System for remotely swinging a golf club

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for remote golf club swinging is provided. The method can include receiving in a robotic golf club swing fixture from a remote operator over a computer communications network a set of swing parameters defining different aspects of a golf club swing. The method also can include directing a plurality of robotic arms of the fixture to swing a coupled golf club according to the received swing parameters. The method yet further can include sensing a result of the swinging of the coupled golf club. Finally, the method can include transmitting data derived from the sensed result to the remote operator over the computer communications network.

1 .- 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A remote golf club swinging method comprising:
 receiving, by a processor executing in a memory of a computer and coupled to a robotic golf club swing fixture, from a remote operator over a computer communications network a set of swing parameters in response to the remote operator setting the set of swing parameters in a graphical user interface (GUI) in a web browser on a computing device remotely disposed from the robotic golf club swing fixture;   directing, by the processor, a plurality of robotic arms of the robotic golf club swing fixture to swing a coupled golf club resulting in the remote operator remotely causing the robotic golf club swing fixture to swing the coupled golf club according to the set of swing parameters set via the GUI;   sensing, by the processor, a result of the swinging of the coupled golf club; and,   transmitting, by the processor, data derived from the sensed result to the remote operator for display in the web browser on the computing device over the computer communications network,   wherein the result is a sensed performance of the golf club.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the result further includes a resulting location of a golf ball struck by the coupled golf club subsequent to the swinging of the coupled golf club. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein a swing parameter of the set of swing parameters is direction. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein a swing parameter of the set of swing parameters is shot shape indicating a shape of a shot of a golf ball in reference to golf ball flight upon a golf club making contact with the golf ball. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising calculating, by the processor, data derived from the sensed result. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the data derived from the sensed result includes a resulting location of a golf ball struck by the swung golf club coupled to the plurality of robotic arms of the robotic golf club swing fixture. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the resulting location of the golf ball is a distance to a hole. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein transmitting, by the processor, the data derived from the sensed result to the remote operator for display in the web browser on the computing device over the computer communications network comprises:
 transmitting, by the processor, the sensed result to a golf simulator comprising program code executed by the processor;   calculating, by the golf simulator, the data derived from the sensed result; and,   displaying, by the golf simulator, a theoretical movement of a golf ball to the remote operator.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein displaying, by the golf simulator, the theoretical movement of the golf ball to the remote operator, comprises displaying at least one of a swing of the coupled golf club, a trajectory of the golf ball, and a resulting location of the golf ball without requiring the golf ball and the robotic golf club swing fixture to be located outside. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein displaying, by the golf simulator, the theoretical movement of the golf ball to the remote operator, comprises displaying at least one of an accuracy of the golf ball to a hole, a distance to the hole, and a player whose golf ball landed closest to the hole. 
     
     
         38 . A remote golf club swinging system comprising:
 a server configured for communicative coupling to a web server and a computing device;   a robotic golf club swing fixture comprising at least one servo motor coupled to a controller and at least one data capture apparatus coupled to the controller, each servo motor coupled to a plurality of robotic arms, each of the plurality of robotic arms coupled to a golf club; and,   a golf club swinging module executing in a memory of the server and also coupled to the robotic golf club swing fixture, the golf club swinging module comprising program code enabled to receive from a remote operator over a computer communications network a set of swing parameters in response to the remote operator setting the set of swing parameters in a graphical user interface (GUI) in a web browser on the computing device remotely disposed from the robotic golf club swing fixture, to direct the plurality of robotic arms of the robotic golf club swing fixture to swing the coupled golf club resulting in the remote operator remotely causing the robotic golf club swing fixture to swing the coupled golf club according to the set of swing parameters set via the GUI, to sense a result of the swinging of the coupled golf club, and to transmit data derived from the sensed result to the remote operator for display in the web browser on the computing device over the computer communications network, wherein the result is a sensed performance of the golf club.   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the result further includes a resulting location of a golf ball struck by the coupled golf club subsequent to the swinging of the coupled golf club. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein a swing parameter of the set of swing parameters is direction. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the robotic golf club swing fixture has one robotic arm. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 38 , further comprising a golf simulator coupled to the server. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 38 , further comprising a golf simulator coupled to the controller. 
     
     
         44 . A computer program product for remotely swinging a golf club, the computer program product comprising:
 a non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing computer instructions stored therein for causing a computer processor to perform:   receiving, by the computer processor coupled to a robotic golf club swing fixture, from a remote operator over a computer communications network a set of swing parameters in response to the remote operator setting the set of swing parameters in a graphical user interface (GUI) in a web browser on a computing device remotely disposed from the robotic golf club swing fixture;   directing, by the computer processor, a plurality of robotic arms of the robotic golf club swing fixture to swing a coupled golf club resulting in the remote operator remotely causing the robotic golf club swing fixture to swing the coupled golf club according to the set of swing parameters set via the GUI;   sensing, by the computer processor, a result of the swinging of the coupled golf club; and,   transmitting, by the computer processor, data derived from the sensed result to the remote operator for display in the web browser on the computing device over the computer communications network,   wherein the result is a sensed performance of the golf club.   
     
     
         45 . The computer program product of  claim 44 , wherein a swing parameter of the set of swing parameters is shot shape indicating a shape of a shot of a golf ball in reference to golf ball flight upon a golf club making contact with the golf ball. 
     
     
         46 . The computer program product of  claim 44 , wherein the result further includes a resulting location of a golf ball struck by the coupled golf club subsequent to the swinging of the coupled golf club. 
     
     
         47 . A remote golf club testing method comprising:
 receiving, by a processor executing in a memory of a computer and coupled to a robotic golf club swing fixture, from a remote operator over a computer communications network a set of swing parameters in response to the remote operator setting the set of swing parameters in a graphical user interface (GUI) in a web browser on a computing device remotely disposed from the robotic golf club swing fixture;   directing, by the processor, a plurality of robotic arms of the robotic golf club swing fixture to swing a coupled golf club resulting in the remote operator remotely causing the robotic golf club swing fixture to swing the coupled golf club according to the set of swing parameters set via the GUI;   sensing, by the processor, performance of the golf club; and,   transmitting, by the processor, data derived from the sensed performance to the remote operator for display in the web browser on the computing device over the computer communications network.