Target assembly for a golf putting game

Abstract

The present invention is directed to target assembly for receiving a golf ball comprising a plurality of parallel golf ball receiving elongate channels; each channel having substantially the same width the other channels and each channel comprising a plurality of discrete golf ball receiving zones. That the channels may be adjusted and adapted to provide one or more consolidated target for players to aim for on the golf ball putting practice device. The sub-divisions of each channel and the plurality of channels form a grid structure. By assigning different scores to the different sub-divisions of each channel, one or indeed multiple targets can be formed. These targets can be then altered to prevent ‘muscle memory’ effects from assisting a player to achieve a high score.

1 . A target assembly for receiving a golf ball comprising a plurality of parallel golf ball receiving elongate channels; each channel having substantially the same width as the other channels and each channel comprising a plurality of discrete golf ball receiving zones. 
     
     
         2 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, each channel is defined by a pair of adjacent co-operating rails forming a golf ball receiving guide track. 
     
     
         3 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein, adjacent channels share a common rail that is used in forming the guide tracks for both of the adjacent channels respectively. 
     
     
         4 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein, each channel has its' own pair of rails that are used to form the guide tracks for that channel. 
     
     
         5 . A target assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, the discrete golf ball receiving zones are defined by protrusions occurring along the length of each elongate channel. 
     
     
         6 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein, the protrusions are circumferential protrusions that are formed around the circumference of each rail. 
     
     
         7 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein, the circumferential protrusions are composed of rubber rings mounted along each rail. 
     
     
         8 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein, the circumferential protrusions are composed of radially-extended portions of rail formed along each rail. 
     
     
         9 . A target assembly as claimed in  claims 1  to  4 , wherein, the discrete golf ball receiving zones are at least partially formed with indentations that occur along the length of each elongate channel. 
     
     
         10 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein, the indentations are circumferential grooves that are formed around the circumference of each rail. 
     
     
         11 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein, the indentations are formed on a golf ball supporting surface of the golf ball receiving passage. 
     
     
         12 . A target assembly as claimed in  claims 2  to  4 , wherein, each rail of a channel comprises a plurality of sawtooth-like deflections to define boundaries between the plurality of discrete golf ball receiving zones on that channel. 
     
     
         13 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein, each of the plurality of sawtooth-like deflections on any of the plurality of rails is co-incident with the corresponding sawtooth-like deflections on each of the other rails. 
     
     
         14 . A target assembly as claimed in  claims 2  to  4 , wherein, each rail of a channel comprises a plurality of vertical undulations along the rail; the trough of each vertical undulation forming one of the plurality of discrete golf ball receiving zones on that channel. 
     
     
         15 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein, each of the plurality of vertical undulations on any of the plurality of rails is co-incident with the corresponding vertical undulations on each of the other rails. 
     
     
         16 . A target assembly as claimed in  claims 1  to  5 , wherein, the discrete golf ball receiving zones are defined by varying the width of each elongate channel along the length of each channel using horizontal undulations along each rail. 
     
     
         17 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein, each of the horizontal undulations along each rail is co-incident with the horizontal undulations along an adjacent rail so as to form channels that expand and contract in width along the length of each channel. 
     
     
         18 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein, the horizontal undulations, along a rail that is common to adjacent channels, will cause an expansion in width of one channel to be coincident with a contraction in width of the adjacent channel. 
     
     
         19 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, each channel is defined by a pair of adjacent partitions forming a golf ball receiving passage. 
     
     
         20 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein, the discrete golf ball receiving zones are defined by protrusions occurring along the length of each elongate channel. 
     
     
         21 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein, the protrusions are formed on a golf ball supporting surface of the golf ball receiving passage. 
     
     
         22 . A target assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, the target assembly comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) that are operated to indicate a scoring value for each of the discrete golf ball receiving zones. 
     
     
         23 . A target assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, the target assembly comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) that are operated to indicate which of the plurality of discrete golf ball receiving zones is the bull's eye target. 
     
     
         24 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 22  or  23 , wherein, properties of the LEDs are altered to create the scoring value for each of the discrete golf ball receiving zones or a new bull's eye target. 
     
     
         25 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 22 ,  23  or  24 , wherein, the new scoring value for each of the discrete golf ball receiving zones or the new bull's eye target is randomly selected. 
     
     
         26 . A target assembly as claimed in any of  claims 22  to  25 , wherein, the LEDs are mounted substantially beneath each of the discrete golf ball receiving zones respectively. 
     
     
         27 . A target assembly as claimed in any  claims 22  to  25 , wherein, the LEDs are mounted on a backboard of the target assembly. 
     
     
         28 . A target assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, a portion of each channel is inclined. 
     
     
         29 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein, the inclined portion of each channel is located in a foremost portion of the channel. 
     
     
         30 . A target assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, the target assembly further comprises a return gulley at a rearmost portion of each channel which collects golf balls and returns the golf balls towards a player. 
     
     
         31 . A target assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, the target assembly further comprises at least one sensor to detect a resting position of a golf ball received by the target assembly. 
     
     
         32 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein, the sensor transmits the resting position of a golf ball received by the target assembly to a scoring system comprising a processor, a memory and an output device. 
     
     
         33 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein, the output device is a display. 
     
     
         34 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein, the output device is an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs). 
     
     
         35 . A target assembly as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein, the output device is a audio unit. 
     
     
         36 . A target assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, the plurality of channels each comprise a predetermined width that allows a golf ball to traverse a length of a first channel without contacting a stationary golf ball in an adjacent channel. 
     
     
         37 . A putting game comprising an elongate mat, the mat having a lower surface for placement on a flat supporting surface and an upper surface comprising a fibrous material to substantially replicate the characteristics of a conventional golf green; and,
 the target assembly as claimed in any preceding claim being located substantially at one end of the upper surface of the mat and a plurality of markers being located substantially at the longitudinally opposing end of the upper surface of the mat at varying lengths from the target assembly.   
     
     
         38 . A putting game as claimed in  claim 37 , wherein, the plurality of markers represent different putting points. 
     
     
         39 . A putting game as claimed in  claim 38 , wherein, there is a multiple of nine markers on the mat. 
     
     
         40 . A putting game as claimed in any of  claims 37  to  38 , wherein, the target assembly is tiltable relative to the mat so as to adjust the difficulty of the putting game. 
     
     
         41 . A target assembly for receiving a golf ball comprising an elongate channel comprising a plurality of discrete golf ball receiving zones, the elongate channel having a width less than the diameter of a conventional golf ball.