Abstract:
A golf board game that combines simulated play through the use of a board and random outcome generating device and includes trivia questions that are integrated into the play of the game.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    Applicant hereby claims priority based on U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/303,174 filed Jul. 5, 2001, entitled “Roll-A-Round” which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to board games and more particularly to a new golf board game for simulating a round of golf.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The use of board games is known in the prior art. Known prior art golf board games include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,000,460; 4,380,338; 5,316,302; 5,273,290; 4,790,534; 6,105,963; 5,924,693; 5,722,659; 5,692,751; and 5,518,248.  
           [0004]    What is needed is a golf board game that includes both simulated golf play and golf trivia questions to provide an entertaining, educational game.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention meets the above-described need by providing a board game that combines simulated play through the use of a board and a random outcome generating device and includes trivia questions that are integrated into the play of the game. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    The invention is illustrated in the drawings in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures of which:  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a top view of the game board used in the golf board game according to the present invention;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a top view of the game board indicating the layout of the course depicted on the board in FIG. 1;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a side view of a dice shaker;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a plan view of all of the dice used in the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the playing cards used with the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the Champion&#39;s trophy;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the play money used with the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the playing pieces; and,  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the scorecard. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]    The present game can be played by any number of players, however, it is generally most enjoyable when from 2 to 8 play the game. The game may be played in at least two ways: individual play, with two, three, or four players; or team play, with teams of two, three or four golfers per team.  
         [0017]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the game may be played with a game board  10  to enhance the entertainment value and to help keep track of where the players are on any given hole. The game board  10  helps keep track of the positions and next shot of the players. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the game board  10  is a schematic overhead view of an existing or newly designed eighteen hole golf course so the players can see their progress throughout the course of an eighteen hole golf game.  
         [0018]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 9 , each player or team selects one of four colored flags  13  (FIG. 8) to represent their golf ball on the golf course. The flags  13  are initially lined up at the clubhouse  14  and are ready to begin play. The game may consist of nine or eighteen holes.  
         [0019]    The order of play may be determined by rolling a standard six-sided die (not shown) or a spinner device with the highest roll having honors. The game begins with the first player taking their tee shot from the tee box at the first hole to be played. Play typically begins at the tee box for hole number one. The tee box is divided into three regions with championship tees  19 , middle tees  22  and forward tees  25 . The first player begins the game by rolling a large white die  28  (FIG. 4) having sixteen sides. A golf bag shaped die shaker  27  may be used to shake the die  28 . As an alternative a spinner device could be substituted for the die  28 . As known to those of ordinary skill in the art, a spinner comprises a flat board having a circle divided into a number of segments. Each segment has a number associated therewith. A pointer is rotationally attached at the center of the circle such that it can be spun relative to the board to fall within a particular segment. There are also other random outcome generating devices such as electronic devices. The term random outcome generating device as used herein is intended to include dice, spinners, electronic random outcome generators, or the like.  
         [0020]    The outcome of the tee shot is determined by which side the die  28  ends up on and is illustrated in the table below. The table below indicates the set of possible outcomes associated with each die. The table lists the outcome and the number of sides of the die corresponding to that outcome.  
         [0021]    The large white die  28  represents the tee shot and is also the fairway shot for par 5 holes. Each time that the player rolls the die  28  it represents a swing of the golf club or a stroke, and therefore the players keep track of how many times that they roll each die.  
         [0022]    After the die  28  is rolled for the tee shot, the player&#39;s flag  13  is placed on the location indicated by the large white die  28 . The locations or shot outcome zones may include the fairway  27 , a sand trap  33 , a water hazard  29 , a hook, or a slice.  
         [0023]    If the roll of the die  28  indicates a hazard, the player must choose a card that corresponds to the hazard (either sand or water), and the player must answer a golf-related trivia question on the card and keep track of the outcome. If the player rolls a water hazard  29  for the tee shot, the player must select a card from the Water Hazard pile  31  and attempt to answer the question on the card. If the question is answered correctly, the hazard is deemed unusual course conditions and the player resumes play without taking a penalty stroke. If answered incorrectly, the player must take a one stroke penalty.  
         [0024]    If a player rolls a sand trap  33  for the tee shot, the same rule applies for the sand trap hazard. The player draws a card from the Sand trap pile  34  and answers the question on the card as described above.  
         [0025]    If the player rolls a hook or slice for their tee shot, they must roll the die  28  again until they enter the fairway  27 . The hook or slice must be counted as a stroke as it represents an out of bounds tee shot.  
         [0026]    The next player then takes their tee shot by rolling the large white die  28  and proceeding to the area of the hole as indicated on the die  28 . With regard to the hazards, the same rules apply as discussed above. This continues until all of the players have “hit” their tee shots.  
         [0027]    After all the players have completed their tee shots, play goes back to the first person who will now roll the small white die  40 . The small white die  40  also has sixteen sides and the outcome of the shot is determined by the roll of the die  40 . The small white die  40  determines how the player approaches the green  41 . As with the tee shot, the first player proceeds to the area or shot outcome zone indicated on the small white die  40 . The first player continues rolling the die  40  until they reach the green  41 . Once the first player reaches the green  41 , the next player takes their turn until all of the players have reached the green  41 . The hazards are also in play on the small white die  40 , and the same rules as discussed above apply.  
         [0028]    Once all of the players are on the putting green  41 , the first player rolls the green die  50  to determine the number of “putts” to “hole out” or finish the hole. If the player rolls a green dot, the player chooses a card from the “Shot of the Day” pile  53 . If the player answers the trivia question correctly, they are credited with a zero putt which means that they holed out from their previous location. If the question is answered incorrectly, the player is credited with a 1 putt. All other putts are indicated by the number on the green die  50 . After the first player has completed the hole, the remaining players continue play as described above.  
         [0029]    After the first hole is completed, the players move their flags  13  to the tee boxes  19 ,  22 , or  25  on the second hole. All golfers tally their rolls/strokes from the previous hole and mark the totals in the area on the scorecard  60  designated for Hole  1 . The scorecard  60  may comprise a tablet of preprinted disposable sheets having spaces for entry of the scores for each player on each hole. The game may come with a pencil, and the used scorecard sheets may be discarded after each game.  
         [0030]    For the remaining holes, play continues in the same fashion as described above for Hole  1  until all nine or eighteen holes have been completed.  
         [0031]    For holes with a par of five, the large white die  28  is rolled on the first and second turn respectively. Next, the small white die  40  is rolled until the player reaches the green  41 . Once on the green  41 , the green die  50  is rolled once.  
         [0032]    For par four holes, the large white die  28  is rolled once, the small white die  40  is rolled until the player reaches the green  41 , and then the green die  50  is rolled once.  
         [0033]    For par three holes, the small white die  40  is rolled first, and the player continues to roll the small white die  40  until the player reaches the green  41 . On the green  41 , the green die  50  is rolled once.  
         [0034]    The object of the game is to finish the nine or eighteen hole course with the least total number of strokes. The player with the lowest total can move their flag  13  to the Winner&#39;s Circle  70  and claim the Champion&#39;s Trophy  80 .  
                                 TABLE 1                           Dice Outcomes                    APPROACH TO THE               TEE SHOT (large   GREEN (small   ON THE GREEN           white die with   white die with   (green die with           sixteen sides).   sixteen sides)   sixteen sides).           Number of sides   Number of sides   Number of sides           with a particular   with a particular   with a particular           outcome indicated   outcome indicated   outcome indicated           below   below   below                       10-Fairways   10-Green   8-Green Dots           2-Sand   2-Sand   2-1 putt           2-Water   2-Water   3-2 putts           1-Hook   1-Short   3-3 putts           1-Slice   1-Long                      
 
         [0035]    The game play described above may be adapted to any variation that is used for actual golf. Examples include scrambles, four ball, threesome, round robin, Chapman and Match Play.  
         [0036]    Another variation to the game is a tournament format. One player acts as a banker and distributes play money  90  (FIG. 7) in the sum of $50 dollars to each player in the following denominations: ten $1&#39;s, four $5&#39;s; and two $10&#39;s. The entry fee is $20.00 per player or $40.00 per team (of two players) and is placed in the Winner&#39;s Circle  70  to be collected by the tournament&#39;s low scoring player or team. Mulligans can be purchased for $5.00 each and may be used only once per nine holes per player. The mulligan fee is also added to the winner&#39;s purse.  
         [0037]    Nassau&#39;s may be made with the remaining money among individual players or teams. The side bets are the responsibility of each player and are not part of the winner&#39;s purse. The tournament may consist of 18, 36 or 72 holes.  
         [0038]    While the invention has been described in connection with certain embodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular forms set forth, but, on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.