GB2370234A

GB2370234A - Golf practise mat

Info

Publication number: GB2370234A
Application number: GB0031465A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward Crispin Maddocks; Denise Julie Wheeler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-12-22
Filing date: 2000-12-22
Publication date: 2002-06-26
Also published as: GB0031465D0

Abstract

A golfing accessory 11 comprises a generally planar base 12 having a lower surface to engage a planar support and an upper surface 18 defining a generally planar playing surface to receive a ball. Preferably the upper surface comprises a plurality of grass simulating elements 13 arranged in a regular array of rows or randomly. Optionally the playing surface and/or the base may be flexible and the base may be provided with a hole through which a fixing member may secure the accessory to the ground. A portion of the playing surface may define a second, smaller, generally planar playing surface 17 at a level above that of the first surface.

Description

GOLFING ACCESSORY DESCRIPTION This invention relates to a golf accessory, although it may have other applications in sport where a ball is to be struck at, say, ground level In adverse weather conditions, such as rain or melting snow, the fairways and tees on a golf course can become very wet and, in extreme circumstances, waterlogged. In such conditions, and when a golf ball needs to be driven from the fairway or tee of a golf course towards the green, the head of a golfer's club can, on striking the golf ball, remove divots from the grassed surface of the freeway or tee.

Such damage to the fairways and tees of a golf course is undesirable and it is an object of the invention to provide a golfing accessory which eliminates, or at least substantially reduces, this major disadvantage associated with the game of golf Accordingly, the invention provides a golfing accessory comprising a generally planar base having a lower surface arranged to engage a generally planar support and having on its upper surface means defining a generally planar playing surface arranged to receive a ball to be struck at a level above that of the upper surface of the base.

The playing surface-defining means preferably comprises a plurality of grass-simulating elements upstanding from the upper base surface, which elements may be provided in a regular array of rows or randomly.

The base and/or the playing surface-defining means is preferably flexible and the base may be provided with at least one hole through which a

fixing member, such as a nail or other peg-like element, can be received for securing the accessory temporarily to a generally planar support surface, such as the ground.

Possibly, at least the playing surface-defining means, such as the upstanding elements discussed above, is grass coloured.

In an embodiment, a portion of the playing surface-defining means, such as a group of adjacent ones of the upstanding, grass-simulating elements, defines another, generally planar playing surface, for receiving a ball to be struck, at a level above that of the first-mentioned, generally planar playing surface.

In such a case, the first-mentioned, generally planar playing surface may extend over a major proportion of the area of the accessory, with the other generally planar playing surface extending over a minor proportion thereof In order that the invention may be more fully understood, two preferred embodiments of golfing accessory will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures lA and IB are respective cross-sectional elevational and plan views of a first embodiment of golfing accessory; and Figures 2A and 2B are respective cross-sectional elevational and plan views of a second embodiment of golfing accessory.

Referring firstly to Figures lA and IB of the drawings, a golfing accessory, indicated generally at 1, comprises a flexible base 2 of a plastics material having, on its upper surface 7 means, in the form of generally linear

upstanding elements 3, defining a generally planar playing surface 4 for receiving thereon a ball, such as a golf ball, to be struck. It can be seen that the generally planar playing surface 4 is at a level above that of the upper surface 7 of the base 2.

Such upstanding elements 3 may also be made of a flexible plastics material, in which case, the accessory 1 may be moulded in unitary form.

In each comer of the base 2 is provided a through hole 5 capable of receiving a fixing element for securing the accessory 1 to a generally planar support, such as the grassed surface at a golf tee.

A centrally-located through hole 6 is arranged to receive therethrough the stem of a tee (not shown).

The comer through holes 5 may be omitted, in which case, the stem of a tee received through the centrally-located through hole 6 may be used to secure the accessory I in position upon any suitable generally planar support, such as the grassed surface of a golf course.

In use of the golfing accessory 1, and to prevent damage to the playing surface of, say, a tee or a freeway, the accessory I is placed in the appropriate position upon the ground, usually covered by grass, and may be secured thereto by means of fixing elements (not shown) received in respective through holes 5 in the comers of the base 2 and/or by means of a tee passing through the centrally-located hole 6.

A golf ball to be struck is then placed on the planar playing surface 4 or upon the cup-shaped top of a tee whose stem passes through the centrallylocated hole 6. In this manner, and when the golf ball is struck, the ground beneath the accessory 1 is protected from damage by the head of the golf club.

Referring now to Figures 2A and 2B, a second embodiment of golfing accessory, indicated generally at 11, comprises a flexible plastics, generally planar base 12 again having, on its upper surface 18, means in the form of upstanding elements 13 which define a first, generally planar playing surface 14 extending over a major proportion of the area of the accessory 11.

As in the case of the first embodiment of golfing accessory described above in relation to Figures IA and IB, a fixing through hole 15 is provided at each comer of the base 12 However, a generally square group of adjacent upstanding elements 16 extend above the first-mentioned elements 13, to define a second, square-shaped, generally planar playing surface 17 at a level above that of the playing surface 13 This second playing surface 17 can be used effectively in place of a tee and, thus, can receive a golf ball to be struck upon it.

As can also be seen from the drawing, the elements 3,13 and 17 upstanding from the base to 12, are arranged in a regular array of rows, although such arrangement could be random.

As discussed above in relation to the first embodiment of golfing accessory, the second embodiment could be formed as a unitary article from a plastics material by, say, moulding. Also, the colour of the accessory 1,11 could be that of grass, for aesthetic purposes.

Thus, it can be seen that the two embodiments of golfing accessory provide means for protecting the regular playing surface of a golf course at both tee and fairway.

Claims

1. A golfing accessory comprising a generally planar base having a lower surface arranged to engage a generally planar support and having on its upper surface means defining a generally planar playing surface arranged to receive a ball to be struck at a level above that of the upper surface of the base

2. An accessory as claimed in claim 1, wherein said playing surface-defining means comprises a plurality of grass-simulating elements upstanding from the upper base surface.

3. An accessory as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elements are provided in a regular array of rows or randomly.

4. An accessory as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the base and/or said playing surface-defining means is/are flexible.

5. An accessory as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base is provided with at least one hole through which a fixing member, such as a nail or other peg-like element, can be received for securing the accessory temporarily to a generally planar support surface, such as the ground.

6. An accessory as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least said playing surface-defining means is grass coloured.

7. An accessory as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a portion of the playing surface-defining means defines another, generally planar playing surface, for receiving a ball to be struck, at a level above that of the first-mentioned, generally planar playing surface.

8. An accessory as claimed in claim 7, wherein the firstmentioned, generally planar playing surface extends over a major proportion of the area of the accessory, with the other generally planar playing surface extending over a minor proportion thereof

9. A golfing accessory substantially hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.