Golf teaching apparatus

Abstract

The invention provides for a golf teaching apparatus ( 10 ) including: an elongate arcuate track ( 12 ); a carriage ( 14 ) being slidable along the track; wherein the carriage includes receiving means ( 44 ) for releasably receiving a shaft ( 50 ) of a golf club ( 48 ). The apparatus further includes a mat ( 92 ), golf club displacement limiters ( 52 ), sensors ( 84 ) and a golf swing plane determiner ( 68 ). The carriage allows for freedom of movement of a shaft of a golf club relative to the track, and linear movement of the shaft relative to the receiving means.

1 . A golf teaching apparatus comprising:
 an elongate arcuate track;   a carriage being slidable along the track;   wherein the carriage includes a receiving means for releasably receiving a shaft of a golf club;   
     
     
         2 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the receiving means releases the shaft of a golf club during an undesirable swing of the golf club. 
     
     
         3 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the receiving means releases the shaft of a golf club when sufficient force is applied to the golf club. 
     
     
         4 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the receiving means is adapted to release the shaft of the golf club when movement of the carriage relative to the track is stopped, but the movement of the golf club is maintained in a predetermined direction and of sufficient force. 
     
     
         5 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the receiving means is provided on a latching member that is pivotably connected to the carriage. 
     
     
         6 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the receiving means is two opposed, resilient tongue formations in between which the shaft of the golf club can be releasably engaged. 
     
     
         7 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the track is held in a required position by a frame. 
     
     
         8 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the frame is adjustable so as to adjust the position and the inclination of the track. 
     
     
         9 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the apparatus includes a swing plane guide member. 
     
     
         10 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 9  wherein the swing plane guide member prevents movement of the carriage relative to the track when the carriage strikes a swing plane guide member. 
     
     
         11 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 9  wherein the swing plane guide member is a connecting member that connects the track to a frame of the apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein rear and bottom connecting members are provided. 
     
     
         13 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 9  wherein the carriage is rotatable about the track, and axial movement of the carriage relative to the track is prevented by the swing plane guide member if the carriage rotates beyond a predetermined angle. 
     
     
         14 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein a shaft of a golf club is slideable relative to the receiving means. 
     
     
         15 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein a shaft of a golf club is slideable relative to the latching member. 
     
     
         16 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the apparatus includes a club displacement limiter. 
     
     
         17 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  16  wherein the club displacement limiter is securable to the shaft of the club so as to limit movement of the shaft relative to the latching member to a predetermined distance. 
     
     
         18 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein the club displacement limiter is a stopper. 
     
     
         19 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein the club displacement limiter is two stoppers securable to the shaft of the golf club on opposing sides of the latching member. 
     
     
         20 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein a second club displacement limiter is a bar below the bottom of the track securable to the connecting members of the frame. 
     
     
         21 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the track is partially circular. 
     
     
         22 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the track is discontinuous having a first end and a second end. 
     
     
         23 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 21  wherein the track extends three quarters about the circumference of a circle. 
     
     
         24 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 22  wherein the first end of the track is a tapered formation suitable for assisting in mounting the carriage onto the track. 
     
     
         25 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the track has a plurality of interconnected arcuate sections which are secured to one another in an end-to-end configuration so as to form the elongate arcuate track. 
     
     
         26 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the track includes a sensor. 
     
     
         27 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 26  wherein the sensor is a sensor for detecting the speed of a shaft of a golf club relative to the track. 
     
     
         28 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 26  wherein the sensor is placed along the length of the track. 
     
     
         29 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 26  wherein the sensor is included inside the track, the track having a window through which the sensor detects the speed of a club relative to the track. 
     
     
         30 . A golf teaching apparatus according to  claim 26  wherein the sensor is a sensor for detecting the angle of a face of a golf club relative to the frame. 
     
     
         31 . A golf club teaching apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the apparatus includes a swing plane determiner. 
     
     
         32 . A golf club teaching apparatus according to  claim 31  wherein the swing plane determiner is a movable elongate member extendable from a lower portion of the apparatus to an upper portion of the track. 
     
     
         33 . A golf club teaching apparatus according to  claim 31  wherein the swing plane determiner is adjustable so that the swing plane of a number of golfers, all having differing swing planes, may be determined. 
     
     
         34 . A golf club teaching apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the frame includes a leg movement stabiliser. 
     
     
         35 . A golf club teaching apparatus according to  claim 34  wherein the leg movement stabiliser is a projection which projects from the frame to contact the leg of a golfer. 
     
     
         36 . A golf club teaching apparatus according to  claim 34  wherein the leg movement stabiliser is movable along the length of the frame so that the stabiliser may contact legs of golfers having different heights. 
     
     
         37 . A golf club teaching apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the apparatus includes a synthetic practising surface comprising:
 a planar base;   a sheet of synthetic grass located on one side of the base; and   an intermediate compensation layer sandwiched between the planar base and the sheet of synthetic grass, wherein a preferred hitting zone is   defined by a zone of the golf practicing surface where the intermediate compensation layer is sandwiched between the planar base and the sheet of synthetic grass.   
     
     
         38 . A golf club teaching apparatus according to  claim 37  wherein the intermediate compensation layer is made of a resilient material. 
     
     
         39 . A golf club teaching apparatus according to  claim 37  wherein the intermediate compensation layer is made from foam rubber. 
     
     
         40 . A golf club teaching apparatus according to  claim 37  wherein the planar base is made of a substantially rigid material. 
     
     
         41 . A golf club teaching apparatus according to  claim 37  wherein the planar base is made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene and fibreglass. 
     
     
         42 . A golf club teaching apparatus according to  claim 37  wherein the planar base is steel-reinforced. 
     
     
         43 . A golf club teaching apparatus according to  claim 37  wherein the golf practising surface includes two separate sections. 
     
     
         44 . A golf club teaching apparatus according to  claim 43  wherein the two sections are pivotably connected to one another so as to be pivotable between an open position, where the two sections are located side to side for use as a practicing surface, and a closed position wherein the two sections are located atop one another so as to reduce the total surface area of the golf practice surface. 
     
     
         45 . A golf club teaching apparatus according to  claim 43  wherein one of the two sections includes an intermediary compensation layer forming a preferred hitting zone. 
     
     
         46 . A golf teaching apparatus comprising:
 an elongate track;   a carriage; having a receiving means for receiving a shaft of a golf club and a sliding means for sliding along the track;   wherein the sliding means is slidable along the length of the track and is rotatable about the track; and   wherein the receiving means is pivotable relative to the sliding means so that the carriage allows for freedom of movement of a shaft of a golf club relative to the track, and linear movement of the shaft relative to the receiving means.   
     
     
         47 . A golf teaching apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the track is not in a single plane.