Abstract:
A golf training apparatus to help golfers hit a golf ball more effectively and consistently. The apparatus includes a base with first markings along a first edge thereof to indicate positions for locating a golfer&#39;s feet adjacent the base, and second markings along an oppositely-disposed second edge of the base for indicating the location of a golf ball relative to the base. The apparatus further has an alignment member mounted for movement relative to the base and configured for selective alignment with any one of the second markings. A measuring member is mounted to the alignment member for measuring the distance between the base and the golf ball, and a light-generating device is mounted to the base for illuminating the golf ball.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/521,040, filed Feb. 10, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention generally relates to golf training techniques and apparatuses. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus for training golfers to hit a golf ball more effectively and consistently by tracking where the ball is located relative to the golfer&#39;s stance.  
         [0003]     Numerous instructional materials and golf training aids are commercially available. The more popular golf training aids and devices typically focus on improving the golfer&#39;s swing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,871 to Marley, Jr. discloses a golf training device that utilizes lasers for aiding a golfer in developing a more consistent swing. Many golf professionals believe that a proper stance relative to the location of the ball is essential to an effective golf game. While videos, books, and magazine articles offer tips and suggest practice drills for various aspects of the game, few discuss with any specificity where and how a golfer should stand relative to the ball. However, a limited number of training devices have been proposed for this purpose. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,922,130 to Haserodt, U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,608 to Funk, U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,718 to Cachola, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,613 to Dubois disclose devices having marks or other indicators for positioning a golfer&#39;s feet along the edge of a base, and a ruler that extends perpendicularly from the base to indicate the distance of a golf ball from the base. U.S. Pat. No. 3,459,429 to Green discloses a device comprising a base equipped with a tape measure adapted to extend in a direction perpendicular to the base in order to locate the distance of a golf ball from the base. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,616,085 to LaCoste, Jr. et al. discloses a device having a base, an arm that is perpendicular to the base and can be positioned for alignment with a golf ball, and indicators on the base to indicate the position of the ball relative to the base.  
         [0004]     It would be desirable if an improved apparatus and system were available for training a golfer to develop a good stance, and particularly to develop a consistent stance relative to the position of the ball.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention provides a golf training apparatus to help golfers hit a golf ball more effectively and consistently. The apparatus includes a base with first markings along a first edge thereof to indicate positions for locating a golfer&#39;s feet adjacent the base, and second markings along an oppositely-disposed second edge of the base for indicating the location of a golf ball relative to the base. The apparatus further has an alignment member mounted for movement relative to the base and configured for selective alignment with any one of the second markings. A measuring member is mounted to the alignment member for measuring the distance between the base and the golf ball, and a light-generating device is mounted to the base for illuminating the location of the golf ball.  
         [0006]     In use, the apparatus enables a golfer to track where his or her feet are positioned relative to each other, where the ball is located relative to the golfer&#39;s feet (the golfer&#39;s stance), and the distance the ball is located from the golfer&#39;s stance. In this manner, beginning and experienced golfers can determine the most effective ball-to-stance position using a trial-and-error procedure, at the conclusion of which the above factors are recorded on a worksheet to describe an optimum ball-to-stance relationship. This procedure is preferably repeated for each of the golfer&#39;s clubs. Thereafter, the golfer can practice driving and putting balls using the optimum ball-to-stance position to develop a more consistent stance that will help the golfer hit the ball more effectively and consistently.  
         [0007]     Other objects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a golf training apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  represents a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the apparatus along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  shows a worksheet for use with the apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     Illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is a golf training device  10  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus  10  is shown as including a base  12  with two parallel rows of markings  14  and  16  located along oppositely-disposed edges of the base  12 . The first row of markings  14  is used to locate a golfer&#39;s feet relative to the base  12  when hitting a golf ball  18  with a golf club (not shown). The second row of markings  16  is used to locate the golf ball  18  relative to the base  12 , and therefore also relative to the golfer&#39;s feet and stance. The base  12  is shown as having a rectangular shape, though other shapes are possible. The first row of markings  14  are depicted as boxes that are imprinted or otherwise formed on the base  12 . In  FIG. 1 , the leftmost box is labeled “Position A,” and the remaining boxes are in alphabetical order through the rightmost box labeled “Position H.” A right-handed golfer may place his/her left foot on any of the boxes, such as the box labeled “Position A,” and then place his/her right foot on whichever box is believed to provide a proper stance. A left-handed golfer might place his/her left foot on the box labeled “Position H,” and then place his/her left foot on whichever box is believed to provide a proper stance. The golfer can then note his/her stance by observing the letters of the boxes on which his/her feet are placed. Because the second row of markings  16  is used to locate the golf ball  18  relative to the golfer&#39;s feet (as described in further detail below), and the normal golf stance is to place the forward and rearward feet ahead and behind the ball  18 , respectively, the row of second markings  16  is not required to extend beyond the row of first markings  14 .  
         [0012]     To locate the ball  18  relative to the base  12  and therefore relative to the golfer&#39;s stance, the apparatus  10  is shown as including a rod  20  mounted to the base  12  adjacent the second row of markings  16 , and a block  22  slidably mounted to the rod  20 . A bar  24  is pivotably mounted to the block  22  and has graduated distance markings or other suitable scale along its length to enable measurement of the position of the ball  18  from the base  12  or its edge. As most readily seen in  FIG. 2 , the block  22  has an upward-projecting post  26  to which one end of the bar  24  is secured with a fastener  28  to enable the bar  24  to pivot relative to the block  22 , and therefore relative to the base  12 . The block  22  is equipped with a ball plunger  30  biased in an upward direction so that, when the bar  24  is oriented perpendicular to the near edge of the base  12  (as seen in  FIG. 1 ), the ball plunger  30  engages a channel or recess  32  on the lower surface of the bar  24 . In this manner, the bar  24  can be detained in the perpendicular position during use of the apparatus  10 , and then stowed in a position over and parallel to the rod  20  when not in use.  
         [0013]     The second row of markings  16  are shown as circular symbols having essentially the same size (diameter) and shape of the golf ball  18 . The individual markings  16  are numbered consecutively from G 1  through G 24 , and serve to locate the ball  18  relative to the base  12  and therefore the golfer&#39;s stance. The block  22  is preferably able to freely move along the length of the rod  20 . In the preferred embodiment, the rod  20  is formed to have notches  34  along its length, preferably individually aligned with the markings  16  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The notches  34  are selectively engagable by a second ball plunger  36  installed in the block  22 . In this manner, the block  22 , along with the bar  24  mounted thereto and detained perpendicular to the row of markings  16 , can be slid along the length of the rod  20  until the bar  24  is positioned adjacent the ball  18  and the block  22  is detained at one of the markings  16 .  
         [0014]     The apparatus  10  is further shown in  FIG. 1  as being equipped with a laser generator  38 . The laser generator  38  can be of any commercially available type that can generate a beam  40  capable of illuminating the location of the ball  18  relative to the base  12 . The generator  38  is preferably pivotably mounted to the base  12 , such as with a post (not shown), to allow for different locations of the ball  18  relative to the base  12 . The laser generator  38  can have multiple operating modes, one being a continuous mode in which the beam  40  is continuously generated to illuminate the ball  18  and/or the surface beneath the ball  18 . Another operating mode permits the golfer to selectively illuminate the ball  18  (or the surface beneath) by operating a switch or button (not shown). After the golfer hits the ball  18 , the laser generator  38  enables the golfer to place a second ball in the same location as the first. The laser generator  38  can be configured to have an alphanumeric position indicator (not shown) to allow the golfer to note and record the position of the generator  38  corresponding to the location of the ball  18 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  shows a worksheet  42  for recording the positional information provided by the apparatus  10  of this invention. In particular, the worksheet  42  includes a column  44  by which the particular club is identified, columns  46  identifying the placement of the golfer&#39;s left and right feet (using the markings  14 ), a column  48  identifying the location of the golf ball  18  along the length of the base  12  (using the markings  16 ), and a column  50  identifying the distance of the golf ball  18  from the base  12  (using the bar  24 ).  
         [0016]     In use, the golfer places the apparatus  10  on the ground, takes an appropriate stance facing the apparatus  10  with his or her feet aligned with two of the markings  14 , and places the ball  18  on the ground or a tee at a location that the golfer believes is suitable for the golfer&#39;s stance and the club that will be used. The golfer then rotates the measuring bar  24  into position next to the ball  18 , notes the location of the ball  18  with the scale on the bar  24 , and illuminates the location of the ball  18  with the laser beam  40 . The golfer can then rotate the bar  24  out of the way, strike the ball  18 , and decide whether the ball  18  was hit successfully. The laser generator  38  can be used to identically place additional balls  18  without use of the bar  24 . If the golfer decides a different ball-to-stance should be attempted, the golfer can play a ball  18  placed in a different location than the previous. Once the golfer feels that one or more balls have been hit successfully, the readings for the successful strike(s) can be recorded on the worksheet  42  and later used to practice hitting any number of balls using essentially the identical ball-to-stance position. This process is preferably repeated for every club used by the golfer.  
         [0017]     As described above, the apparatus  10  of this invention can be seen to enable measurement of a number of factors that determine a golfer&#39;s stance relative to the ball  18 . The apparatus  10  achieves this advantage without encumbering a golfer&#39;s ability to swing. For example, the base  12  can have a very low profile, such as a width of about 3.25 inches (about 8 cm) and a length of about 53 inches (about 135 cm), and a thickness of about 3/4 inch (about 2 cm). As such, the base  12  can be sized to fit neatly in front of one&#39;s feet.  
         [0018]     While the invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, the physical configuration of the apparatus  10  could differ from that shown, such as that shown in U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/521,040, whose contents are incorporated herein by reference. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.