Method and apparatus for analyzing a golf stroke

Abstract

A method of analyzing and practicing golf strokes, such as putting strokes, is provided. A surface is provided, wherein a golfer can practice one or more strokes in an environment simulating components of a golf course, such as a green. A club movement detector embedded in the surface and comprising a plurality of photodetectors and associated circuitry determines the position and velocity of the club face. A head movement sensor detects rotational movement of the golfer's head during the golf stroke. An eye movement sensor detects movement of the eyes of the golfer during the golf stroke. A processor connected to the club movement sensor, eye movement sensor, and head movements sensor gathers movement data during the golf stroke and produces measurements corresponding to the golf stroke, such as eye, head, and club movement of the golfer. The measurements can be compared with those of professional golfers to determine the efficiency and accuracy of the putting stroke.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for analyzing golf strokes comprising: 
 a surface for supporting a golfer during a golf stroke;    means for sensing position of a golf club head during the golf stroke; and    a processor connected to the means for sensing position for producing measurements corresponding to position of the golf club during the golf stroke.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the means for sensing position of the club head comprises at least one photodetector array.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one photodetector array comprises a plurality of photodetectors for detecting club head position and velocity.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of photodetectors comprises a plurality of infrared phototransistors.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the means for sensing position of the club head further comprises means for determining a position of a leading edge of the club.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the means for determining the position of the leading edge of the club produces a signal corresponding to the position of the putter.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the signal is sent to the processor for producing the measurements.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the means for sensing position of the club head is embedded in the surface.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the measurements are compared to measurements of golfers of different skill levels.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the measurements comprise time traces.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for analyzing golf strokes comprising: 
 a surface for supporting a golfer during a golf stroke;    means for sensing movement of the golfer during the golf stroke; and    a processor connected to the means for sensing movement for producing measurements corresponding to the movement of the golfer during the golf stroke.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the means for sensing movement comprises means for sensing head movement of the golfer during the golf stroke.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the means for sensing head movement comprises a potentiometer for measuring rotational head movement.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a helmet for a golfer to wear, the helmet interconnected with the potentiometer for transferring the rotational head movement to the potentiometer.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the time trace indicates head movement of the golfer during the golf stroke.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the means for sensing movement comprises means for sensing eye movement of the golfer during the stroke.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the means for sensing eye movement comprises an infrared eye movement detector for sensing movement of the eyes of the golfer during the golf stroke.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the measurements indicate eye movement of the golfer during the golf stroke.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the measurements comprise time traces.  
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for analyzing golf strokes comprising: 
 a surface for supporting a golfer during a golf stroke;    means for sensing position of a golf club head during the golf stroke;    means for sensing movement of the golfer during the golf stroke; and    a processor connected to the means for sensing position of the golf club and the means for sensing movement of the golfer, the processor producing measurements corresponding to sensed golf club position and sensed golf club movement during the golf stroke.    
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the means for sensing position of the club head comprises at least one photodetector array.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one photodetector array comprises a plurality of photodetectors for detecting club head position and velocity.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of photodetectors comprises a plurality of infrared phototransistors.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the means for sensing position of the club head further comprises means for determining a position of a leading edge of the club.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the means for determining the position of the leading edge of the club produces a signal corresponding to the position of the putter.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the signal is sent to the processor for producing the measurements.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the means for sensing position of the club head is embedded in the surface.  
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the measurements are compared to measurements of golfers of different skill levels.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the means for sensing movement further comprises means for sensing head movement of the golfer during the golf stroke.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the means for sensing head movement comprises a potentiometer for measuring rotational head movement.  
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , further comprising a helmet for a golfer to wear, the helmet interconnected with the potentiometer for transferring the rotational head movement to the potentiometer.  
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the measurements indicates head movement of the golfer during the golf stroke.  
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the means for sensing movement further comprises means for sensing eye movement of the golfer during the golf stroke.  
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the means for sensing eye movement further comprises an infrared eye movement detector for sensing movement of the eyes of the golfer during the golf stroke.  
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the measurements indicates eye movement of the golfer during the golf stroke.  
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the measurements comprise time traces.  
     
     
         37 . A method for analyzing golf strokes comprising: 
 providing a surface for supporting a golfer;    allowing the golfer to take a golf stroke;    sensing movement of the golfer during the golf stroke; and    producing measurements corresponding to the sensed movement during the golf stroke.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising sensing head movements of the golfer during the golf stroke.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising producing measurements corresponding to the head movements of the golfer during the golf stroke.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising sensing eye movements of the golfer during the golf stroke.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising producing measurements corresponding to the eye movements of the golfer during the golf stroke.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising sensing position of a golf club during the golf stroke.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising producing measurements corresponding to the position of the golf club during the golf stroke.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising comparing the measurements of the golfer to measurements of golfers of different skill levels.  
     
     
         45 . An apparatus for indicating movement of an object above a surface comprising: 
 a plurality of sensors disposed on the surface;    a plurality of difference amplifiers connected to the plurality of sensors; and    a plurality of comparators connected to the plurality of difference amplifiers, the plurality of comparators producing a digital signal having multiple bits, wherein at least one of the multiple bits corresponds to a position of the object above the surface.    
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprise a plurality of phototransistors.  
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the plurality of sensors are disposed within the surface and face generally upward.  
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the digital signal is 16 bits.