Patent ID: 7566275

Claim:
A golf putting apparatus, comprising: a first detection sensor for use in detecting the movement of a golf ball, wherein said first detection sensor has a first light emitting element and an initially traversed light receiving element and a subsequently traversed light receiving element that make up a pair of first light receiving elements that face said first light emitting element and receive light emitted from said first light emitting element, wherein said first detection sensor is arranged such that a putted golf ball moves first past said initially traversed light receiving element and then subsequently moves past said first light emitting element and then subsequently moves past said subsequently traversed light receiving element; a second detection sensor for use in detecting the movement of a golf ball, wherein said second detection sensor has a second light emitting element and a pair of second light receiving elements that face said second light emitting element and receive light emitted from said second light emitting element, wherein said first light emitting element is located between said pair of second light receiving elements; and a computer configured to receive at least one signal from said first and second detection sensors in order to determine at least one movement characteristic of a putted golf ball.