Systems and methods using virtual golf ball landing locations to enable physical elements of a golf game

Abstract

Systems and methods for enabling a golf game are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the system includes a floor unit with a hitting portion including a striking zone for hitting golf shots towards the wall unit and a putting portion including a putting green surface. A control unit is configured to determine a virtual landing location for a first shot hit from the striking zone into the wall unit, determine whether the virtual landing location is within a predetermined area or distance of a virtual final hole position, when the landing location is not within the predetermined area or distance, instruct the golfer where to place a golf ball for a second shot towards the wall unit, and when the landing location is within the predetermined area or distance, instruct the golfer where to place the golf ball for the second shot toward a physical putting hole.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system that uses virtual golf ball landing locations during a golf game including virtual and physical elements to enable a full golf hole from tee shot to final putt, the system comprising:
 a wall unit configured to display a virtual portion of the golf game including a virtual golf hole having a final hole position within a green area;   a floor unit including (i) a hitting portion including at least one striking zone for hitting golf shots towards the wall unit and (ii) a putting portion including a putting green surface having a physical putting hole; and   a control unit configured to: (i) determine a landing location related to the virtual golf hole based on a first shot physically hit by a golfer from the at least one striking zone into the wall unit, (ii) determine whether the landing location is within a predetermined area or distance of the final hole position of the virtual golf hole, (iii) when the landing location is not within the predetermined area or distance, instruct the golfer where to place a golf ball on the floor unit for a second shot from the at least one striking zone towards the wall unit, and (iv) when the landing location is within the predetermined area or distance, instruct the golfer where to place the golf ball on the floor unit for the second shot toward the physical putting hole.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to cause an adjustment to the putting green surface based on the landing location.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to cause the adjustment when the landing location is within the predetermined area or distance and to not cause the adjustment when the landing location is not within the predetermined area or distance.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the predetermined area of distance is based on a predetermined radius around the final hole position.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to determine a distance between the landing location and the final hole position on the virtual golf hole and instruct the golfer to place the golf ball at a physical location that is the distance away from the physical putting hole on the floor unit for the second shot.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein
 based on the landing location, the control unit is configured to determine whether to place the golf ball on a fairway surface at the distance from the putting hole, or on the putting green surface at the distance from the putting hole, and to instruct the golfer of the physical location based on the determination.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein
 the control unit triggers a light to instruct the golfer of the physical location based on the determination.   
     
     
         8 . A system that uses virtual golf ball locations during a golf game including virtual and physical elements to enable a full golf hole from tee shot to final putt, the system comprising:
 a wall unit configured to display a virtual portion of the golf game including a virtual golf hole having a final hole position within a green area;   a floor unit including (i) a hitting portion including at least one striking zone for hitting golf shots towards the wall unit and (ii) a putting portion including a putting green surface having a physical putting hole; and   a control unit configured to: (i) determine a first landing location related to the virtual golf hole based on a first shot physically hit by a golfer from the at least one striking zone towards the wall unit, (ii) determine a first distance between the landing location and the final hole position of the virtual golf hole, (iii) use the first distance to instruct the golfer where to place a golf ball on the hitting portion for a second shot physically hit by the golfer towards the wall unit, (iv) determine a second landing location related to the virtual golf hole based on the second shot, and (v) use the second distance to instruct the golfer where to place a golf ball on the floor unit for a third shot physically hit by the golfer towards physical putting hole.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein
 the at least one striking zone includes a fairway surface, a sand surface and a rough surface, and   the control unit is configured to use the first distance to instruct the golfer whether to place the golf ball on the fairway surface, the sand surface or the rough surface for the second shot.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to use the second distance to instruct the golfer whether to place the golf ball on the fairway surface, the sand surface or the rough surface for the third shot.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to use the second distance to instruct the golfer where to place the golf ball on the putting green surface for the third shot.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein
 the second distance is smaller than the first distance.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to instruct the golfer to place the golf ball at a physical location that is the second distance away from the physical putting hole on the floor unit for the third shot.   
     
     
         14 . A method that uses virtual golf ball locations during a golf game including virtual and physical elements to enable a full golf hole from tee shot to final putt, the method comprising:
 generating a virtual golf hole having a final hole position;   displaying the virtual golf hole;   determining a landing location related to the virtual golf hole based on a first shot physically hit by the golfer from a floor unit in a first direction;   determining whether the landing location is within a predetermined area or distance of the final hole position of the virtual golf hole;   when the landing location is not within the predetermined area or distance of the final hole position, instructing the golfer where to place a golf ball on the floor unit for a second shot in the first direction; and   when the landing location is within the predetermined area or distance of the final hole position, instructing the golfer where to place the golf ball on the hitting portion for the second shot in a second direction towards a physical putting hole on the floor unit.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising:
 adjusting the putting green surface based on the landing location.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising
 determining the predetermined area or distance based on a predetermined radius around the final hole position.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising
 determining a distance between the landing location and the final hole position on the virtual golf hole and instructing the golfer to place the golf ball at a physical location that is the distance away from the physical putting hole on the floor unit for the second shot.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising
 when the landing location is within the predetermined area or distance, instructing the golfer where to place the golf ball for multiple final shots toward the physical putting hole.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising
 when the landing location is within a virtual green of the virtual golf hole, instructing the golfer to place the golf ball on the putting green surface for the second shot.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising
 when the landing location is within the predetermined area or distance but not within a virtual green of the virtual golf hole, instructing the golfer to place the golf ball on a fairway surface, a sand surface or a rough surface for the second shot.