Improved Golf Practice Apparatus.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Golf Practice Apparatus.
I, FRANCIS WENTWORTH BREWSTER, of Golfers' Club, Whitehall Court, London,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved practice apparatus adapted and serving
to enable the various and even the most violent strokes of the game of golf to be
played, as in actual play on the links, within such a space that such strokes may
be practised or played within doors, using the same clubs and free balls as used
in playing the game on the links and in the same manner, with freedom from
risk of danger to the person or onlookers or to the usual surroundings of the
room or place wherein the apparatus is erected and used, and without undue
noise or the fatigue of having to fetch or follow the balls so struck, which can
be made to return automatically to the player.
To this end, the invention is characterized by the formation of a network,
canvas or equivalent flexible court or enclosure in which the following con-
stituent parts are conjunctively used, (though some thereof may be dispensed with
as hereinafter referred to) namely:-
An end or back of sufficient height and width to admit of the full range of
trajectory and of lateral deviations from a right-ahead stroke, as determined by
the distance of the back from the base or intended striking point, the back being,
preferably, fitted with means of enabling good and bad strokes to be easily
distinguished even by the striker himself:-Two sides or wings extending from
the back to beyond the base and adapted to stop the ball if so struck as to fly
off even at right angles to right-ahead: A top or covering serving to prevent a
struck ball from ascending and passing over the back or sides: A catcher or
returning device so arranged that all struck balls falling on it will roll down and
automatically return to the base: A screen serving to prevent badly hit balls
from passing under and beyond the back-All such parts being of a flexible
nature and so combined and arranged that they can be easily erected and dis-
mounted; and that it will be impossible for the ball, however struck forwardly,
to fail to be arrested by the apparatus, or for it to pass the boundaries thereof
or to come into contact with any hard substance which would be likely to injure
the ball or to be injured thereby.
The back (against which the ball is intended to be struck in all strokes) may
occupy a relatively fixed position or may be adjustable and capable of receiving
alteration in elevation to accommodate the portion of its surface desired to be hit
to any desired variety of play as regards the elevation or trajectory of stroke
desired to be practised.
To enable good strokes to be distinguished from bad strokes and from misses,
the hack may be defined in an area or in various areas it may be desired to hit,
which may conveniently be effected by forming each area or areas of the back

page_text: with large meshed net or canvas or other equivalent flexible gratings or grids
enabling balls which may be hit against such parts to pass through instead of
being arrested by and falling down in front of the back as bad hit balls would
be by all other portions of the back. To enable the balls which pass through the
grated or netted apertures to be stopped and returned to the player, the back
is preferably made of a double formation with front and rear portions so arranged
that a ball passing through an aperture in the front portion will strike against
and he arrested by the back portion. A convenient means of obtaining this
result is by making the double back endless and suspending it on a roller of
sufficient diameter to allow of the two portions hanging well apart, the uniform
separation thereof being ensured by another like roller lying in the bottom fold
of the back, and by a long light case or basket crate having its upper surface
troughed and inclined so that a ball falling thereon at any part will roll down
until it emerges at its lower end in returning to the base or striking point.
The bottom of the back terminates at a distance from the floor level sufficient
to allow under room for the upper part of a ball catcher and returner consisting
of an inclined plane of canvas extending from the floor level at the base or
striking point to just under and beyond the bottom of the back, for the whole
width of the latter, suitable provision being made for stretching the inclined
canvas plane.
To prevent the lower roller or light troughed case or basket from being
damaged by the battering of the balls struck against the back, and badly-hit
balls which may run up the inclined canvas plane from passing under the back,
a screen of sufficient depth is hung across the full width of the apparatus at a
short distance in front of the back, with its lower edge just touching the inclined
canvas plane so as to allow of balls which may drop behind the screen passing
under the same in returning to the base.
By such means, a system of scoring can be instituted, enabling a regular game
to be played, and to aid in this, breakable, sounding or other suitable indicative
objects may be hung within the apertured areas through which the well-hit
balls pass, and the apertures may be divided into sub-sections of different scoring
values. Where, however, such facility is not required and it is not desired to
separate good hits from bad hits, a back of any sufficiently strong material which
will withstand the constant battering of the balls may be used, and, if required,
there may be made in such back an aperture or apertures leading into a long
tapering tunnel or tunnels (after the manner of a shooting gallery) up which
the balls may be driven, and down which, if the end of the tunnel be suitably
elevated, they will return to the player across the inclined canvas plane.
In order to prevent any hard substance from being offered to the flight of
the balls, whether correctly hit, or otherwise, all parts of the structure or frame,
especially at the back end of the court, are sufficiently covered or guarded by the
network, canvas or other flexible material used, both to prevent damage to the
balls and also to prevent their glancing or rebounding and ensuring the safety
of the player and onlookers.
The back, if the apparatus be intended for out-door use, is preferably made
of rot-proofed sail-cloth or heavy rot-proofed netting of small enough mesh to pre-
vent the balls from being driven therethrough, excepting at the stated apertures.
but, if intended for indoor use, the back may advantageously be made of cocoa-
nut fibre matting.
The sides and top of the apparatus are also preferably made of ordinary
netting, rot-proof if for out-door use, stretched on their supporting and protected
framing. An extra top in the form of an awning may be adapted to cover the
apparatus so as to protect the player from the sun.
Though I prefer to fit the apparatus with a top, still, it may be made without
a top if the back and sides be made sufficiently high to arrest the ball however
it be struck forwardly.

page_text: Such a contrivance as is hereinbefore described offers entirely new facilities
for the better learning of the game and also of giving lessons therein.
Dated this 1st day of June 1898.
DAY, DAVIES, & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, FRANCIS WENTWORTH BREWSTER, of Golfers' Club, Whitehall Court, London,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement;
This invention relates to improved practice apparatus adapted and serving
to enable the various and even the most violent strokes of the game of golf to be
played, as in actual play on the links, within such a space that such strokes may
be practised or played within doors, using the same clubs and free balls as used
in playing the game on the links and in the same manner, with freedom from
risk of danger to the person or onlookers or to the usual surroundings of the
room or place wherein the apparatus is erected and used, and without undue
noise or the fatigue of having to fetch or follow the balls so struck, which can
be made to return automatically to the player.
On the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1, represents a side elevation of the improved apparatus; and
Fig. 2, represents a front elevation thereof.
To the end aforesaid, the invention is characterized by the formation of a net-
work, canvas or equivalent flexible court or enclosure in which the following
constituent parts are conjunctively used, (though some thereof may be dispensed
with as hereinafter referred to) namely;-
An end or back, a, of sufficient height and width to admit of the full range
of trajectory and of lateral deviations from a right-ahead stroke, as determined
by the distance of the back, a, from the base or intended striking point, the
back being, preferably, fitted with means of enabling good and bad strokes to be
easily distinguished even by the striker himself:-Two sides or wings, b, extend-
ing from the back, a, to rearward of the base or striking point and adapted to
stop the ball if so struck as to. fly off even at right angles to right-ahead: A top
or covering, c, serving to prevent a struck. ball from ascending and passing over
the back, a, or the sides, b;-A catcher or returning device, d, so arranged that
all struck balls falling on it will roll down and automatically return to the
base: A screen, e, serving to prevent badly hit balls from passing under and
beyond the back, a-All such parts being of a flexible nature and so combined
and arranged that they can be easily erected and dismounted, and that it will
be impossible for the ball, however struck forwardly, to fail to be arrested by
the apparatus, or for it to pass the boundaries thereof or to come into contact
with any hard substance which would be likely to injure the ball or to be
injured thereby.
The back, a, (against which the ball is intended to be struck in all strokes,)
may occupy a relatively fixed position or may be. adjustable and capable of
receiving alteration in elevation to accommodate the portion of its surface

page_text: desired to be hit to any desired variety of play as regards the elevation or
trajectory of stroke desired to be practised.
To enable good strokes to be distinguished from bad strokes and from misses,
the back, a, may be defined in an area or in various areas it may be desired to
hit, which may be conveniently effected by forming each area or areas of the
back with large meshed net or other equivalent flexible gratings or grids as
at, a, enabling truly directed balls to pass through, instead of their being
arrested by and falling down in front of the back as badly hit balls would be
by any other portions of the back. To enable the balls which pass through the
apertures, a, to be stopped and returned to the player, the back, a, is preferably
made of a double formation with front and rear portions, a, a², so arranged that
a ball passing through an aperture, a', in the front portion, a, will strike against
and be arrested by the back portion, a². A convenient means of obtaining this
result is by making the double back endless and suspending it on a roller, ³,
of sufficient diameter to allow of the two portions, a, a, hanging well apart, the
uniform separation thereof being ensured by a trough, a, lying in the bottom
fold of the back and having its upper troughed surface inclined either to one or
to both sides, so that a ball falling thereon at any part will roll down until it
emerges at its lower end in returning to the base or striking point.
The bottom of the back, a, terminates at a distance from the floor level suffi-
cient to allow under-room for the upper part of the ball catcher and returner, d,
consisting of an inclined plane of canvas extending from the floor level at the
base or striking point to just under and beyond the bottom of the back, a, for
the whole width of the latter, suitable provision being made for stretching the
inclined canvas plane.
To prevent the ball catcher trough, a', from being damaged by the battering
of the balls struck against the back, a, and bally-hit balls which may run up
the inclined canvas plane from passing under the back, a, a screen, e, of suffi-
cient depth is hung across the full width of the apparatus at a short distance in
front of the back, a, with its lower edge just touching the inclined canvas
plane, d, so as to allow of the balls which may be arrested by the back, a, and may
drop behind the screen passing under the same in returning to the base.
By such means, a system of scoring can be instituted, enabling a regular
game to be played, and to aid in this, breakable, sounding or other suitable
indicative objects may be hung within the apertured areas, a', through which
the well-hit balls pass, and the apertures may be divided into sub-sections of
different scoring values. Where, however, such facility is not required and it is
not desired to separate good hits from bad hits, a back, a, of any sufficiently
strong material which will withstand the constant battering of the balls may
be used, and, if required, there may be made in such back an aperture or aper-
tures leading into a long tapering tunnel or tunnels (after the manner of a
shooting gallery,) up which the balls may be driven, and down which, if the end
of the tunnel be suitably elevated, they will return to the player across the
inclined canvas plane, d.
In order to prevent any hard substance from being offered to the flight of the
balls whether correctly hit or otherwise, all parts and angles of the structure or
frame, especially at the back end of the court, are sufficiently covered or guarded
by the net-work, canvas or other flexible material used, as at y, both to prevent
damage to the balls and also to prevent their glancing or rebounding and
ensuring the safety of the player and onlookers.
The back, a, if the apparatus be intended for out-door use, is preferably made
of rot-proof sail-cloth, or heavy rot-proof netting of small enough mesh to prevent
the balls from being driven therethrough, excepting at the stated apertures, but,
if intended for indoor use, the back may advantageously be made of cocoa-nut
fibre matting.
The sides, b, and the top, c, of the apparatus are also preferably made of
ordinary netting, rot-proof if for out-door use, stretched on their supporting and

page_text: rotected framing,. An extra top (not represented) in the form of an awning
may be adapted to cover the apparatus so as to protect the player from the sun.
Though I prefer to fit the apparatus with a top, c, still, it may be made without
top if the back, a, and the sides, b, be made sufficiently high to arrest the ball
however it be struck forwardly.
Such a contrivance as is herein before described offers entirely new facilities.
for the better learning of the game and also for giving lessons therein.
by angular
The frame, a, may conveniently be made of iron barrelling united by barrelled
T-pieces, with the uprights let into channelled base pieces, e¹, which may be
spiked to the ground, the back uprights being further stayed
arms, and the upper part of the frame being held fast by guy-lines, a³.
The netting constituting the sides, b, and the top, c, may be lashed to the
adjacent frame parts, as at, at, or to bamboo canes or the like, as at .5.
The inclined plane, d, is stretched between a rigid back piece, d, supported
by side arms, 6, and a rigid front piece, d, which is secured by hooks, d³, let
into the base pieces, al, the plane, d, being stretched laterally by bamboo canes
or the like, , let into side pockets, d, and suitably secured at the top and
bottom ends, and between which and outer laths, , inserted in pockets, 7, the
side edges of the plane may be caused to form a channel or channels, d, down
which the balls which pass through the apertures, a¹, and roll laterally by the
trough, may roll back to the base or striking point.
The roller, ³, is mounted in brackets, which support a weather-protector
cover, a, and is fitted with pulleys, a, around which pass cords, as, by which the
roller can be rolled up and unrolled. The back, a, is made fast to the roller
so that it can be wound up by rolling the roller by pulling on the cords, a8, and
can be lashed around the roller to protect it from the weather when not in use.
The inclined plane, d, may be stretched taut between the sides or wings, b, in
which event, the means for returning to the starting point the balls delivered
by the inclined troughed catcher may consist of pipes or tubes arranged under
the side edges of the plane, d.
In a further modification of the apparatus, the back, a, and the inclined
plane, d, may be made continuous, and may be lashed back at the bend or
junction of such parts to a back rail and to the side frames, in which event the
screen, e, may be dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
(1) In golf practice apparatus, a net work, canvas or equivalent flexible court
or enclosure in which the following constituent parts are conjunctively used,
viz., an end or back, two sides or wings, a top or covering, a catcher or ball
returning device, and a screen, all such parts being of a flexible nature and so
combined and arranged that they can be easily erected and dismounted, and as to
co-operate in arresting the ball and preventing it from coming into contact with
any hard part, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
(2) In such apparatus, a back, a, of a doubled formation and fitted with an
inclined trough between its front and back surfaces and adapted with a scoring
area on its front surface enabling well-hit balls to pass through and to arrest
such balls by its back-surface and to automatically deliver them at its edges in
position to return to the striking point, and also adapted to arrest badly-hit balls
by its front surface enabling them to return to the striking point, and means of
adjusting the elevation of the scoring area of the back and of rolling up the back
when not in use, substantially as hereinbefore described.
(3) In such apparatus, in combination with the subject-matter of Claim 2, an
inclined ball returner, d, consisting of an inclined plane extending from the
floor level at the striking point to under and beyond the bottom of the back, a,

page_text: for its whole width, and formed or adapted with channels at its sides serving to
return to the striking point the balls delivered thereto by the ball catcher trough
of the back, substantially as hereinbefore described.
(A) In such apparatus, in combination with the subject-matter of Claim 3,
a freely suspended screen, o, serving to prevent the ball catcher trough from
being damaged by the battering of the balls struck against the back, a, and
lowly-hit balls from passing under the back, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
(5) In such apparatus, in combination with the subject-matter of Claim, 4, a
pair of sides, b, extending from the floor level to the top of the back or nearly
thereto, and from the vertical plane of the latter backwards to beyond the striking
point, substantially as hereinbefore described.
(6) The apparatus as a whole as hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
(7) The herein before described modifications of the apparatus.
DAY, DAVIES, & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.