Patent ID: 7220187

Claim:
Apparatus for computing and outputting putting instructions for a planned multi-segment putt of a golf ball on a putting green, said apparatus comprising: A. portable, self-contained computing means including input means and output means; B. means for initializing said computing means by inputting into said computing means a golfer's putting backstroke initializing data, said data being developed by: (i) the marking of a pre-selected distance on a pre-selected grade of a putting green, said pre-selected distance being marked between two points on said putting green, (ii) said golfer putting at least one golf ball from the first of said two points toward the second of said points so as to have a golf ball so putted reach and/or stop close to said second of said points, the length of the backstroke of the putting stroke of said golfer which caused said golf ball to reach and/or stop close to said second of said points being noted, and (iii) the inputting of said noted length of said backstroke into said computing means; C. means integral with said computing means and characterized by having a menu of choices of a plurality of different putting green grades so that, for each segment of said planned multi-segment putt, a green surface grade selection may be inputted into said computing means; and D. additional means integral with said computing means so that the length of each segment of said planned multi-segment putt may be inputted into said computing means; whereby, for said planned multi-segment putt of a golf ball from an initial position on the surface of a golf green to a cup on said green, said input means of said initialized computing means may be used to sequentially input, for each segment of said planned multi-segment putt, into said computing means: (i) the pre-determined green surface grade of said each segment, and (ii) the measured length of said each segment, said computing means further including means for the sequential totalizing, for said planned multi-segment putt of a golf ball on a multi-segment putting green, of the respective pre-determined green surface grades and measured lengths of the segments of said planned multi-segment putt, following which an instruction may be obtained from said output means of said computing means for the recommended length of backstroke for said golfer to use for said planned multi-segment putt so that the golf ball so putted will travel into or close to said cup on said golf green.