Patent ID: 6106407
Filing Date: 2000-08-22
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
A golf practice and golf swing analyzing machine comprising, in combination:a pad constructed and configured to lie horizontally on the ground or floor of a golf practice facility;a console extending upwardly from the pad;a golf ball positioner mounted in the console, the golf ball positioner being so configured and constructed as to position a golf ball at a predetermined location on the pad for being hit by the user and comprising, in combination:a generally cylindrical cup for receiving and holding a golf ball, the cup being so constructed and configured as to permit the golf ball to roll from the cup under only the influence of gravity and/or inertia only when the cylindrical cup is substantially horizontal and substantially parallel to the pad; andpivot means for moving the cylindrical cup in a vertical plane from an initial position in which the cylindrical cup is vertically disposed for receiving a golf ball to a substantially horizontal plane for depositing the golf ball on the pad and back to the initial position;swing speed sensing and display means on the pad for sensing the speed of the user's golf club when the club strikes the ball and displaying said speed, said swing speed sensing means comprisinga first light beam source and photo detector combination positioned on a first side of said predetermined location and a second light beam source and photo detector combination positioned on the other side of said predetermined location, said first and second combinations being so configured, positioned and constructed that when the user swings a golf club the club first passes through a light beam focussed by the first light beam source and detected by the first photo detector, then hits the ball, and then passes through a second light beam focussed by the second light beam source and detected by the second photo detector;means for measuring a first time interval between the passage of the club through said light beams and calculating from said interval the speed of travel of the golf club, andmeans for displaying to the user the golf club speed during the first interval; andswing time sensing and display means for sensing and displaying the time interval occupied by the user's swing, said swing time sensing and display means comprising:means for measuring a second time interval between two sequential passages of the club through said first light beam without passage through the second light beam; andmeans for displaying to the user the golf club swing time during the second time interval.