Virtual golf game

An online method for a remote user to access a central server adapted to convert an actual golf score from a round of golf played at a first course to an estimated score relating the actual score to a second course, the method comprising the steps of:

• inputting at a remote location an actual golf score from a round played at a first golf course and transmitting the golf score to a central server;
• selecting a second course and transmitting the selection from the remote location to the central server;
• and
• providing the central server with course information relating to the first and second courses and comparing the course information of the first course with the course information of the second course to determine a conversion factor and applying the conversion factor to the actual score to convert the actual score to an estimated score relating the actual score to the selected second course, the course information including at least one of:
• course par, slope rating, course rating, and daily historical weather conditions.

A computer-based distributed network in which a plurality of remote users participate in a game by communicating information to a central server via at least one remote computing means, the network comprising:

• a central server having a first computing means and a central database, the central server being adapted to receive and store course information relating to a plurality of golf courses, the course information including at least one of:
• course par, slope rating, course rating, and daily historical weather conditions for each of the plurality of golf courses;
• the at least one remote computing means having input means and being in communication with the central server, the remote computing means being adapted to transmit course, golfer and golfer scoring information to the central server, the golfer scoring information including a first golf score at a first course and a second golf score at a second course;
• and
• the first computing means being adapted to access information relating to the first and second courses from the central database and convert at least one of the first golf score and the second golf score based on the course information relating to the first and second courses, the first computing means being adapted to compare the first and second golf scores, as converted, to determine a winner of a golf game.

An online method for obtaining personal information, including at least one of buying preferences and demographic related information, from a plurality of participants of an online, virtual golf game, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a central server having a central database containing information pertaining to a plurality of golf courses, the database including one or more of course par, USGA course rating, USGA slope rating, and daily historical weather condition data associated with the plurality of golf courses, the central server being adapted to perform a series of data comparisons and manipulations on selected course information and actual golf score information received by the central server from the plurality of game participants to determine the relative achievement of actual scores from different courses and determine a winner of a golf game;
• providing access to the central server to a plurality of remote computing means at a plurality of remote locations, the remote computing means having input means and user viewing means and being adapted to transmit course and player score data to the central server;
• and
• providing, via the viewing means, the plurality of participants with a series of data gathering queries, whereby participants operate the input means to provide personal information in response to the data gathering queries in conjunction with accessing the central server to effect a golf game.

An online method for determining the winner of a virtual golf game based on actual golf scores achieved by game participants in which a plurality of remote users access a central server adapted to store and maintain course information relating to a plurality of golf courses and to convert an actual golf score from a round of golf played at a golf course to an estimated score had that round been played at a selected tournament course, the method comprising the steps of:

• inputting at a first remote location a first actual golf score from a first round played at a first golf course and transmitting the first golf score to a central server;
• inputting at a second remote location a second actual golf score from a second round played at a second golf course and transmitting the second golf score to a central server;
• selecting a tournament course from the plurality of golf courses;
• accessing course information stored at the central server relating to the first and second golf courses and the tournament golf course, the course information including at least one of:
• course par, slope rating, course rating, and daily historical weather conditions;
• comparing the course information of the first and second golf courses with the course information of the tournament golf course to determine a conversion factor and applying the conversion factor to the first and second actual scores to convert the first and second actual scores to a first and second estimated score, respectively representing the score that the first and second players would have had the first and second rounds been played at the tournament course;
• and
• comparing the first and second estimated scores to determine the winner of a virtual game of golf.