Abstract:
A golf stoke training aide includes a plurality of spaced spherical objects of different colors supported on or above a golf playing surface. The aide is placed between the golfer and golf hole cup. The spaced apart spheres represent the preferred direction to strike the ball based upon the anticipated path of the ball to the hole.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention is directed to a training device for indicating to golfers the correct stroke direction taking into account the slope of the putting green or other terrain in close proximity to the putting green. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0004]    In the game of golf, putting greens and fringe areas alongside the greens are frequently sloped in several directions in order to add additional skill requirements for golfers. Strokes referred to as chip or lob strokes will not often not travel in a straight line to the hole once they hit the ground. Also the path of the golf ball during a putting stroke will curve according to the slope of the green between the hole and the position of the ball on the green. This concept is sometimes difficult to explain to new golfers. Verbal instruction as to where to initially direct the golf ball such as inside the right edge of the cup or one cup to the left are not readily understood. 
         [0005]    Consequently, there is a need for a training device that will readily assist a new golfer in understanding the need to compensate for the slope of the terrain on or near the green when attempting a stroke. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0006]    These and other needs in the art are addressed by an apparatus that includes a plurality of colored balls on a support device. In one embodiment the balls are supported by a vertical shaft that is adapted to be placed within a regulation golf cup and supported in the same manner as a flagstick. In another embodiment, the training device is supported above the ground by a pair of spaced support legs. 
         [0007]    The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiments disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other embodiments for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent embodiments do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    For a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention adapted to be supported within a conventional golf cup. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the device placed in a golf cup and showing possible paths of the golf ball to the golf cup. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention adapted to rest upon a golfing surface such as the green or fringe area. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the support member shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates a first embodiment of the training device  10  which is adapted to be positioned within a conventional golf cup located on the green surface  12 . The device includes a vertical shaft  13  which is adapted to be placed in a supporting hole  45  which normally supports a flagstick within the golf cup  11 . A horizontally extending shaft having arms  15  and  14  is secured at its mid-point to vertical shaft  13   
         [0014]    A plurality of bodies shown as spherical balls  16 - 27  are supported by arms  13  and  14 . Balls  16 - 27  may be the approximate size of a golf ball and have a central bore through which arms  15  and  14  pass. The ball closest to vertical shaft  13  may be multicolored, one half  20  being of a different color. The same is true for half ball segments  22  and  23 . The remaining balls  16 - 19  and  24 - 27  are also of different colors from each other. Balls  22 - 27  may have the same color pattern of balls  16 - 21  as they are positioned away from shaft  13 . For example balls  19  and  24  may be off of the same color as well as half balls  21  and  22 . 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates the use of the training device. The head of a putter  31   a  may be positioned to be perpendicular to a straight line  29  to the hole which would correspond to a straight put having no break to it. 
         [0016]    On the other hand, if the putt is expected to break to the right, the putter face  31   b  would be positioned as shown at  31   b.    
         [0017]    A golfer must “read” the green to estimate how much the putt will break. Depending on the estimate the instructor would tell the student which ball to aim at. 
         [0018]    The anticipated path of the ball based on the estimate and aiming point is illustrated by the dotted lines  16   a - 27   a.  Thus if by reading the green the golf ball would break two balls to the right, the student would be told to aim for ball  19  so that the ball would enter the cup in the middle. If the balls were one inch in diameter and the put was expected to break five inches to the right, then the student would be instructed to aim at ball number  17 . 
         [0019]    For putts that were expected to break to the left as illustrated by lines  22   a - 27   a,  the same process of instruction would be used with the face of the putter being generally oriented as shown at  31   c.    
         [0020]    A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The device includes a pair of spaced apart supports  41 ,  43  have ground engaging foot members  42 ,  44 . Members  42  and  4  may have holes  62  such that a golf tee  61  may be used to anchor the supports to the ground. A shaft  45  is supported by supports  41 ,  43 . Shaft  45  would have a length for example between one foot to 10 feet and supports  41 ,  43  could be one inch to several feet in height. Balls  51 - 57  are supported on shaft  45 . Supports  41  and  43  may consist of two shafts that are vertically adjusted with respect to each other by any known mechanism. 
         [0021]    In this embodiment ball  51  could be a first color and indicate a straight shot. This embodiment is intended to be used for a chip shot in which the ball  32  is struck by a lofted club such that the ball becomes airborne as a result of the stroke. Area  41  may correspond to the fringe area around green surface  12 . 
         [0022]    Pair of balls  52 - 57  may be of the same color but a different color that the other pairs. 
         [0023]    In use, the instructor would again “read” the green or surface to estimate the path of the ball once it lands on the surface of the fringe or green. The student would be instructed to hit the golf ball over or under the pair of balls that would represent the estimated path of the golf ball once it hits that surface. For example, if the estimated path of the ball is  53   a,  then the student would be instructed to hit the ball  32  either over or under the pair of balls  53 . 
         [0024]      FIGS. 4  illustrates an embodiment of the support mechanism of  FIG. 1 . It includes a first shaft  13  adjustably positioned within support shaft  82  which is adapted to rest in aperture  45  of golf cup  11 . A compression fitting  81  may be provided for adjusting the position of shaft  13  within support shaft  82 . Any other known adjustment mechanism such as those discussed above may also be utilized. 
         [0025]    Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations may be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0026]    Bodies  15 - 27  and  51 - 57  are shown spherical in shape, however they may be formed as other shapes such as rectangles or other bodies of revolution.