Method and apparatus for golf practice and instruction

A method of practicing and teaching golf comprises the step of projecting a golf ball into a ball hitting zone during a player's swing of a golf club, while the head of the club is approaching the hitting zone. The ball is projected to arrive in the hitting zone, in the path of the club head, immediately prior to sweep of the head into the zone. The apparatus for practicing and teaching golf comprises a station which provides a hitting zone through which the head of a golf club is swept by a player performing golf swings. A projection device is operable during the player's club swing, while the club head approaches the hitting zone, to strike a ball and thus pop it quickly into the zone in the path of the club head when the head sweeps into the zone.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to method and apparatus for golf practice and 
instruction. Both the method and apparatus may be used by a golf 
instructor as an aid in developing a golf student's swing technique or may 
also be used by the player himself to improve his own swing technique 
without the assistance of an instructor. 
It has been found that most novice golf players have the physical ability 
to make long, accurate golf shots. In particular, most inexperienced 
golfers can be taught to properly swing various types of golf clubs with 
relative ease provided that they are not attempting to actually hit a golf 
ball. Such "practice" swings can usually be executed with reasonably good 
form in a relaxed manner. However, when a novice golfer approaches and 
focuses on a golf ball and concentrates on it in an attempt to actually 
make a shot, he often tends to swing in a manner entirely different from 
his practice swing. The difference in the "focused" and "practice" swings 
may result from tension or excessive concentration by the player on the 
ball. Golf instructors often attribute the difference between a player's 
"focused" and "practice" swings to his "hitting at the ball" rather than 
"swinging through the ball". In either case, the "focused" swing tends to 
be much poorer than the "practice" swing and, therefore, often results in 
a poor shot or often in missing the ball entirely. Furthermore, it is 
difficult for a novice player to know the value of "swinging through the 
ball" because he often can only do so when he is not actually attempting 
to hit a ball. Despite conscious effort not to "hit at the ball" he, 
nevertheless, does so when a ball is in position to be hit. 
The method and apparatus of the present invention permits a golf player to 
strike a golf ball using his more relaxed "practice" swing rather than a 
tense "focused" swing. Moreover, this method and apparatus permits a golf 
instructor to observe a student practicing his swing and choose a 
particular swing with which the student will strike a ball. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Golf has been traditionally taught by instructors who closely observe a 
student's swing and attempt to modify that swing until it conforms to 
accepted form. Concentration is devoted to mechanical aspects of the swing 
which include keeping the leading arm firm, the head down, and leading the 
swing with the hips. However, frequently the more intense the student's 
concentration, the more difficult it becomes for him to execute these 
mechanical aspects. Golf instructional aids have been devised which 
attempt to correct problems with a golfer's swing form. For example, U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,918,721 discloses such a device which is intended to constrain 
certain of the golfer's swing movements to generally accepted form. 
Moreover, instructors have identified the problem, common among novice and 
more experienced golfer's alike, of "hitting at" rather than "swinging 
through" the ball. However, little has been done to actually demonstrate 
the different results to be achieved in play to the student. 
Various devices for automatically teeing golf balls have also been proposed 
in the past. Examples of such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 
3,298,694 (Turnau et al.); 3,533,631 (Hladek); 3,549,152 (Gentiluomo); 
3,511,507 (Gentiluomo); 1,598,971 (Kenyon); 1,637,537 (Roberts); 2,618,480 
(Williams); 2,696,985 (Hogeberg); 2,789,824 (Willcox); 2,838,313 (Mozel); 
2,259,916 (Wheeler et al.) and 2,335,280 (Hogeberg). However, the primary 
purpose of these devices is to convey a golf ball to a tee location 
automatically. They permit a player to repeatedly make shots without 
manually teeing a new ball after each shot. They are not concerned with 
teaching a golf player to improve his swing nor are they designed to 
permit a novice golf player to use his practice swing to actually hit a 
shot. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In a preferred embodiment to be described below in detail, the method and 
apparatus of the present invention for practicing and teaching golf permit 
a golf player to actually strike a golf ball with his "practice" swing. As 
noted above, the practice swing of many golfers tends to be far superior 
to their swing executed while concentrating on actually hitting a golf 
ball. Accordingly, the ball may be hit with a golfer's more relaxed swing 
to execute the best shots within his capability. 
In its preferred embodiment, the method of the present invention for 
practicing golf comprises the step of projecting a golf ball into a ball 
hitting zone during the course of the player's swing of his golf club 
while the club head approaches this hitting zone. The ball arrives in the 
hitting zone in the path of the club head immediately prior to the sweep 
of the head into the zone. The projecting step is performed after the 
golfer has begun his swing motion and is completed in such a short time 
prior to arrival of the club head in the hitting zone that he cannot react 
by tensing and alter his swing. Thus, the golfer can strike the ball with 
the smooth motion which he employs during practice and can readily 
appreciate the value of applying such a smooth swing to actual play. 
In the preferred embodiment, the method further comprises the step of 
detecting the instant of movement of the golf club during the player's 
swing past a location in its path a predetermined distance backward of the 
hitting zone. The projecting step is then performed in response to the 
detecting step and includes projecting the ball into the zone within a 
predetermined time after the instant of detection. 
The apparatus of the present invention, in its preferred embodiment, 
comprises a station which provides the golf ball hitting zone through 
which the head of a golf club is swept by a player performing golf swings. 
A projection apparatus, operable in the course of the player's swing while 
the club head is approaching the hitting zone, is arranged to project a 
golf ball into the zone so that the ball will be in the path of the club 
head when it sweeps into the zone. A photodetector is provided to detect 
the instant of movement of the club past the predetermined location in its 
swing path backward of the hitting zone. 
In the preferred embodiment the apparatus is selectively operable to 
project a golf ball into the hitting zone only during a selected swing of 
a golf club by the player. This swing during which the ball is projected, 
may be selected by the player himself or by an instructor. For example, an 
instructor may observe a player and choose a swing which he considers to 
be closest to ideal. During this chosen, approximately ideal swing he may 
actuate the apparatus for projecting a ball into the hitting zone in the 
path of the club head and, thus, demonstrate the value of a smooth swing 
to the golf player. 
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a method and 
apparatus for golf practice and instruction that permits a golfer to 
actually strike a ball using his practice swing rather than using a swing 
distorted by excessive concentration on properly striking a ball. 
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be 
pointed out in or will be understood from the following detailed 
description provided below, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIG. 1 illustrates a golf player P using the apparatus of the present 
invention to practice golf. The apparatus may be operated by the player 
himself or by an instructor to teach the player how to properly coordinate 
movement of a golf club C to execute a correct swing and properly hit a 
ball for distance and accuracy. 
In particular, the apparatus permits the player to hit a ball using his 
"practice" swing rather than his "focused" swing in a manner to be 
described in greater detail below. 
As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus comprises a platform 10 which is mounted 
approximately one foot above ground level. The platform has sufficient 
area to provide adequate support for the player P and to give him enough 
room to execute golf swings. A golf ball propulsion unit 12, which will be 
described in greater detail below, is mounted below the platform to 
selectively project a golf ball into a hitting zone immediately above the 
unit, through which the head of a golf club sweeps during club swings by 
the player. (It will be noted that the platform 10 may be mounted at 
ground level and the ball propulsion unit 12 may be recessed below ground 
level if desired). 
The apparatus further comprises a photoelectric detector 14 that is aligned 
and focused to receive light which intersects the swing path defined by 
the shaft of a club swung by the player. A power unit 16 is connected to 
both the photoelectric detector 14 and ball propulsion unit 12, to power 
and coordinate operation of the apparatus in accordance with various 
events. A control unit 18 is provided through which the apparatus may be 
selectively actuated by the golf player himself or by an instructor. 
The apparatus, which may assist in teaching golf swings of woods, irons, or 
wedges in accordance with that portion of the game the golf player wishes 
to improve, is used for golf practice and instruction as follows. A golf 
player first mounts the platform 10 and positions himself so that when 
practicing golf swings, the head of his club sweeps through the hitting 
zone Z immediately above the ball propulsion unit 12. Further, as can be 
seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the club shaft passes in its swing path in front of 
the aligned and focused photodetector so that light incident on it is 
interrupted during the club swings by the golfer. The photoelectric 
detector generates a signal, in response to interruption of incident light 
by a swung golf club, that actuates the ball propulsion unit to project a 
golf ball into the hitting zone Z where it may be impacted by the head of 
the moving club. 
The control unit 18 is used to selectively enable the apparatus to project 
a ball into the hitting zone in response to a signal by the photodetector 
only during a selected practice swing by the player. Specifically, the 
player may execute several practice swings. However, only after the player 
achieves a desired degree of comfort in his swings or after he has 
executed a given number of swings, the form and smoothness of which are 
acceptable to an instructor or to himself, is the control unit actuated to 
enable the apparatus to project a ball into the hitting zone. In this 
manner, swings that are close to ideal for a given golfer may be used to 
actually strike a golf ball. Since the practice swing is usually better 
than one in which the player actually tries to strike a ball, his best 
form is used to execute the shot. This procedure thus demonstrates to the 
golf player the value of relaxation and smoothness when swinging a club. 
Further, as will be described in greater detail below, the velocity with 
which most golf players swing a club and the proximity of the 
photoelectric detector to the ball projection unit are such that the ball 
is projected into the hitting zone much too late for the player to alter 
his swing in response to its arrival in the hitting zone. This feature is 
of great value in teaching the player in accordance with the principles 
outlined above. 
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ball propulsion unit 12 comprises a solenoid 
22 that includes an armature 24 having a hard head 26 mounted on its upper 
projecting end to strike a golf ball. The ball B is cradled in a ball 
support ring 21 at a location spaced slightly above the head 26. The ring 
21 and head 26 register with a hole 20, somewhat larger than the golf 
ball, formed in platform 10. Upon energization of the solenoid the 
armature is thrust quickly from a rest position shown in solid lines in 
FIG. 3 to an extended position shown in phantom lines. When the solenoid 
is deenergized, the armature returns to the rest position. Energization of 
the solenoid, as described in greater detail below, causes its armature to 
be thrust abruptly and rapidly upward so that the head 26 strikes a ball B 
resting on the support ring 21 and thus propels the ball quickly into the 
hitting zone Z above the platform 10. If not hit by a club head being 
swung into zone Z, the ball would fly up through the hitting zone to a 
height well above it. 
The apparatus may also include a system for automatically feeding balls to 
the support 26 for projection into the ball hitting zone. A suitable ball 
feeding system, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, includes a ball hopper 
generally indicated at 28, that is mounted at a level above the platform 
10. The hopper is formed with a funnel-like insert 30 which channels golf 
balls to a curved feed tube 32. The tube is pitched slightly to a position 
under the platform where it leads onto the ball support ring 21 over the 
head 26 of the armature of the solenoid. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the 
lower inner surface 34 of the tube 32, which defines a portion of a tube 
outlet aperture 38, is substantially coextensive with the upper surface of 
the ball support ring. Accordingly, balls may be channeled by gravity from 
the hopper 28 through the feed tube 32 directly to the support ring 21 
when the armature of the solenoid 22 is in its rest position. Further, a 
ball-limiting vertical stop 36 is mounted opposite the outlet aperture 38 
to prevent movement of a golf ball beyond the support ring. 
Control of the feeding of balls through the feed tube 32 may be 
accomplished by apparatus illustrated in FIG. 4. There the pitch of the 
tube is exaggerated in the interest of clarity. The feed control apparatus 
comprises two solenoids, the first, 40, of which has an elongated armature 
44 which is normally urged to an upwardly projecting position that extends 
into the interior of the tube 32. Conversely, the second solenoid 42 has 
an elongated armature 46 which is normally urged to a retracted position 
withdrawn from the tube interior. Thus, in their deenergized condition, a 
leading ball B.sub.1 is prevented from rolling down feed tube 32 on to the 
support ring 21 by the projecting armature 44. However, after the device 
of the present invention has been actuated in a manner to be described in 
greater detail hereinafter, to project a ball into the hitting zone, the 
solenoids are energized to retract armature 44 of the first solenoid 40, 
permitting ball B.sub.1 to roll on to the support ring. Simultaneously, 
the armature 46 of solenoid 42 projects into the interior of the tube 32 
to restrain the adjacent ball B.sub.2 from movement. However, once ball 
B.sub.1 has reached the support ring, or after another predetermined time, 
the solenoids are deenergized and are returned to their rest positions 
with armature 46 retracted from the tube and armature 44 projecting into 
it. Accordingly, ball B.sub.2 rolls to the position occupied by ball 
B.sub.1 in FIG. 4, poised for eventual delivery to the support ring over 
the main, ball projection solenoid 22. 
The function of the apparatus of the present invention, to project a ball 
into the hitting zone immediately prior to arrival of a club head therein 
swung by a golfer, may be explained with reference to the schematic block 
diagram shown in FIG. 5. As shown there, the apparatus includes the 
photoelectric detector 14 which is connected between ground 46 and a 
source of voltage 48. The photodetector is normally heavily saturated and 
heavily conducting because of its continuous illumination by ambient 
light. However, when a club shaft being swung by a player reduces the 
illumination to the photodetector momentarily, current therefrom is 
reduced to produce a positive-going voltage transient across a 
photodetector load resistor 50 connected between the photodetector 14 and 
voltage source 48. The positive-going voltage transient is coupled through 
a capacitor 52 to an amplifier 54, which may be a conventional multistage 
saturating amplifier, to be amplified to a standard level. The amplified 
voltage transient, in turn, triggers a controllable delay generator 56 
which may be a monostable multivibrator of conventional design. The delay 
generator is arranged to introduce a delay of further transmission of the 
positive-going voltage transient, which may be controlled by either the 
instructor or by the player himself, over a range sufficient to 
accommodate different club swing speeds of different players. However, for 
any given setting of the delay control, the monostable delay introduced by 
the generator is substantially constant. 
The amount of delay introduced by the delay generator 56 is set by a 
potentiometer 58 mounted in the instructor's control unit 18. The delay 
should be adjustable over a range of about 1 to 30 milliseconds, a range 
which is sufficient to accommodate variation in club swing speed for most 
golfers. This provides, for instance, a period of from 20 to 50 
milliseconds from the moment of downswing detection to the moment of 
hitting. 
The delayed output voltage transient from the monostable delay generator is 
coupled through an AND gate 60 to the input of an output amplifier 62. 
However, transmission of the voltage transient to the amplifier 62 is 
dependent upon its concurrence at the AND gate with an enabling signal 
also conducted from the instructor's control unit 18. In particular, an 
enabling switch 64 connected through ground 46 to an input to the AND gate 
60 is operable by the instructor as noted above to selectively actuate the 
apparatus only during or for a particular swing by the player (Of course, 
as noted, the control unit 18 may be arranged for operation by the player 
himself). 
Assuming concurrence of the voltage transient and the enabling signal at 
the AND gate, the transient is conducted from the output amplifier 62 to 
the gate of a power amplifier 66 in the form of a silicon controlled 
rectifier (SCR). The power amplifier 66 is normally non-conducting. 
However, when it receives the positive-going transient from the remainder 
of the system, it is rendered conducting to actuate the ball propulsion 
solenoid 24 in a manner described above. 
The electromotive power for actuation of the solenoid 22 is derived from a 
storage capacitor 68 which is connected to a power unit 70 through a load 
resistor 72. The power unit, which will be described below, maintains the 
storage capacitor in a fully charged state. However, when the power 
amplifier is rendered conducting by a signal from the output amplifier 62, 
the stored electromotive power is instantly conducted therethrough to the 
ball propulsion solenoid 22 to cause the solenoid to impart a short, quick 
impulse to its armature and thus strike a golf ball to "pop" it into the 
hitting zone. 
The control circuit may be equipped to discriminate between slow 
interruptions of light to the photodetector and a fast interruption of 
light thereto such as that caused by a swing of a golf club. This may be 
accomplished by choosing a capacitor 52 which passes only a positive-going 
voltage transient of shorter than specific duration. In the embodiment 
illustrated, a single activation of the photodetector circuit can trigger 
the ball propulsion unit; so the enabling switch should be actuated after 
the backswing of the player's club. By the provision of a counter in the 
control circuit, however, the circuit can be modified to respond to more 
than one signal from the club swing detector. For instance, when two 
successive voltage transients from the swing detecting circuit are 
required for actuation of the ball propulsion unit the enabling switch can 
be operated by the instructor or the player before the player begins the 
backswing of a full swing selected for hitting a ball. 
The components of the power unit 70 and their interconnection with certain 
other components of the apparatus of the present invention may be 
described with reference to FIG. 6. The power unit 70 comprises a circuit 
breaker 74 that may be a master on/off switch from a source of voltage 75, 
preferably 115 volts A.C. at 60 cycles per second. Further, the circuit 
breaker provides protection for the circuitry in the event of malfunction. 
A lamp 76 is connected in series in the circuit breaker circuit with the 
primary winding 77 of a transformer 78. The lamp provides a resistance 
path to the primary winding and serves as an indication that the system is 
"on" condition. The circuit connecting the primary winding of transformer 
78 to the voltage source 48 is completed by two normally closed contacts 
80a and 80b of a doublethrow relay 82, the function of which will be 
described in greater detail below. When the circuit is completed to the 
primary winding 77, the secondary winding 79 of the transformer 78 
supplies current to the input terminals of a bridge rectifier 88, which 
produces a D.C. voltage that charges the storage capacitor 68. Further, a 
voltmeter 90 provides a visual indication of when the storage capacitor is 
properly charged. 
When the capacitor 68 is fully charged, an instructor may condition the 
apparatus for operation as described above. In particular, he depresses 
the enabling switch 64 before the downswing of a club swing which has been 
selected for actually hitting a ball, which usually will be a swing made 
as a practice swing after earlier practice swings have approximated the 
player's ideal swing. Upon coincidence of the signal produced by closing 
the enabling switch 64 with reception of the signal from the 
photodetector, as indicated by the circle 92, the pulse is allowed to pass 
through resistor 94. The signal is then conducted to the gate 94 of the 
silicon-controlled rectifier 66, permitting quick discharge of the storage 
capacitor 68 through the coil 98 of the solenoid 22. Accordingly, the 
solenoid becomes suddenly energized and will "pop" a golf ball into the 
hitting zone in the manner described. The propulsion is effected, for 
instance, within about 20 milliseconds from the moment of actuation of the 
rectifier 66. 
Rendering the silicon-controlled rectifier conducting at coincidence of a 
signal from the enabling switch with a voltage transient from the 
photodetector circuitry also energizes the relay 82 through a diode 100 to 
close the center contact 80b against the third of the relay contacts 80c. 
This completed circuit energizes the ball feed control solenoids 40 and 42 
through voltage source 99 described with reference to FIG. 4. 
Simultaneously, it prevents recharging of capacitor 68 until the 
electromotive power stored therein has been dissipated through relay 82 
and solenoid 22. When the charge has been completely dissipated, the 
contacts 80a and 80b of relay 82 are restored to their normally closed 
condition to reenergize storage capacitor 68 for the next cycle of the 
apparatus of the invention. Typical components suitable for use in the 
circuit described with reference to FIG. 6 are listed below in Table 1. 
TABLE 1 
______________________________________ 
Component Manufacturer 
Part No, Rating 
______________________________________ 
Circuit Breaker (74) 
Heineman AM12 KH 
Electric 
Appliance Lamp (76) 
General 115v. 40 watt 
Electric 
Transformer (78) 
Radio Shack 115v. Pri. 60 Hz 
Silicon Bridge 
Rectifier (88) 
Any 200 v. 6 amp. 
Volt Meter (90) 
Any 100 Volts 1 ma. 
Full scale 
Storage Capacitor 
General A-9-51502, 14,000 MFD. 
(Computer Grade) 
Electric 60 Volts D.C. 
(68) 
Relay (82) Guardian A 410-365391-13, 
Electric 24 Volts D.C., 
Single pole/Doublethrow 
Diode, Silicon (100) 
Any 100 Volt, 1 amp. 
Silicon Controlled 
Rectifier (66) 
Sylvania ECG5522 
Resistor (94) 
Any 240 ohms, 1 watt 
Solenoid (22) 
Any Automotive Starter 
Solenoid. Modified 
______________________________________ 
It will, of course, be appreciated that other components comparable to 
those listed may be used in the circuit to achieve satisfactory results. 
It is also to be understood that the photoelectric detector 14 may be a 
detector arranged opposite a lamp from which a beam of intense light is 
projected to a detector so that the light beam will be interrupted by the 
downswing of a club toward the hitting zone. 
The apparatus of the present invention described in detail above may be 
used in accordance with an instructional method for teaching a player to 
properly execute a golf swing. The apparatus can be used to practice this 
method which comprises the step of projecting a ball into the hitting zone 
of a club head in the course of a swing of a golf club while the head is 
approaching the hitting zone. Further, as noted above, this projecting 
step is usually performed in the course of a practice swing by the golfer. 
A particular swing is selected by an instructor or by the player himself 
as being closest to ideal during a segment of the player's practice 
session. The instant of movement of the club past a given location in its 
swing path is detected at a predetermined distance backward of the hitting 
zone. Moreover, the time between detection of movement of the club past 
this predetermined location in actual projection of ball into the hitting 
zone may be set in accordance with the club head speed and the 
characteristics of the swing executed by the golfer so that a ball arrives 
in the zone immediately prior to the club head. 
It has been found that use of both the method and apparatus of the present 
invention results in substantial improvement of play by both experienced 
and inexperienced golfers. Using these aids, the golfer learns the value 
of swinging his club in a relaxed, smooth fashion. With enough practice, 
he can learn to use all advantages characteristic of his practice swing 
for actually playing the game. 
Accordingly, although a specific embodiment of the method and apparatus of 
the present invention have been described above in detail, it is to be 
understood that this is for purposes of illustration. Modifications may be 
made to the method and apparatus by those skilled in the art in order to 
adapt it to particular applications for teaching golf.