Abstract:
This invention relates to a golf course requiring the use of conventional rules and golf equipment, but that requires less space than a conventional golf course. This economy in space can be achieved by providing a centrally located clubhouse surrounded by circumferentially adjacent fairways disposed around the clubhouse. The fairways extend in a generally radial direction from the clubhouse, and are grouped in the pairs of adjacent fairways. In a pair of fairways, the first fairway having a plurality of radially inward tees and a radially outward green and the second fairway having a plurality of radially outward tees and a radially inward green. This golf course allows a method of playing golf wherein a group of players can start simultaneously from any radially inward tee or radially outward tee on the golf course.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     NONE  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     NOT APPLICABLE  
       REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
       [0003]     NOT APPLICABLE.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0005]     The present invention relates to a golf course including a plurality of fairways, which are disposed in a surrounding relationship with a generally centrally located clubhouse and a method to play golf on this course.  
         [0006]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0007]     Various golf type games employing different rules or unconventional equipment are known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,452, Aguilera, U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,402, Ferns et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,115, Lenhart, U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,862, Magnuson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,300, Nitsche, U.S. Pat. No. 3,999,764.  
         [0008]     Other golf courses have been disclosed that focus on reducing the time involved in playing  18  holes, but still employ, for the most part, standard equipment as accepted by the golf industry. For example, Benson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,330 discloses a golf course having a single fairway of conventional length common to at least three putting greens. The course having a single tee area designated for use in connection with the three greens. The golfer is provided with color-coded balls.  
         [0009]     Rotolo in U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,361 discloses a conventional course on a small area. In the preferred embodiment, the course is of a circular outline and the tees and greens are arranged so that play is generally across the course along the diameter of the course. A circular cart path surrounds the course. The tee is adjacent to the green from the last hole. Balls, however, are flying in all directions across the course, which may, for safety reasons, limit the number of golfers on a course.  
         [0010]     A need exists in the industry to create a golf course that uses less space than a conventional course, but still allows the use of conventional equipment and rules, but does not decrease the number of players on the course.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     In view of the foregoing need, the present invention is directed to a golf course requiring the use of standard golf equipment. This golf course includes a centrally located clubhouse and a plurality of circumferentially adjacent fairways. The plurality of circumferentially adjacent fairways extend in a generally radial direction from the clubhouse. The plurality of circumferentially adjacent fairways is made of a plurality of pairs of fairways, a pair of fairways being made of a first and second fairway, the first fairway including a plurality of radially inward tees and a radially outward green and the second fairway including a plurality of radially outward tees and a radially inward green.  
         [0012]     Another aspect of this invention involves providing a method of playing golf wherein a golfer uses standard golf equipment. This method involves the steps of providing a centrally located clubhouse, a plurality of circumferentially adjacent fairways, the plurality of circumferentially adjacent fairways extending in a generally radial direction from the clubhouse; the plurality of circumferentially adjacent fairways being made of a plurality of pairs of adjacent fairways, the pairs of fairways having a first and second fairway; the first fairway having a plurality of radially inward tees and radially outward green and the second fairway having a plurality of radially outward tees and a radially inward green; commencing playing golf at one of the plurality of radially inward tees of the first fairway; driving a golf ball toward the radially outward green of the first fairway; continue playing golf by teeing off from the plurality of radially outward tees of the second fairway; driving the ball toward the radially inward green of the second fairway; and then continue playing golf in a clockwise direction by playing a substantially adjacent plurality of tees of the plurality of circumferentially adjacent fairways.  
         [0013]     This invention provides for another method of playing golf wherein a golfer uses standard golf equipment. This method involves the steps of providing a centrally located clubhouse, a plurality of circumferentially adjacent fairways, the plurality of circumferentially adjacent fairways extending in a generally radial direction from the clubhouse; the plurality of circumferentially adjacent fairways being made of a plurality of pairs of adjacent fairways, the pairs of fairways having a first and second fairway, the first fairway having a plurality of radially inward tees and radially outward green and the second fairway having a plurality of radially outward tees and a radially inward green; commencing playing golf at one of the plurality of radially outward tees of said second fairway of a first pair of fairways; driving a golf ball toward said radially inward green of said second fairway; continue playing golf by teeing off from one of said plurality of radially inward tees of said first fairway of a second pair of fairways; driving the golf ball toward said radially outward green of said first fairway; and then continue playing golf in a clockwise direction by playing a substantially adjacent plurality of tees of said plurality of circumferentially adjacent fairways. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawing wherein:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1A  is a plan view of the golf course illustrating various aspects of the invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 1B  is a plan view of the golf course illustrating various aspects of the invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of a single pair of fairways.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of an alternate embodiment of a single pair of fairways.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate the configuration of a golf course  21 , according to one embodiment of the present invention. The golf course  21  includes a plurality of circumferentially adjacent fairways  1 - 18 , which are disposed in a generally radial direction surrounding a centrally located clubhouse  19 . In the illustrative embodiment, the plurality of circumferentially adjacent fairways  1 - 18  form nine pairs of circumferentially adjacent fairways,  30 - 38 , although fewer number of pairs of circumferentially adjacent fairways may be used to make a golf course  21 . Each pair of circumferentially adjacent fairways  30 - 38  are bisected by a cart path  23 . A cart path  23  is a paved area for carts or service vehicles. The cart path  23  is sufficiently wide to allow carts to pass adjacent to each other.  
         [0020]     More specifically, each fairway  1 - 18  includes a plurality of tees T 1 -T 18 . For example, fairway  1  includes a plurality of tees T 1  and green G 1 , while fairway  2  includes a plurality of tees T 2  and green G 2 . In the preferred embodiment there are 18 fairways  1 - 18  with corresponding plurality of tees T 1 -T 18  and greens G 1 -G 18 . In another embodiment, fewer pairs of circumferentially adjacent fairways may be used to make up the golf course (not shown). In this embodiment, 18 holes of golf can be still played, but a number of the pairs of fairways are repeated to achieve the total number of holes to provide a conventional game of golf.  
         [0021]     The fairways  1 - 18  also include a variety of sand traps  20 , water hazards  22 , foliage  24  and bunkers  26 , as are typically found on known golf courses. The water hazard  22 , in one embodiment, is no more than 18 inches in depth with a 5% grade toward the periphery of the water hazard  22 . Balls collect at the periphery of the water hazard, so players to not lose balls.  
         [0022]     The plurality of circumferentially adjacent fairways  1 - 18  of golf course  21  are arranged such that for each circumferentially adjacent pair of fairways  30 - 38 , either the plurality of tees or the green is disposed substantially adjacent to clubhouse  19  for one of the pair of fairways, while the opposite is true for the other adjacent fairways  1 - 18  of the pair  30 - 38 . More specifically, a plurality of radially inward tees T 1 , T 3 , T 5 , T 7 , T 9 , T 11 , T 13 , T 15  and T 17  are located substantially adjacent the clubhouse  19  and are preferably located 30 to 40 yards from the clubhouse  19 . Similarly, a plurality of radially outward tees T 2 , T 4 , T 6 , T 8 , T 10 , T 12 , T 14 , T 16  and T 18  are located around the periphery of golf course  21 . The player can commence play at any of the radially inward tees T 1 , T 3 , T 5 , T 7 , T 9 , T 11 , T 13 , T 15  and T 17  that are located surrounding the clubhouse  19  and drive the ball toward the corresponding radially outward green G 1 , G 3 , G 5 , G 7 , G 9 , G 11 , G 13 , G 15  or G 17 . The next hole to be played is the circumferentially clockwise direction adjacent fairway having a plurality of radially outward tees T 2 , T 4 , T 6 , T 8 , T 10 , T 12 , T 14 , T 16  and T 18 , that are located around the periphery of golf course  21 . Alternatively, the player can commence play at any of the radially outward tees T 2 , T 4 , T 6 , T 8 , T 10 , T 12 , T 14 , T 16  and T 18  that are located around the periphery of golf course  21  and drive the ball toward the corresponding radially inward green G 2 , G 4 , G 6 , G 8 , G 10 , G 12 , G 14 , G 16  and G  18 . The next hole to be played is the circumferentially clockwise direction adjacent fairway having a plurality of radially inward tees T 1 , T 3 , T 5 , T 7 , T 9 , T 11 , T 13 , T 15  and T 17  that are located surrounding the clubhouse  19 . Play is generally in the clockwise direction so the circumferentially adjacent fairway to fairway  1  is fairway  2  and the circumferentially adjacent fairway to fairway  2  is fairway  3 . Fairway  1  and fairway  2  form fairway pair  30 . If play commences on T 2 , T 4 , T 6 , T 8 , T 10 , T 12 , T 14 , T 16  or T 18 , the next hole to be played will be in the circumferentially adjacent pair of fairways.  
         [0023]     In the preferred embodiment, the player tees off from one of the radially inward tees T 1 , T 3 , T 5 , T 7 , T 9 , T 11 , T 13 , T 15  or T 17  or one of the radially outward tees T 2 , T 4 , T 6 , T 8 , T 10 , T 12 , T 14 , T 16  or T 18  and drives the ball toward the corresponding green G 1 , G 3 , G 5 , G 7 , G 9 , G 11 , G 13 , G 15  or G 17  or G 2 , G 4 , G 6 , G 8 , G 10 , G 12 , G 14 , G 16  or G 18  respectively. If the players starts at tee T 1 , for example, the ball is driven towards corresponding green G 1 . The player continues to play by moving in the clockwise direction to T 2 , a radially outward tee T 2 , and drives the golf ball toward radially inward green G 2 . The player has thus played fairway pair  30 . The player continues playing golf course  21  playing from radially inward plurality of tees T 3  by driving the ball toward green G 3 . From green G 3 , the player can move to the plurality of tees T 4  and drive the ball toward green G 4 . The golfer has thus played fairway pair  31 . Accordingly, standard rules of golf may be applied when playing the golf course  21 .  
         [0024]     Additionally, with reference to  FIG. 1 , a plurality of lighting units  40  such as lights on poles are placed along the plurality of cart paths  23 . A plurality of lighting units  40  can light a pair of fairways. With this arrangement of parallel adjacent fairways  1 - 18 , night golf becomes more practical as it is possible to light a fairway economically and without introducing obstacles into the flight path of the ball. A parking structure  41  is located adjacent to the golf course. Carts can be supplied here for use on cart paths  23 .  
         [0025]     Additionally, a plurality of communication means (not shown) such as telephones are placed substantially adjacent to the plurality of radially outward tees T 2 , T 4 , T 6 , T 8 , T 10 , T 12 , T 14 , T 16  and T 18  located on the periphery of the golf course  21 . Such communication means allows the golfers to communicate with the clubhouse  19  regarding the golfers&#39; needs, such as ordering food and drink to be received at the succeeding radially inward green G 2 , G 4 , G 6 , G 8 , G 11 , G 12 , G 14 , G 16  and G 18 . A plurality of taping means, such as a video camera or a digital camera, are placed substantially adjacent to the plurality of inward and outward greens G 1 , G 2 , G 3 , G 4 , G 5 , G 6 , G 7 , G 8 , G 9 , G 10 , G 11 , G 12 , G 13 , G 14 , G 15 , G 16 , G 17  and G 18  located on golf course  21 . Such taping means will be positioned so as not to obstruct the field of play.  
         [0026]     Referring also to  FIG. 2  with regard to the first fairway identified as fairway  1 , fairway  1  includes a plurality of tees T 1 A, T 1 B, and T 1 C, which are located in an area which is radially inward to and in relatively close proximity to the clubhouse  19 , whereas the green G 1  of the first fairway  1  is disposed radially outward from the clubhouse  19 . The function of the plurality of tees T 1 A, T 1 B and T 1 C is to shorten or lengthen the distance to the green depending on the golfer&#39;s ability. Accordingly, when a golfer plays fairway  1 , the ball is driven from one of the plurality of radially inward tees T 1 A, T 1 B or T 1 C away from the clubhouse  19 , towards the radially outward green G 1 . T 1 A is in the closest proximity to the clubhouse  19  and provides the greatest distance to G 1 , while T 1 B of the plurality of tees provides a middle distance to G 1 , while TIC provides the shortest distance to G 1 . T 1 A, T 1 B and T 1 C, referred to collectively as a plurality of radially inward tees and can be collectively identified as T 1 , and are all in relatively close proximity to clubhouse  19 . A golfer plays the next hole, by moving clockwise around golf course  21 . The golfer tees off from one of the plurality of radially outward tees T 2 A, T 2 B or T 2 C, located on the second fairway  2 . In playing this hole, the ball is driven generally towards the clubhouse  19  with play terminating on radially inward green G 2 , which is disposed in relatively close proximity to the clubhouse  19 .  
         [0027]     Now referring to  FIG. 3 , a pair of fairways  30  is shown. The greens G 1  and G 2  are disposed at an angle  48  from the adjacent fairway of around 135°. This angle can vary from 90° to 180°, but is preferably around 135°. The 135° angle is preferable in that it provides a measure of safety to the golfers playing different holes. For example, if golfers are playing a hole starting at T 1 , the flight of the ball toward G 1  is disposed away from golfers playing a hole starting at T 2 . This arrangement of the green being at an angle to the adjacent fairway can be copied through the golf course  21 .  
         [0028]     The arrangement of the pair of circumferentially adjacent fairways of the golf course  21  in surrounding relationship with the centrally located clubhouse  19 , with tees T 1 - 18  and greens G 1 - 18  of circumferentially alternating pair of fairways  30 - 38  being disposed in relatively close proximity to the clubhouse  19 , is a central feature of the present invention and results in several advantages.  
         [0029]     One of the advantages of this golf course  21  is in the method of play. A large number of golfers can safely play this course. Golfers can start at each fairway of each pair of circumferentially adjacent fairways  30 - 38  from clubhouse  19 . For example, groups of golfers can start simultaneously at T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , T 4 , T 5 , T 6 , T 7 , T 8 , T 9 , T 10 , T 11 , T 12 , T 13 , T 14 , T 15 , T 16 , T 17  and T 18  and progress around the golf course  21  in a clockwise direction.  
         [0030]     Another advantage of a golf course  21  configured in this manner relates to safety features in the event of an accident, sickness, or bad weather. A golfer can reach the clubhouse much more quickly than on a conventional course.  
         [0031]     Another advantage of a golf course  21  according to the present invention is it is economical to build and operate.  
         [0032]     Although the present invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a preferred embodiment and a preferred use thereof, it is not to be so limited since modifications and changes can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of the invention.