Golf putting practice device

#The present invention relates to a device for practicing golf and more particularly a device used for improving the putting stroke of a golfer.

#Various devices are known in the prior art to assist a golfer in improving his or her putting stroke. These prior art devices employ a variety of holes, cups, or complex ramps; however, most are as large or larger than a standard golf hole and are thus cumbersome and not especially portable. Only a few of the prior art devices are designed for both aim and speed assessment. Further, none of these devices provide a portable and non-complex design to provide a practicing golfer with instant speed and alignment and assessment so that a very exact putt can be identified as an optimally putted ball. This type of assessment is important given close quarter putting practice where, currently, artificial holes are ineffective. The prior art devices do not provide a golfer with the necessary challenge needed for the transferring of putting practice skills from close quarter practicing areas to the actual putting green environments. In addition, prior art devices are designed to hug close to the turf or carpet whereby they are fixed from movement by an impacting putted ball and hence, the prior art devices can only be described as being non-interactive with artificial holes, cups or containers.

#It has been discovered by those skilled in putting technology that controlling the speed of a putted ball can be as important as the alignment of the putt. Due to the varied slopes and nonuniform surface of the putting turf, it has been discovered that balls putted with a particular optimum speed will be less likely to prematurely break off the original putting alignment. This optimum force has been determined to be one which would cause a golf ball, when putted, to have sufficient speed to pass a golf hole between thirteen inches to twenty inches if missed.

#FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the golf putting practice device according to the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the golf putting practice device of the present invention;

#FIG. 3 is cross-sectional side elevational view of the golf putting practice device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and supported on a putting surface;

#As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the golf putting practice device of the present invention comprises a disc D which includes an annular top portion 2 and an annular bottom portion 4. The annular top portion 2 includes a cup or opening 6 shown to have a concave configuration and a top edge 8. The annular bottom portion 4 includes a concave surface 12 which extends from the peripheral annular edge 14 to the bottom edge 16. The flat surface 8 extends from the annular peripheral edge 14 to the annular edge 10. The cup or opening 6 having a concave surface extends from annular edge 10 to bottom step edge 18, an inner step 20 extends from bottom edge 16 to bottom step edge 18. The disc D includes a central passageway 22 formed by annular edge 10 and bottom step edge 18 and bottom edge 14.

#In at least one embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, the disc D will have an overall diameter from about of three inches to about four inches and preferably about 3.586 inches. The central passageway 22 at the annular top edge 10 has a diameter of about two inches to about two and a half inches and preferably about 2.305 inches. The central passageway 22 at the bottom step edge 18 and the bottom edge 16 has a diameter of from about one inch to about 1.20 inches and preferably about 1.152 inches. The height of the disc D is from about 0.3 inch to about 0.5 inch and preferably about 0.442 inches. The flat surface 8 has an angle from about 17° to about 21° with a preferably angle of about 19°.

#A further alternative embodiment of the practice device is shown in FIGS. 7 through 10 and includes a disc D having a step or base 24 which engaged the carpet or turf T. In this embodiment of the practice device the disc D has an annular top portion 26 and an annular bottom portion 28. The annular top portion 26 has a flat surface 29 and an top edge 30. The annular bottom portion 28 has a flat surface 32 which extends from the peripheral annular edge 34 to the bottom edge 36. The flat surface 29 extends from the annular peripheral edge 34 to the annular edge 30. A center cup or opening 42 extends vertical from annular edge 30 to central edge 38 to central step edge 37 and bottom edge 36. An inner step 40 extends from bottom edge 36 to central step edge 37. The disc D in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 through 10 has an overall diameter from about three inches to about four inches and preferably about 3.586 inches. The center cup or opening 42 at the annular top edge 30 has a diameter of about two inches to about two and a half inches and preferably about 2.305 inches. The center cup or opening 42 at the inner step 40 has a diameter of from about one inch to about 1.20 inches and preferably about 1.152 inches. The disc D will have a height from about 0.3 inch to about 0.5 inch and preferably about 0.442 inch. The flat surface 28 has an angle from about 17° to about 21° with a preferable angle of about 19°.