GOLF PRACTICE DRIVING AID

APPAREIL DE PRATIQUE DE LANCEMENT POUR LE GOLF

English Abstract

ABSTRACT
A Golf Practice Aid comprising a rotary member 1 supported on a
spindle 2 the rotary member having an arm 3 with a golf ball 4
fixed to one end thereof and a counter weight 5 fixed to the
other end thereof, a boss 6 positioned between the arm 3 and
the counter weight 5, a cam face 7 on the boss 5 co-operating
with the cam face 8 on the spindle 2 to normally position the
ball in a pre-selected position and return the ball 4 to that
position when the rotary member ceases to rotate.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:-

1. A golf practice aid comprising a rotary member
rotatably supported on a spindle, the rotary member
including an arm having a golf ball fixed to one end
thereof and a counterweight fixed to the other end
thereof, a boss positioned between said arm and said
counterweight and means on said boss cooperating on
means on said spindle to normally position the ball
in a pre-selected position and return the ball to that
position when the rotary member ceases to rotate.


2. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 1,
wherein said boss has a cam face engaging with a
corresponding cam face on said spindle, said cam face
cooperating to normally position the ball in a pre-
selected position and return the ball to that position
when the rotary member ceases to rotate.


3. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the rotary member has a revolution counter
associated therewith to measure the number of times
the rotary member rotates.


4. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 1,
2 or 3, wherein one end of the spindle is formed in a
spike and the other end of said spindle is provided
with a cap.




5. A golf practice aid comprising a rotary
member rotatably supported on a spindle fixed in a
mounting block, said mounting block having a cam face
inclined at an angle to a support for supporting said
block and a spindle extending from said cam face,
said rotary member including an arm having a golf
ball fixed to one end and a counterweight fixed to
the other end, a boss positioned between the counter-
weight and said arm with a bore extending through said
boss, said boss having a cam face complimentary with
and engageable with a cam face on said mounting block
and means to secure said rotary member on said spindle.


6. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 5,
wherein said cam face is inclined at an angle of 45°
to said support.


7. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 5,
wherein a ball race bearing is provided in said bore
to support said rotary member on said spindle.


8. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 5,
wherein the support includes a mat marked in squares
to correctly position the feet of a player on the mat
in relation to the ball.


9. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 6,
wherein the support includes a mat marked in squares
to correctly position the feet of a play on the mat

in relation to the ball.




10. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 7,
wherein the support includes a mat marked in squares
to correctly position the feet of a player on the mat
in relation to the ball.


11. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 5,
6 or 7, including a revolution counter associated with
said rotary member.


12. A golf practice aid as claimed in claim 8,
9 or 10, including a revolution counter associated
with said rotary member.

Description

~3~

A GOLF PRACTICE DRIVI~G AID

This invention relates to an improved golf practice
driving aid.
Golfers like to practice their ability to accurately hit
and drive a ball over a pre-selected distance. In order to do
this the practice has to take place on a golf course which is
not always convenient because other players are usually on the
course or on a driving range which is an area usually set
aside in a golf course or in an area provided outside a golf
course where golf players can practice.
Because a person practicing his driving ability has to
strike the ball with the full power of a stroke in order to
accurately assess and improve his ability, considerable area is
necessary to enable this to be achieved. This is not always
convenient or possib~e and the present invention provides a
Golf Practice Aid which enables a golfer to practice and
improve his driving ability in a small area e.g., in the back
yard of his own home or in another usually confined space.
With the forgoing in mind the invention broadly comprises
a Golf Practice Aid comprising a rotary member rotatably
supported on the spindle, the rotary member including an arm
having a golf ball fixed to one end thereof and a counter
weight fixed to the other end thereof, a boss positioned
between said arm and said counter weight and means on said boss
co-operating on means on said spindle to normally position the
ball in a pre-selected position and return the ball to that
position when the rotary member ceases to rotate.


1484E

~3~!~ d~

The invention also comprises a Golf Practice Aid
comprising a rotary member rotatably supported on a spindle
fixed in a mounting block, said mounting block having a cam
face inclined at an angle to a support for said block and a
spindle extending from said cam face, said rotary member
including an arm having a golf ball fixed to one end and a
counter weight fixed to the other end, a boss positioned
between the counter weight and said arm with a bore extending
through said boss, said boss having a cam face complementary
with an engagable cam face on said mounting block and means to
secure said rotary member on said spindle.
Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a side view of the Golf Practice Aid according
to one embodiment o the invention;
Figure 2 i~ a plan view of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a sectional view on line A-A of Figure 1.
Referring now to the drawings.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a Golf Practice Aid
according to a further embodiment of the invention.
Figure 5 is an exploded view of the Golf Practice Aid
shown in Figure 4.
Figure S is an perspective view of the Golf Practice aid
illustrated in Figure 4 and showing an attachment.
The aid includes a rotary member designated generally by
the reference 1 rotatably supported on a spindle 2. The rotary
member includes an arm 3 having a golf ball 4 fixed to one end
thereof.


1484E
A ;

~1 3~

A counter weight 5 to counter balance the weight the arm 3
and the golf ball 4 is fixed to the other end of the arm 3 and
a boss 6 is positioned between the arm and the counter weight.
The boss has a cam face 7 which co-operates with a cam face 8
on the spindle 2 to normally position the ball in a
pre-selected position and return the ball to that position when
the rotary me~ber ceases to rotate. A rev counter 9 is
positioned in a recess 10 to register the number of revolutions
of the rotary member when the golf ball 2 is struck with a golf
club.
In the embodiment illustrated the spindle 2 is formed with
a spiked end and it is provided with an enlarged head 11 to
facilitate the driving of the spike into the ground. It will
be appreciated however, that the spindle may be fixea to an
anchor plate (not shown) whereby the aid is supported on
another substrate.
Referring now to figures 4 to 6. The Golf Practice Aid
comprises a rotary member designated generally by the reference
12 rotatably supported on a spindle 13 fixed on the mounting
block 14. The mounting block has a cam face 15 inclined at an
angle (preferably 45) to a support 16 (figure 6) and the
spindle 13 extends from the cam face in a plane normal thereto.
The rotary member includes an arm 17 cranked to form two
limbs 18 and 19. A golf ball 20 is fixed to the arm 18 and a
counter weight 21 is fixed to the free end of arm 19 with a
boss 22 positioned between the arm 19 and the counter weight
21. The boss 22 is provided with a bore 23 with a seat 24
positioned within the ball. A ball race 25 is located in the




1484E

~3~ 5~i

bore and engages the seat 24. It is retained in position by a
circlip 26.
The rotary member is retained on the spindle 13 with two
groups of washers 27 and 28 in a cap nut 29.
The support 16 is secured to a substrate by any convenient
means such as pins 30 or suction caps 31 as illustrated in
figure 4.
A revolution counter 32 is positioned adjacent to block 14
and when activated is adapted to count the number of revolutions
of the rotary member 1 after the ball 20 is struck with a golf
club.
In the modification illustrated in figure 6 a standing mat
33 is provided for attachment to the support 16. The mat is
marked out in square 34 to assist a player in positioning
himself to correctly address the ball.
In use the player positions himself on the mat 31 and
strikes the ball 20 with a golf club. This causes the rotary
member to rotate and the number of revolutions counted then
indicates the force with which the ball has been struck. When
the rotary member ceases to rotate it returns by gravity to its
normal position and is automatically available for the next
practice shot.




1484E
A

Representative Drawing