Golf putting improvement and teaching apparatus and method

Claim 2

A golf putting improvement and/or teaching apparatus, comprising: a. a frame which has a longitudinal axis and is adapted to be positioned on a putting surface, said frame having parallel side rails extending along said longitudinal axis and end members defining a putting area in which can be positioned a head of a putter and a golf ball, with the side rails defining a putting path and being spaced from one another a sufficient distance to permit said putter to be moved longitudinally between said rails in a putting stroke; b. a rebound member positioned at one end portion of said frame in transverse alignment with the putting path defined by the frame so as to rebound a ball traveling on said putting path back along said putting path; and c. a locating means extending along said path, said locating means being provided with at least two moveable locating members which can be selectively positioned at two longitudinally spaced locations along said longitudinal axis to identify stroke locations.

Claim 3

The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein there is a third moveable locating member which can be selectively positioned at a third location spaced longitudinally from said two locations, whereby a third stroke location can be identified on said path.

Claim 4

The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said locating means comprises an elongate mounting member extending along said path, and said locating members are mounted to said mounting member for movement longitudinally along said mounting member to various longitudinal locations.

Claim 5

The apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said mounting member comprises a cord means extending between said two end members, and located between said side rails above said putting path, and said locating members are moveable along said cord means.

Claim 6

The apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said locating members are each a bead means moveably mounted to said cord.

Claim 7

The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein there is leveling means mounted on said frame to provide a transverse slope leveling orientation and a longitudinal slope leveling orientation for said frame relative to said putting surface.

Claim 8

A golf putting improvement and/or teaching apparatus, comprising: a. a frame which has a longitudinal axis and is adapted to be positioned on a putting surface, said frame having parallel side rails extending along said longitudinal axis and end members defining a putting area in which can be positioned a head of a putter and a golf ball, with the side rails defining a putting path and being spaced from one another a sufficient distance to permit said putter to be moved longitudinally between said rails in a putting stroke; b. a rebound member positioned at one end portion of said frame in transverse alignment with the putting path defined by the frame so as to rebound a ball traveling on said putting path back along said putting path; and c. at least one of said end members having a through opening, and said rebound member being removably positioned in alignment with said through opening, whereby the ball moving in the putting area can, with the rebound member removed, pass through the through opening or, with the rebound member in place be rebounded from the through opening.

Claim 9

A golf putting improvement and/or teaching apparatus, comprising: a. a frame which has a longitudinal axis and is adapted to be positioned on a putting surface, said frame having parallel side rails extending along said longitudinal axis and end members defining a putting area in which can be positioned a head of a putter and a golf ball, with the side rails defining a putting path and being spaced from one another a sufficient distance to permit said putter to be moved longitudinally between said rails in a putting stroke; b. a rebound member positioned at one end portion of said frame in transverse alignment with the putting path defined by the frame so as to rebound a ball traveling on said putting path back along said putting path; and c. at least one of said end members having a through opening, and said rebound member being removably positioned in alignment with said through opening, whereby the ball moving in the putting area can, with the rebound member removed, pass through the through opening or, with the rebound member in place be rebounded from the through opening.

Claim 10

The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said rebound member comprises a flexible band member extending across said through opening.

Claim 11

A golf putting improvement and/or teaching apparatus, comprising: a. a frame which has a longitudinal axis and is adapted to be positioned on a putting surface, said frame having parallel side rails extending along said longitudinal axis and end members defining a putting area in which can be positioned a head of a putter and a golf ball, with the side rails defining a putting path and being spaced from one another a sufficient distance to permit said putter to be moved longitudinally between said rails in a putting stroke; b. a rebound member positioned at one end portion of said frame in transverse alignment with the putting path defined by the frame so as to rebound a ball traveling on said putting path back along said putting path; and c. said end member at the other end of said frame is provided with an unobstructed through opening, whereby the ball can be putted along said path through said unobstructed through opening in one direction, or can be putted along a opposite path toward the end member to be rebounded thereby.

Claim 12

A golf putting improvement and/or teaching apparatus, comprising: a. a frame which has a longitudinal axis and is adapted to be positioned on a putting surface, said frame having parallel side rails extending along said longitudinal axis and end members defining a putting area in which can be positioned a head of a putter and a golf ball, with the side rails defining a putting path and being spaced from one another a sufficient distance to permit said putter to be moved longitudinally between said rails in a putting stroke; b. a rebound member positioned at one end portion of said frame in transverse alignment with the putting path defined by the frame so as to rebound a ball traveling on said putting path back along said putting path; and c. said end member at the other end of said frame is provided with an unobstructed through opening, whereby the ball can be putted along said path through said unobstructed through opening in one direction, or can be putted along a opposite path toward the end member to be rebounded thereby.

Claim 13

A golf putting improvement and/or teaching apparatus, comprising: a. a frame which has a longitudinal axis and is adapted to be positioned on a putting surface, said frame having parallel side rails extending along said longitudinal axis and end members defining a putting area in which can be positioned a head of a putter and a golf ball, with the side rails defining a putting path and being spaced from one another a sufficient distance to permit said putter to be moved longitudinally between said rails in a putting stroke; b. a rebound member positioned at one end portion of said frame in transverse alignment with the putting path defined by the frame so as to rebound a ball traveling on said putting path back along said putting path; and c. a pair of alignment members, each mounted to a respective rail member, said alignment members being moveable longitudinally along said rail members so as to provide visible alignment references at selected locations along said longitudinal access.

Claim 14

A golf putting improvement and/or teaching apparatus, comprising: a. a frame which has a longitudinal axis and is adapted to be positioned on a putting surface, said frame having parallel side rails extending along said longitudinal axis and end members defining a putting area in which can be positioned a head of a putter and a golf ball, with the side rails defining a putting path and being spaced from one another a sufficient distance to permit said putter to be moved longitudinally between said rails in a putting stroke; b. a rebound member positioned at one end portion of said frame in transverse alignment with the putting path defined by the frame so as to rebound a ball traveling on said putting path back along said putting path; and c. a pair of alignment members, each mounted to a respective rail member, said alignment members being moveable longitudinally along said rail members so as to provide visible alignment references at selected locations along said longitudinal access.

Claim 15

The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein said alignment members comprise a pair of clip means mounted to said rail members and independently moveable along said rail members.

Claim 16

The apparatus as recited in claim 10, further comprising a locating means extending along said path, said locating means being provided with at least two moveable locating members which can be selectively positioned at two longitudinally spaced locations along said longitudinal axis to identify stroke locations.

Claim 17

The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein there is a third moveable locating member which can be selectively positioned at a third location spaced longitudinally from said two locations, whereby a third stroke location can be identified on said path.

Claim 18

A golf putting improvement and/or teaching apparatus, comprising: a frame which has a longitudinal axis and is adapted to be positioned on a putting surface, said frame having parallel side rails extending along said longitudinal axis and end members defining a putting area in which can be positioned a head of a putter and a golf ball, with the side rails defining a putting path and being spaced from one another a sufficient distance to permit said putter to be moved longitudinally between said rails in a putting stroke; b. a rebound member positioned at one end portion of said frame in transverse alignment with the putting path defined by the frame so as to rebound a ball traveling on said putting path back along said putting path; and c. at least one of said end members having a through opening, and said rebound member being removably positioned in alignment with said through opening, whereby the ball moving in the putting area can, with the rebound member removed, pass through the through opening or with the rebound member in place, be rebounded from the through opening; d. a locating means extending along said path, said locating means being provided with at least two moveable locating members which can be selectively positioned at two longitudinally spaced locations along said longitudinal axis to identify stroke locations; e. a third moveable locating member, which can be selectively positioned at a third location spaced longitudinally from said two locations, whereby a third stroke location can be identified on said path; and f. a pair of alignment members, each mounted to a respective rail member, said alignment members being moveable longitudinally along said rail members so as to provide a visible alignment reference at selected locations along said longitudinal axis.

Claim 19

A golf putting improvement and/or teaching apparatus, comprising: a frame which has a longitudinal axis and is adapted to be positioned on a putting surface, said frame having parallel side rails extending along said longitudinal axis and end members defining a putting area in which can be positioned a head of a putter and a golf ball, with the side rails defining a putting path and being spaced from one another a sufficient distance to permit said putter to be moved longitudinally between said rails in a putting stroke; b. a rebound member positioned at one end portion of said frame in transverse alignment with the putting path defined by the frame so as to rebound a ball traveling on said putting path back along said putting path; and c. at least one of said end members having a through opening, and said rebound member being removably positioned in alignment with said through opening, whereby the ball moving in the putting area can, with the rebound member removed, pass through the through opening or with the rebound member in place, be rebounded from the through opening; d. a locating means extending along said path, said locating means being provided with at least two moveable locating members which can be selectively positioned at two longitudinally spaced locations along said longitudinal axis to identify stroke locations; e. a third moveable locating member, which can be selectively positioned at a third location spaced longitudinally from said two locations, whereby a third stroke location can be identified on said path; and f. a pair of alignment members, each mounted to a respective rail member, said alignment members being moveable longitudinally along said rail members so as to provide a visible alignment reference at selected locations along said longitudinal axis.

Claim 20

A golf putting improvement and/or teaching apparatus, comprising: a. a frame having a longitudinal axis and adapted to be positioned on a putting surface and having side rails and end members defining a putting area in which can be positioned a head of a putter and a golf ball, with the side rails defining a putting path; b. a locating means extending along said path, said locating means being provided with at least two moveable locating members which can be selectively positioned at two longitudinally spaced locations along said longitudinal axis to identify stroke locations.

Claim 21

A golf putting improvement and/or teaching apparatus, comprising: a. a frame having a longitudinal axis and adapted to be positioned on a putting surface and having side rails and end members defining a putting area in which can be positioned a head of a putter and a golf ball, with the side rails defining a putting path; b. a locating means extending along said path, said locating means being provided with at least two moveable locating members which can be selectively positioned at two longitudinally spaced locations along said longitudinal axis to identify stroke locations.

Claim 22

The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein there is a third moveable locating member which can be selectively positioned at a third location spaced longitudinally from said two locations, whereby a third stroke location can be identified on said path.

Claim 23

The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said locating means comprises an elongate mounting member extending along said path, and said locating members are mounted to said mounting member for movement longitudinally along said mounting member to various longitudinal locations.

Claim 24

The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein said mounting member comprises a cord means extending between said two end members and located between said side rails above said putting path, and said locating members are moveable along said cord means.

Claim 25

The apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein said locating members are each a bead means moveably mounted to said cord.

Claim 28

The method as recited in claim 20, wherein there is a third moveable locating member, and one locating member is positioned at a rear stroke location, another locating member is positioned at a forward stroke location, and the third locating member is placed at an intermediate stroke location at the position of the golf ball, and the putting stroke is practiced relative to said locating members.

Claim 29

The method as recited in claim 21, wherein said locating means comprises an elongate member extending between said two end members and located between said side rails above said putting path, and said locating members are positioned at longitudinally spaced locations above said putting path in a manner that a person is able to look downwardly on said locating members being vertically aligned with a head of said putter or said golf ball.

Claim 30

The method as recited in claim 22, wherein there are provided on each side rail a longitudinally moveable clip means, said method further comprising aligning said clip means at an initial club head location and then aligning said club head with said clip means.

Claim 31

The method as recited in claim 20, wherein there are provided on each side rail a longitudinally moveable clip means, said method further comprising aligning said clip means at an initial club head location and then aligning said club head with said clip means.