Patent ID: 7780540

Claim:
An apparatus for use as a target for a sports projectile comprising: a panel; and a support structure for supporting the panel in an upright position; wherein a substantially central vertical line is located on the panel so that it can be seen by a user; wherein a plurality of spaced apart substantially vertical offset lines are located on the panel so that they can be seen by a user; wherein each of the plurality of spaced apart substantially vertical offset lines is labeled to indicate an offset in relation, at least in part, to the substantially central vertical line; wherein the panel includes a material of a type such that when a golf ball impacts a part of the material after the golf ball has been struck by a golf club, a visual indication of a change in texture is made on the part of the material of the panel indicating a location where the golf ball impacted the material; wherein the visual indication of the change in texture on the part of the material remains on the panel after the golf ball is no longer in contact with the material and until removed by an external force which is not related to the resiliency of the material and which is not related to the resiliency of anything connected to the material when the golf ball impacted the part of the material; wherein the material includes a first plurality of extensions; wherein when the golf ball impacts the part of the material the golf ball impacts a second plurality of extensions, which is a subset of the first plurality of extensions, and causes the second plurality of extensions to become compressed; and wherein the second plurality of extensions remain compressed, after the golf ball has impacted the second plurality of extensions, after the golf ball is no longer in contact with the second plurality of extensions, and until an external force, which is not related to the resiliency of the material and which is not related to the resiliency of anything connected to the material when the golf ball impacted the part of the material, causes the second plurality of extensions to no longer be compressed.