Golf game

Claim 2

A golf game comprising: a base providing a fairway, a target area at one end of the fairway and a teeing area at the other end of the fairway opposite the target area; a target arrangement in the target area including targets and means for stopping balls that strike or miss the targets for preventing the balls from being deflected back from the target area to the teeing area; sensing means for sensing balls that strike a target; means in the target area for collecting balls that are shot at the target area for return to the teeing area; and means for sweeping balls from said fairway into said ball collecting means, said sweeping means including: a support frame; a sweeper mounted to said support frame and movable from a first position wherein balls on the fairway are not contacted by movement of said sweeper to a second position wherein balls on the fairway are contacted by movement of said sweeper; wheels mounted to said support frame for supporting said support frame for movement along said fairway; a guide track for guiding said wheels; a drive assembly for driving said support frame along said fairway; and means for positioning said sweeper in its first position when said sweeper is moved from the target area to the teeing area and in the second position when said sweeper is moved from the teeing area to the target area whereby balls are contacted by said sweeper and pushed into said ball collecting means.

Claim 3

A golf game as defined in claim 1 including a putting hole with a sensing device adapted for connection to a scoreboard for sensing balls that pass through said putting hole.

Claim 4

A golf game as defined in claim 1 wherein said fairway is enclosed at least in part along the sides and above the fairway to contain flying balls.

Claim 5

A golf game as defined in claim 3 wherein the enclosure for said fairway is provided by a support means supporting a netting impervious to golf balls.

Claim 6

A golf game as defined in claim 1 wherein said drive assembly includes a reversible electric motor, said motor being automatically controlled by a control circuit operable by the player, said control circuit including a first limit switch in the target area to stop the motor when the sweeper is at an out-of-the-way position in the target area and a second limit switch in the teeing area to reverse the motor after said sweeper is set in a sweeping position.

Claim 7

A golf game as set forth in claim 5 wherein said control circuit includes a start switch to start the motor, a safety switch to stop the motor if the sweeper does not reverse, and an emergency switch to shut down the movement of the sweeper at any time.

Claim 8

A golf game as set forth in claim 5 including a time delay relay to enable the motor to stop prior to turning in a reverse direction.

Claim 9

A golf game as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sweeper includes an elongated sweeping board, a spring to bias the board upright to a sweeping position, and a latch to hold the sweeping board in a horizontal non-sweeping position.

Claim 10

A golf game as set forth in claim 8 including an unlatching cam in the teeing area for engaging the latch and a latching cam in the target area for enabling said latch to latch said sweeping board in the horizontal position.

Claim 11

A golf game as set forth in claim 9 wherein said sweeping board passes through said collecting means to an at-rest position in the target area during the playing of the game.

Claim 12

A golf game as set forth in claim 1 wherein said drive assembly includes a motor and a drive train, said drive train including a shaft rotated by said motor, drive sprockets mounted at opposite ends of said drive shaft, an idler sprocket alined with each drive sprocket, and a drive chain extending around each drive sprocket and an alined idler sprocket, the ends of the sweeper being coupled to the drive chains.

Claim 13

A golf game as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said target units has rearwardly converging wall surfaces to stop the balls that strike a target.

Claim 14

A golf game comprising: a substantially enclosed building having a floor elevated above ground level providing a fairway, a target area at one end of the fairway, and a teeing area at the other end of the fairway opposite the target area; a ball collection trough located below the target area for collecting balls that are shot at the target area for return to the teeing area; a shock absorbing depending curtain assembly in the target area for stopping balls directed toward the target area for deposit into said ball collecting trough, said curtain assembly having a plurality of openings; a plurality of target units mounted in the target area behind said openings in said shock absorbing curtain assembly; a putting hole located in the fairway opposite the teeing area; means for sensing a ball that hits a target unit and balls that pass through said putting hole with each target having an assigned score value depending on its location; a sweeping board attached to a wheel-mounted support frame movable on guide tracks along the fairway for sweeping dead balls from the fairway into said collection trough and movable from a first position wherein balls on the fairway are not contacted by movement of said sweeping board to a second position wherein balls on the fairway are contacted by movement of said sweeping board; reversible drive means for moving said sweeping board across the fairway from the target area to the teeing area and from the teeing area back to the target area; and means for moving said sweeping board from said first position to said second position and from said second position to said first position.

Claim 15

A golf game comprising: a substantially enclosed building having a floor elevated above ground level providing a fairway, a target area at one end of the fairway, and a teeing area at the other end of the fairway opposite the target area; a ball collection trough located below the target area for collecting balls that are shot at the target area for return to the teeing area; a shock absorbing depending curtain assembly in the target area for stopping balls directed toward the target area for deposit into said ball collecting trough, said curtain assembly having a plurality of openings; a plurality of target units mounted in the target area behind said openings in said shock absorbing curtain assembly; a putting hole located in the fairway opposite the teeing area; means for sensing a ball that hits a target unit and balls that pass through said putting hole with each target having an assigned score value depending on its location; a sweeping board attached to a wheel-mounted support frame movable on guide tracks along the fairway for sweeping dead balls from the fairway into said collection trough and movable from a first position wherein balls on the fairway are not contacted by movement of said sweeping board to a second position wherein balls on the fairway are contacted by movement of said sweeping board; reversible drive means for moving said sweeping board across the fairway from the target area to the teeing area and from the teeing area back to the target area; and means for moving said sweeping board from said first position to said second position and from said second position to said first position.

Claim 16

A golf game as defined in claim 13 further comprising a ball return conduit coupled to said ball collection trough for returning balls by gravity to the teeing area.

Claim 17

A golf game as defined in claim 14 wherein each target unit has a through passage with an inlet opening for receiving balls and an outlet opening for discharging said balls.

Claim 18

A golf game as defined in claim 14 wherein said means for sensing comprises a photoelectric device in said outlet of each target unit connected to a scoreboard and a contact switch in the putting hole connected to the scoreboard whereby an assigned score is registered for balls that pass through said targets and said putting hole.