Golf putting practice device

Abstract

A portable golf putting training device used by golfers to improve their putting stroke comprising a flexible plastic sheet with a reflective layer and guide lines both parallel to and perpendicular to the intended path of the ball. The guide lines and the reflective surface provide feedback to the golfer during the stroke as to whether (a) the club face is square to the intended path; (b) the putter has been drawn back parallel to the intended path; (c) the backswing is slow and smooth; and (d) a long follow-through has been made. Preferably the device is made of a clear acrylic material with a protected reflective layer in which the guide lines are cut. The sheet is oblong and provided with an end-to-end longitudinally oriented target line that bisects the sheet. A spot for mounting a golf ball is marked less than half-way along the target line as measured from the backswing end. The spacing between successive transverse guide lines increases as one progresses from the backswing end to the ball mounting spot. Thereafter from the ball mounting spot to the follow-through end, the transverse guide lines are uniformly spaced.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A golf putting training and practice aid comprising a transparent, generally planar sheet intended to be laid flat on the ground or indoors with a lower surface facing towards the supporting ground and an upper surface facing away from the supporting ground, and being reflective from above so that light passing through the sheet from above is reflected upwards and having a long axis and a short axis on which are marked guide lines and a mounting spot for a golf ball, all visible from above the upper surface of the device, such guidelines comprising: 
 (a) a target line running the length of the long axis, located parallel to the long axis and bisecting the short axis so that the visible lines and divided areas are symmetrical about the target line;    (b) a line of address running completely across the sheet, located parallel to the short axis and perpendicular to the long axis, such line of address dividing the long axis into two parts, a backswing side to the right for a right-handed golfer and a follow-through side to the left for a right-handed golfer;    (c) a plurality of cross lines running completely across the sheet and parallel to the line of address located so that the spacing of the cross lines on the follow-through side is uniform and the spacing of the cross lines on the backswing side are successively narrower as measured away from the line of address; and    (d) a mounting spot located at the intersection of the target line and the line of address.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the sheet is rectangular and all guide lines and any other linear indicia on the sheet are selected to be parallel either to the line of address or to the target line.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the reflective material is disposed on the lower surface of the sheet and is covered with a protective plastic coating.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the guide lines are formed on the underside of the sheet and are clearly visible from above the sheet.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4  wherein the target line and the longitudinal edges of the sheet are the only visible lines of the device having longitudinal extension.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the line of address, cross lines and the end edges of the sheet are the only visible lines of the device having transverse extension.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the margin at the follow-through end thereof is bevelled.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the mounting spot is located approximately 60-70% of the way along the target line as measured from the edge at the follow-through side.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8  wherein the mounting spot is formed on the underside of the sheet with paint applied at the intersection of the target line and the line of address.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of the spacing of successive cross lines on the backswing side proceeding from the line of address to the backswing end is approximately constant and less than 1.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the ratio is selected to be between 0.7 and 0.9.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the ratio is variable and the values used for the ratio are drawn from a predetermined table.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the length of the sheet is selected to coincide approximately with the length of an average golfer's backswing and follow-through.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the length of the sheet is approximately 1 m.