An exemplary embodiment has been made in an effort to provide a distance measuring apparatus, including: an output unit configured to output information; a memory configured to store map information of golf courses; a location acquiring sensor configured to acquire a current location; a distance measuring sensor configured to measure a distance to a target; a slope sensor configured to measure a tilt angle; and a control unit configured to read map information of the golf course corresponding to the current location from the memory, to calculate a first distance from the current location to a first point on the golf course by using the map information, to calculate a horizontal distance to the target by using the distance to the target and the tilt angle, and to output the horizontal distance to the output unit when the horizontal distance is within the first distance.

The invention generally relates to a system and method of providing visual aids for integrating physical and virtual targets on a sports field. The system and method expand participation by combining the advantages of simulated display having virtual targets with a physical field of play having visual aids to help a player estimate the height and position of the virtual target on the physical field of play.

A golf course for playing golf includes at least three cups. Each of the at least three cups is configured to receive a golf ball. The golf course also includes at least one set of putting greens. At least one set of putting greens included in the golf course includes at least three cups. The golf course further includes at least one teeing area. The golf course also further includes at least one hole. Each of the at least one holes included in the golf course includes a teeing area and a set of putting greens, such that the teeing area corresponds to the set of putting greens.

A golf support system supports a user to play golf on a golf course. The golf support system includes a course travelling vehicle to be operated in the golf course. A photographing unit photographs a trajectory of a golf ball as a trajectory image by using a camera mounted on the course travelling vehicle. A trajectory prediction unit calculates the trajectory of the golf ball as a predicted trajectory by using the trajectory image. A route calculation unit calculates a predicted drop position being a drop position of the golf ball by using the predicted trajectory. Then, the route calculation unit calculates a travelling route to the predicted drop position of the golf ball.

A system for monitoring and recording and processing an activity includes one or more cameras for automatically recording video of the activity. A remote media system is located at the location of the activity. A network media processor and services is communicatively coupled with the remote media system. The remote media system includes one or more AI enabled cameras. The AI enabled camera is configured to record the activity. The network media processor is configured to receive an activation request of the AI enabled camera and the validate the record request. The system may automatically administer a skill-based competition.

The invention generally relates to an immersive and reactive game play system and process having a dynamic, interactive range surface and/or an end-of-range display that provide for a partially simulated environment with a shared field of play for the activity that allows for an immersive but shared view of each user and the other users, and further expands participation by combining the advantages of simulated display with a physical field of play. The immersive and reactive game play system and process is configured to simultaneously display flight paths of multiple balls struck from a multi-level, multi-bay golf and entertainment facility. The interactive range surface provides a visual, auditory and/or physical effect to a golf ball traveling over or landing on the range surface, and the end-of-range display is configured to display the continued flight path of the golf ball.

A kit for building sand bunkers for accelerated water removal low maintenance multi-hole golfing facility. The sand bunkers are water permeable and water shuttling. Each kit creates a plurality of sand bunker each having a continuous bunker edge, a drain assembly, a synthetic tufted surface, a continuous integral edge overlapping polymer mesh, a non-woven dual smooth surfaced geo-textile, and a sand layer. Once built with the kit, the water in the sand bunker flows from the continuous bunker edge over the synthetic tufted surface, through the non-woven dual smooth surfaced geo-textile to the drain assembly while preventing the drain assembly from clogging, thereby maintaining an unclogged drain assembly for the water permeable and water shuttling sand bunker.

A golf course and stadium includes a common green area having one or more cups for receiving a golf ball played within the golf course and at least three fairways extending away from the common green area. The at least three fairways are separated each other and each include at least one tee box. Spectator stadium viewing includes a first spectator structure with tiered seating disposed about two lateral portions and a tee box of one of the at least three fairways and includes a second spectator structure with tiered seating disposed between lateral portions of the other two of at least three fairways. The common green area may be centrally located among the spectator seating structures, the tee boxes and the fairways.

A mixed-reality golf simulation system includes a ball-tracking sub-system to generate ball-tracking data when a golf ball is hit by a user, a near-eye display, a storage device to store panoramic images of a hole of a golf course associated with location coordinates of a plurality of locations along the hole, and a controller. The controller may direct the near-eye display to display a mixed-reality environment including a virtual reality scene from the perspective of a first location on the hole over based on images associated with location coordinates of the first location, receive ball-tracking data of a ball hit by the user in real-time, and direct the near-eye display to display the mixed-reality environment including a virtual reality scene from the perspective of a landing location of the ball based on images device associated with location coordinates of the landing location of the ball.

Provided is a surfacing system, such as an artificial turf system. The surfacing system includes a base member formed from a plurality of interconnected tile members. The base member is configured to accept a suitable amount of infill material. A covering layer such as an artificial turf layer is applied over the infilled base member and secured to a flexible outer border member. Also provided is a method of installing the surfacing system.