Abstract:
A golf course has a single fairway with multiple greens. At least two greens are provided, at opposite ends of the fairway. One or more additional greens may be provided between the first two greens and along the fairway. Also, multiple tees are provided for the one fairway. At least one tee is provided at each end of the fairway, the tee facing down the fairway towards the green at the opposite end of the fairway. Each green may be the target of two or more tees disposed at different locations on the fairway. The golf course is occupied for a predetermined limited period of time by an individual or a single group of golfers. The individual or single group of golfers plays back and forth along the fairway, for as long as they have reserved the course. They can play at their own pace, undisturbed by other golfers because there are no other golfers on the course. The only limitation is duration: eventually they will have to stop because their reserved interval of play has terminated.

Description:
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/022,819 filed Feb. 12, 1998 Pat. No. 6,053,819. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to golf More specifically, this invention relates to a new kind of golf course. Several golf courses in accordance with the invention may be incorporated into a golf park. This invention also relates to a method for playing a golf game. 
     Golf is a sport loved by millions world wide. Unfortunately for golf aficionados, golf has become so popular that courses have become markedly crowded. It is not uncommon for waiting times to be comparable to playing times. Waits are experienced not only prior to starting a golf game but during the game, at tees subsequent to the first one. Even if a particular course is not crowded at a certain time, frustration may nevertheless be occasioned one group of golfers by a another, slow group of golfers playing ahead. Conversely, one&#39;s enjoyment in the game can be considerably diminished by demands of following players to play more quickly. Beginners can be discouraged from playing the game, not only by pressures to minimize strokes and thus time on any particular hole, but also by exorbitant costs. High expense is especially rampant in countries such as Japan where land is at a premium. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a golf course where an individual or a group can play golf at a desired pace, without encountering slower golfers in front or faster golfers behind. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf course wherein land usage is minimized, thereby enabling the play of golf even in areas where land is scarce. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a new method for playing a golf game. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the drawings and descriptions herein. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The foregoing objects are realized in a golf course comprising essentially a single fairway with multiple greens. At least two greens are provided, at opposite ends of the fairway. One or more additional greens may be provided between the first two greens and along the fairway. Also, multiple tees are provided for the one fairway. At least one tee is provided at each end of the fairway, the tee facing down the fairway towards the green at the opposite end of the fairway. Each green may be the target of two or more tees disposed at different locations on the fairway. The golf course is occupied for a predetermined limited period of time by an individual or a single group of golfers. The individual or single group of golfers plays back and forth along the fairway, for as long as they have reserved the course. They can play at their own pace, undisturbed by other golfers because there are no other golfers on the course. The only limitation is duration: eventually they will have to stop because their reserved interval of play has terminated. 
     In accordance with the present invention, the tees and the greens, as well as hazards disposed along the fairway, are so arranged as to present many different holes on the same fairway. The tee off location will vary depending on which tee one selects. In addition, the greens can be large enough to have multiple cups at substantially spaced locations. 
     Accordingly, a golf course in accordance with the present invention comprises a fairway having a first end and a second end. A first green is disposed at the first end of the fairway, while a second green is disposed at the second end of the fairway. Play is from the fairway onto the two greens. A first tee is disposed approximately at the first end of the fairway for play onto the fairway towards the second green. A second tee is disposed approximately at the second end of the fairway for play onto the fairway towards the first green. The fairway is the only fairway of the golf course and accommodates more than two holes of a golf game. Of course, a plurality of such single-fairway golf courses may be provided in proximity to one another. Such a collection of golf courses might be termed a “golf park.” 
     According to another feature of the present invention, the golf course further comprises a third green disposed along the fairway intermediate between the first green and the second green, a third tee disposed approximately at the third green for play onto the fairway towards the first green, and a fourth tee disposed approximately at the third green for play onto the fairway towards the second green. The single-fairway golf course may additionally comprise a fifth tee disposed approximately at the first end of the fairway for play onto the fairway towards the third green and a sixth tee disposed approximately at the second end of the fairway for play onto the fairway towards the third green. 
     Pursuant to an additional feature of the present invention, each end of the fairway may be provided with multiple, relatively spaced tees for play towards the green at the other end of the fairway. Generally, one tee presents a shorter or easier hole while the other tee at the same end of the fairway presents a longer or harder hole. 
     Hazards may be provided along the single fairway which present different degrees of difficulty depending on which tee is used and which cup is being played. A hazard may be disposed in the fairway for dividing the fairway into substantially parallel portions each extending the length of the fairway. In that case, two tees at one end of the fairway may be disposed for play onto respective portions of the divided fairway. 
     According to a further feature of the present invention, a movable hazard is disposed along the fairway. The hazard is mounted to a carrier which may be towed by a truck or pulled by cables. The hazard may be removed from the fairway and replaced with a different hazard for varying the aspect and level of skill required by the course. Alternatively, the hazard may simply be moved to a different location on the course. 
     As discussed above, a golf park may be created by providing several single-fairway golf courses in proximity to one another. The courses of such a golf park may be designed to present a varying level of difficulty. 
     In a method for playing golf in accordance with the present invention, a first golf ball is hit from a first tee onto a fairway from a first end of the fairway towards a first green disposed at a second end of the fairway opposite the first tee and the first end. That ball is then hit from the fairway onto the first green and into a first cup on the first green. Thereafter, a second golf ball (which may be same ball as the first) is hit from a second tee onto the fairway towards a second green disposed at the first end of the fairway. The second tee is disposed approximately at the second end of the fairway and the first tee is disposed approximately at the first end of the fairway. After the second golf ball is hit from the second tee onto the fairway, that ball is hit from the fairway onto the second green and into a second cup on the second green. 
     Play on the golf course may be extended by hitting a third golf ball from a tee at least approximately at one of the first end and the second end onto the fairway towards a third green disposed along the fairway intermediate between the first green and the second green. This ball is played into a cup on the third green. Then, a fourth golf ball (perhaps the same physical ball as the first, second and third golf balls) may be played onto the fairway towards one of the first green and the second green from a tee disposed substantially proximately to the third green. 
     A golf course in accordance with the present invention requires substantially less space than a traditional golf course . Land usage is minimized, thereby enabling the play of golf even in areas where land is scarce. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view diagram of a single-fairway golf course in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view diagram of another single-fairway golf course in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view diagram of a park including several single-fairway golf courses in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective diagram showing a plurality of movable hazards substitutable for one another in a recess in accordance with the present invention, for use in a golf course as shown in FIGS. 1-3. 
     FIG. 4A is a schematic perspective view of a method for moving a hazard in accordance with the invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a diagram of a movable hazard in accordance with the present invention, for use in a golf course as shown in FIGS. 1-3. 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing a portion of a transport system for the movable hazard of FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 7A is a schematic partial perspective view of a golf course with the movable hazard of FIG. 5, showing the hazard in one location. 
     FIG. 7B is a schematic partial perspective view similar to FIG. 7A, showing the hazard in another location. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As illustrated in FIG. 1, a golf course  10  has a single fairway F 1  which is provided at opposite ends  12  and  14  with two greens G 1  and G 2 . Green G 1  is provided with two cups  16  and  18  marked by respective flags or pins  20  and  22 . Green G 2  is similarly provided with two cups  24  and  26  marked by pins  28  and  30 . Two mutually spaced tees T 1  and T 2  are provided at fairway end  12 , and two mutually spaced tees T 3  and T 4  are provided at end  14 . 
     In playing a golf game on course  10 , a player hits a golf ball (not shown), for example, from tee T 1  onto fairway F 1 . The player then hits the ball from fairway F 1  onto green G 2  and into a selected cup  24  or  26 . Subsequently, the player hits either the same ball or another ball from a tee T 3  or T 4 . This second tee may be selected by the player or may be preselected in accordance with a predetermined agenda. If all of the holes (identified by respective combinations of tees and cups) are preselected by agenda, the player can more easily check his performance with predetermined par standards. 
     The player continues in the above described manner, selecting different tees and different cups to vary the lengths and aspects of a sequence of golf holes. Generally, a single player or a single group of players exclusively occupies golf course  10  for an assigned or reserved period. The single player or group of players is free of slower players in front of them and faster players behind them. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates some of the variety which may be introduced into a single-fairway golf course or multiple green fairway in accordance with the invention. A golf course  32  shown in FIG. 2 includes a single fairway F 2  with a dog-leg shape. A first end  34  of fairway F 2  or course  32  is provided with a green G 3  and pair of tees T 5  and T 6  aimed generally down fairway F 2  towards two greens G 4  and G 5  located at an opposite end  36  of fairway F 2 . At that opposite end  36  are provided two tees T 7  and T 8  for play onto fairway F 2  back towards green G 3 . A further tee T 9  is provided at fairway end  36  for play onto fairway F 2  towards a pair of additional greens G 6  and G 7  disposed at an intermediate location along fairway F 2 . Yet another tee T 9  at fairway end  36  is aimed at green G 6 . A plurality of tees T 10 , T 11  and T 12  are provided in the area of greens G 6  and G 7  for play onto fairway F 2  either towards green G 3  or greens G 4  and G 5  Another tee T 13  at green G 3  is provided for play towards any of greens G 4 -G 7 . 
     Substantial variation in the holes playable on course  32  is presented by the different greens and tees. Further variation is introduced by providing multiple cups on the different greens. Green G 3 , for example, has cups  38  and  40 . For purposes of simplicity, the pins at cups  38  and  40  and the cups and pins on greens G 4 -G 7  are not labeled with reference designations. As in conventional single-green fairways, hazards such as sand traps S 1 -S 6  and a water hazard W 1  may be provided on course  32 . A hazard such as a copse of trees  42  is disposed substantially centrally along fairway F 2  for dividing the fairway into two generally parallel portions P 1  and P 2 . Other trees  44  are disposed about the periphery of fairway F 2 . 
     In playing a golf game on course  32 , a player hits a golf ball (not shown), for example, from tee T 5  onto fairway F 2  and more particularly onto fairway portion P 2 . The player then hits the ball from fairway portion P 2  onto green G 4  or G 5  and into a selected cup on the respective green. For the next hole, the player hits either the same ball or another ball from tee T 7  back towards green G 3  along fairway portion P 2 , from tee T 8  towards green G 3  along fairway portion P 1 , from tee T 8  towards green G 6  or G 7  along fairway F 2 , or from tee T 9 . If green G 3  is the target green on this second hole, the player may select either cup  38  or  40 . 
     After playing to green G 6  or G 7 , the player or group of players may select tee T 10  for play onto fairway portion P 1  towards green G 3 , tee T 12  for play onto fairway portion P 2  towards green G 3 , or tee T 11  for play onto fairway F 2  towards green G 4  or G 5 . After playing to green G 3 , the player or group of players may select tee T 13  for play onto fairway portion P 1  towards green G 4 , G 5 , G 6  or G 7 . Alternatively, the player or players may tee off from tee T 5  or T 6  onto fairway portion P 2  towards greens G 4  or G 5 . Again, the tees, greens and cups selected by the player or golf group may be pursuant to a predetermined standard sequence of holes for golf course  32 . Of course, following golf conventions, each combination of tee, fairway portion, green and cup may be assigned a par value for facilitating gauging a players performance. 
     FIG. 3 depicts a golf park incorporating several single-fairway golf courses  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56 , and  58  having respective fairways F 3 -F 9 . Courses  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56 , and  58  may have varying levels of difficulty determined generally by the nature and numbers of hazards. The golf park also has a centrally located administrative building or clubhouse  60  and a parking lot  62 . 
     Fairway F 3  of course  46  is provided with a centrally located floral or arboreal hazard  64  which divides fairway F 3  into two parallel portions P 3  and P 4 . A first green G 8  is located at one end of fairway F 3 , a second green G 9  at an opposite end, and a third green G 10  at an intermediate position. Two tees T 14  and T 15  at green G 8  are aimed at respective fairway portions P 3  and P 4  and concomitantly at respective greens G 9  and G 10 . Two further tees T 16  and T 17  are disposed at green G 9  for play onto fairway F 3  towards greens G 8  and G 10 , respectively. Two additional tees T 18  and T 19  are provided at green G 10  to enable players to tee off onto fairway F 3  towards greens G 8  and G 9 , respectively. Each green G 8 , G 9 , G 10  is provided with two or more cups (not labeled), marked by pins (not labeled). Course  46  is designed to be relatively easy to play. Fairway F 3  is level and devoid of hazards, with the exception of floral or arboreal hazard  64 . 
     Course  48  includes three greens G 11 , G 12 , and G 13  and five tees T 20  through T 24 . Greens G 11  and G 12  are provided at opposite ends of fairway F 4 ; green G 13  is disposed at an intermediate location. Tees T 20  and T 21  are aimed towards greens G 12  and G 13 , respectively, while tees T 22  and T 23  are aimed towards green G 11  and tee T 24  is aimed towards green G 12 . Fairway F 4  is level and completely devoid of hazards so that course  48  presents a modicum of difficulty. 
     Course  50  includes three greens G 14 , G 15 , and G 16  and seven tees T 25  through T 31 . Greens G 14  and G 15  are provided at the far ends of fairway F 5 , while fairway G 16  is located in between. A hazard  66 , such as a pond, a sand trap, a copse of trees or bushes or an artificial structure such as a sculpture, is disposed substantially centrally in fairway F 5  and effectively divides that fairway into two portions P 5  and P 6 . Tees T 25  and T 26 , located next to green G 14 , point towards green G 16  along fairway portion P 5 . Tee T 27 , also near green G 14 , is directed towards green G 15  along fairway portion P 6 . Tees T 28  and T 29  are provided near green G 15  and are designed for play onto fairway F 5  towards greens G 14  and G 16 , respectively. Tees T 30  and T 31 , at an intermediate location, enable play towards greens G 14  and G 16 , respectively. Each green is provided with two cups and associated pins (not designated). Course  50  is longer and therefore more difficult than course  46 . 
     Course  52  has four greens G 17 -G 20 . Greens G 17  and G 18  are the farthest apart and concomitantly by definition are located at opposite ends of fairway F 6 . Greens G 19  and G 20  are located along fairway F 6  between greens G 17  and G 18 . Associated with each green G 17 -G 20  is a respective pair of tees, namely, tees T 32  and T 33 , T 34  and T 35 , T 36  and T 37 , and T 38  and T 39 . Tees T 32  and T 33 , disposed at the near or proximal end of fairway F 6  in the neighborhood of green G 17 , may be used to play holes associated with either green G 18  or G 19 . Tee  32  may also be used to play towards green T 20 . Tees T 34  and T 35 , disposed at the far or distal end of fairway F 6  in the neighborhood of green G 18 , are oriented along fairway F 6  in the direction of greens G 20  and G 17 , respectively. Tees T 36  and T 37 , near green G 19 , are disposed for pay onto fairway F 6  towards greens G 17  and G 20 , respectively. Tees T 38  and T 39 , beside green G 20 , are for play towards greens G 17  and G 19 , respectively. Course  52  is of greater difficulty than course  50 , particularly since course  52  is provided with sand trap hazards S 7  and S 8 . 
     Like course  52 , course  54  has four greens G 21 -G 24 . Green G 21  is located at a proximal end of the course, near clubhouse  60 , while green G 22  is located at a distal end of course  54 , farthest from clubhouse  60 . Greens G 23  and G 24  are located between greens G 21  and G 22  along fairway F 7 . Disposed in the area of proximal green G 21  are two tees T 40  and T 41 , for play towards greens G 24  and G 22 , respectively. A tee T 42  near green G 22  may be used for play onto fairway F 7  towards green G 21  or G 24 . Another tee T 43  behind green G 22  is used for play towards green G 23 . Green G 23  is itself associated with three tees T 44 -T 46  which are directed towards greens G 21 , G 22  and G 24 , respectively. Another three tees T 47 -T 49  are located about green G 24  for enabling teeing off towards greens G 21 , G 22  and G 23 , respectively. Sand traps S 9 -S 14  are provided for increasing the level of play required on course  54 . As in other courses of the golf park of FIG. 3, each green G 21 -G 24  has at least two cups and associated pins (not labeled) for providing enhanced variation. One skilled in the art will appreciate that each greens G 21 -G 24  may have different levels and inclined sections, with the cups being located at different areas to enhance hole difficulty. 
     Course  56  includes three greens G 25 -G 27 , seven tees T 50 -T 57 , several sand traps S 15 -S 19 , a water hazard W 2  and a mid-fairway arboreal hazard  68 . Course  56  is generally triangularly shaped. In such a case, two greens, for example, greens G 25  and G 26 , will be spaced from one another by a greater distance than greens G 25  and G 27  or greens G 26  and G 27 . Greens G 25  and G 26  are then located by definition at opposing ends of fairway F 8 , while green G 27  is considered to be located along fairway F 8  between the other two greens. Water hazard W 2  and arboreal hazard  68  divide fairway F 8  into two portions P 7  and P 8 . 
     Course  58  includes four greens G 28 -G 31 , several tees T 57 -T 62 , sand traps S 20 -S 24 , a water hazard W 3  and arboreal hazards  70  and  72 . Greens G 28  and  29  are located at a proximal end of fairway F 9  or course  58 , near clubhouse  60 , while green G 30  is disposed at a distal end of fairway F 9  and green G 31  is located midway along fairway F 9 . Tees T 57  and T 58 , at the proximal end of course  58 , are aimed at greens G 30  and G 31 , respectively, while tees T 59 -T 61 , at the distal end of the course, are oriented in the directions of greens G 28 , G 29  and G 31 , respectively. Tee T 62  near green G 31  is pointed towards green G 29 . 
     Courses  54 ,  56  and  58  require a high level of skill, owing to the various hazards on those courses. The golf park has a multitude of trees  70  and other vegetation for defining courses  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54 , and  56 . Other means of separating the different golf courses may include walls or fences. 
     FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a technique for modifying a golf course, particularly a single-fairway golf course as described hereinabove. A fairway F 10  having a green G 32  is provided with a recess  72  of a fixed shape for receiving a removable container  74 . Container  74  has a shape which conforms to recess  72  so that container  74  may be inserted into recess  72 . Container  74  holds a hazard such as a tree  76 . Container  74  with tree  74  may be removed from recess  72  and replaced with a container  78  holding a sand trap  80 , a container  82  holding turf  84 , or a container  86  holding a water hazard  88 . Containers  78 ,  82  and  86  are substantially identical to container  74  and are likewise removably receivable into recess  72  for varying the difficulty of a golf hole played on fairway F 10  to green G 32 . 
     As depicted in FIG. 4A, a hazard container  90  may be provided with wheels  92  and an inclined wall  94  conforming to an inclined surface of a recess (not shown) in a golf course fairway. The inclined surface of the recess facilitates the use of a truck  96  to move container  90  into and out of the recess in the fairway. In contrast, containers  74 ,  78 ,  82  and  86  (FIG. 4) require the use of a crane (not shown) or other lifting device to raise the containers out of recess  72 . 
     FIG. 5 shows another technique for modifying a golf course to vary the level of play required. A hazard  100 , such as a tree, is mounted to a movable platform or carrier  102 . Carrier  102  is covered with dirt and turf and otherwise conforms to a fairway F 11  on which the carrier and hazard  100  are disposed. A generally underground cable and track system  104  is provided for shifting carrier  102  and its hazard  100  along a pre-established path on fairway F 11 . System  104  includes a cable  106  and a pair of rail assemblies  108 . Cable  106  is fastened along an intermediate point to carrier  102  and at ends of the travel path to sheaves (not shown) driven by motors  110  and  112 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 6, a rail assembly  108  includes a channel member  114  housing a rail  116  on which a plurality of wheels  118  ride (only one wheel shown). Carrier  102  is supported on wheels  118  by respective struts  120 . Struts  120  extend through a slit  122  between two resilient lips  124 . Lips  124  are angled to close slit  122  around struts  120  and to prevent golf balls from falling into channel member  114 . 
     FIGS. 7A and 7B show fairway F 11 , a green G 33 , a tee T 63  and hazard  100  on carrier  102 . In FIG. 7A, carrier  102  and hazard  100  are disposed in one location. In FIG. 7B, the carrier and the hazard are disposed in another location after shifting thereof by cable and track system  104 . 
     It is to be noted that the hazard replacement or hazard shifting systems of FIGS. 4 through 7B can be utilized in conventional multiple-fairway golf courses as well as in the single-fairway courses of the present invention. 
     It is contemplated that a single-fairway golf course as described above will be used for a predetermined standard period such as one hour. At the end of that standard period, the player or players will depart from the course by walking or taking a golf cart along a path (not shown) disposed along a longitudinal boundary of the fairway. The end of the standard period may be communicated to the players by an acoustic alert signal or a verbal message generated via speakers at various locations throughout the course. Video cameras may be provided throughout the course for security and time enforcement purposes. Video images from the cameras can be displayed at a central location, for example, at clubhouse  60 . 
     Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of the claimed invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof