US3904209A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Compact golf course
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-03-25
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Granted: 1975-09-09
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Expires: 1994-03-25
Abstract
Abstract This disclosure is directed to an improved, compact golf course having non-walking fairways and greatly reduced area requirements compared to conventional courses yet wherein the player can utilize all of the golf clubs normally used on a conventional nine or eighteen hole golf course as their use was intended without having the need to walk the conventional distances required and without subjecting himself to the personal hazards attendant upon walking the fairways of conventional courses. This golf course is characterized by a plurality of hitting area chutes providing a ''''binder effect'''' by restricting the player''s field of vision with respect of each fairway target area and each target green provided on the course, and a putting green for each hole. Each hitting chute is arranged to give a different angular orientation or ''''look'''' to each common target area on the golf course, be it fairway area or target green. The target green approach chutes are located either adjacent to their respective putting greens or intermediate the target green and putting green. Where the golf course is a nine or eighteen hole course, there are a plurality of common fairway target areas and a plurality of common target greens with each fairway target area and each target green being seen from a different approach angle from each hitting chute. Moreover, a safety moat area is usually provided to discourage or prevent the player from walking the fairways.
Inventors
- 👤 Clarence A Thomas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 23:06
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63C; A63C19/00; A63C19/003; A63B; A63B69/00; A63B69/36; A63B69/3691; A63B69/3697
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
319 words
A compact golf course, comprising: a common fairway for a plurality of distinct golf hole areas; a plurality of non-walking fairway target areas formed in said common fairway and each having visually differentiated distance target portions; a plurality of target greens spaced from one another and formed in said common fairway; a plurality of fairway hitting chutes, one located at each of selected golf hole areas and aligned with a corresponding fairway target area; a plurality of green approach hitting chutes, one located at each of said golf hole areas and aligned with a corresponding target green; a divider means defining each of said hitting chute to restrict a player''s view of said common fairway area substantially to the target area or target green with which the hitting chute is aligned, said golf hole areas and their corresponding hitting chutes being spaced along said common fairway and angled with respect thereto to present to a player''s view different angular orientations of said fairway target areas and said target greens, said hitting chutes being further spaced and angled along said common fairway so that at least two fair-way hitting chutes corresponding to different golf hole areas are aligned with a common fairway target areas but from substantially different angular orientations, and so that at least two green approach hitting chutes coRresponding to different golf hole areas are aligned with a common target green but from a substantially different angular orientation; and a plurality of putting greens, one located at each of said golf hole areas, each putting green being remote from the target green to which its hole area corresponds, whereby a player may play a game of golf by hitting golf balls from said fairway hitting chute, for those hole areas having a fairway hitting chute, and from said green approach hitting chute, and thereafter putting on said putting green, in sequence for each golf hole area in turn.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
319 words
A compact golf course, comprising: a common fairway for a plurality of distinct golf hole areas; a plurality of non-walking fairway target areas formed in said common fairway and each having visually differentiated distance target portions; a plurality of target greens spaced from one another and formed in said common fairway; a plurality of fairway hitting chutes, one located at each of selected golf hole areas and aligned with a corresponding fairway target area; a plurality of green approach hitting chutes, one located at each of said golf hole areas and aligned with a corresponding target green; a divider means defining each of said hitting chute to restrict a player''s view of said common fairway area substantially to the target area or target green with which the hitting chute is aligned, said golf hole areas and their corresponding hitting chutes being spaced along said common fairway and angled with respect thereto to present to a player''s view different angular orientations of said fairway target areas and said target greens, said hitting chutes being further spaced and angled along said common fairway so that at least two fair-way hitting chutes corresponding to different golf hole areas are aligned with a common fairway target areas but from substantially different angular orientations, and so that at least two green approach hitting chutes coRresponding to different golf hole areas are aligned with a common target green but from a substantially different angular orientation; and a plurality of putting greens, one located at each of said golf hole areas, each putting green being remote from the target green to which its hole area corresponds, whereby a player may play a game of golf by hitting golf balls from said fairway hitting chute, for those hole areas having a fairway hitting chute, and from said green approach hitting chute, and thereafter putting on said putting green, in sequence for each golf hole area in turn.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The compact golf course of claim 1, wherein at least one of said hitting chutes is a multiple option chute aligned with at least two different, spaced target areas located at different distances from said multiple option chute in said common fairway.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The compact golf course of claim 1, wherein at least one of said golf hole areas includes two fairway hitting chutes, each aligned with a different fairway target area.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The compact golf course of claim 1, further including a close approach shot area adjacent at least one of said putting greens, whereby a player may play chip or sand shots to said at least one putting green.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The compact golf course of claim 1, wherein said putting greens include a plurality of predesignated putting positions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
73 words
The compact golf course of claim 1, further including a safety moat between said fairway area and said plurality of golf hole areas, whereby said non-walking fairway target areas and said target greens are separated from said hitting chutes and putting greens, and wherein said divider means defining said hitting chutes are of sufficient height and length to deflect balls away from adjacent hitting chutes, whereby the safety of the players is enhanced.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
The compact golf course of claim 1, wherein said hitting chutes are located intermediate said fairway area and said putting greens and wherein at least one of said chutes contains a grassy hitting area, a portion of which has grass of one length and a portion of which has grass of greater length.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The compact golf course of claim 1, wherein each said non-walking fairway target area has a direction target marker.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-08 | 1979-03-10 | 1979-09-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-08 | 1983-03-10 | 1983-09-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-08 | 1987-03-10 | 1987-09-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |