The golf ball includes an RFID tag, a substrate, a conductive ink, a single golf core material and a dimpled cover. The RFID tag includes an integrated circuit and an antenna. The antenna includes a circular antenna that is electrically coupled to the integrated circuit. The substrate material encapsulates the RFID tag to generate an encapsulated RFID tag on the planar surface. The substrate material has the substantially circular shape to encapsulate the antenna.

Methods and apparatus for determining spin of a golf ball in flight. At least a portion of an observed trajectory of the golf ball and one or more parameters associated with the trajectory are obtained. The parameters are selected from launch angle, ball speed, club speed and ball carry. Two or more spin candidates are obtained for the golf ball. Each spin candidate has an associated probability. A most probable used golf club for launching the golf ball into the observed trajectory is determined by matching the observed parameters with parameters for two or more different golf clubs. Ball spin probability data are obtained for the most probable used golf club. The spin of the golf ball is the most probable spin candidate, based on the ball spin probability data and the observed trajectory. The determined spin of the golf ball is displayed on a display device.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for identifying the location of a striker of an object, includes, in at least one aspect, a method including initiating an audio recording by a microphone of a mobile computing device operated by a striker located in a striking area having space for two or more strikers to strike objects into a target area; identifying a physical location in the striking area and a first strike time determination for an object struck from the striking area based on sensor observations of the object in flight between the striking area and the target area; identifying a second strike time determination in data of the audio recording; and associating the physical location with the mobile computing device when the second strike time determination is matched with the first strike time determination.

A system and method for tracking the flight of golf balls at driving range. The invention includes a plurality of hitting stations, a plurality of sensors, a computer, and a range surface. Each hitting station in the plurality of hitting stations includes a golf ball, a golf club, a monitor, and a sensor. At least one other sensor in the plurality of sensors is placed outside the hitting station. The flight path of the golf ball is calculated by the computer using parameters by the plurality of sensors. The method includes steps for determining whether a first sensor detected a first parameter and a second parameter, whether a second sensor detected a first and a second parameter, whether a third sensor detected a third parameter, and depicting the flight path of the golf balls using the first parameter, the second parameter, and the third parameter.

A method and system for playing a player reactive game at a golf entertainment venue are disclosed herein. The system includes golf ball tracking sensors, hitting bays and a server. The golf ball tracking sensors are positioned at a golf driving range. The hitting bays are also at the golf driving range, and each hitting bay has a video display. The server is configured to modify gameplay based on the shot types detected.

A system and method for tracking the flight of golf balls at driving range. The system includes a plurality of hitting stations, a plurality of sensors, a computer, and a range surface. Each hitting station in the plurality of hitting stations includes a golf ball, a golf club, a monitor, and a sensor. At least one other sensor in the plurality of sensors is placed outside a hitting station. The flight path of the golf balls being calculated by the computer using parameters by the plurality of sensors. The method includes steps for determining whether a first sensor detected a first parameter and a second parameter, whether a second sensor detected a first and a second parameter, whether a third sensor detected a third parameter, and depicting the flight path of the golf balls using the first parameter, the second parameter, and the third parameter.

An automatic golf ball retrieval system comprises a mat, a conveyor belt system, a cleaning system, an automatic tee setter system, and a processor. The mat includes front, middle and back portions, leftmost and rightmost sides, an exterior face and an interior face. The conveyor belt system comprises at least two frames and a rolling bar which moves between upper and lower ends of the at least two frames. The rolling bar forms a raised surface on the exterior face of the mat which engages and pushes the golf balls towards a base which receives and transfers the golf balls to a cleaning system located below the conveyor belt system which cleans the golf balls, an automatic tee setter system transfers at least one golf ball onto a tee from the cleaning system.

A method and system for providing shot tracking data to a client device is disclosed herein. The system includes multiple golf ball tracking sensors positioned at multiple golf driving ranges, multiple shot application programming interfaces (API), and a shot API proxy. Each of the shot APIs is configured to receive shot data from each of the golf ball tracking sensors at a corresponding golf driving range venue such as a TOPGOLF entertainment venue.

A method and system playing a game with a fully scoreable outfield at a golf entertainment venue are disclosed herein. The system includes golf ball tracking sensors, hitting bays and a server. The golf ball tracking sensors are positioned at a golf driving range. The hitting bays are also at the golf driving range, and each hitting bay has a video display. The game includes tiles that cover an entire virtual outfield of the golf driving range.

A method and system for playing a player reactive game at a golf entertainment venue are disclosed herein. The system includes golf ball tracking sensors, hitting bays and a server. The golf ball tracking sensors are positioned at a golf driving range. The hitting bays are also at the golf driving range, and each hitting bay has a video display. The server is configured to modify gameplay based on the shot types detected.