Golf-related video recording apparatus

Abstract

A golf-related video recording apparatus and method comprises a single hole golf course fairway, having positioned at one end a tee-off area, and at another end, a golf green with cup area. A field house structure is positioned adjacent the tee-off area and houses an electrical power source for powering video capturing means, a video storing means, and a video playback means. The video capturing means are preferably video cameras set for viewing the tee area and the cup area. The apparatus is electrically interconnected and enabled for capturing golf ball drives from the tee area and golf ball arrivals and cup drops for permanent recording. The system is fully self-contained and may be coin or token operated.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A golf-related contest and game apparatus comprising: a single hole golf course fairway, and positioned at one end of the golf course fairway, a tee-off area, and positioned at another end of the golf course fairway, a golf green with cup area; a field house structure positioned adjacent the tee-off area; the field house structure housing an electrical power source, and energized thereby: a first video capturing means, a video storing means, and a video playback means; the apparatus further comprising a second video capturing means positioned adjacent the golf green with cup area; the apparatus electrically interconnected and enabled for capturing on video tape, golf ball drives from the tee-off area and golf ball arrivals at the golf green with cup area, whereby golfers are able to obtain video recordings of golf play.  
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first video capturing means is a video camera positioned relative to the tee-off area for viewing a tee of the tee-off area and for viewing the line of flight of a typical golf ball drive from the tee.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the second video capturing means is a set of three video cameras positioned at left, right and far center around the golf green with cup area relative to the tee-off area the three video camera set adjusted for viewing all of the golf green with cup area.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the video playback means is a video monitor.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the video playback means is enabled for display of views from the first and the second video capturing means simultaneously.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the electrical source comprises an electricity storing means, a solar powered electricity generator, a dc to ac inverter, an uninterruptible power supply, and a coin or token operated access device.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising a charging connector adapted for enabling charging of the electricity storing means by a standard ac power line.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a motion sensing means adapted for actuating each of the video capturing means upon sensing motion in the field of view of each respective of the video capturing means.  
     
     
         9 . A golf-related contest and game method comprising the steps of: providing a single hole golf course fairway, having positioned at one end, a tee-off area, and at another end, a golf green with cup area; positioning a field house structure adjacent to the tee-off area; viewing golf play on the golf course fairway with a video capturing means; storing the captured video and playing back the captured video on demand; whereby golfers are able to obtain video recordings of golf play.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  comprising the further step of displaying plural views of the golf play simultaneously.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of operating video cameras by solar power.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the step of actuating the video cameras by sensing motion on the fairway.