Scorecard

Abstract

A scorecard (1) and a method of recording the number of strokes in a game of golf by means of movable indicator devices (2) are described, the scorecard (1) being provided with at least one further movable indicator device (3) to enable the indication of a marker of a player, and a player indicator (4), and both the movable marker indicator (3) and the player indicator (4) being designed for mechanical, optical reading.

Claims

1. A scorecard for a game of golf, the scorecard comprising: a plurality of movable indicator devices for recording a number of golf strokes used by a player on a plurality of golf holes; a further movable indicator device configured to indicate a marker of the player; and a player indicator; wherein the further movable indicator device and the player indicator are configured for mechanical, optical reading.

2. The scorecard in accordance with claim 1, wherein the player indicator comprises a movable indicator device.

3. The scorecard in accordance with claim 1, wherein the player indicator comprises a bar code.

4. The scorecard in accordance with claim 1, wherein the player indicator comprises a movable indicator device and a bar code.

5. The scorecard in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a result card that is configured for recording at least some of the number of golf strokes in a binary system for statistical purposes.

6. The scorecard according to claim 5, wherein the result card comprises a plurality of spaced-apart indicator devices that are configured to move into and between a first position wherein a first indicator picture is shown and a second position wherein a second indicator picture is shown that is mechanically, optically distinguishable from the first indicator picture.

7. A method of using a scorecard for a game of golf, the scorecard comprising a plurality of movable indicator devices for recording a number of golf strokes used by a player on a plurality of golf holes; a further movable indicator device configured to indicate a marker of a player; and a player indicator; wherein the further movable indicator device and the player indicator are configured for mechanical, optical reading; the method comprising: recording a starting group of players in a computer system; selecting and indicating via the further movable indicator device a marker of each respective player in the starting group of players; wherein during the game of golf, each respective player and each marker for that respective player records the number of strokes used by the respective player; thereafter reading, via a mechanical optical reading device, recordings of each player, marker, player indicator, and further movable indicator device; transferring the recordings to the computer system; comparing and checking, with the computer system, that the recordings are consistent with each other.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising processing the recordings and presenting results based on the recordings.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising recording at least some of the golf strokes used by a player via a result card for statistical purposes.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising processing the recordings and presenting results based on the readings.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising reading the result card with a mechanical, optical reading device and transferring the recordings to the computer system for processing and presenting the results.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In what follows, an example of a preferred embodiment is described, which is visualized in the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a view of a first face of a scorecard according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows, on a larger scale, a detail A shown in FIG. 1, in which an indicator device in the form of a wheel is indicated;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a view of a second face of the scorecard shown in FIG. 1, in which a result card is arranged; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a principle drawing of a recording system for the optical reading of scorecards and result cards and electronic processing of the data.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(6) In the figures, the reference numeral 1 indicates a scorecard in accordance with the invention. The scorecard 1 is provided with eighteen movable indicator devices 2 arranged for recording the number of strokes used on each golf hole played. The scorecard 1 is further provided with a movable indicator device 3 arranged for the indication of the player number of the player chosen as a marker and a player indicator 4 which includes a movable indicator 41 and a bar code 42.

(7) The movable indicators 2, 3, 41 are wheels 6 that are embedded in the scorecard 1 and attached in such a way that they can be rotated around their own centre axes. In the surface of the scorecard 1, an opening 62 has been formed, making a portion of the embedded wheel 6 visible. The wheel 6 is provided with printed numerals 61 which may be made visible through the opening 62 so that the wheel 6 may be rotated until the numeral 61 expressing the desired value is shown in the opening 62. The wheel 6 is provided with a braking device (not shown) which can prevent unintentional rotation.

(8) Before a round of golf, a starting group is set up in a recording system 9 (see FIG. 4) and each player is assigned a player number in this starting group. The player adjusts the movable player indicator 41 on the scorecard 1 so that the numeral 61 (see FIG. 2) shown expresses the player's assigned player number. When the players in this starting group turn up to play, they decide between themselves who is going to be the marker of each individual player. On the scorecard 1, the marker indicator 3 is adjusted so that the numeral 61 shown expresses the marker's assigned player number. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the results of the player who has been assigned the player number one are recorded. The marker of player number one is the player who has been assigned the player number three. Correspondingly, the player numbers two, three and four in the starting group are also assigned a marker so that all the players have been assigned one other player as a marker. During the course of the game, the player and the marker each record the number of strokes that the player uses on each golf hole in a respective scorecard 1. When the result is to be read, the scorecards 1 are positioned in such a way that a mechanical, optical reading device 91 makes an image which is transferred to a recording system 9. The recording system 9 recognizes each of the scorecards 1 and reads the numerical values 61 that are shown in the openings 62 of the indicator devices 2, 3, 41 and the bar code 42 and processes these data by means of a computer program developed by the present applicant. By means of the data from the bar code 42 and the player indicator 41, the recording system 9 identifies the player's ID and then which starting group the player has participated in.

(9) If a scorecard without a bar code 42 is used, or the bar code 42 does not contain or refer to the player's unique ID, the starting group ID must be entered manually into the recording system 9. By means of this information, together with the marker number read from the marker indicator 3, the recording system checks, records, processes and presents the results taken from the scorecards 1.

(10) The recording read from the player's (player number one in the embodiment shown) scorecard 1 is compared with the read recordings appearing from that of the marker (player number three in the embodiment shown). If the recordings are identical, the result will be approved. If there is a difference in said recordings, the recording system 9 will give a warning about this.

(11) The result card 5 is arranged on the back of the scorecard 1. The result card consists of a reversible scorecard known from the patent application NO20120187. The difference in relation to the scorecard for which a patent has been applied for is that the columns of indicator devices 51 have been assigned other values and tasks.

(12) The exemplary embodiment shows a scorecard 1 with eighteen recording devices 2 for recording the number of strokes. In a game of golf in which eighteen holes are played, each player will have to be equipped with two scorecards 1. One for recording his own result and one for recording the result of the player whose marker the player has been chosen to be. In another embodiment, the scorecard 1 may be provided with thirty-six recording devices so that each player will only need one scorecard 1 to record the results.

(13) In FIG. 2, an indicator device 41 for indicating a player number is shown. The marker indicator 3 is of the same design. FIG. 1 shows the indicator device 41 provided with the numerals 1-4. However, it will be understood that the indicator devices 3, 41 are not restricted to being provided with these numerals. For example, these indicator devices 3, 41 may be of the same design as the indicators 2 for recording the number s of strokes.