: 2002-01-17
Also published as: SE0002577D0; AU2001267971A1; SE520157C2; SE0002577L

Abstract

The present invention concerns a system to facilitate evaluation and decision making when playing golf, comprising a portable calculation and memory unit equipped with a means for visual presentation of information and a digital map of the golf course in question, wherein the golf course is described in relation to a reference system and the system comprises means for registering the position of the ball in relation to the same reference system while play is proceeding.

Description

System to facilitate evaluation and decision making when playing golf.

The present invention concerns a system to facilitate evaluation and decision making when playing golf. Information and knowledge of the interaction between the course in question, the player's ability, current weather conditions, etc, is essential to planning and playing the game of golf. It is equally essential to identify the player's potential for improvement.

Most golfers have only the scorecard registering the number of strokes per hole to document their game. Given more knowledge, the player can determine the ideal line of the ball to take at all the holes on a course in advance of a competition or training round.

Subsequently, during the game, a suitable club and line can be selected and adapted for each stroke based on experience.

An earnest player expands his or her experience by taking notes and documenting the play as it proceeds. This note taking can also be done by the caddie. This documentation is traditionally performed using pen and paper. More recently, palmtop computers have made it possible to take notes directly into such a computer. Beside the number of strokes, information on each stroke can be registered, e.g. selected club, type of stroke, estimated length, etc.

By studying notes taken for earlier rounds, the player is able to plan an ideal round in advance of a training round or competition and then go out to attempt to carry it off.

Since the number of subjective assessments and estimations is considerable, the information based on them will also be unreliable.

One object of the present invention is to alleviate or even overcome the aforesaid disadvantages. This object can be reached with the employment of the aforesaid system, which exhibits the characteristics defined in the following claim 1.

These and additional characteristics and advantages of the invention will be evident in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, which constitutes a specimen and accordingly does not limit the scope of protection of the invention. A drawing showing an embodiment of the present invention is attached to facilitate comprehension.

Referring to the drawing, a piece of software is installed in a palmtop computer included in the preferred embodiment of the present invention to receive, transmit, store, process and display mathematical and graphical information. The basic characteristics of the golf course in question are loaded into the palmtop computer in a suitable manner. This can be done through e.g. transferring from a database stored in a course-linked service unit. This information comprises:

- layout and orientation in relation to a reference system. - par for the hole on the course.

- information on SSS or Slope.

The player's or players' characteristics are entered into the palmtop computer, with information concerning

- handicap During the game, information will be continually registered concerning

- The stationary position of the ball prior to each stroke in relation to the same reference system used for the course and, if desired, e.g.

- selected club.

- selected ball. - external conditions such as weather.

- notes.

- path around the course

The example system consequently comprises a palmtop computer with software and a digital map of the golf course in question. The golf course is described with all its holes in relation to a reference system. The present embodiment uses the GPS system for positioning. The stationary positions the golf ball takes during the game are registered according to the GPS system.

By connecting a GPS receiver to the palmtop computer, a position can be transferred directly to the computer after simply pressing a button whenever the user so desires. The use of the device in its present embodiment involves the player placing the GPS unit over the ball before it is played and taking a reading of the position. As the course is described in the palmtop computer using the same reference system as the one used for reading the position of the ball, the computer software will be able to identify where the ball is on the course, i.e. the current hole and the position. The palmtop will be able to determine whether the ball is on the tee. If the ball is one stroke out from the tee, for example, the palmtop computer will be able to calculate the length of the previous stroke after a new reading is taken and, because the position identifies the hole being played and the layout of the hole has previously been entered into the computer, also calculate the distance remaining to the flag. Once the position of the ball has been registered and if the ball is on the green or in a bunker, for example, the palmtop computer will also be able to identify the situation and information on different types of stroke can be obtained on later analysis without such information being specifically registered. In case the ball is situated where it is not possible to place the GPS unit above it for taking a reading, e.g. in a water hazard or similar obstruction, the position can be registered manually by marking the point of impact on the map of the course that is displayed on the palmtop screen, after which the new position of the ball after it is dropped can be read using the positioning system. By supplementing the positional reading with information on the club used for the different strokes, further information can be entered into the palmtop computer, which will then be able to suggest e.g. the optimum club and direction based on the player's earlier performance and the position of the ball.

Furthermore, the player or trainer can later recreate or "replay" a round of golf on the palmtop screen, or another unit after transferring the data, for analysis. Alternative ball trajectory can be discussed and later tested in practice.

This will, for example, give a course's golf pro the possibility of identifying the potential a player has for improvement by recreating rounds instead of having to be present. The type of stroke and the situations where errors are greatest can be identified and suitable training can be recommended.

In order to create special practice programmes, the pro can program the palmtop computer with an "ideal" round. Club, expected trajectory and length can be entered for each stroke and the player then registers the actual stroke and can analyse any deviations.

The reference system in the described embodiment has been exemplified with the GPS global positioning system. In other versions, the invention can utilise local and regional as well as global positioning systems. Examples of other positioning systems are the local triangulation system and global systems such as the Wide Area Augmentation System

WAAS, etc.

The route the player takes around the course can also be registered by reading the GPS unit continuously or at intervals. Such information can be used e.g. for calculating the distance the player has walked or at what speed.

It is furthermore understood that the software employed in the calculating and memory units can be provided with a large number of input and output devices in addition to the ones specified in claim 1 within the scope of protection for the present invention.

Claims

1. System to facilitate evaluation and decision making when playing golf comprising a portable calculation and memory unit equipped with a means for visual presentation of information and a digital map of the golf course in question, characterised in that the golf course is described in relation to a reference system and the system comprises means for registering the position of the ball in relation to the same reference system while play is proceeding.

2. System according to Claim 1, characterised in that only the stationary position of the ball is registered.

3. System according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the reference system comprises a standardised positioning system with an electronic positioning unit for taking positional readings.

4. System according to Claim 3, characterised in that the positioning system is a global positioning system, preferably comprising an electronic positioning unit employing GPS or WAAS.

5. System according to Claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the electronic positioning unit is connected to the calculation and memory unit for direct transfer of positioning information.

6. System according to Claim 5, characterised in that the calculation and memory unit is a palmtop computer, that a GPS or WAAS unit is arranged in its immediate vicinity and connected to the same, and that the GPS or WAAS unit is activated by the user to transfer its position to the palmtop computer for registering the position of a certain point, for example the position of the ball.

7. System according to anyone of the previous claims, characterised in that the calculation and memory unit comprises instructions for converting positional information to distance.