Patent ID: 6569027
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
A portable pulling green for practicing putting using a golf putter and a golf ball on a floor, comprising:an elongate putting mat having an upper putting surface, a lower backing surface, respective opposite putting and greens portions, a pair of side edges, and having a main target hole through said greens portions to receive a golf ball; an inclined putting structure which includes a base structure comprising a base, an inclined central ramp supported by said base on the floor, and an upstanding peripheral wall which extends around at least a portion of said central ramp to retain the golf ball on said rutting structure, said central ramp having an upper ball-supporting surface, a ball-receiving front edge, a rear edge, respective left and right side edges, with a target hole depression extending into said upper support surface, and a downwardly inclined, inner ball-return channel having an inlet portion extending from said target hole depression, and an outlet end portion adjacent one of said side edges of said central ramp at said front edge thereof; wherein said lower backing surface of said putting mat at said greens portion is connectable to said ball support surface of said central ramp, with said main target hole thereof disposed over said target hole depression such that when the golf ball is placed on said putting portion of said putting mat and struck by a putter, the ball rolls into said main target hole and into said target hole depression, the ball rolls under the influence of gravity into said inlet portion of said inner ball-return channel and out through said outlet portion thereof adjacent one of said side edges of said putting mat with sufficient velocity and momentum to roll to a position adjacent said putting portion of said putting mat in preparation for a subsequent putt; the inclined putting structure further comprising a variable incline mechanism connected to the base structure and supporting a rear portion of said base structure in a raised position relative to a front portion thereof to further incline the central ramp; the variable incline mechanism comprising an incline arm having respective opposite, first and second end portions and being pivotally connected to the base structure such that the opposite end portions are of differing distances from the pivotal connection, to support the rear portion of the base at an alternate height above a supporting surface, such that when said first end portion is in contact with the supporting surface the base structure is disposed at a first height, and by pivoting the incline arm 180Â°, the base structure is disposed at a second height; a back wall being connected to the central ramp adjacent the rear edge thereof in front of a rear portion of an outer ball-return channel to prevent a golf ball from rolling off said rear edge into said outer channel; and the peripheral wall extending completely around the sides and rear of the central ramp, and the inclined outer ball-return channel being disposed between the central ramp and said peripheral wall along the length thereof, which receives golf balls from the inlet portion of the inner ball-return channel, with the outlet end portion thereof comprising a lower portion of said outer ball-return channel.