Golfer's practice aid

Abstract

A golfer's aid comprising a markable substrate having a graphical representation of at least one golf shot hit with a particular golf club that enables the user to record direction and distance of the golf shot as perceived by the user. The graphical representation includes a plurality of discrete domains that represent a plurality of direction and distance classifications of the golf shot. In the preferred embodiment, the direction classifications include at least the following classifications: i) the direction of the golf shot is substantially straight; ii) the direction of the golf shot is substantially left; and iii) the direction of the golf shot is substantially right. In addition, the direction classifications may include a plurality of classifications of varying degree of offset from straight. In addition, the distance classifications preferably include the following classifications: i) the distance of the golf shot is substantially longer than user's expected distance for the particular golf club; ii) the distance of the golf shot is substantially shorter than user's expected distance for the particular golf club; and iii) the distance of the golf shot substantially corresponds to user's expected distance for the particular golf club. The markable substrate may comprise a paper card wherein the graphical representation is printed on the paper card. Alternatively, the markable substrate may comprise an electronic device wherein the graphical representation is displayed on a display screen. In another aspect of the present invention, a database system is provided for storing golfer's practice data comprising a data entry screen that displays a plurality of data entry fields that represent a plurality of direction and distance classifications of at least one golf shot that enables the user to record direction and distance of the golf shot as perceived by the user.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A golfer's aid comprising: 
 a markable substrate having a graphical representation of at least one golf shot hit with a particular golf club that enables the user to record direction and distance of the golf shot as perceived by the user, the graphical representation comprising a plurality of discrete domains that represent a plurality of direction and distance classifications of the golf shot.    
     
     
         2 . The golfer's aid of  claim 1 , wherein each domain is a spatial region of the substrate that is bounded by visible edges.  
     
     
         3 . The golfer's aid of  claim 1 , wherein said direction classifications comprise at least the following classifications: 
 i) the direction of the golf shot is substantially straight;    ii) the direction of the golf shot is substantially left; and    iii) the direction of the golf shot is substantially right.    
     
     
         4 . The golfer's aid of  claim 3 , wherein said direction classifications comprise a plurality of classifications of varying degree of offset from straight.  
     
     
         5 . The golfer's aid of  claim 1 , wherein said distance classifications comprise at least the following classifications: 
 i) the distance of the golf shot is substantially longer than user's expected distance for the particular golf club;    ii) the distance of the golf shot is substantially shorter than user's expected distance for the particular golf club; and    iii) the distance of the golf shot substantially corresponds to user's expected distance for the particular golf club.    
     
     
         6 . The golfer's aid of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of discrete domains represent a plurality of direction and distance classifications of a single golf shot.  
     
     
         7 . The golfer's aid of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of discrete domains including a plurality of sub-domains that represent a plurality of direction and distance classifications of multiple golf shots.  
     
     
         8 . The golfer's aid of  claim 7 , wherein each sub-domain is a spatial region of the substrate within corresponding domain that is bounded by visible edges.  
     
     
         9 . The golfer's aid of  claim 1 , wherein said markable substrate comprises a paper card, and said graphical representation is printed on said paper card.  
     
     
         10 . The golfer's aid of  claim 1 , wherein said markable substrate comprises display screen and said graphical representation is displayed on said display screen.  
     
     
         11 . The golfer's aid of  claim 10 , which is embodied as an application program that is executed on a personal digital assistance device.  
     
     
         12 . The golfer's aid of  claim 11 , wherein said personal digital assistance includes a touch screen for user input, and wherein the user marks a given domain by touching the touch screen.  
     
     
         13 . The golfer's aid of  claim 11 , wherein said application program provides statistical reporting that displays statistical reports on the display screen of the personal digital assistant to thereby enable a user to analyze practice data stored in memory.  
     
     
         14 . The golfer's aid of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of discrete domains represent at least the following classifications of the golf shot: 
 i) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially longer than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is far left;    ii) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially longer than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is left;    iii) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially longer than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is substantially straight;    iv) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially longer than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is right;    v) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially longer than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is far right;    vi) the distance of the single golf shot substantially corresponds to the users expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is far left;    vii) the distance of the single golf shot substantially corresponds to the user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is left;    viii) the distance of the single golf shot substantially corresponds to the user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is substantially straight;    ix) the distance of the single golf shot substantially corresponds to the user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is right;    x) the distance of the single golf shot substantially corresponds to the user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is far right;    xi) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially shorter than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is far left;    xii) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially shorter than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is left;    xiii) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially shorter than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is substantially straight;    xiv) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially shorter than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is right; and    xv) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially shorter than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is far right.    
     
     
         15 . A database system for storing golfer's practice data comprising a data entry screen that displays a plurality of data entry fields that represent a plurality of direction and distance classifications of at least one golf shot that enables the user to record direction and distance of the golf shot as perceived by the user.  
     
     
         16 . The database system of  claim 15 , wherein said direction classifications comprise at least the following classifications: 
 i) the direction of the golf shot is substantially straight;    ii) the direction of the golf shot is substantially left; and    iii) the direction of the golf shot is substantially right.    
     
     
         17 . The database system of  claim 16 , wherein said direction classifications comprise a plurality of classifications of varying degree of offset from straight.  
     
     
         18 . The database system of  claim 15 , wherein said distance classifications comprise at least the following classifications: 
 i) the distance of the golf shot is substantially longer than user's expected distance for the particular golf club;    ii) the distance of the golf shot is substantially shorter than user's expected distance for the particular golf club; and    iii) the distance of the golf shot substantially corresponds to user's expected distance for the particular golf club.    
     
     
         19 . The database system of  claim 15 , wherein said plurality of data entry fields represent a plurality of direction and distance classifications of a single golf shot.  
     
     
         20 . The database system of  claim 15 , wherein said plurality of data entry fields represent at least the following classifications of the golf shot: 
 i) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially longer than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is far left;    ii) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially longer than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is left;    iii) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially longer than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is substantially straight;    iv) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially longer than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is right;    v) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially longer than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is far right;    vi) the distance of the single golf shot substantially corresponds to the user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is far left;    vii) the distance of the single golf shot substantially corresponds to the user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is left;    viii) the distance of the single golf shot substantially corresponds to the user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is substantially straight;    ix) the distance of the single golf shot substantially corresponds to the user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is right;    x) the distance of the single golf shot substantially corresponds to the user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is far right;    xi) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially shorter than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is far left;    xii) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially shorter than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is left;    xiii) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially shorter than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is substantially straight;    xiv) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially shorter than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is right; and    xv) the distance of the single golf shot is substantially shorter than user's expected distance for the particular golf club and the direction of the golf shot is far right.    
     
     
         21 . The database system of  claim 15 , wherein said data entry screen is provided via user interaction with a web browsing application operably coupled to a web server over the Internet.  
     
     
         22 . The database system of  claim 15 , further comprising a statistical reporting screen that displays statistical reports to thereby enable a user to analyze practice data stored in the database system.  
     
     
         23 . The database system of  claim 12 , wherein said statistical reporting screen is provided via user interaction with a web browsing application operably coupled to a web server over the Internet.