Abstract:
A golf teaching technique is enclosed, in addition to golf equipment for teaching and recreation. The equipment includes golf clubs, balls, and targets, and also includes a method for teaching students how to properly use these items.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/470,144, filed 13 May 2003, and entitled “Golf Game and Golf Teaching Method.” 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to instructional tools and methods for teaching people how to properly play golf. Generally, most people learn how to play golf by going to a local golf course and playing a few rounds of golf. People may also take lessons from a golf professional to improve their skills. However, such measures may be cost inhibitive, especially for children. Furthermore, such learning methods are limited to places and times where the weather permits outdoor activities.  
           [0003]    Also, golf is a difficult came to learn. Many people learning to play golf, especially children, may get easily frustrated and give up on learning. It may be difficult for students to properly grab a golf club or find the right size golf club to use. Students may likewise find it difficult to accurately hit a golf ball, as the golf ball may be too small for them to properly hit.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present invention is for a golf game and method that will teach people golf fundamentals in a manner that is fun, cost-efficient and may be used anywhere, indoors or outdoors. The invention consists of targets, golf clubs, balls, and instructions for teaching the game of golf.  
           [0005]    The surfaces of the balls and targets are covered with a material that will allow each other to stick to the other, such as hook and loop material. The targets are generally flat targets, but they may also incorporate some three-dimensional aspects. The balls used are generally larger than normal sized golf balls to facilitate students in hitting the golf balls.  
           [0006]    The clubs are designed so that they may be used indoor, such as in a school gymnasium, without damaging the floor. The clubs also have color-coded features, which help teach the students how to properly hold the golf clubs and how to properly select the right size of club.  
           [0007]    The overall design of the instructional game allows students to enjoy practicing golf without the need to spend much money to do so. Along with the game, a method for providing lessons and instructions is disclosed. These and other objectives will be explained in greater detail in the following description. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf target used in the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a sectional perspective view of the target shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second target used in the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a third target used in the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 shows a plurality of golf clubs used in the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 shows a rear view of the golf clubs shown in FIG. 6.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of the head of a golf club used in the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 8 and  9  are side views of a golf club grip used in the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]    Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention, which may be embodied in other specific structure. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 shows a target  10  to be used in the present invention. The target  10  is covered with a hook and loop material for a ball (not shown) to stick to when hit towards the target  10 . The target  10  sits at the center of a mat  12 , which is shaped to represent a golf green. The mat  12  is open at the center, which allows the target  10  to be placed through the mat  12  and sit in the middle of the mat  12 . In the center of the target  10  is an upright flag  14  to give more of a feel that the student is aiming at a real golf hole.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the target  10  shown in FIG. 1. The target  10  has an upright section  10   a  and flat base section  10   b.  Both sections  10   a  and  10   b  are covered with a hook and loop material that will allow a ball (not shown) to stick to the target. The upright section  10   a  is approximately as tall or shorter than the diameter of the base section  10   b.  While the target  10  is shown to be round to simulate a golf hole, the target could be of any shape or size.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of a target  110 . The target  110  is similar to the first embodiment,  10  except the flat base section  110   b  is larger. There is no separate mat  12  in this embodiment. As shown, the target  110  has a bulls-eye scoring system, with the ball  18  scoring more points the closer it lands to the center of the target  110 . In FIG. 3, the ball  18  would have scored 100 points.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 show a third embodiment of a target  210 . The target  210  is used to help students practice their chipping and/or putting skills. The target  210  is angled upwards by end sections  220   a  and  220   b.  The end sections  220   a  and  220   b  are designed in a triangular style so that a second target  210  could be placed on the back of the end sections  220  and  220   b,  thereby allowing the target to be used by two students or groups of students simultaneously.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIGS. 5-9 display the clubs used in the present invention. There are two basic club styles: a wedge  50  and a putter  60 . Both clubs  50  and  60  are preferably made from a polycarbonate material that is strong enough to strike a ball and all flexible enough not to damage a surface like a gym floor. Preferably the clubs are foam filled to provide durability. Both the wedge  50  and the putter  60  are designed so that learning golf for the students will be as easy as possible. Arrows  70  are shown on each club focusing and directing a student at the proper place where to hit a ball.  
         [0022]    As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the wedge  50  and the putter  60  have varying shaft lengths  62 . To facilitate the learning process, the shafts are preferably color-coded (not shown) so that students will quickly know which club  50  or  60  is the proper one for them to use as they can easily associate the club with a color. In the drawings, three different length shafts  62  are shown. Three colors, preferably blue, red, and green (not shown) are used for the three different shaft  62  lengths, representing the longest to the shortest shaft  62 , respectively. It is possible to use other colors for the shafts  62  or more or fewer clubs  50  and  60  if desired.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the head  64  of the putter  60 . The head  64  is of a solid symmetrical design. The arrow  70  is shown pointing directly to the center of the head  64  to assist the student in properly hitting and addressing the ball.  
         [0024]    Referring now to FIG. 8, a preferred view of a grip  54  carried by shaft  62  for use with the wedge  50  is shown. At the end of the shaft is the grip  54 , which has two distinct depressions  56  and  58 . Depressions  56  and  58  are preferably color-coded (not shown), to teach a student where to place his or her thumbs on the golf club to assist in forming an appropriate technique for the student to place hands about the grip  54 . In a preferred embodiment, depressions  56  and  58  are overlapping in the vertical direction, and each displaced about horizontal direction about a diameter of the grip  54 . For instance, section  58  (preferably red), would show a right-handed student where to place their right thumb and section  56 , (preferably blue), would teach a student where to place their left thumb. The color-coding scheme helps students easily learn proper technique for holding a golf club. For instance, the student can be taught “right hand red” and “left hand blue.” 
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 8 except that the shaft  62  is of the putter  60 . A putter grip  64  also has a colored depressions  66  and  68  (colors not shown, preferably blue and red, respectively), to show a student where to properly place the left thumb and right thumb, respectively, when putting. The colored depressions  66  and  68  are preferably aligned down the shaft  62 . While the clubs have been designed for a student who is right handed, the clubs could be readily adapted for a left handed student using the same or similar color-coding technique. Likewise, other colors and patterns could be used and still achieve the desired affect of properly teaching students how to swing a golf club.  
         [0026]    Along with the golf clubs, targets, and balls, the invention also incorporates a teaching method. In a preferred embodiment of said method, an owner of a kit comprising golf clubs, balls, and targets, provides a customer, such as a school, with an instructional manual comprising lesson plans and the golf equipment.  
         [0027]    A sample of the method is included in Appendix A. The teaching method is made simple and fun for school age children, but could also be incorporated for use with older students. The method starts out by teaching students proper use of the equipment and golf safety. The method continues with instructions on how to properly stand when using a club, and also how to properly grip a club, using key phrases, such as “left thumb blue . . . right. thumb red . . . hands snuggled together,” to get the students to focus on proper form.  
         [0028]    The method contains different lesson plans, with each lesson plan beginning with a focus on safety. Thus, the method not only teaches students how to properly swing a golf club, but also how to play golf safely. The method also incorporates other skills, such as math skills, by having players add their scores as they proceed. Likewise, skills such as teamwork and playing together are incorporated into some of the lesson plans. Overall, the invention is a fun, effective, cost-efficient way of teaching students golf and other skills.  
         [0029]    The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.