Ball game and equipment

Abstract

Game apparatus for playing a baseball-like and golf-like game to be played on a golf course or a sports field or yard with rules of play for golf courses and sports fields or yards. The game apparatus includes a unitary bat-putter that resembles a baseball bat but has a flat surface at at least one end of the bat-putter, to be used to putt a ball. The game apparatus for sports field or yard play includes a targets including flagsticks inserted through stackable above ground target bodies set in advance of play on a sports field or yard to create a course of play.

1 . An elongate bat for propelling a ball in a game, comprising:
 (a) an elongate generally cylindrical ball-striking barrel portion having an outer tip end and a circular cross-sectional shape with a diameter;   (b) a tapered mid portion extending in a first, proximal direction away from said barrel portion;   (c) a slender handle portion connected with said barrel portion through said tapered mid portion, said barrel portion, mid portion, and handle portion together including a central longitudinal axis; and   (d) a recessed planar ball-striking face located at said outer tip end of said barrel portion and extending along said barrel portion over a distance equal to not more than about twice said diameter of said barrel portion.   
   
   
       2 . The elongate bat of  claim 1  wherein the ball-striking face is parallel with said central longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       3 . The elongate bat of  claim 1  including a central longitudinal axis and wherein said ball-striking face is oriented at an acute angle to said central longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       4 . The elongate bat of  claim 3  wherein said ball-striking face is oriented at a lifting angle. 
   
   
       5 . The elongate bat of  claim 1  including a connecting surface extending between said ball-striking face and an outer surface of said barrel portion and oriented at an obtuse angle to said ball-striking face. 
   
   
       6 . The elongate bat of  claim 2  including a connecting surface extending between said ball-striking face and an outer surface of said barrel portion and oriented normal to said ball-striking face. 
   
   
       7 . The elongate bat of  claim 1  including a face plate attached to said barrel portion and having an outer surface including said ball-striking face. 
   
   
       8 . The elongate bat of  claim 7  wherein said face plate is of a material having a density greater than a density of a principal material of said barrel portion. 
   
   
       9 . The elongate bat of  claim 1  including a knob at a proximal end of said handle portion, said knob defining a planar club face. 
   
   
       10 . The elongate bat of  claim 9  wherein said knob is of a material having a density greater than a density of a principal material of said handle. 
   
   
       11 . The elongate bat of  claim 9  wherein said knob is of metal. 
   
   
       12 . The elongate bat of  claim 9  wherein said club face is parallel with said central longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       13 . The elongate bat of  claim 9  wherein said club face is oriented at an acute angle with respect to said central longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       14 . The elongate bat of  claim 9  wherein said club face is oriented at a lofting angle with respect to said central longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       15 . The elongate bat of  claim 9  wherein said knob includes a face plate defining said planar club face. 
   
   
       16 . The elongate bat of  claim 15  wherein said face plate is of a greater density than that of a remaining part of said knob. 
   
   
       17 . A target assembly for use in a ball game, comprising:
 (a) a slender flagstick having a length and a diameter no greater than one inch;   (b) a flag attached to a top of said flagstick;   (c) a target body having an upper part defining a flagstick aperture, said body being generally hollow and defining a cavity shaped to receive a portion of a similar target body nested in said cavity; and   (d) wherein said flagstick extends through said flagstick aperture and into a playing area with said target body resting on said playing area when said target assembly is in use.   
   
   
       18 . The target assembly of  claim 17  including a target anchor mounted slidably on said flagstick above said target body. 
   
   
       19 . The target assembly of  claim 17  wherein said upper part of said target body includes a horizontal part defining said flagstick aperture. 
   
   
       20 . The target assembly of  claim 19  wherein said target body is frustoconical in shape. 
   
   
       21 . The target assembly of  claim 17  wherein said flagstick is of metal wire. 
   
   
       22 . A set of game equipment, comprising:
 (a) a bat including an elongate generally cylindrical ball-striking barrel portion having an outer tip end and a circular cross-sectional shape with a diameter;   (b) a tapered mid portion extending in a first, proximal direction away from said barrel portion;   (c) a slender handle portion connected with said barrel portion through said tapered mid portion;   (d) a recessed planar ball-striking face located at said outer tip end of said barrel portion and extending along said barrel portion over a distance equal to not more than about twice said diameter of said barrel portion;   (e) a plurality of target assemblies, each including:
 (i) a slender flagstick having a length and a diameter no greater than one inch; 
 (ii) a flag attached to a top of said flagstick; 
 (iii) a target body having a body height and an upper part defining a flagstick aperture, said target body being generally hollow and defining a cavity shaped to receive a portion of a similar target body nested in said cavity; and 
 (iv) wherein said flagsticks are separated from said target bodies and a plurality of said target bodies are nested together as a group having a height less than an equal multiple of the body height of one said target body; and 
   (f) a tubular elongate rigid container having an internal cavity large enough to receive all of said flagsticks, said target bodies and said bat, and having a carrying handle and a removable end cover.   
   
   
       23 . The set of game equipment of  claim 22  wherein said tubular container is generally cylindrical and said internal cavity has a diameter about twice said diameter of said bat. 
   
   
       24 . The set of game equipment of  claim 22  wherein said plurality of target assemblies includes at least nine of said flagsticks, nine of said flags, and nine of said target bodies, all of said target bodies being nested together as a single group having a height no greater than about fourteen inches. 
   
   
       25 . The set of game equipment of  claim 24  wherein said container is of rigid cylindrical plastic tubing having a cap at each of a pair of opposite ends, at least one of said caps being removable, and said carrying handle being attached to each of said end caps, and wherein said tubing has an outside diameter of not more than about six inches. 
   
   
       26 . The set of game equipment of  claim 22  wherein each said target body is one of a set of several tapered frustoconical hollow cups capable of nesting closely together in a stack having a height no greater than the body height of one said target body plus one-fourth the total of the body heights of the several target bodies. 
   
   
       27 . The set of playing equipment for a game of  claim 22  including a start point marker. 
   
   
       28 . The set of playing equipment for a game of  claim 22  wherein the start point marker includes a flagstick and a flag. 
   
   
       29 . The set of playing equipment for a game of  claim 22  wherein said ball is a limited flight baseball. 
   
   
       30 . The set of game equipment of  claim 22  wherein said ball is a limited-flight golf ball. 
   
   
       31 . The set of game playing equipment of  claim 22  wherein said bat is of hollow molded plastic construction. 
   
   
       32 . The set of game playing equipment of  claim 22  wherein said bat includes a knob at a proximal end of said handle portion, said knob defining a planar club face. 
   
   
       33 . A method of playing a game based partially on golf, comprising:
 (a) providing a course for play including a plurality of apart-spaced targets, each said target being surrounded by a respective area designated as a green and said course including a designated starting point for play with respect to each said target;   (b) providing a ball to be moved along said course by a player;   (c) providing a bat-putter including a barrel portion, an outer tip end, a handle, a knob at a handle end located opposite said outer tip end, and a generally planar ball-striking face located at one of said ends;   (d) commencing at said starting point for a respective one of said targets, tossing said ball upward; and, before said ball falls to the ground striking said ball with said bat to drive said ball along said course toward said respective one of said targets;   (e) following said ball once it has been struck, to a resting place at which said ball has stopped, and from said resting place again tossing said ball upward and, before said ball falls to the ground, striking said ball with said bat to drive said ball toward said respective one of said targets;   (f) repeating step (e) until said ball either comes to a resting place on said green of said respective one of said targets or strikes said respective one of said targets without first coming to a resting place on said green;   (g) at any time when said ball stops at a resting place on said green of said respective one of said targets prior to striking said respective one of said targets, utilizing said bat as a putter and striking said ball from said resting place on said green toward said respective one of said targets;   (h) keeping track of and counting each swing required to move said ball from said starting point to said respective one of said targets, while attempting to move said ball along said course for play utilizing a minimum number of swings.   
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33  including the step of counting as a swing any unsuccessful attempt to strike said ball once it has been tossed upward. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said course is a golf course and each said target is a respective hole on a respective green of said golf course. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 33  including the step of selecting and marking a zone surrounding each said target to be a green. 
   
   
       37 . An elongate bat for propelling a ball in a game, comprising:
 (a) an elongate generally cylindrical ball-striking barrel portion having an outer tip end and a circular cross-sectional shape with a diameter;   (b) a tapered mid portion extending in a first, proximal direction away from said barrel portion;   (c) a slender handle portion connected with said barrel portion through said tapered mid portion, said barrel portion, mid portion, and handle portion together including a central longitudinal axis; and   (d) a knob located at a proximal end of said handle portion, said knob defining a generally planar club face directed outwardly away from said central longitudinal axis.   
   
   
       38 . The elongate bat of  claim 37  wherein said knob is of a material having a density greater than a density of a principal material of said handle. 
   
   
       39 . The elongate bat of  claim 37  wherein said knob is of metal. 
   
   
       40 . The elongate bat of  claim 37  wherein said club face is parallel with said central longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       41 . The elongate bat of  claim 37  wherein said club face is oriented at an acute angle with respect to said central longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       42 . The elongate bat of  claim 37  wherein said club face is oriented at a lofting angle with respect to said central longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       43 . The elongate bat of  claim 37  wherein said knob includes a face plate defining said planar club face. 
   
   
       44 . The elongate bat of  claim 37  wherein said face plate is of a greater density than that of a remaining part of said knob.