This invention relates to a golf training aid/simulator, of which the most basic is individual booths provided at golf practice ranges, each booth comprising a fixed base covered by a mat alongside of which is provided a strip of artificial grass on which the ball can be placed to be hit.
An aid/simulator is known from US-A-3633917 of the kind comprising a base including a platform providing a standing area on which the user takes his stance in relation to a ball playing area, the platform being adjustably mounted so that it can be tilted to a position in relation to the ball the user wishes to practise or simulate, and drive means for tilting the platform to a selected position. It will be appreciated that such an aid/simulator has the advantage that the user can practise the complete range of shots likely to be met during an actual round of golf, i.e. an uphill, or downhill lie and with the ball lying level with, above, or below, the feet.
The object of this invention is to provide such an aid/simulator by which the user can readily assess his swing profile.
According to this invention, there is provided a golf training aid/simulator of the kind referred to above, which is characterised in that the platform is in one section and is mounted to overlie a plinth so as to be tiltable relative to the plinth, in that the standing area of the platform is defined by two marked areas corresponding to the user's foot position, in that pressure responsive devices are provided beneath said marked areas for detecting the weight distribution between respective feet during use, in that signals generated by the pressure responsive devices during a golfing swing are fed to comparator means to produce an output which is fed to balance indicator means for displaying the actual percentage of bodyweight taken by each foot at address and the actual transfer of weight during a swing, and in that a chart is provided to display the preferred balance and weight transfer required during a swing for each of the complete range of shots that can be achieved by tilting said platform, whereby the user can compare them with his actual results for assessing corrections that may be needed to his balance and swing.
An aid/simulator arrangement which incorporates pressure responsive devices for detecting weight distribution of the user's feet is known from US-A-4577868. However, this arrangement is limited to use where the initial weight distribution at the address position is evenly distributed, i.e. a level lie. Furthermore, its purpose is to control the tempo of the user's swing.
In accordance with the present invention, the aid/simulator enables the user's swing profile to be recorded, i.e. the user's weight transfer during a complete swing, and for this profile to be compared with a preferred swing profile over a complete range of shots, i.e. all possible lies.
Preferably, said aid/simulator is further characterised in that, to effect said tilting, the platform is mounted centrally on a universal joint providing X and Y horizontal pivot axes, and at least one telescopic unit is provided for each axis, which units are arranged to act in concert with each other to cause the platform to tilt via the universal joint into a required tilt angle.
According to an advantageous feature of this invention, the training aid/simulator may be linked via a suitable Computer/CPU interface to a computer loaded with a software program providing data of a "golf course", whereby the user can simulate and practise a "round of golf" by the platform being tilted to the lie of the simulated landing position of the ball. In this case, as known in the art, an electronic sensing arrangement would be provided in the base to detect the speed and direction of the club head on impact with a ball so as to determine the landing position of the ball on the "course".
In order that the invention may be readily understood, and further features made apparent, one embodiment of a golf training simulator will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Referring to Figure 1, the aid comprises a rectangular base 1 having a tiltable platform 2 providing a ball playing area 3 and a standing area 4. At one, front, end of the base a pedestal 5 is provided on top of which a control panel 6 is mounted.
The platform 2 is of sheet metal appropriately stiffened by internal stiffeners (not shown) and a marginal flange 7 and is mounted on the base 1 via a folding bellows arrangement 8 to enable the platform to be tilted as described hereinafter and prevent the ingress of dirt. As shown the base, in turn, forms part of, or is mounted on, a plinth 9.
The platform and bellows are cut-away in the Figure to show that the platform 2 is centrally mounted on a vertically extending universal joint 10 the joint halves of which are mounted to pivot around two horizontal pivot axes X, Y whereby tilting can be effected around either axis or a combination of both to cover a complete range of "lies". At least one extending telescopic unit 11, 12 respectively is provided for each pivot axis, each of which is connected between the base and platform as shown and these units are connected by an appropriate network of pipes if hydraulically or pneumatically operated, or wires if electrically operated, whereby they can be moved in unison by different amounts under the control of suitable control means to set the angle of tilt required for the platform 2. A rubber mat 13 or similar is provided over the standing area 4 and is marked with two outlines 14 to define the foot positions of the user. A control device, which may conveniently be in the form of a joystick 19 is provided on the panel which is operative through a suitable control circuit (not shown) to move the platform 2 as required by the user, in which case a scale (not shown) may be provided to give the user a visual indication of the tilt angle set.
Pressure sensing devices (not shown) are provided beneath the outlines 14 of the standing area 4, which are operative through a suitable comparator circuit (not shown) to sense the weight distribution between the golfer's feet when he addresses the practise ball and the weight transference during his swing, and to pass this information to a balance indicator which in this embodiment comprises a strip 17 of L.e.d's or similar visual indicators as shown along the front of the platform 2.
As mentioned hereinbefore, a chart strip (not shown) may also be provided to show the preferred weight distribution for comparison.
In this embodiment, a computer/CPU interface port 18 is provided on the pedestal 5 (or the control panel if preferred) for connection to a Computer to enable the user to play a simulated round of golf as mentioned hereinbefore. Also, a coin and/or card meter 19 may be provided by removable squares of "grass" of different height to simulate fairway, semi-rough and rough, as required. Alternatively, the different sufaces could be provided on three sides of a rotatable drum (not shown) mounted beneath the platform 2 in which case the appropriate surface would be rotated into position by a suitable operating member.
When nob in use, the complete unit described above can be closed-off and locked by a pair on interfitting covers 20 as shown in Figure 2.
Referring to Figure 3, the platform 2 is shown tilted for practising