Golf driving mat

Abstract

A golf driving mat, including: a flexible member ( 21 ) over which a golf ball is in use located to be hit by a head of a golf club; and a cavity ( 23 ) containing a viscous material ( 25 ) disposed beneath the flexible member, wherein the viscous material is such as to slow the head of the golf club when the head of the golf club is hit into the flexible member, such a shot representing a “fat” shot.

1 . A golf driving mat, including: 
 a flexible member formed of a ruckable material over which a golf ball is in use located to be hit by a head of a golf club; and    a cavity containing a viscous material disposed beneath the flexible member, the viscious material being such as to act upon the head of the golf club when the head of the golf club is hit into the flexible member,    wherein, when the head of the golf club is hit into the flexible member, the flexible member is sucked up forward of the head of the golf club, which rucking up, together with the action of the viscous material, causes the head of the golf club to be slowed.    
     
     
         2 . The mat of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible member is formed of a resilient material.  
     
     
         3 . The mat of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the flexible member is formed of a rubberised material.  
     
     
         4 . The mat of any of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the viscous material is a gel-like material.  
     
     
         5 . The mat of  claim 4 , wherein the gel-like material is a gel.  
     
     
         6 . The mat of any of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the viscous material is a syrup.  
     
     
         7 . The mat of any of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the viscous material is a paste.  
     
     
         8 . The mat of any of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the viscous material is a particulate material.  
     
     
         9 . The mat of any of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the viscous material comprises a particulate material dispersed in a carrier medium.  
     
     
         10 . The mat of  claim 9 , wherein the carrier medium is a viscous liquid.  
     
     
         11 . The mat of  claim 10 , wherein the viscous liquid is an oil.  
     
     
         12 . The mat of  claim 9 , wherein the carrier medium is a gel.  
     
     
         13 . The mat of  claims 8  to  12 , wherein the particulate material comprises particles selected from at least one of the group consisting of plastic particles, metal particles and plastic-coated metal particles.  
     
     
         14 . The mat of any  claims 1  to  13 , wherein the cavity has a depth of up to about 20 mm.  
     
     
         15 . The mat of any  claims 1  to  13 , wherein the cavity has a depth of about 20 mm.  
     
     
         16 . The mat of any  claims 1  to  15 , including: 
 a ball-receiving member located over the flexible member on which the golf ball is located.  
 
     
     
         17 . The mat of  claim 1 , wherein the ball-receiving member is removable.  
     
     
         18 . The mat of  claim 16  or  17 , wherein the ball-receiving member is formed of a resilient material.  
     
     
         19 . The mat of any of  claims 16  to  18 , wherein the ball-receiving member is formed of a fabric material.  
     
     
         20 . The mat of any of  claims 16  to  19 , wherein the ball-receiving member has a smooth surface.  
     
     
         21 . The mat of any of  claims 16  to  19 , wherein the ball-receiving member has a non-smooth surface.  
     
     
         22 . The mat of  claim 21 , wherein the ball-receiving member has a ribbed surface.  
     
     
         23 . The mat of any of  claims 1  to  22 , comprising: 
 a receptacle including the flexible member at an upper surface thereof and defining the cavity.  
 
     
     
         24 . The mat of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 a body unit comprising a main body in which the receptacle is disposed.    
     
     
         25 . The mat of  claim 24 , wherein the body unit further comprises a loading mechanism for laterally inwardly loading the receptacle.  
     
     
         26 . The mat of  claim 25 , wherein the loading mechanism is adjustable such as to enable adjustment of the loading of the receptacle.  
     
     
         27 . The mat of  claim 25  or  26 , wherein the loading mechanism is configured to load a forward region of the receptacle in a direction of hitting.  
     
     
         28 . The mat of any of  claims 23  to  27  when appendant upon any of  claims 16  to  22 , further comprising: 
 a ball-receiving unit comprising the ball-receiving member, the ball-receiving unit being attached to the main body of the body unit.  
 
     
     
         29 . The mat of any if  claims 23  to  28 , further comprising: 
 a flattening mechanism for flattening the flexible member of the receptacle.  
 
     
     
         30 . The mat of  claim 29 , wherein the flattening mechanism comprises a smoothing unit comprising a smoothing element drivable over the flexible member of the receptacle to flatten the same, and a drive member for driving the smoothing element.  
     
     
         31 . The mat of  claim 30 , wherein the smoothing element comprises a roller.  
     
     
         32 . The mat of  claim 30 , wherein the smoothing element comprises a blade.  
     
     
         33 . The mat of  claim 29 , wherein the flattening mechanism comprises a vibration unit for vibrating the receptacle such as to cause the viscous material to settle and thereby flatten the flexible member.  
     
     
         34 . The mat of  claim 29 , wherein the viscous material includes magnetic particles, and the flattening mechanism comprises a magnetic field generating unit which is operable to cause the viscous material to settle and thereby flatten the flexible member.  
     
     
         35 . The mat of  claim 34 , wherein the magnetic field generating unit is operative during hitting of the golf ball such as to magnetize the magnetic particles and aggregate the same to confer a required viscosity material, with the viscous material having a composition which is such that, in the absence of a magnetic field, the viscous material settles and thereby flattens the flexible member.  
     
     
         36 . The mat of  claim 34 , wherein the magnetic field generating unit is operable subsequent to hitting of the golf ball such as to magnetize the magnetic particles and cause the viscous material to settle and thereby flatten the flexible member.  
     
     
         37 . The mat of  claim 29 , wherein the flattening mechanism comprises a tensioning unit for laterally tensioning the receptacle and thereby flattening the flexible member.  
     
     
         38 . The mat of  claim 37 , wherein the tensioning unit comprises first and second spreader bars attached to respective sides of the receptacle, and a plurality of resilient elements for biasing the spreader bars outwardly such as to tension the receptacle.  
     
     
         39 . The mat of  claim 38 , wherein the spreader bars extend over substantially a full height of the respective sides of the receptacle.  
     
     
         40 . The mat of  claim 38 , wherein the spreader bars are attached to upper ends of the respective sides of the receptacle.  
     
     
         41 . The mat of  claim 37 , wherein the tensioning unit is operable by a golfer to apply an increased tensioning force to the receptacle.  
     
     
         42 . The mat of  claim 41 , wherein the tensioning unit comprises first and second spreader bars attached to respective sides of the receptacle, and a biasing element operable by the golfer to bias the spreader bars outwardly such as to tension the receptacle.  
     
     
         43 . The mat of  claim 42 , wherein the biasing element comprises a leaf spring coupled between the spreader bars.  
     
     
         44 . A golf driving mat system, comprising: 
 a base unit on which a golfer stands to hit a golf shot; and the mat of any  claims 1  to  43  provided to the base unit.    
     
     
         45 . The mat system of  claim 44 , wherein the mat is removable.  
     
     
         46 . The mat system of  claim 45 , wherein the base unit includes a recess in which the mat is in use located.  
     
     
         47 . The mat system of  claim 45 , wherein the base unit comprises base including first and second recesses in one of which the mat is in use located according to whether the golfer is a left-handed or right-handed golfer, and a sheet located on the base including an aperture through which the mat is presented.  
     
     
         48 . The mat system of  claim 44 , wherein the mat is integrally formed with the base unit.