An Improved Game of Skill.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 26th July, 1890-Accepted, 30th Aug., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Game of Skill.
I The Honorable WILLIAM GRIMSTON of Gorhambury St. Albans in the County, of
Herts retired Commander in the Royal Navy do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an improved game of skill which may be played by two
players at a time and which I prefer to call "Lawn Golf."
According to my Invention I provide on a lawn or other suitable, place a number
of holes or recesses arranged in any desired manner either, in a circle or otherwise
according to the place or shape and size of the lawn or place on which the game is
to be played. The holes or recesses may be lined or have inserted therein metallic
or other rings or cups for the purpose of preserving the shape of the holes or
recesses. At or near each hole or recess is fixed a flag or other device for indicating
the position of the holes. Each player is provided with a ball of different colour to
that of his opponent the balls being preferably made of india rubber and about the
size of an ordinary croquet ball, the holes in the lawn or other place being of a size
that will admit of the ball freely entering therein. Each player is also provided
with two strikers or mallets one being called a "driver" and the other a "placer."
The "driver" is preferably made with a head of metal or other hard material
projecting from one side only of the handle and is intended for driving the ball
long distances, whilst the "placer" is used for striking the ball when at a short
distance from the holes it is desired to cause the ball to enter and may be made of
wood with a double head that is with a head projecting on opposite sides of the
handle.
The object of the players is to strike the ball into all the holes of the series one
after another with the least number of strikes, the player who succeeds in doing
so with the least number of strikes being the winner.
Dated this 29th day of October 1889
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
.1
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Game of Skill.
I, The Honorable WILLIAM GRIMSTON of Gorhambury St. Albans in the County
of Herts, retired Commander of the Royal Navy do hereby declare the, nature of
this Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
.
My Invention, relates to an improved game of skill which may be played by two
or more persons and which I prefer to call "Garden Golf."
According to my Invention 1 provide in the garden where the game is to be
played a number of receptacles or cups made of any suitable material such as zinc
for example. The said receptacles or cups may be arranged in any desired-manner
either in a circle or otherwise according to the place or shape and size of the lawn
or place on which the game is to be played. At or near each receptacle or cup is
placed a flag or other device for indicating the position of the receptacles or cups.
Each player is provided with a ball of a colour different from that of his opponent
or those of his opponents if there be more than two players or otherwise marked
ך...מ

page_text: so as to distinguish the balls from each other. The balls may be made of india rubber,
wood or other suitable material and are preferably about the size of an ordinary
croquet ball the receptacles or cups being of a size that will admit of the ball freely
entering thereinto. Each player is also provided with two strikers or mallets one
of which is called a "driver" and the other a "placer." The "placer" is used for
driving the ball short distances and consists of a head and handle, the head being
of hard wood, metal or other suitable hard material and made to project to a greater
distance on one side of the handle than it does on the opposite side the lesser
projecting portion of the said head being the part by which the ball is to be struck.
The "driver also consists of a head and handle and is used for striking the ball
when at a long distance from the receptacles or cups and is preferably heavier than
the "placer" and the head is made to project about equally on opposite sides of the
handle so that either of the projecting ends may be used for striking the ball.
و"
The object of the players is to strike the ball into all the receptacles or cups of
the series one after another the player who succeeds in doing so with the least
number of strikes being the winner.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a view illustrating the cups arranged
in position in the ground for the game to be played.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation and a plan of one of the cups.
Figure 3 represents elevations at right angles to each other of a "placer" and
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a "driver.'
The cups A are preferably each provided at the upper end with a flange or rim a
which will prevent the cup when inserted in the ground from sinking below the
surface and thereby maintain a clear entrance for the balls to the interior of the cup.
Each cup is provided with a lid or cover b which when the game is not being played
is placed in position in or over the mouth of the cup to prevent the entrance of rain
and dirt. The top or outer surface of this lid is preferably curved or made spherical
or to incline from the centre towards the edge or rim so as to prevent water lodging
thereon. In the centre of each lid or cover a hole may be provided in which to
insert the staff of a small flag B the said lid or cover with the flag inserted being
placed when the game is being played by the side of the cup as shown in Figure 5
so as to indicate to the players its position or if desired the flag staff may be stuck
into the ground near to the cup instead of in the lid or cover. The cups A. may be
arranged in a curve or circle as shewn in Figure 1 or be otherwise arranged
according to the size and form of the lawn or ground where the game is to be
played. The game may be played in different ways for example when two persons
are playing one of them starting from say No. 1. receptacle or cup on the plan
Figure 1 strikes by means of the driver E a ball D (shown also in Figure 6) towards
the receptacle or cup No. 2 and should the ball enter the said receptacle or cup the
player lifts it from, and places it by the side of, the said receptacle or cup and again
strikes it towards the next receptacle or cup No. 3. Should however the ball not
have entered the receptacle or cup No. 2 the other player takes his turn and strikes
with his driver a ball towards No. 2 receptacle or cup and should he succeed in
sending it into the said receptacle or cup he will again strike it towards receptacle
or cup No. 3 and so on throughout the series of receptacles or cups.
When a
player fails to strike his ball into a receptacle or cup his opponent takes his turn
and the one who first succeeds in striking his ball into the whole of the receptacles
or cups of the series is the winner of the game. When a ball is driven near to a
receptacle or cup the "placer" C is preferably employed for striking the ball into
the receptacle or cup. Instead of the players taking turns alternately when one fails
to strike a ball into a receptacle or cup as hereinbefore described a player may
continue his play until he has succeeded in driving his ball into all the receptacles
or cups of the series before his opponent takes his turn a memorandum or score
being made of the number of strokes made by each player the one who succeeds in
placing his ball in the whole of the receptacles or cups with the least number of
strikes being the winner.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
A game of skill consisting of receptacles or cups, balls and instruments for
striking the balls substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accom-
panying drawings.