Patent ID: 9592437
Date: 2017-03-14
CPC Classifications: A63B

Claim:
1. A method for a golfer to practice putting on an artificial putting green, the method comprising: selecting a putting green profile from multiple mapped putting green profiles viewable on a display; selecting a hole position on the selected putting green profile viewable on the display; viewing multiple putting region options on the display only within a circular area defined by a radius from the selected hole position, the radius corresponding to about a length of the artificial putting green relative to corresponding dimensions of the selected putting green profile; selecting a ball position within the circular area to select a putting region from the multiple putting region options, the selected putting region viewable on the display; translating mapped information relative to the putting region defined by the selected hole position and the selected ball position with a computing device and to a central controller coupled to an adjustable putting surface of the artificial putting green, the artificial putting green having multiple layers coupled to a framework such that the multiple layers define the adjustable putting surface; and actuating an array of actuators coupled to the framework and positioned below the adjustable putting surface and controlled by the central controller, the actuators moveable to pre-determined positions relative to the mapped information to modify the adjustable putting surface to correspond with and reflect the selected putting region of the selected putting green profile, each of the actuators having a vertically extending shaft extending between a motor and an upper support coupled to an end of the shaft, each of the actuators including guide structure for guiding linear movement of the motor and the shaft to position the upper support in the predetermined positions, the shaft defining a first diameter and the upper support having an upper surface defining a second diameter, the second diameter being larger than the first diameter, the upper surface facing and directly contacting an underside of the multiple layers that define the adjustable putting surface.