Golfing apparatus and method for golf play simulation

An apparatus for simulating golf play using an actual golf shot by a user, the apparatus comprising:

• means for monitoring a plurality of actual golf shots by a golfer and generating a golf shot file therefrom including at least a time and a distance of a golf ball travel;
• a golf shot file comprising a representation of a plurality of actual golf shots with each golf club in a set thereof, said golf shot representation including at least a time and a distance of a golf ball travel;
• a golf course file comprising a geographic representation of at least a portion of a golf course;
• simulation means for combining selected portions of said golf shot file and selected portions of said golf course file to simulate a plurality of golf shots on the selected portions of the golf course based upon a plurality of golf shots by the user;
• and
• image displaying means responsive to said simulation means for displaying a plurality of simulated golf shots on the selected portions of the golf course;
• and
• input means responsive to user input for selecting predetermined portions of said golf shot file.

A method for simulating golf play using actual golf shots by a user, comprising the steps of:

• providing data representative of at least one actual recorded golf shot, the golf shot data including at least a time and a distance of a complete golf ball flight path;
• providing data representative of at least a portion of a golf course;
• and
• combining selected portions of the golf shot data and selected portions of the golf course data to simulate at least one golf shot on the selected portions of the golf course based upon at least one actual golf shot by the user.

An apparatus for simulating golf play using an actual golf shot by a user, the apparatus comprising:

• a golf shot file comprising a representation of at least one actual golf shot by the user, said golf shot representations including at least a time and a distance of a complete golf ball flight path;
• a golf course file comprising a geographic representation of at least a portion of a golf course;
• simulation means for combining selected portions of said golf shot file and selected portions of said golf course file to simulate at least one golf shot on the selected portions of the golf course based upon at least one actual golf shot by the user;
• and
• image displaying means responsive to said simulation means for displaying at least one simulated golf shot on the selected portions of the golf course.