Golf tee shot-green placement video/imaging camera monitoring and measuring system and method

#The present invention relates generally to amusement systems, and more particularly to a new and improved amusement system, and a method of operating the same, which is especially designed for use in connection with a golf course for monitoring the flight of individual golf tee shots from a predetermined or particular tee of the golf course, or from any one of a multitude of predetermined or particular tees of the golf course, onto a corresponding predetermined or particular one of the golf course greens so as to determine the presence of the tee shots upon the predetermined or particular green, so as to measure the distance of each tee shot golf ball from the cup of the predetermined or particular golf course green, and for determining the presence of golf ball tee shots which in fact have landed within the cup of the predetermined or particular golf course green as a hole-in-one tee shot, all as part of a contest of skill for which prize money and/or non-monetary prizes are awarded.

#Over the years, particularly within recent times, and at least due in part to the emergence of a substantially large number of new, young, exciting, and competitive professional golfers upon the Professional Golfer Association (PGA) tour, golf has become one of the world's favorite and most widely played recreational activities. While most golfers will certainly agree that the sport is quite challenging, and in addition, at times quite frustrating, it is certainly, for the most part, very enjoyable and relaxing, which accounts for its extremely widespread popularity. As is often the case, however, even with the various challenges inherently integrated into the sport, it is almost natural for golfers, particularly for those golfers playing together as a group, such as, for example, within a foursome, to have a desire to pursue additional challenges or competition during their usual rounds of golf. This is particularly true if such an additional challenge or competition comprises a combination of skill, amusement, and the potential for remuneration, it having been additionally experienced that such an added challenge or competition further enhances or fosters friendship, camaraderie, and the like between the members of the group. It is necessary, however, that the aforenoted additional challenge or competition be capable of being integrally incorporated within the overall round of golf without upsetting the continuity of the round of golf for both participants and non-participants of the particular golf group, as well as with respect to other groups of golfers who may follow the particular group of golfers engaging in such additional challenge or competition.

#What has been envisioned or contemplated by means of the present invention is the implementation and monitoring of a hole-in-one competition for a plurality of participating golfers playing within a defined or predetermined group of golfers, or even for a sole participating golfer, and concomitant therewith, the implementation and monitoring of a competition comprising golf tee shots, of one or more participating players, onto the green of a predetermined par-three hole of the golf course wherein the players will also be awarded a variety of prizes based upon both the presence of the tee shots upon the particular or predetermined green, as well as the distance of the tee shots from the hole or cup within a prescribed or predetermined region surrounding the hole or cup. A system similar to the aforenoted contemplated or envisioned system has been previously disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,913 which is entitled GOLF TEE SHOT-GREEN PLACEMENT MONITORING SYSTEM and which issued on Mar. 23, 1999 to Daniel E. Cohen.

#Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating the overall golf tee shot-green placement distance measurement system constructed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention and showing the cooperative parts thereof;

#FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a tee unit or sub-system component of the overall system of the present invention as illustrated within FIG. 1 and as located at the tee of the predetermined or particularly designated three-par hole upon which the contest is being played;

#Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, the new and improved golf tee shot-green placement measurement system constructed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention is disclosed and is generally indicated by the reference character 10. The system 10 has been constructed so as to, in effect, facilitate the operation and monitoring of a hole-in-one challenge or contest for participating golfers, wherein the hole-in-one challenge or contest is to be played upon one or more particularly or predeterminedly selected holes of a golf course upon which the system of the present invention has been installed. In conjunction with the hole-in-one challenge or contest, the system of the present invention also facilitates the operation and monitoring of auxiliary on-the-green and closest-to-the-pin challenges or contests for the participating golfers, wherein for those tee shots which do not comprise holes-in-one, such tee shots can nevertheless be considered to be winning tee shots, on a graduated scale, if the tee shots land either upon an outer peripheral or outskirt portion of the green of the particular or predeterminedly selected hole of the golf course or within predetermined distances from the hole or cup as may be pre-established in accordance with the rules of the challenge or contest.

#The hole-in-one, on-the-green, and closest-to-the-pin challenges or contests are usually entered into by participating golfers prior to the commencement of their particular round of golf at a particular golf course upon which the system of the present invention has been installed, although this process may be altered as will be discussed hereinafter, and it is noted that for the purposes of the present invention, the golf course may comprise any type of golf course, or even a surface region upon which golf-type tee shots might be implemented, such as, for example, an eighteen-hole regulation golf course, a nine-hole golf course or round of golf, a driving range, a miniature golf course, a putting range, or the like. More particularly, in accordance with the operation of the both the hole-in-one, on-the-green, and closest-to-the-pin challenges or contests, if a particular golfer wants to participate in the challenges or contests, he or she would normally make such arrangements prior to the commencement of his or her round of golf. For example, at the time that the golfer is paying for his or her green fee within the club house, in preparation for starting his or her round of golf in accordance with his or her tee-off time, the golfer would pay, for example, an additional nominal charge or fee in return for which, if the golfer achieves a hole-in-one at the predetermined par-three hole of the golf course, or upon a designated hole of a putting green or a miniature golf course, he or she will receive predetermined prize money, or non-monetary prizes, commensurate with the amount of money he or she originally paid. For example, if the golfer originally pays a predetermined fee or charge and achieves a hole-in-one upon the predeterminedly selected par-three hole of the golf course, then the golfer will receive a predetermined monetary prize, or alternatively, a predetermined non-monetary prize, such as, for example, a new car, a vacation trip, and the like. Similar monetary or non-monetary prizes will be awarded, for example, upon a graduated scale, for on-the-green and closest-to-the-pin locations of the tee shots. It is of course to be further understood that the particularly established fees and prizes may be varied as determined by means of the management of the particular golf course upon which the system of the present invention has been installed. In addition, in accordance with management policies prevalent at a particular golf course or club, in lieu of the participating golfers paying an extra contest or challenge entry fee, such fees can in effect be included within the normal green fee that the club or golf course charges all golfers for playing upon its golf course.

#Continuing still further, and as has been noted hereinbefore, for those tee shots that do not become holes-in-one, monetary and non-monetary prizes may also be awarded upon a graduated scale for those shots that land upon the outskirts or peripheral regions of the green or upon the green within specified distances from the hole or cup. For example, if the golfer initially paid a predetermined fee and if his tee shot simply lands upon, for example, an outskirt or peripheral region of the green, he would then be paid a predetermined nominal amount of prize money or receive an appropriate non-monetary prize, however, if the golfer places his or her tee shot anywhere within ten feet from the cup or hole, the golfer would receive predetermined monetary or non-monetary prizes depending upon the distance of the shot from the hole or cup as measured in one-foot increments. Again, it is to be understood that the particularly established fees and prizes may be varied as determined by the management of the particular golf course upon which the system of the present invention has been installed.