Systems and methods of utilizing multiple hitting surfaces to enable a golf game having virtual and physical elements

Abstract

Systems and methods for enabling a golf game are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the system includes a floor unit including a putting portion having a putting green surface and a hitting portion with multiple hitting surfaces located between the putting portion and a wall unit. A control unit is configured to determine a first landing location of a first shot hit from one of the multiple hitting surfaces generally in a first direction towards the wall unit, instruct the golfer where to place a golf ball on one of the multiple hitting surfaces for a second shot generally in the first direction towards the wall unit, determine a second landing location of the second shot, and instruct the golfer where to place a golf ball for a third shot in a second direction towards the physical putting hole.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for utilizing multiple hitting surfaces during a golf game with 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 putting portion including a putting green surface and a physical putting hole, the putting portion configured for a golfer to physically hit one or more final shots of the virtual golf hole, and (ii) a hitting portion located between the putting portion and the wall unit, the hitting portion including multiple hitting surface; and   a control unit configured to: (i) determine a first landing location of a first shot hit from one of the multiple hitting surfaces generally in a first direction towards the wall unit, (ii) instruct the golfer where to place a golf ball on one of the multiple hitting surfaces for a second shot generally in the first direction towards the wall unit, (iii) determine a second landing location of the second shot, and (iv) instruct the golfer where to place a golf ball for a third shot in a second direction towards the physical putting hole.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 wherein the multiple hitting surfaces include a fairway surface, a rough surface and a sand surface.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein
 the fairway surface, the rough surface and the sand surface are located adjacent to each other between the wall unit and the putting portion.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein
 the first shot is from one of the fairway surface, the rough surface and the sand surface, the second shot is from another of the fairway surface, the rough surface and the sand surface, and the third shot is from the putting green surface.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the control unit triggers a light to instruct the golfer on a correct ball placement location for the third shot.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising
 an image projector located in the floor unit, the image projector projecting the virtual portion of the golf game onto the wall unit.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller is configured to use a detected ball placement for the second shot when determining the second landing location.   
     
     
         8 . A system for utilizing multiple hitting surfaces during a golf game with 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 having a plurality of hitting surfaces including at least fairway surface, a rough surface and a sand surface, and (ii) a putting portion including a putting green surface having a physical putting hole; and   a control unit configured to: (i) detect that a golf ball has been placed on one of the hitting surfaces for a first shot towards the wall unit; (ii) determine a first landing location of the first shot; (iii) use the first landing location to instruct a golfer which hitting surface to place a golf ball on for a second shot towards the wall unit; (iv) detect that the golf ball has been placed on the hitting surface for the second shot; (v) determine a second landing location of the second shot; and (v) use the second location to instruct the golfer where to place a golf ball for a third shot onto the putting green surface towards the physical putting hole.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein
 each of the fairway surface, the rough surface and the sand surface includes a striking zone, and at least two of the striking zones are located at different distances from the wall unit.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein
 the fairway surface, the rough surface and the sand surface are located adjacent to each other between the wall unit and the putting portion.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein
 the first shot is from one of the fairway surface, the rough surface and the sand surface, the second shot is from another of the fairway surface, the rough surface and the sand surface, and the third shot is from the putting green surface.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein
 the control unit triggers a light to instruct the golfer on a correct ball placement location for the third shot.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein
 the control unit detects that the golf ball has been placed for the second shot after the golfer chooses a striking zone on the hitting surface.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein
 the hitting portion is located between the wall unit and the putting portion.   
     
     
         15 . A method of utilizing multiple hitting surfaces during a golf game with virtual and physical elements to enable a full golf hole from tee shot to final putt, the method comprising:
 detecting that a golf ball has been placed on one of a plurality of hitting surfaces for a first shot towards a wall unit displaying a virtual portion of a golf hole;   determining a first landing location of the first shot;   using the first landing location to instruct a golfer which of the plurality of hitting surfaces to place a golf ball on for a second shot towards the wall unit;   determining a second landing location of the second shot; and   using the second landing location to instruct the golfer where to place a golf ball on another of the plurality of hitting surfaces for a third shot onto the putting green surface towards the putting hole.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising
 detecting that the golf ball has been placed on a tee for the first shot, and   using the tee location to calculate a flight path to the first landing location.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising
 instructing the golfer to place the golf ball on a rough surface or a sand surface for the second shot, the rough surface or the sand surface being located adjacent to a hitting surface of the first shot.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising
 projecting the virtual portion of the golf hole from the floor unit onto the wall unit.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising
 enabling the golfer to choose the hitting surface for the first shot.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising
 using a light to instruct the golfer on a correct ball placement location for the third shot.