Virtual caddy system and method

Abstract

A caddy system and method of providing a shot recommendation to a golfer is disclosed wherein real-time shot information, including the current location of a golf ball on a golf course, as well as golf course information, are used to provide a recommended golf shot to the golfer. According to another aspect of the invention, a golfer's shot history is used, in addition to the current location of the golf ball and the golf course information, to provide a shot recommendation to the golfer. According to yet another aspect of the invention, a caddy system and method of providing real-time shot information are disclosed, wherein the real-time information may be displayed alone or in conjunction with certain information about a golf course being played, including the display of the golf ball location in relation to a digital course map.

1 . A portable electronic virtual caddy device for presenting information to a golfer who is using a trackable golf ball on a golf course, comprising: 
 a receiver configured to receive real-time shot information concerning any movement of the golf ball;    a processor configured to process the received shot information;    a memory connected to the processor to store at least the shot information; and    a display operatively coupled so as to display the shot information to the golfer.    
   
   
       2 . The portable caddy device of  claim 1 , wherein the memory includes a coordinate map concerning at least the golf course, wherein the processor is further configured to coordinate any movement of the golf ball with coordinates on the map and display the shot information in relation to the coordinate map.  
   
   
       3 . The portable caddy device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform at least one statistical computation on the shot information and display the at least one statistical computation on the display.  
   
   
       4 . The portable caddy device of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver receives shot information for a plurality of golfers and wherein the display further displays real-time shot information for the plurality of golfers.  
   
   
       5 . The portable caddy device of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further programmed to determine a ball trajectory and wherein the display further displays the ball trajectory in relation to the coordinate map.  
   
   
       6 . The portable caddy device of  claim 2 , wherein the shot information includes a location of the golf ball on the golf course and wherein the processor is further programmed to determine when the golf ball is on a tee and when the golf ball is in a cup for a particular hole of play.  
   
   
       7 . The portable caddy device of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is further programmed to determine a shot number for the golfer for the particular hole and calculate a total number of shots needed by the golfer to reach the cup from the tee for the particular hole.  
   
   
       8 . The portable caddy device of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further programmed to calculate a golf score using the total number of shots and wherein the display further displays the golf score.  
   
   
       9 . The portable caddy device of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further programmed to calculate a handicap for the golfer and wherein the display further displays the handicap.  
   
   
       10 . The portable caddy device of  claim 1 , wherein the real-time information includes one or more of the following: ball type, course identification, shot date, hole identification, club used, shot type, weather conditions, overall shot distance, shot distance in air, initial shot speed, average shot speed, number of bounces, distance bouncing, distance rolling, and initial shot position.  
   
   
       11 . The portable caddy device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive substantially real-time weather information and wherein the display displays the weather information to the golfer.  
   
   
       12 . A method for presenting information to a golfer who is using a trackable golf ball on a golf course, comprising: 
 providing the golfer with a portable electronic device which includes a receiver, a processor, a memory and a display;    receiving real-time shot information at the receiver concerning any movement of the golf ball;    storing at least the received shot information and the golf course information in the memory;    processing the received shot information and the golf course information using the processor; and    displaying the shot information and the golf course information to the golfer over the display.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , including the additional steps of: 
 accessing course information on a golf course being played by the golfer, including a coordinate map of the course;    coordinating any movement of the golf ball with the map; and    displaying the shot information in relation to the map.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising obtaining substantially real-time weather information and displaying the weather information to the golfer on the display.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising performing one or more statistical computations on the real-time data and displaying the one or more statistical computations using the display.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising receiving and displaying shot information for a plurality of golfers.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising determining a ball trajectory using the shot information and displaying the ball trajectory using the display.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 determining a total number of shots needed by the golfer to reach a cup from a tee on a particular golf hole,    calculating a golf score using the total number of shots, and    displaying the golf score using the display.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising determining a handicap for the golfer using the shot information and displaying the handicap using the display.  
   
   
       20 . A portable electronic virtual caddy device for presenting a recommended golf shot to a golfer who is using a trackable golf ball on a golf course, comprising: 
 a receiver configured to receive real-time shot information concerning any movement of the golf ball;    a data file including information on the golf course, including a coordinate map of the golf course;    a memory to store at least the shot information and the golf course information;    a processor connected to the memory, the processor configured to process the shot information and to coordinate any movement of the golf ball with the coordinate map to determine a current ball location, the processor further configured to compare the current location with the map to determine the recommended shot; and    a display operatively coupled to the processor so as to display the recommended shot to the golfer.    
   
   
       21 . The portable caddy device of  claim 20 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive substantially real-time weather information and wherein the display displays the weather information to the golfer.  
   
   
       22 . The portable caddy device of  claim 20 , wherein the processor is further configured to analyze a skill level of the golfer to determine the recommended shot.  
   
   
       23 . The portable caddy device of  claim 20 , wherein the recommended shot includes at least a conditional recommended shot.  
   
   
       24 . The portable caddy device of  claim 20 , wherein the recommended shot includes one or more of text information, audio and video.  
   
   
       25 . The portable caddy device of  claim 20 , wherein the real-time information includes one or more of the following: ball type, course identification, shot date, hole identification, club used, shot type, weather conditions, overall shot distance, shot distance in air, initial shot speed, average shot speed, number of bounces, distance bouncing, distance rolling, and initial shot position.  
   
   
       26 . The portable caddy device of  claim 20 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a plurality of recommended shots for the current ball location, and wherein the display displays the plurality of recommended shots.  
   
   
       27 . A portable electronic virtual caddy device for presenting a recommended golf shot to a golfer who is using a trackable golf ball on a golf course, comprising: 
 a receiver configured to receive real-time shot information concerning any movement of the golf ball;    a data file including information on the golf course, including a coordinate map of the golf course;    a data file including user information;    a memory to store at least the shot information, the user information, and the golf course information;    a processor connected to the memory, the processor configured to process the shot information and to coordinate any movement of the golf ball with coordinates on the map to determine a current ball location, the processor further configured to compare the current location with the map and the user information to determine the recommended shot; and    a display operatively coupled to the processor so as to display the recommended shot to the golfer.    
   
   
       28 . The portable caddy device of  claim 27 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive substantially real-time weather information and wherein the display displays the weather information to the golfer.  
   
   
       29 . The portable caddy device of  claim 27 , wherein the processor is further configured to analyze a skill level of the golfer to determine the recommended shot.  
   
   
       30 . The portable caddy device of  claim 27 , wherein the recommended shot includes one or more of text information, audio and video.  
   
   
       31 . The portable caddy device of  claim 27 , wherein the recommended shot comprises a plurality of recommended shots and wherein the plurality of recommended shots includes at least one of a lowest score shot and a highest chance of success shot.  
   
   
       32 . The portable caddy device of  claim 27 , wherein the real-time information includes one or more of the following: ball type, course identification, shot date, hole identification, club used, shot type, weather conditions, overall shot distance, shot distance in air, initial shot speed, average shot speed, number of bounces, distance bouncing, distance rolling, and initial shot position.  
   
   
       33 . A method for presenting a recommended shot to a golfer who is using a trackable golf ball on a golf course, comprising: 
 providing the golfer with a portable electronic device which includes a receiver, a processor, a memory and a display;    accessing course information, including a coordinate map on the golf course;    receiving real-time shot information at the receiver concerning any movement of the golf ball;    storing at least the received shot information and the golf course information in the memory;    processing the received shot information using the processor so as to coordinate any movement of the golf ball with the map to determine a current ball location;    comparing the current ball location with the map using the processor so as to determine a recommended shot; and    displaying the recommended shot to the golfer over the display.    
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising obtaining substantially real-time weather information and processing the weather information using the processor to determine the recommended shot.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising analyzing a skill level of the golfer to determine a recommended shot.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising calculating a golfer's handicap using the golf course information and the shot information and displaying the handicap to the user over the display.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the recommended shot comprises a plurality of recommended shots, and wherein the plurality of recommended shots includes at least a conditional recommended shot.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the recommended shot includes one or more of text information, audio and video.  
   
   
       39 . A method for presenting a recommended shot to a golfer who is using a trackable golf ball on a golf course, comprising: 
 providing the golfer with a portable electronic device which includes a receiver, a processor, a memory and a display;    accessing course information, including a coordinate map on the golf course;    accessing a data file including user information;    receiving real-time shot information at the receiver concerning any movement of the golf ball;    storing at least the received shot information, the user information and the golf course information in the memory;    processing the received shot information using the processor so as to coordinate any movement of the golf ball with the map to determine a current ball location;    comparing the current ball location with the map and the user information using the processor so as to determine a recommended shot; and    displaying the recommended shot to the golfer over the display.    
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising receiving a signal transmitted from an ultra-wideband transmitter.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising analyzing a skill level of the golfer to determine a recommended shot.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the recommended shot comprises a plurality of recommended shots, and wherein the plurality of recommended shots includes at least one of a lowest score shot, a highest chance of success shot, and a conditional shot.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the recommended shot includes one or more of text information, audio and video.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising obtaining substantially real-time weather information and processing the weather information using the processor to determine the recommended shot.