Systems and Methods for Configuring Golf Course Greens

Abstract

A method and system for controlling the topography of a surface, such as a golf course green or fairway, through the use of a mechanical elevation control device placed below the surface of the earth. The mechanical elevation control device may be mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic. Predetermined surface configurations, including historic configurations, may be stored in a memory associated with the system and used to configure a surface.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A topographical control system, for repeatedly reconfiguring a surface of the earth, without a need to disrupt the surface, the system comprising:
 a. a control system comprising a controller;   b. a mechanical elevation assembly, the assembly comprising:
 i. a plurality of elevation controlling devices, each device comprising a device upper surface; wherein the upper surface is configured for engagement with the earth; 
 ii. whereby the device upper surfaces define a mechanical elevation assembly upper surface; 
   c. the control system in control communication with the mechanical elevation assembly; and,   d. the control systems configured to repeatably adjust a height of each elevation controlling device; whereby the mechanical elevation assembly upper surface can have a plurality of different predetermined topographies;   e. whereby went the mechanical elevation assembly is placed below the surface of the earth, the surface of the earth can be repeatedly reconfigured into a topography corresponding to each of the different predetermined topographies of the mechanical elevation assembly upper surface.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the elevation controlling devices comprise one or more of the devices selected from the group consisting of pistons, jacks, linkages, ball and screw devices, pneumatic devices, pneumatic inflatable bags, and, hydraulic devices, hydraulic inflatable device. 
     
     
         3 . The systems of any of the foregoing claims, comprising a liner above the mechanical elevations assembly upper surface. 
     
     
         4 . The systems of any of the foregoing claims, comprising data having predetermined characteristic for an historical configuration of a surface. 
     
     
         5 . The systems of  claims 4 , wherein the historic data comprises historic gold course green configurations. 
     
     
         6 . The systems of any of the foregoing claims, where the surface is selected from the group of surfaces consisting of a golf course, a green, a fairway, a stadium field, a soccer filed, and an American football field. 
     
     
         7 . A method of improving a golf course, the method comprising installing a topography control system of any of the foregoing claims below the surface of the golf course. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the system an elevation control device is installed below the surface of a green. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the system an elevation control device is installed below the surface of a green. 
     
     
         10 . A method of adjusting the contours and configuration of a golf course by using a topography control system of any of the foregoing claims.