Abstract:
A method is disclosed for facilitating a golf competition. The method includes providing a camera that is utilized to capture an image of a golfer in the act of striking a ball. The camera is also utilized to capture an image of the ball after the ball has come to rest. The distance between the ball and pin is evaluated.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)  
       [0001]     The present application is based on and claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/549,033, filed Mar. 1, 2004, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to methods and systems used in golf competitions. In particular, the present invention relates to methods and systems used on golf courses to implement golf competitions.  
         [0003]     In general, a round of golf is both a competition among the players playing together and a challenge to the individual. The player who attains the lowest score is deemed the winner. During a golf tournament, however, the competition extends to other players who are playing the same round of golf in other groups. In these golf tournament situations, it is popular to make sub-contests outside of determining the player who has attained the lowest score. For example, a golf tournament can include a longest drive competition usually designated on a par five hole and a closest to the pin competition usually designated on a par three hole. In these examples, the players who attain the longest drive and closest to the pin at the designated holes are proclaimed the winner of the sub-contest and can win prizes. Players allowed to participate in these sub-contests, however, are those players who are in the golf tournament.  
         [0004]     The present invention is a method and system of implementing a closest to the pin contest such that any number of players can play even if a player is not part of a particular golf tournament. In addition, the present invention is a method and system of allowing players to nationally compete and win prizes in a closest to the pin contest at golf courses across the country.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a method of facilitating a golf competition. The method includes providing a camera that is utilized to capture an image of a golfer in the act of striking a ball. The camera is also utilized to capture an image of the ball after the ball has come to rest. The distance between the ball and pin is evaluated. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example par three hole on a golf course in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a method of participating in a closest to the pin contest.  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a method of evaluating a closest to the pin contest.  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a camera in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of an example par three hole and fairway  10  on a golf course capable of hosting a national closest to the pin contest in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The par three hole and fairway  10  includes a green  12 , a tee-box  14  and a hole  16 . Par three hole and fairway  10  also includes an evaluation system  20  for evaluating a closest to the pin shot in a closest to the pin contest. System  20  includes a tee-box kiosk  22 , a camera  24  and remotely located computing device (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). The remotely located computing device controls camera  24  and kiosk  22 . For example, the remotely located computing device can control camera  24  and kiosk  22  through wireless signals or wireless internet connections.  
         [0011]     At the beginning of a round of golf, a player will pay a greens fee. At payment of the greens fees, the player will have the opportunity to participate in a national closest to the pin contest. The player will pay a participation fee along with the greens fee to enter the national contest. Entry into the national contest allows the player the opportunity to win prizes based on how close the player can place a ball next to the hole on a par three hole and fairway, such as par three hole and fairway  10 .  
         [0012]     Upon entry into the national contest, the player is given the ability to activate evaluation system  20  once the player has reached par three hole and fairway  10 . For example, the player can receive an identification number from a clubhouse of the participating golf course on a receipt. The receipt can indicate that the greens fees have been paid as well as the participation fee for the national closest to the pin contest. In another example, the player can receive a card containing magnetically or otherwise a swipable identification number. This card can be a single usage card or can be a multiple usage card. In a single usage card, the player is issued a card that can be swiped once an disposed. Thus, each time a particular player would like to participate in the national contest, the player is issued a new card having a new identification number. A multiple usage card, however, is issued to a player and contains an identification number. Upon issuance, the number corresponding to the card is the player&#39;s identification number. The player can pay multiple participation fees in order to enter the national contest many times at many different participating golf courses or the player can reuse the card upon paying the entry fee at participating golf courses  FIG. 2  is a block diagram  200  illustrating a method of participating and competing in a national closest to the pin contest in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A player, having the requisite participation entry, approaches par three hole and fairway  10 . Tee-box kiosk  22  includes a display  26  and an input  28 . Display  26  can be a monitor for displaying instructions on how to activate the national closest to the pin. Display  26  can also display advertising and contest logos. In addition, kiosk  22  can include speakers for automated vocal instructions to the player. At block  202 , the player enters their assigned identification number into input  28  of tee-box kiosk  22 . For example, input  28  can be a keypad such that the player can enter the identification number issued and printed on their greens fee receipt. In another example, input  28  can be a magnetic reader or other type of reader or digital reader such that the player can swipe a card having an identification number. It should be noted that the example methods of activating the national closest to the pin contest are not an exhaustive list. Other types of methods can be used, such as thumbprint identification, bar code reading and etc.  
         [0013]     Upon activation, the method passes to block  204 . At block  204 , the player is given a predetermined amount of time to prepare to tee off from tee box  14 . The predetermined amount of time can be relayed to the player via the voice or can be displayed on display  26 . In general, the predetermined time is between thirty and forty-five seconds. However, the predetermined time can be easily adjusted by the remotely located computing device. For example, if the golf ranger determines that play on the golf course is slow, the golf ranger or another can easily decrease the predetermined time by notifying the remotely located computing device.  
         [0014]     After the player has prepared to tee off, the method passes to block  206  where the player tees off. At block  208 , the player can check the results of their shot. These results can be shown on display  26 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram  300  illustrating a method of evaluating a national closest to the pin contest. In block  302 , the remotely located computing device activates camera  24  upon activation of the contest by a player. Camera  24  is a globe-enclosed camera mounted on a pole that is place to the side of the green. Generally, the pole is approximately fifteen to twenty feet tall. At block  304 , the remotely located computing device instructs camera  24  to scan the tee box and focus on the participant as he or she tees off. After tee off, the computing device passes to block  306  and instructs camera  24  to scan green  12  for the ball as it breaks the plane of green  12 . Camera  24  detects the ball. After the ball comes to a rest, the camera records the image of the resting ball at block  308 . At block  310 , the computing device measures the distance the ball is from hole  16 . At block  312 , the computing device determines whether the ball measurement is a winning ball. If the ball is a winning ball, the computing device passes to block  314  and stores the image and the measurement. If, however, the ball is not a winning ball, the computing device passes to block  316  and deletes the recorded image and the measurement. It should be noted that a player can access the video recording of their shot. For example, video clips can be accessed via the internet.  
         [0016]     A ball is considered a winner if it comes to rest within any of three distance radii from hole  16 . For example, first distance  30  can generally be two feet from hole  16 , second distance  32  can generally be five feet from hole  16  and third distance  34  can generally be ten feet from hole  16 . It should be noted that any set of distance can be used for determining a winning ball.  
         [0017]     Those balls that rest within ten feet  34  from hole  16 , but greater than five feet  32  from hole  16  can receive a prize upon completion of the round of golf. Generally, the prize can be a gift certificate for a nominal amount issued by the clubhouse to redeem merchandise or greens fees. The computing device notifies the clubhouse of winning balls and prize categories automatically. Those balls that rest within five feet  32  from hole  16  can be automatically entered into a local or regional contest for that particular day. All those players who have a ball resting within the five feet radius will win an equal share of a pot that is established per day for those golf courses. Those balls that rest within two feet  30  of hole  16  can be entered into a national contest that competes with other golf courses around the country. Those balls that rest within the two feet radius will win a share of a national daily pot. For those balls that rest in the cup of hole  16  can win a predetermined amount of money upon verification. Although the present invention describes the closest to the pin contest as a national contest, one of ordinary skill in the art should recognize that the closest to the pin contest can expand into an international closest to the pin contest as well.  
         [0018]     The computing device can also be programmed to change pin placement on a daily, weekly basis or as often as the course desires. Each green can be pre-gridded to allow for various pin placements (i.e. the location of hole  16 ). Generally, the computing device can allow up to  64  different pin placements.  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of camera  24  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 4 , camera  24  is a computer controlled globe-enclosed camera. Camera  24  includes a laser that will automatically mark the next location of a pin placement. Thus, the computing device can automatically jump to the next pin placement that is in the ordered program. Camera  24  can measure the correct distance from a resting ball to the new hole placement and determine winning balls based on the different radii. In addition, if the laser location on a given day is marking a poor area of the green, the clubhouse of that particular golf course can notify the computing device such that the computing device will jump to the next cup setting for that green.  
         [0020]     It is to be understood that various modifications could be made to the described system without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in accordance with one embodiment, the pin can be placed (e.g., by a human) at any location on the green and the camera system is configured to find it automatically. For example, in one embodiment, the pin is moved to a new location and the camera system finds it visually and ascertains needed distance information (e.g., by using the laser pin-point system described herein or by implementation of known means for determining distances under such circumstances). In one embodiment, the pin is moved manually and software in support of the camera is configured to visually search until the pin location is located, the pin location being used subsequently for distant measurements relative to a ball. In another embodiment, images are not automatically deleted if they are not a winner but instead images are only deleted at the end of a predetermined period of time (e.g., all images are retained until the end of the day). In one embodiment, images are never deleted. In another embodiment, images are only deleted after players are given a predetermined amount of time to register a dispute with regard measurements or identified winners.  
         [0021]     Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.