Apparatus representing a game of golf

Abstract

 Golf board-game apparatus comprising a board laid out to present a golf course having 'holes', playing pieces and instruction indicating means (42, Fig 4, Fig 5) to indicate randomly the manner, (50, Fig 4) in which the pieces (Fig 2) are to be moved within a range according to a hypothetical 'club' selected by players at least one of the holes having at one or more positions a symbol designating the moves due to the local rules being derived from the indicating means (52, Fig 5).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to apparatus for a game representing golf, the game being of the 'indoor' or 'board game' type for family play and enabling those interested in golf to enjoy the general principles of golf proper when it is not possible or appropriate to play golf. The game seeks to represent golf proper in as realistic a manner as possible.

[0002] The invention provides game apparatus for a game representing golf characterised by; a playing surface designating a number of regions each representative of a hole of a golf course, each region being subdivided into areas and including a starting point and a finishing point; a set of playing elements which are, in play, moved around the playing surface in accordance with rules of the game; play-instruction indicating means including random play-instruction indicating means; and means for recording the progress of playing elements during play; each of said regions having areas representative of a fairway, a green surrounding the finishing point, and a hazard or hazards selected from representations of bunkers, water hazards, and, alongside the fairway area and surrounding the greens, 'rough' areas; at least one region having at least one position a designation indicating that further play instructions representative of local rules are to be applied to playing elements arriving at said position or positions.

[0003] Preferably, the random play-instruction indicating means is provided with means indicating said further play instructions.

[0004] The play instruction indicating means is preferably arranged to indicate at each operation of the random play-instruction indicating means a first play instruction and also a further play instruction, the latter being acted upon in play, when upon acting on the former, a playing piece is directed to the or one said designation.

[0005] The random play-instruction indicating means preferably comprises a roulette wheel having a plurality of ball-receiving pockets, each pocket having associated therewith one of said first play instructions and also one of said further playing instructions.

[0006] Desirably each of the pockets is labelled with a first play instruction relating to the quality of a golf stroke being one from a selection of different qualities of stroke, and a further play instruction relating to local rules to be applied if a playing piece arrives at one of said designations.

[0007] The play instruction indicating means preferably includes at least one chart bearing a table of said first play instructions each related to a hypothetical 'club' in a range of golf clubs, and giving, for each combination of quality of stroke and club, a distance through which a player's playing element is to be moved during play. Advantageously the table also contains further instructions relating to 'fair' or 'poor' qualities of stroke, directing a playing element into areas to the left or right of the fairway area.

[0008] Preferably the regions are disposed so as to each have three longitudinal lanes, a central lane generally indicating the fairway and left and right-hand lanes indicating the rough areas.

[0009] The playing surface is preferably laid out on a board arranged to fold for storage, the board having nine or eighteen said regions laid out in plan thereon. The regions are varied as to length and as to hazards so as to represent a golf course. The board may also have an area designated to receive the roulette-type wheel.

[0010] An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a region of a board providing a playing surface of apparatus according to the invention, said region representing a 'hole' of a golf course;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a playing piece comprising part of the apparatus;

Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a roulette-type wheel providing random play-instruction indicating means of the apparatus;

Figure 4 shows a Table comprising part of the play-instruction indicating means of the apparatus;

Figure 5 shows a Table comprising part of the play-instruction indicating means relating to further play instructions; and

Figure 6 shows a scorecard comprising part of the apparatus.

[0011] The apparatus includes a playing surface provided by a foldable board 2 on which is schematically represented a plan view of a golf course comprising eighteen "holes". One of the "holes", the sixth hole (par 3), is shown in the Fig 1. This is merely one hole representative of the eighteen appearing on the board 2.

[0012] The hole is divided laterally by yardage markers 10 representing the yardages of a full size hole of a golf course. Longitudinally the hole is divided in to three general regions, a central region, shown generally as 12, in which is situated the tee 14, the fairway 16, and the green 18; and left-hand and right-hand side regions shown generally as 22 and 24 respectively. The side regions represent the 'rough' parts of a golf course hole and other off-the-fairway hazards. Portions of the side regions are arranged to represent rough grass (shown generally as 26 ) and trees (shown generally as 28). A flag symbol 30 represents the position of the hole proper, though there is no actual hole in the board 2. In addition to the rough grass 26 and trees 28 there are further hazards provided by a stream 32, and a bunker (sand trap) 34 on the fairway. Also marked on the hole are "local rules" symbols 36a and 36b these indicate that local rules apply at their positions.

[0013] It should be noted that the positions and numbers of hazards provided for the different holes on the board will be varied, and also the lengths (yardages) will also be varied as in a full size golf course. Also, the holes may have curved fairways or be provided with dog-leg bends or other features as in a full size golf course. Other hazards such as lakes, roads and buildings may also be represented and bunkers may be arranged other than on the fairway, for example adjacent the green or in the rough grass regions.

[0014] The local rules symbols may be positioned at any appropiate place (for example as shown as 36c) on the holes to provide for entertaining play.

[0015] The apparatus also comprises a set of playing pieces. In the present embodiment, the playing pieces each comprise a small plastics figure of a golf player as shown in Fig 2. Each member of the set of playing pieces is of a different colour.

[0016] A roulette-type wheel shown in part in Fig 3 provides a random element of play and represents means for indicating the 'quality' of a golf stroke. The roulette-type wheel provides, in conjunction with tables shown in Figs 4 and 5, play-instruction indicating means. A set of roulette balls having the appearance of miniature golf balls is also provided, the balls being coloured to correspond with playing pieces so that each player has, for play, a playing piece (golf player) and a similarly-coloured roulette ball. Score cards, shown in Fig. 6, enabling players' scores to be recorded during play are also provided.

[0017] The roulette-type wheel shown in part in Fig 3 comprises a generally-dished support casing 38 having a raised peripheral wall 40. Mounted for rotation on the casing is a wheel 42. Adjacent the periphery of the wheel 42 on the casing 38 is an annular surface 44 sloping towards the wheel 42. A plurality of studs 46 are disposed at regular angular intervals on the surface 44. The wheel 42 has a plurality of equi-angularly disposed pockets 48 to receive, in play, a ball 49 the pockets being spaced from the wheels periphery, and upper surfaces of the wheel are shaped so as to slope downwards towards the pockets 48. An inner edge 44a of the surface 44 and an outer peripheral edge 42a of the surface of the wheel 42 are arranged to be at the same height (though the latter may be slightly lower than the former). All this is in the known manner of a roulette wheel. The wheel 42 differs from known roulette wheels in that, at a radially-outer side of the pockets, there is adjacent each pocket a corresponding playing instruction 50 for normal play. Also at a radially-inner side of the pockets there is adjacent each pocket a corresponding playing instruction 52 for further play relating to "local rules". A chart showing a list of the instruction markings on the complete wheel 42 is shown in Fig 3A.

[0018] A table showing the instructions for normal play associated with the pockets is shown in Fig 4. This may be termed a 'stroke-and distance' table and relates the playing instructions for normal play with a set of hypothetical clubs to give instructions for moving a playing piece. The table shown in Fig 5 relates the 'local rules' playing instructions relating to hazards where the local rules apply to give further instructions for moving a playing piece which has landed during normal play on a position designated by one of the local rules symbols.

Example of play

[0019] As an illustration of the manner in which the apparatus is used during play, the sample hole shown in fig 1 will be "played".

[0020] A player (A) having a playing piece A1 (not shown) plays against a player (B) having a playing piece B1 (not shown) and both start initially at the tee 14. Player (A) who is first to start declares which hypothetical "club" he will use for his first stroke. For his choice of club he will use his skill and ingenuity having regard to the possible playing distances set out in the Table shown in Fig 4. In the present instance player (A) declares his choice of the 1-IRON. He then spins the wheel 42 and rolls the roulette ball alloted to him, in the opposite direction to that of the rotation wheel 42, along surface 44. The ball 49 (which may impinge one of the studs 46) eventually falls into one of the pockets and the wheel 42 stops. The pocket into which the ball has fallen has in this example associated with it the playing instructions 'POOR(B)'. This instruction is then read off on the Table shown in Fig 4 cross-referenced against '1-IRON' and this gives an instruction to move "160 yards right". The playing piece A1 is then moved to an appropriate position S as shown in Fig 1. Since there is no local rules symbol at that position player (A)'s turn is terminated and he has taken one stroke to achieve that position (no extra stroke having been incurred since although he landed in rough grass at 'S', this was not the rough surrounding the green - see Rules below).

[0021] Player (B) then declares his choice of club, in this instance a '7-IRON' and uses the wheel 42. His allotted ball falls into a pocket marked 'FAIR B'. Referring to the Table in Fig 4 this gives an instruction to move "140 yards left". Player (B) moves his playing piece B1 appropriately to a position T as shown in Fig 1 and, because at this position there is a water hazard with a local rules symbol 36a he consults the local rules instruction on the wheel 42 adjacent his allotted ball which states "2". Referring to the table shown in Fig 5 and reading of the designation "2" under the heading "WATER" this gives the further playing instruction "recovery stroke has dropped back into the water add 1 extra penalty". This, read in conjunction with the general rule regarding water hazards (see Rules below) means that 3 strokes have been incurred for player (B)'s turn.

[0022] It is now the turn of player (A) again. Since player (A) is 40 yards from the green and there is a bunker in the way he cannot declare his choice of the 'PUTTER' (see Rules below). He may, however, choose any other club and in this instance he declares his choice of the 'CHIPPER'. On spinning the wheel 42 the ball falls into a pocket marked 'EXCELLENT' and, on consulting the Table of Fig 4, the playing insruction gives a move "up to 80 yards 'gimme' putt".

[0023] This means that he has holed-out in two strokes ie one for his shot onto the green, and because the ball is so close to the flag he does not need to play another turn but the extra stroke is counted (ie the player misses his next turn but holes-out in one for the 'gimme' putt; that is two strokes altogether). Thus (A) has holed-out in 3 strokes in all and marks his score card accordingly.

[0024] It is now player (B)'s turn once again. (B) also declares his choice of the 'CHIPPER'. On spinning the wheel the ball falls to a pocket marked 'POOR B' which gives a playing instruction "20 yards right". Player (B) moves his playing piece B1 to the position S formerly occupied by A1 as shown in Fig 1 at the cost of another stroke. Since (A) has holed-out, (B) has a further turn and having declared his choice of CHIPPER this time receives from the wheel 42 a playing instruction of 'MIRACLE' from the Table of Fig 4 this indicates that he has holed-out in one further stroke. Player (B)'s total for the hole is thus 5 strokes. If the players had decided on a stroke play game they would proceed to the other holes, totalling the number of strokes for all the holes to decide the winner (having the least strokes). Had Match Play been elected then the number of holes won would decide the winner (having won the most holes), in known manner.

[0025] The score cards shown in Fig 6 bear details of the hole numbers, yardages and par strokes for the hole, space for strokes taken and for scoring conventionally and/or according to the Stableford system in known manner as for golf proper. It will be readily appreciated that the apparatus enables the playing of an entertaining game closely following golf proper.

[0026] Whilst in the foregoing exemplary enbodiment one wheel 42 was used to indicate instructions for normal movements and also for local rules where applicable, two wheels could be so used. The wheel or wheels need not be of the roulette-type but one or each could be a horizontially pivoted wheel or drum mounted on a support, a pointer fixed to the support giving the desired indication on the wheel when the latter stops. Any other suitable kind of wheel could also be used. Other random instruction generating means could be used for example cards or multi-faceted dice. Whereas each player has a ball for the wheel 42, play could be achieved with only one, shared, ball. The playing pieces need not be shaped as golfers, but could be of any convenient form, shape, colour or texture. The playing surface need not be a board but could be a mat of cloth, plastics or other suitable material. Extra local rules symbols could be arranged to be movable to agreed or randomly-determined positions before commencement of the game, for the duration thereof, to provide additional variation of play. The 'holes' need not be laid out as schematically as shown in Fig. 1. The local rules symbols and hazard symbols may be of any convenient form.

EQUIPMENT FOR USE IN THE EMBODIMENT DESCRIBED ABOVE

[0027] One 18-hole golf-course board.
Eight 'Golfers' & eight corresponding golf balls.
Eight stroke and distance Tables (S & D Tables) each having on its reverse side a 'local rules Table'.
One 'quality of stroke' roulette-type wheel.
One book of scorecards. Eight pencils.
One book of rules.
A container containing additional bunker symbols and other hazard symbols and further local rules symbols.

RULES FOR THE EMBODIMENT DESCRIBED HEREINBEFORE

[0028] Preparing to Play: Set up the board and place the 'quality of stroke' wheel 42 at a space provided for it on the board. Distribute to each player one playing piece 'Golfer' and corresponding colour-matched ball, one S & D Table, one scorecard and a pencil.

[0029] Decide what form of the game is to be played, i.e. stroke play or match play, and by mutual agreement decide on starting order.

1) Play shall commence at the first hole in groups of two, three or four players, to avoid overcrowding. After the first group has 'putted-out' to complete the first hole, the next group will 'tee-off', and so on until all players are on the course, thereafter player by player, in rotation clockwise round the board. If there are more that four players, it may be found convenient to tee-off alternate groups on the first and tenth tees so that waiting to tee-off is avoided and everyone is on the course quickly.

2) Players must declare which 'club' they will use for every stroke. Failure to do so will not incur a penalty but the 'quality of stroke' wheel must be spun again after a proper declaration has been made.

3) To play a legitimate stroke a player must (a) declare his choice of club, (b) spin the 'quality of stroke' wheel and drop his ball on the moving wheel, (c) read off the quality of stroke (normal play designation) where the ball comes to rest, (d) relate this on his S & D Chart to the 'club' declared, and (e) move his playing piece 'Golfer' to the position thus indicated.

Example:

[0030] 

i) Declare Driver, spin wheel, allow ball to fall on moving wheel. Ball stops at 'GOOD' pocket.

ii) Consult S & D table: 'GOOD' stroke with Driver = 240 yards down the middle.

iii) Move playing piece 'golfer' 240 yards forward on to the 240 yard line marker in the middle of the green or fairway as appropriate.

iv) Remove ball from wheel if no local Rule applies (see Rule 8).
N.B. One full turn of the wheel is the minimum requirement to constitute a proper 'swing' of the club.

(4) If the stroke played is 'out of bounds' the player must count that stroke, plus one penalty stroke, then re-spin his next stroke from the original position, before the next player spins.

(5) If the stroke played positions the 'Golfer' in bushes or trees, in a bunker, in water, in the 'rough' to the left or right of the green, or through the green (see The Rough under Definitions), he must add one penalty (i.e. 2 strokes in all) and play the next stroke from the new position on his next turn.

(6) Players must declare the 'PUTTER' when positioned either on the green (or also up to maximum of two yardage markers (forty yards) on the fairway from the flag provided the route to the flag is clear of hazards). The 'PUTTER' may not be used in any other position.
N.B. Resting in a bunker or water or 'through the green' etc, from a previous stroke has no effect under this rule because the penalty applied on the previous stroke means the player has recovered therefrom and is now in a position to putt. However if a bunker or other hazard intervenes the player must select a suitable club to play on to the green before putting.

(7) If a player spins an 'air shot' on the 'quality of stroke' wheel, this represents his failure to strike the ball. He must count that as a stroke and re-spin for another stroke before the next player spins, except when putting in which case the 'air shot' is ignored, and he must spin again.

(8) Local Rules: At certain points around the course, there are places, indicated by symbols on the board, where 'local rules' have to be applied, sometimes favourable, sometimes unfavourable.
Wherever a playing piece 'Golfer' arrives in one of these positions then, before ending his turn, the player must consult the section of the wheel in which his ball is resting. The central part of the wheel bears a 'local rules' number, -1, 2 or 3, - which indicates the exact 'local rule' to be applied. By matching this number with the 'Local Rules' Table on the reverse of his S & D Table relative to his board position (bunker, water, etc.) he takes the benefit or pays the penalty as instructed.

GENERAL

[0031] When all players have completed the course they must calculate their total scores; the player with the lowest total is the winner. In the event of a tie those players with equal scores shall continue playing, commencing from the first hole, until one player emerges as the outright winner. The above is the basic 'stroke play' form of the game. Suggestions for variations of the game are explained separately.

DEFINITIONS OF THESE RULES

[0032] The Hole: All that part of the course between the tee and the green, including fairway, rough, hazards and the green, as shown on the board.
The Tee: The circle marking the starting point for each hole.
The Fairway: The central section of the hole between the tee and the and the front edge of the green.
The Rough: The two regions on either side of the fairway, and at the sides and the back of the Greens; the rough at the left and right of the green commences on the last yardage marking before the green.
Hazards: (1) Trees and Bushes : As shown on the board (in brown). (2) Bunkers: As shown on the board (in yellow) at various parts of the board. (3) Water: As shown (in blue) at various parts of the board.
The Green: The putting area at the completion of each hole.
N.B. The flag of each green is 19 yards from the edge of that green in all directions.
Yardage: The distance from the tee to the centre flag as shown for each hole on the scorecard. Also each hole is further marked in 20-yard sections, to the back of the green.
'Gimme': A putt which is so close to the flag that the next stroke need not be played although it must be counted.
Par: The standard number of strokes allowed for each hole.
Hole-in-one: A tee-shot which finishes in the hole directly, without need for any further strokes.

VARIATIONS IN PLAY OF THE EMBODIMENT DESCRIBED

[0033] MATCH-PLAY: This is a form of the game in which two players play against each other or a pair of players against another pair. In match-play the holes are played as separate entities - a player (or a side) making the fewest strokes winning the hole. The scorecard is marked '+' for a win, '-' for a loss, or 'o' for a tie, on each hole round the course. At the completion of the round, regardless of the total number of strokes played, the player or side with the greatest number of holes won, is the winner.
GREENSOMES: This version is played in pairs. At every tee all the players play a tee shot. Each pair decides which is their preferred position and mark one stroke on the scorecard. The other 'Golfer' is then removed from the board and the players complete the hole by taking alternate strokes with the remaining' Golfer;, scoring as for a single golfer.
N.B. If both tee-shots are out of bounds both players must play again and apply rule 4 for the chosen tee-shot. Any other stroke out of bounds or an air-shot is scored as per rules 4 and 7 but the partner must play the next stroke.
FOURSOMES: This is also played in pairs and is similar to Greensomes except that every stroke on each hole is alternate, thus: using only one 'Golfer' the players decide before starting who should tee-off at odd-numbered holes and who shall do so at the even-numbered holes. The pairs then play alternately throughout the round.
N.B. Any strokes out of bounds or air-shots are to be scored as per rules 4 and 7 and the partner plays the next stroke.
THE STABLEFORD SCORING SYSTEM: Under this known system players score points per hole, as shown below, the player or side with the highest number of points being the winner. The scoring system for the present game has been arranged to allow one extra stroke per hole for every player, corresponding to a game of golf proper where each player has a handicap of 18, or a total of 18 per pair when playing in pairs. Thus TWO OVER PAR = 1 POINT, ONE OVER PAR = 2 POINTS and so on.
SEATING: When playing Foursomes it is recommended that seating arrangements should be as follows: If two pairs are playing, the partners should be seated alternately around the board. Four three pairs, partners should be at the thrid seat away from the other on the left. For four pairs, they should be at the fourth seat to the left. In Greensomes the partners should be side by side.

Claims

1. Game apparatus for a game representing golf comprising; a playing surface designating a number of regions (Fig 1) each representative of a hole of a golf course, each region being subdivided into areas and including a starting point (14) and a finishing point (30); a set of playing elements (Fig 2) which are, in play, moved around the playing surface in accordance with rules of the game; play-instruction indicating means (Fig 3, Fig 3A, Fig 4) including random play-instruction indicating means (42); and means (Fig 6) for recording the progress of playing elements during play; each of said regions having areas representative of a fairway (16), a green (18) surrounding the finishing point, and a hazard or hazards selected from representations of bunkers (34), water hazards (32), and, alongside the fairway area and surrounding the greens, 'rough' areas (22, 24); at least one region having at least one position a designation (36a, 36b) indicating that further play instructions (Fig 5) representative of 'local rules' are to be applied to playing elements arriving at said position or positions.

2. Game apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that the random play-instruction indicating means (42) is provided with means (52) indicating said further play instructions.

3. Game apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 characterised in that the play-instruction indicating means is arranged to indicate at each operation of the random play-instruction indicating means a first play instruction (50) and also a further play instruction (52), the latter being acted upon in play, when upon acting on the former, a playing piece is directed to the or one said designation.

4. Game apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, characterised in that said random play-instruction indicating means comprises a roulette wheel (42) having a plurality of ball-receiving pockets (48), each pocket having associated therewith one of said first playing instructions (50) and also one of said further playing instructions (52).

Drawing