Patent Publication Number: US-2021170253-A1

Title: Golf courese &#34;kaleidoscope&#34; and method of playing

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part application of and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/768,914, titled “Golf Course “Kaleidoscope”,” filed Apr. 17, 2018, which claims priority to PCT Patent Application No. PCT/RU2017/000434, titled “Golf Course “Kaleidoscope”,” filed Jun. 20, 2017, which claims priority to Russian Patent Application No. RU 206126449, titled “Golf Course “Kaleidoscope”,” filed Jul. 1, 2016. The complete disclosure of each of the foregoing priority and related applications is hereby fully incorporated herein by reference. The invention relates to the field of sports and in particular to the construction of a sports and recreational facility in the form of a golf course. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates generally to golf courses and a method of playing a golf course, and more particularly, to golf courses and methods of playing golf courses that are designed to allow a player to play more than one golf course route on the same golf course. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The design of a golf course, like any material object, can be characterized by a combination of deterministic constructive elements, i.e. their shape, dimensions, relative position, etc. The typical design of a golf course is a vast plot of land—from 20 to 100 hectares and more, which includes playing zones (holes), meeting certain standards, and in most cases not more than eighteen playing zones. Traditionally, the 18-hole golf course is divided into two parts of 9 holes each, which makes it possible to play, by choice, 18 holes or only 9 holes. Each hole begins with a tee area—tee and ends with a green—an area with the shortest grass, located within the standard playing distance from each other, whereon the actual hole is situated, i.e. depression (hole-depression), in which the ball rolls in to. The tee area is where a player initiates play for that playing zone, or hole, and strikes a golf ball towards the green. It is the precise location from where the ball is initially hit to start play for a respective playing zone. Hence, if the golf course has eighteen holes, then there are eighteen tee areas, or tees, and eighteen greens. Each green includes the actual hole where the player is trying to hit the golf ball into. Once the golf ball rolls into the actual hole, the player continues to the next playing zone, or hole, and commences play again until the player is finished playing. The area of the greens is approximately from 600 to 650 square meters, although there are no accurate standards for their dimensions. Furthermore, the green is not a perfect flat area. Undulations, known as breaks, are created on purpose to allow deviations when rolling the ball. Although within the green there must be locations (about one meter in diameter) with limited undulations to allow for placement of the actual hole, or hole-depression. 
     To determine the playing length of the hole, the conditional standard “par”, a number of strokes for which a golfer must complete the entire hole with a successful game, is used. The par is determined by the actual length from the tee to the green&#39;s center and by the game difficulty of each hole. The standards of the holes are determined by the handicap system in such a way that the par 3 hole should be less than 235 meters (257 yards) in length, the par 4 hole should be in the range from 220 to 450 meters (241 to 492 yards), and the par 5 hole should be more than 415 meters (454 yards) in length. In addition to the actual length in the definition of the “par” standard, the game complexity of the hole is further taken into account and hence the overlap of the distance ranges for each par as well: the relief, the presence of obstacles, the wind direction. Thus, a hole with an actual length of 430 meters (470 yards) can be classified as “par 4” or “par 5”, depending on the game complexity of the hole. 
     The sum of the pars of all holes is the total par of the golf course, which is usually equal to about 70-72 par for a standard course of 18 holes. 
     In addition to the tee and green, each hole has a fairway, which is an area having grass of medium height, occupying most of the playing surface between the tee and the green. The fairway on either side is surrounded by higher grass known as rough or semi-rough that can significantly make the shot harder from this area. Various hazards, elements of the playing surface, specially built thereon, are located in different places within the holes and around them to challenge the game. Artificially created objects, for example, lakes, sand traps-bunkers, etc., as well as natural objects of the landscape, for example trees, bushes, hills, etc., can be used as hazards. 
     The typical design of the golf course does not include holes parallel to each other at a short range, especially if they adjacent to one another and played in opposite directions, as the ball, hit from the tee of one hole, can hit players on the parallel hole. Intersection of two playing zones, or holes, is not further allowed, because due to the presence of hazards, the players who are on the same hole cannot see the players playing on the intersecting hole. Such restrictions in the construction of the golf course are introduced based on the safety conditions of the players. 
     Traditional golf courses are designed and constructed in such a way that they have one predefined route, which is formalized in a so-called score card, which indicates the hole number for each of the holes, the length of each of the holes, and its corresponding par. The score card also provides an empty space next to the row for each hole for the player to enter the number of hits the player took to complete that hole, which may be the number of hits equal to par, below par, or higher than par. 
     Players generally start the game on hole number 1 and consistently move in accordance with the sequence number of holes to hole number 18 (on the course with 18 holes) [Complete Encyclopedia. Golf. Moscow. AST Astrel. 2015. p. 252-391-www.dk.com]. 
     The main disadvantage of the typical design of the golf course is the predetermination of the routing, because after some time players who constantly play the course, regardless of the surrounding conditions, quite accurately know how to strike, where the ball will land and how to avoid one or another hazard. There is a lack of challenge to the course, which leads to a loss of its attractiveness for the player and the need to travel to other golf courses. For this reason, at each golf resort, as a rule, several golf courses are built, which significantly reduces the economic performance of the golf club (profitability) associated with the need to buy more land and also build and operate extra golf courses. 
     The tendency for variability in the routes of golf courses is the dominant trend in the design and construction of the latter, which has been confirmed in a significant number of granted patents and registered applications in various countries, the most typical of which are introduced in the present description as a prior art and prototype. 
     It is known according to the U.S. Pat. No. 3,156,470, a golf course that consist of 9 holes, which feature is that each green has two tees and a fairway, characterized by varying playability. Thus, the 9-hole golf course has in fact 18 holes and two routes, i.e. it has low variability with significant construction expenses. 
     As a prototype of the present invention a technical solution according to the international application WO 2001026743 is chosen. The design of the golf course is patented, on which the traditional number of holes is located, i.e. 18 and a set of deterministic elements—tees, greens, fairways and hazards. The distinctive feature of the solution is that each one of the holes has several sets of tees located in different places and with different pars. Thus, the game from different tees introduces some variety, but in principle the route remains predetermined, i.e. the order of playing the holes and entering the greens is always the same. In addition, if each hole is provided with tee sets having pars from 3 to 5, then the area of the golf course and, as a consequence, the construction expenses significantly increase. 
     Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a golf course to be constructed and played so that given a single golf course, there exists an increase the number of golf course routes in the presence of the same set of elements thereon, and, ultimately, to increase the variability of the game and that players can play several golf course routes within the same golf course to provide variability and different challenges. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description, in conjunction with the accompanying figures briefly described as follows. 
         FIG. 1  is an plan view of a golf course illustrating a first predefined golf course route for eighteen playing zones in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is an plan view of the golf course of  FIG. 1  illustrating a second predefined golf course route for eighteen playing zones where the second predefined golf course route is different than the first predefined golf course route in accordance with the exemplary embodiment; and 
         FIG. 3  is an plan view of the golf course of  FIG. 1  illustrating a third predefined golf course route for eighteen playing zones where the third predefined golf course route is different than both the first predefined golf course route and the second predefined golf course route in accordance with the exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the invention are generally to golf courses and a method of playing a golf course, and more particularly, to golf courses and methods of playing golf courses that are designed to allow a player to play more than one golf course route on the same golf course. Embodiments of the invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments are shown. Embodiments of this invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The disclosure is better understood by reading the following description of non-limiting, exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, wherein like, but not necessarily the same or identical, parts of each of the figures are identified by like reference characters, and which are briefly described as follows. 
     The object of the embodiments is to increase the number of golf course routes in the presence of the same set of elements thereon, and, ultimately, to increase the variability of the game. The golf course is developed on an acreage of land and is designed such that multiple golf course routes can be played on the golf course without moving the greens, the tee areas—tees, or the fairways. Similarly, according to certain exemplary embodiments, the hazards also are not moved between the play of different golf course routes on the golf course. The general shape of the golf course is a kaleidoscope where there is generally a central area from which a majority of the playing zones extend outwardly therefrom or inwardly therein; however, there may be some playing zones that either continually extend in an outwardly direction from one of the ends of the playing zones that do extend from the central area or continually extend in an inwardly direction from an outer edge of the golf course towards an end of the playing zone that does extend from the central area. There still may be some playing zones that extend around the outer periphery of the general kaleidoscope shape. Other shapes may be possible for the golf course based on the teachings provided in these embodiments described herein. 
     The application task is achieved due to the fact that in a golf course on which there is a traditional number of holes containing a set of deterministic elements—tees, greens, fairways and hazards, at least one tee is within the standard playing distance of at least two greens, thereby forming new holes, creating new routes of playing the course, corresponding to all established game standards. The technical result of the invention consists in the fact that in the presence of a traditional number of the same elements, it is possible to create different full-length routes on the golf course, which significantly increases the variability of the game and contributes to reducing the construction expenses. 
     In  FIGS. 1, 2, 3  of the drawings attached to the description, schematic images of the same 18-hole golf course with a traditional set of the same elements with three different golf course routes laid thereon within the same acreage of land are shown. 
     As an example of implementation of the embodiments, a designed and constructed golf course in the Vsevolozhsk District of the Leningrad Region, Russia was chosen. The basic game route is shown in  FIG. 1 , where positions 1, 2, 3 . . . 18 represent the tees of the 18-hole golf course route, and the corresponding greens are indicated by positions 1d, 2d, 3d . . . 18d. Herewith, the numbering of tees and greens on the second and third golf course routes within the same golf course are shown in the drawings ( FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 ) and corresponds to their numbering in  FIG. 1 . Accordingly, at least one tee is within the standard playing distance at least up to two greens, and in accordance with some embodiments as an example, this can be two greens or three greens. Hence, the number of such tees is more than one, and this allows to increase the number of game routes (golf course routes), in particular, up to three, which are shown in the drawings as solid bold lines indicating the number of the corresponding route as a figure enclosed in a circle. The principle of one tee, within the standard distance up to two greens, extends to all tees of the described golf course according to the embodiments. This circumstance, in principle, allows to increase the number of golf course routes to more than three, i.e. the numbers of routes shown in the drawings. A conditional image of each one of the three game routes in the sequence of their routing is introduced below. 
     Golf Course Route 1 ( FIG. 1 ): 1-1 g, 2-2 g, 3-3 g, 4-4 g, 5-5 g, 6-6 g, 7-7 g, 8-8 g, 9-9 g, 10-10 g, 11-11 g, 12-12 g, 13-13 g, 14-14 g, 15-15 g, 16-16 g, 17-17 g, 18-18 g. 
     A golf course score card corresponding to Golf Course Route 1. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 Hole length, 
                   
               
               
                 Hole number 
                 m (yards) 
                 Par 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                 1 
                 412 (451) 
                 4 
               
               
                 2 
                 532 (582) 
                 5 
               
               
                 3 
                 427 (467) 
                 4 
               
               
                 4 
                 219 (240) 
                 3 
               
               
                 5 
                 526 (575) 
                 5 
               
               
                 6 
                 410 (448) 
                 4 
               
               
                 7 
                 175 (191) 
                 3 
               
               
                 8 
                 365 (399) 
                 4 
               
               
                 9 
                 434 (475) 
                 4 
               
               
                 Out 
                 3500 (3828) 
                 36 
               
               
                 10 
                 510 (558) 
                 5 
               
               
                 11 
                 394 (431) 
                 4 
               
               
                 12 
                 175 (191) 
                 3 
               
               
                 13 
                 501 (548) 
                 5 
               
               
                 14 
                 352 (385) 
                 4 
               
               
                 15 
                 552 (604) 
                 5 
               
               
                 16 
                 338 (370) 
                 4 
               
               
                 17 
                 163 (178) 
                 3 
               
               
                 18 
                 405 (443) 
                 4 
               
               
                 In 
                 3390 (3707) 
                 37 
               
               
                 Total: 
                 6890 (7535) 
                 73 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Golf Course Route 2 ( FIG. 2 ): 10-8 g, 9-7 g, 8-6 g, 7-5 g, 6-4 g, 4-3 g, 4-2 g, 3-1 g, 2-9 g, 10-11 g, 12-10 g, 11-12 g, 12-13 g, 14-12 g, 13-17 g, 17-15 g, 16-14 g, 15-18 g. 
     A golf course score card corresponding to Golf Course Route 2. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 Hole length, 
                   
               
               
                 Hole number 
                 m (yards) 
                 Par 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                 1 
                 405 (443) 
                 4 
               
               
                 2 
                 275 (301) 
                 4 
               
               
                 3 
                 370 (405) 
                 4 
               
               
                 4 
                 492 (538) 
                 5 
               
               
                 5 
                 422 (462) 
                 4 
               
               
                 6 
                 142 (155) 
                 3 
               
               
                 7 
                 500 (547) 
                 5 
               
               
                 8 
                 432 (472) 
                 4 
               
               
                 9 
                 280 (306) 
                 4 
               
               
                 Out 
                 3318 (3629) 
                 37 
               
               
                 10 
                 156 (171) 
                 3 
               
               
                 11 
                 418 (457) 
                 4 
               
               
                 12 
                 482 (527) 
                 5 
               
               
                 13 
                 324 (354) 
                 4 
               
               
                 14 
                 380 (416) 
                 4 
               
               
                 15 
                 426 (466) 
                 4 
               
               
                 16 
                 419 (458) 
                 4 
               
               
                 17 
                 550 (601) 
                 5 
               
               
                 18 
                 149 (163) 
                 3 
               
               
                 In 
                 3304 (3613) 
                 36 
               
               
                 Total: 
                 6622 (7242) 
                 73 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Golf Course Route 3 ( FIG. 3 ): 10-4 g, 5-8 g, 9-7 g, 8-6 g, 7-5 g, 6-4 g, 4-2 g, 3-1 g, 2-9 g, 10-11 g, 12-10 g, 11-12 g, 13-14 g, 13-16 g, 15-14 g, 15-13 g, 14 12 g, 15-18 g. 
     A golf course score card corresponding to Golf course Route 3. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 Hole length, 
                   
               
               
                 Hole number 
                 m (yards) 
                 Par 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                 1 
                 400 (437) 
                 4 
               
               
                 2 
                 135 (148) 
                 3 
               
               
                 3 
                 282 (308) 
                 4 
               
               
                 4 
                 352 (385) 
                 4 
               
               
                 5 
                 425 (465) 
                 4 
               
               
                 6 
                 454 (497) 
                 5 
               
               
                 7 
                 500 (547) 
                 5 
               
               
                 8 
                 432 (472) 
                 4 
               
               
                 9 
                 280 (306) 
                 4 
               
               
                 Out 
                 3260 (3565) 
                 37 
               
               
                 10 
                 160 (175) 
                 3 
               
               
                 11 
                 418 (457) 
                 4 
               
               
                 12 
                 480 (525) 
                 5 
               
               
                 13 
                 128 (140) 
                 3 
               
               
                 14 
                 384 (420) 
                 4 
               
               
                 15 
                 376 (411) 
                 4 
               
               
                 16 
                 415 (454) 
                 4 
               
               
                 17 
                 158 (173) 
                 3 
               
               
                 18 
                 150 (164) 
                 3 
               
               
                 In 
                 2669 (2919) 
                 33 
               
               
                 Total: 
                 5929 (6484) 
                 70 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     It should be noted that the tee is an intentionally constructed teeing area, with which the game begins in each playing zone. According to certain embodiments, there can be several starting positions on the site. An example is tee, indicated by number 15, where there are three starting positions, or tee 10—with two starting positions. 
     Also included within embodiments herein is the method of playing such a golf course described herein where a golf course is provided to players for playing and the players have been informed to play the golf course according to a first pre-determined golf course route, then later according to a second pre-defined golf course route, a then optionally later according to a third pre-defined golf course route. Further included within embodiments herein is the method of playing such a golf course described herein where a player accesses such a golf course for playing the golf course according to a first pre-determined golf course route, then later according to a second pre-defined golf course route, a then optionally later according to a third pre-defined golf course route. 
     According to some embodiments, a method of playing a golf course is provided. An acreage of land is provided with a golf course developed thereon. The golf course includes a plurality of tee areas, a plurality of greens, a plurality of fairways positioned between the tee areas and the greens, and one or more hazards selected from a group consisting of a lake, a trap, a bunker, a tree, a bush, and a hill. The one or more hazards can be positioned along each of the fairways. The number of tee areas are the same as the number of greens. At least one of the plurality of fairways is positioned between one of the plurality of tee areas and at least two of the plurality of greens. The golf course further includes a first pre-defined golf course route and a second pre-defined golf course route. The first pre-defined golf course route for play has a first score card and includes a first set of playing zones, where each playing zone of the first set includes a first set of deterministic elements. The first set of deterministic elements include a tee area, a green comprising a hole therein, a fairway positioned between the tee area and a corresponding green, and one or more hazards positioned along the fairway. The second pre-defined golf course route has a second score card and includes a second set of playing zones, where each playing zone of the second set includes a second set of deterministic elements. The second set of deterministic elements includes the tee area from one playing zone of the first set, a corresponding green selected from a different playing zone of the first set, one or more fairways from the first set positioned between each of the tee areas of the second set of playing zones and the corresponding green of the second set of playing zones, and one or more hazards positioned along the one or more fairways. The distance between each tee area and at least two greens of the first pre-defined golf course route and the second pre-defined golf course route is within at least one of par 3, par 4, and par 5 playing distance. Each playing zone of the first set of playing zones of the first pre-defined golf course routes is different from each playing zone of the second set of playing zones of the second pre-defined golf course route. The location of the tee areas, the greens, and the fairways within the acreage of land is in the same location in the acreage of land when playing the first pre-defined golf course route and playing the second pre-defined golf course route. Each tee area is in the precise location on the acreage of land where a golf ball is initially hit to start play for each playing zone of both the first pre-defined golf course route and the second pre-defined golf course route. The second pre-defined golf course route is different from the first pre-defined golf course route. Only one of the first and second pre-defined golf course routes is playable at any one time. The first score card is different from the second score card. 
     In another embodiment, the distance between at least one tee area and at least three greens is within at least one of par 3, par 4, and par 5 playing distance. 
     In yet another embodiment, the method of playing a golf course further includes providing a third pre-defined golf course route having a third score card and including a third set of playing zones. Each playing zone of the third set includes a third set of deterministic elements. The third set of deterministic elements includes the tee area from one playing zone of the first set, a corresponding green selected from a different playing zone of the first set and of the second set, one or more fairways from the first set positioned between each of the tee areas of the third set of playing zones and the corresponding green of the third set of playing zones, and one or more hazards positioned along the fairways. Each playing zone of the third set of playing zones of the third pre-defined golf course route is different from each playing zone of the first set of playing zones of the first pre-defined golf course route and is different from each playing zone of the second set of playing zones of the second pre-defined golf course route. The location of the tee areas, the greens, and the fairways within the acreage of land is in the same location in the acreage of land when playing the first pre-defined golf course route, playing the second pre-defined golf course route, and playing the third pre-defined golf course route. Each tee area is in the precise location on the acreage of land where a golf ball is initially hit to start play for each playing zone of each of the first pre-defined golf course route, the second pre-defined golf course route, and the third pre-defined golf course route. The number of the greens and the tee areas in the third pre-defined golf course route is the same as in the first pre-defined golf course route and the second pre-defined golf course route. The third pre-defined golf course route is different from the first pre-defined golf course route and the second pre-defined golf course route. Only one of the first, second and third pre-defined golf course routes is playable at any one time. The third score card is different from the first and second score cards. 
     In another embodiment, the third set of playing zones include eighteen greens. 
     In yet another embodiment, the first set of playing zones and the second set of playing zones include eighteen greens. 
     In some other exemplary embodiments, the method of playing a golf course includes a player accessing the acreage of land and playing at least a first pre-defined golf course route as described above and a second pre-defined golf course route as described above. In certain embodiments, the method of playing a golf course also includes a player playing a third pre-defined golf course route as described above. 
     Although certain embodiments have been described herein, other embodiments can have modifications in that not all playing zones in the first, second or third pre-defined golf course routes have to be different, but at least one playing zone can be different between each of the first, second or third pre-defined golf course routes. Thus, by having one playing zone different in each of the first, second, and third, each of the first pre-defined golf course route, the second pre-defined golf course route, and the third-pre-defined golf course route would be different. 
     Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described above in detail, the description is merely for purposes of illustration. It should be appreciated, therefore, that many aspects of the invention were described above by way of example only and are not intended as required or essential elements of the invention unless explicitly stated otherwise. Various modifications of, and equivalent steps corresponding to, the disclosed aspects of the exemplary embodiments, in addition to those described above, can be made by a person of ordinary skill in the art, having the benefit of this disclosure, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention defined in the following claims, the scope of which is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass such modifications and equivalent structures.