FR2758272A1 - Evaluation system for precision and regularity of long golf shots - Google Patents

Abstract

The evaluation system comprises a cardboard or plastics plate (1) having a passage hole (2) in its central part. The plate is placed on the end of the golf club. On the plate perimeter is a zone (3) having graduations (4). The plate may also have the shape of a figure of eight and comprise two graduation zones placed either side the figure of eight hollows. The passage hole is associated with a reinforcing and locking grommet.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for evaluating the accuracy and regularity of long shots in golf.

Different shots can be implemented by the practitioner, depending on the location of the ball, the configuration of the field or the distance between the striking point and the goal to be reached.

The long shot requires great precision, because of the distance traveled by the ball between the hitting zone and the goal.

 It is therefore important for the player to be able to materialize and quantify his performance on such strokes, in terms of regularity and precision, in particular to be able to assess his progress and situate himself in relation to other competitors.

Unlike disciplines such as shooting, where the use of identical targets allows a coherent and easy evaluation of performance regardless of place, time or people, golf knows only a few means allowing this kind of measurement.

A first method consists in materializing markers on the training area, called practice. It could for example be cones or any other object of sufficient size to allow long distance tracking.

This method is cumbersome: it requires the player to either use an assistant who will be in charge of positioning the markers, or frequent movements between the striking point and the drop point, sometimes distant by several tens of meters.

There are also electronic or optoelectronic measuring devices. but they are costly and not very easy to use, and impose frequent and regular settings or recalibrations depending on the game context. In addition, these devices are not mobile.

The device according to the invention proposes to remedy these drawbacks.

It comes in the form of a graduated plate, temporarily attached to the end of the golf club, more commonly known as a club. The graduations of the plate allow the player to define by aiming virtual marks before the first shot, which will then serve as references for the rest of his training.

According to a preferred embodiment, the plate has the shape of an eight, the graduations being distributed on each side, on either side of the hollow of the eight.

The wafer can be made of cardboard or plastic, in a single cutting or molding operation, as the case may be. Any other material can obviously be used, as long as it guarantees perfect flatness of the surface of the wafer.

Figure 1 is a front view of the device according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a variant of this device.

FIG. 3 shows the methods of using the device according to the invention.

The device shown in Figure 1 comprises a plate (1) having in its central part a through hole (2).

This orifice can be reinforced by a wear and locking eyelet, as it appears in FIG. 2. Any other means of reinforcement or equivalent stop can be used.

The periphery of the plate (1) has at least one zone (3) on which are marked graduations (4).

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the plate has the shape of an eight and has two zones (3 ', 3 "), on either side of the lateral recesses (10) of the eight. This makes it possible to distribute the graduations (4 ', 4 "), to ensure better readability or to use a different graduation scale on each zone. I1 will suffice for the user to turn the plate of 1800 in one direction or the other to access the graduation of his choice.

The graduations (4) are predefined, depending on parameters such as the type of club used, or the level of the player.

Preferably, the graduations will be identified, for example by means of a color code.

The difference between two graduations may be different from one plate to another, without this having any effect on the methods of using the device, which will now be described.

The golf club has three parts: - a head, usually made of metal, which is the striking surface of the ball. In the position of use, the head is arranged downwards.

 - a handle, generally called <(grip, and acting as a grip member of the club.

 - a tubular element of variable length, connecting the head and the handle, called the <(shaft.

For reasons related to the conditions of manufacture of the clubs, the end part of the handle, which itself encloses one of the ends of the tubular element, always has a small central opening. During assembly operations of the club, it is indeed necessary to allow the evacuation of the air and of the pressures accumulated inside the tubular element.

The plate (1) of the device according to the invention is fixed to the end of the handle (5), by means of a fixing element (6) passing through the central orifice (2) and of which the end engages the opening (7) formed on said handle.

Although any oblong object of suitable size can act as a fixing element, the practitioner can advantageously use tees, that is to say the small supports having a tapered end which are commonly used to stabilize the ball before striking .

The user then grasps the club like a firearm and positions the head of the club at eye level, the plate attached to the other end then serving as a viewfinder.

He then has to mentally project the graduations of the brochure on the benchmarks of his choice on the horizon.

The board is then removed and play can continue as normal.

To assess his performance at each stroke, the golfer only has to raise the position of his ball at the end of the stroke or at the point of fall, depending on the benchmark (s) chosen.

The device according to the invention has many advantages compared to a method of memorizing landmarks by simple visualization.

When training spans several periods or days, the golfer will not necessarily find his bearings from one session to another.

His perception of the landscape or the configuration of the terrain, or even the positioning of landmarks in space, may vary from day to day, making it impossible to make a coherent assessment of performance.

The device according to the invention allows each player to find the same references at any time. It also makes it possible to determine and use benchmarks under identical conditions, whatever the place. Finally, it allows a comparison of the performances of different golfers, with equal benchmarks.

The user will thus be able to both simple and immediate identify his progress and situate himself in relation to other practitioners.

In the alternative, it will be noted that the unused surface of the plate of the device according to the invention may usefully receive advertising, personal (for example, the statistical statement of user performance) or even technical (reference data for a shot determined).

The device according to the invention can very easily be adapted to any type of club. It is well known that each type of club has a different angle of dispersion: it will suffice to define the scale of the graduations affixed to the plate according to the club concerned.

Thus, a wood type club will require a larger gap between each graduation.

Claims (9)

1) Device for evaluating the precision and regularity of long strokes in golf, characterized in that it comprises a plate (1) having a passage orifice (2) in its central part and at least one zone (3 ) with graduations (4) on its periphery. 2) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the plate (1) has the shape of an eight and has two zones (3 ', 3 ") of graduation, placed on either side of the recesses (10) of the eight. 3) Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the graduations (4 ', 4 ") of the zones (3', 3") are different. 4) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the passage orifice (2) is arranged in the center of the plate (1). 5) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the passage orifice (2) is associated with reinforcing and blocking means. 6) Device according to claim 5, characterized in that said reinforcing and locking means consist of a wear eyelet. 7) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the graduations (4) are associated with identification means. 8) Device according to claim 7, characterized in that said identification means consist of color codes. 9) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plate (1) is arranged to be removably arranged on the end of a golf club.