Apparatus for improving golf putting acuracy

Abstract

A golf putting apparatus that indicates a desired putting path and target. The apparatus includes near and far gates with crossbeams and tassels that hang from the crossbeams. The crossbeams hold the gates high enough such that the tassels do not touch the ground, and a golf ball rolls under the crossbeam without touching it. The near gate is located a first distance from a ball striking location, and the far gate is located a further distance from the ball striking location. A center tassel of the near gate can indicate a centerline of a desired putting path. Left and right tassels of the near gate can indicate edges of the desired putting path. A center tassel of the far gate can indicate the center of a putting target. Left and right tassels of the far gate can indicate edges of the putting target.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A golf putting practice apparatus configured to indicate a desired putting path and a desired putting target for a golf ball putted by a user from a ball striking location, the apparatus comprising:
 a near gate that includes a crossbeam, a center tassel, a left tassel and a right tassel, where the center, left and right tassels of the near gate hang from the crossbeam of the near gate; and   a far gate that includes a crossbeam, a center tassel, a left tassel and a right tassel, where the center, left and right tassels of the far gate hang from the crossbeam of the far gate;   wherein the near gate is located a first distance from the ball striking location and the center tassel of the near gate indicates a centerline of the desired putting path; and   wherein the far gate is located a second distance from the ball striking location and the center tassel of the far gate indicates a center of the desired putting target; and the second distance is greater than the first distance.   
     
     
         2 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the near gate further comprises a left pillar and a right pillar connected by the crossbeam of the near gate; and   the far gate further comprises a left pillar and a right pillar connected by the crossbeam of the far gate;   wherein the left and right pillars of the near gate hold the crossbeam of the near gate high enough such that the center, left and right tassels of the near gate do not touch ground, and the golf ball rolls under the crossbeam of the near gate without touching the crossbeam of the near gate; and   wherein the left and right pillars of the far gate hold the crossbeam of the far gate high enough such that the center, left and right tassels of the far gate do not touch ground, and the golf ball rolls under the crossbeam of the far gate without touching the crossbeam of the far gate.   
     
     
         3 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the near gate further comprises a left foot and a right foot, where the left foot is connected to a base of the left pillar of the near gate, and the right foot is connected to a base of the right pillar of the near gate; and   the far gate further comprises a left foot and a right foot, where the left foot is connected to a base of the left pillar of the far gate, and the right foot is connected to a base of the right pillar of the far gate.   
     
     
         4 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the crossbeam of the far gate includes a central portion that is visibly distinguishable from the rest of the crossbeam of the far gate and the width of the central portion of the crossbeam of the far gate is equal to the width of a regulation hole on a golf putting green. 
     
     
         5 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the left and right tassels of the near gate are separated by a near separation distance, and the left and right tassels of the near gate are centered around the center tassel of the near gate; and
 wherein the left and right tassels of the far gate are separated by a far separation distance, and the left and right tassels of the far gate are centered around the center tassel of the far gate.   
     
     
         6 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the left and right tassels of the near gate are long enough to touch the golf ball as it rolls under one of the left and right tassels of the near gate. 
     
     
         7 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the center tassel of the near gate is short enough to not touch the golf ball as it rolls under the center tassel of the near gate. 
     
     
         8 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the left, right and center tassels of the far gate are long enough to touch the golf ball as it rolls under one of the left, right and center tassels of the far gate. 
     
     
         9 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the left and right tassels of the near gate are long enough to touch the golf ball as it rolls under one of the left and right tassels of the near gate; and
 wherein the left, right and center tassels of the far gate are long enough to touch the golf ball as it rolls under one of the left, right and center tassels of the far gate.   
     
     
         10 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the crossbeam of the near gate includes a center opening, a left opening and a right opening, where the center tassel of the near gate hangs from the center opening, the left tassel of the near gate hangs from the left opening, and the right tassel of the near gate hangs from the right opening of the crossbeam of the near gate; and
 wherein the crossbeam of the far gate includes a center opening, a left opening and a right opening, where the center tassel of the far gate hangs from the center opening, the left tassel of the far gate hangs from the left opening, and the right tassel of the far gate hangs from the right opening of the crossbeam of the far gate.   
     
     
         11 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the center, left and right tassels of the near gate swing freely in the center, left and right openings of the crossbeam of the near gate such that the center, left and right tassels of the near gate do not interfere with the direction or speed of the golf ball when it hits any of the center, left and right tassels of the near gate; and
 wherein the center, left and right tassels of the far gate swing freely in the center, left and right openings of the crossbeam of the far gate such that the center, left and right tassels of the far gate do not interfere with the direction or speed of the golf ball when it hits any of the center, left and right tassels of the far gate.   
     
     
         12 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the far separation distance between the left and right tassels of the far gate is equal to the diameter of a regulation hole on a golf putting green, and the near separation distance between the left and right tassels of the near gate is selected such that a golf ball that passes between the left and right tassels of the near gate will pass between the left and right tassels of the far gate. 
     
     
         13 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the first distance from the ball striking location to the near gate is two feet, and the second distance from the ball striking location to the far gate is seven feet; and
 wherein the near separation distance between the left and right tassels of the near gate is 1.7 inches.   
     
     
         14 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the crossbeam of the near gate includes a central portion that is visibly distinguishable from the rest of the crossbeam of the near gate, and wherein the center, left and right openings of the crossbeam of the near gate are located within the central portion of the near gate; and
 wherein the crossbeam of the far gate includes a central portion that is visibly distinguishable from the rest of the crossbeam of the far gate and the width of the central portion of the crossbeam of the far gate is equal to the width of a regulation hole on a golf putting green; and wherein the left and right openings of the crossbeam of the far gate are located at the left and right ends, respectively, of the central portion of the far gate.   
     
     
         15 . A golf putting practice apparatus configured to indicate a desired putting path and a desired putting target for a golf ball putted by a user from a ball striking location, the apparatus comprising:
 a near gate that includes a crossbeam, a left pillar, a right pillar, a left tassel and a right tassel, where the left and right tassels of the near gate hang from the crossbeam of the near gate, and the left and right pillars of the near gate are connected to the crossbeam of the near gate to hold the crossbeam of the near gate high enough such that the left and right tassels of the near gate do not touch the ground, and the golf ball rolls under the crossbeam of the near gate without touching the crossbeam of the near gate;   a far gate that includes a crossbeam, a left pillar, a right pillar, a center tassel, a left tassel and a right tassel, where the center, left and right tassels of the far gate hang from the crossbeam of the far gate, and the left and right pillars of the far gate are connected to the crossbeam of the far gate to hold the crossbeam of the far gate high enough such that the center, left and right tassels of the far gate do not touch the ground, and the golf ball rolls under the crossbeam of the far gate without touching the crossbeam of the far gate;   wherein the near gate is located a first distance from the ball striking location and the left and right tassels of the near gate indicate left and right edges of the desired putting path; and   wherein the far gate is located a second distance from the ball striking location and the center tassel of the far gate indicates a center of the desired putting target; and the second distance is greater than the first distance.   
     
     
         16 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the crossbeam of the far gate includes a central portion that is visibly distinguishable from the rest of the crossbeam of the far gate and the width of the central portion of the crossbeam of the far gate is equal to the width of a regulation hole on a golf putting green. 
     
     
         17 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the left and right tassels of the near gate are long enough to touch the golf ball as it rolls under one of the left and right tassels of the near gate; and
 wherein the left, right and center tassels of the far gate are long enough to touch the golf ball as it rolls under one of the left, right and center tassels of the far gate.   
     
     
         18 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the left and right tassels of the near gate swing freely from the crossbeam of the near gate such that the left and right tassels of the near gate do not interfere with the direction or speed of the golf ball when it hits any of the left and right tassels of the near gate; and
 wherein the center, left and right tassels of the far gate swing freely from the crossbeam of the far gate such that the center, left and right tassels of the far gate do not interfere with the direction or speed of the golf ball when it hits any of the center, left and right tassels of the far gate.   
     
     
         19 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein a far separation distance between the left and right tassels of the far gate is equal to the diameter of a regulation hole on a golf putting green, and a near separation distance between the left and right tassels of the near gate is selected such that a golf ball that passes between the left and right tassels of the near gate will pass between the left and right tassels of the far gate. 
     
     
         20 . The golf putting practice apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the first distance from the ball striking location to the near gate is two feet, and the second distance from the ball striking location to the far gate is seven feet; and
 wherein the near separation distance between the left and right tassels of the near gate is 1.7 inches.