Disc throwing target strategy game

Abstract

A disc throwing game with multiple scoring components includes four flexible poles with point values associated with each different longitudinal segment of the poles. Each set of two poles is placed into or supported vertically on the ground at opposite ends of a playing field, and an inverted cup is placed on top of each pole. The teams stand at opposite ends of the field, behind their set of poles. The offensive team throws a disc, attempting to strike the defensive team's pole(s), knocking the cup(s) from the poles. The offensive team scores points by striking the defending team's pole(s) or cup(s), but only if the defending team does not catch the disc or the falling cup(s) before they strike the ground. The defending team thus attempts to catch a deflected disc or falling cup(s) to prevent the offensive team from scoring.

1 . A method for enabling a plurality of teams to compete while playing a game with a thrown projectile, comprising the steps of:
 (a) positioning a plurality of flexible poles at opposite ends of a playing field, wherein each flexible pole has a plurality of longitudinal segments having different visual markings, and wherein at least two flexible poles are spaced apart from each other at one end of the playing field, and at least two other flexible poles are spaced apart from each other at the opposite end of the playing field, so that at least one of the teams defends the flexible poles positioned at one end of the playing field, and at least one other team defends the flexible poles positioned at the opposite end of the field;   (b) placing an inverted cup on a top of each of the plurality of flexible poles;   (c) enabling players on the teams to take turns throwing a projectile from one end of the playing field toward the flexible poles at the opposite end of the playing field in an attempt to knock the inverted cup on one or more of the flexible poles off so that it falls to the ground, striking at least one of the flexible pole on which the inverted cup is disposed and the inverted cup with the projectile that was thrown;   (d) awarding points to a player of the team that strikes a flexible pole or inverted cup with the thrown projectile, wherein the number of points that are awarded depends at least in part upon:
 (i) a specific longitudinal segment of the flexible pole that was struck with the projectile, each different longitudinal segment of a flexible pole having a different point value associated with it; 
 (ii) whether an inverted cup was knocked off the flexible pole by the projectile that was thrown, so that the inverted cup struck the ground without being caught by a player on the team defending the flexible poles at which the projectile was thrown; and 
 (iii) whether the projectile was caught by a player on the team defending the flexible poles at which the projectile was thrown, after the projectile struck a flexible pole or an inverted cup and before striking the ground; and 
   (e) determining a winner of the game at least in part based on the number of points accumulated by each team.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of associating a point value with each different longitudinal segment of a flexible pole, wherein the point value increases from a minimum for a longitudinal segment closest to the ground, to a maximum for a longitudinal segment closest to the top of the flexible pole. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of coloring each different longitudinal segment of the flexible poles a different color to visually distinguish the longitudinal segments of a flexible pole from each other, enabling the specific longitudinal segment struck by the projectile that was thrown to be more readily visually determined. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of awarding points to the team that threw the projectile, for striking an inverted cup, even if the inverted cup remains on the flexible pole, unless, after striking the inverted cup, the projectile is caught by a player on the team defending the flexible poles at which the projectile was thrown. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if an inverted cup is knocked from a flexible pole and strikes the ground, further comprising the step of increasing the number of points awarded, for striking a longitudinal segment or the inverted cup with the projectile. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of increasing the number of points awarded if an inverted cup is knocked from a flexible pole and strikes the ground comprises the step of doubling the points awarded, for striking at least one of the longitudinal sections and the inverted cup with the projectile. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of adding points for each longitudinal segment of different flexible poles struck by the projectile that was thrown, to determine the total points awarded the player throwing the projectile. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the winner of the game comprises the step of identifying as the winner, the team that first accumulated a predetermined number of points and also then knocked an inverted cup from the top of one of the flexible poles, without the inverted cup being caught before striking the ground. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein if both teams have accumulated the predetermined number of points before one of the teams also knocks an inverted cup off of a flexible pole that then strikes the ground without being caught, the step of determining the winner of the game further comprises the step determining that the winner of the game is the first team to knock a plurality of inverted cups from the flexible poles that then strike the ground without being caught. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of awarding points further comprises the step of awarding the points even if the projectile first strikes the ground before striking the flexible pole or the inverted cup. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of using an aerodynamic projectile that generates lift due to its cross-sectional profile. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing a plurality of inwardly extending ribs running longitudinally along an inner surface of the inverted cups, adjacent to a closed end of the inverted cup, the plurality of ribs having inner edges with a plurality of different shape profiles, so that when the inverted cup is knocked from the flexible pole by the projectile, the inverted cup follows a random and unpredictable path, making the inverted cup more difficult for the team defending the flexible poles to catch before the inverted cup strikes the ground. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of enabling the teams by mutual agreement to alter the difficulty of the game by varying or stipulating at least one of:
 (a) a length of the playing field as measured between the plurality of flexible posts positioned at opposite ends of the playing field;   (b) a spacing between the flexible poles at each end of the playing field;   (c) a predetermined number of points that must be accumulated by a team to win the game;   (d) not requiring that an inverted cup be knocked from a flexible pole after the predetermined number of points is accumulated; and   (e) requiring that at least one of the projectile and any falling inverted cup be caught by a defending player using only one hand.   
     
     
         14 . A cup for use in a game in which players attempt to throw a projectile at a flexible pole on which the cup is placed in an inverted orientation, so as to knock the cup from the pole, comprising:
 (a) a hollow component that tapers inwardly from an open end having a larger outer perimeter, to a closed end having a smaller outer perimeter; and   (b) a plurality of internal, longitudinally extending ribs disposed along an internal surface of the hollow component, adjacent to the closed end, and extending radially inward from the internal surface of hollow component, inner edges of said plurality of ribs having a plurality of different configurations, wherein the plurality of different configurations of the inner edges cause the cup to follow a random path when knocked from the flexible pole, due to an unpredictable interaction of the inner edge of one or more of the plurality of ribs with the flexible pole as the cup is knocked from the flexible pole, so that it is more difficult to catch the cup before the cup strikes the ground.   
     
     
         15 . The cup of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of ribs include ribs with at least one of the following profiles along the inner edge:
 (a) a straight profile;   (b) a notched profile in which a notch is formed in the inner edge to alter the straight profile; and   (c) an outwardly extending profile in which a curved portion of the rib extends radially inwardly further than the straight profile.   
     
     
         16 . The cup of  claim 15 , in which the notch in different ribs is disposed at different longitudinal positions along the inner edges of each of the different ribs. 
     
     
         17 . The cup of  claim 15 , in which the curved portion in different ribs is disposed at different longitudinal positions along the inner edges of each of the different ribs. 
     
     
         18 . The cup of  claim 14 , wherein the closed end of the hollow component is convex, so that a rounded surface is presented when the hollow component is inverted and placed on top of a pole. 
     
     
         19 . Apparatus for a game played by a plurality of players on at least two teams, in which the players take turns throwing a projectile from opposite ends of a playing field, comprising:
 (a) a plurality of flexible posts that are configured to be supported in a generally vertical position, with at least two flexible posts positioned spaced apart from each other at one of the playing field and at least two flexible posts positioned spaced apart from each other at the opposite end of the playing field, wherein each of the flexible posts comprises a plurality of differently marked longitudinal segments, a different point value being associated with each of the longitudinally segments of the flexible posts; and   (b) a plurality of cups, each cup having a hollow interior configured when inverted to be inserted over and supported on the top of one of the vertical flexible posts, wherein when struck by a projectile thrown by a player on one team at one end of the playing field, toward the flexible posts at the opposite end of the playing field, the cup may be knocked from the flexible posts, and wherein the points awarded to the player throwing the projectile depend upon:
 (i) the segment of the flexible post that is struck by the projectile; 
 (ii) whether the cup is knocked from the flexible post and strikes the ground without being caught by a player on a team defending the flexible posts toward which the projectile is thrown; and 
 (iii) whether after the projectile strikes a flexible pole or an inverted cup, the projectile was caught by a player on the team defending the flexible poles at which the projectile was thrown before the projectile strikes the ground. 
   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the hollow interior of the cup includes a plurality of ribs extending radially inward and longitudinally along an inner surface of the cup, an inner edge of the plurality of ribs having differently shaped profiles so that as the cup is knocked from the top of a flexible pole, the cup travels along a random and unpredictable path, making the cup more difficult to catch before the cup strikes the ground. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the differently shaped profiles include at least one of:
 (a) a straight profile;   (b) a notched profile in which a notch is formed in the inner edge to alter the straight profile; and   (c) an outwardly extending profile in which a curved portion of the rib extends radially inwardly further than the straight profile.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the cup includes a convex closed end so that a curved surface of the cup overlies the top of the flexible pole on which the cup is inverted. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein ends of the longitudinal segments of the flexible poles are removably affixed to each other using connectors and wherein the longitudinal segments include an elastomeric member that extends internally within the longitudinal segments and connectors and flexibly couples the longitudinal segments together when they are not affixed together at a connector to form the flexible pole, the elastomeric member enabling the longitudinal segments of a flexible pole to be positioned in generally parallel relationship, adjacent to each other, forming a compact configuration for transport and storage. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of different marked segments of each flexible pole are a different color so that a specific segment struck by the projectile can readily be visually identified. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein a lower end of each flexible pole has a point to enable the lower end of the flexible pole to be forced into the ground to support the flexible pole in a generally vertical orientation. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising a plurality of bases, including one for each flexible pole, each base including an opening into which a lower end of a flexible pole can be inserted, the bases having sufficient weight to support the flexible poles in a generally vertical orientation. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising a plurality of bases, including one for each flexible pole, each base including an opening into which a lower end of a flexible pole can be inserted and being formed of an elastomeric material that conforms to an underlying surface to provide a suction coupling of the base to the underlying surface so as to support the flexible pole in a generally vertical orientation.