GB2135200A - Golf board game apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus comprises sheets marked to simulate parts of a golf course, a baseboard, which may be magnetic to hold ball position markers in place, a plurality of "shot" charts (one illustrated), three 6 sided dice, one 14 sided "shot" die and a plurality of penalty cards. The sheets are laid on the baseboard and are overlaid by the shot charts. Throws of the dice eg 3 + 2 + 2 = 7 + "H3" from the shot die, determine the position reached by a shot, eg position Y. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in and relating to board games This invention relates to a board game which allows any number of players to play a game based on the rules of golf. The invention is also capable of use as a teaching aid for golf. The object of the game is to proceed hole-by-hole around one or more charts each marked to simulate the topography of a part of a typical golf course, including tees, bunkers, greens, fairways etc. and as with the corresponding outdoor game, to accumulate for a predetermined number of holes e.g. nine or eighteen, of the course, an aggregate number of strokes less than that of any opponent, alternatively, the game is capable of being played by a single player with the object of achieving as low a score as possible.

To illustrate the method of playing the board game, reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a chart marked to simulate the topography of the last three holes of an eighteen hole folf course; Figure 2 is a putting chart for use with the chart of Figure 1 when a player's 'ball' lands on a green; Figures 3 to 7 inclusive are shot charts for use with the chart of Figure 1 when a player is using a driver, No. 3 iron, No. 5 iron, No. 7 iron and wedge respectively; Figures Sto 10 inclusive illustrate various penalty cards associated with hazards on the chart of Figure 1 such as water, bunkers and hazards such as trees and rough respectively, and Figure 11 is an example of a typical players score card.

In one embodiment of the invention, the basic board is preferably of metal and at least as large as the course charts, one of which is shown in Figure 1.

Thus for an eighteen hole course, there would be six charts of the type shown in Figure 1 for holes 1 to 3; 4to6;7to9; 10to12; 13to15and16to18,thelatter being shown in Figure 1. The advantage of using a metal base board is that the 'ball' used by the players is preferably a distinctively coloured magnetic disc around 3/8" diameter which when a course chart is laid on the base board, would remain in position by magnetic attraction between the board and the disc.

The playing apparatus for this embodiment of the invention, thus comprises a base board, a number of magnetised discs distinctively coloured with a different colour for each player or marked with different legends or symbols to distinguish one from the other, three 6 sided dice, a special 'shot' dice consisting of, for example fourteen facets or surfaces and hereinafter described more fully, a plurality of 'shot' charts such as shown in Figures 2 to 7, a plurality of hazard penalty cards such as shown in Figures 8 to 10 and a scoring card such as shown in Figure 11.

Referring initially to the lay-out of each course chart such as that shown in Figure 1, three tees T16, T17, T18 are provided each comprising six possible driving positions indicated by lines 1 to 6. The corresponding greens are shown at G16, G17, G18 with G18 having associated bunkers B1, B2, B3 and green G16 having associated bunkers B4, B5. Coarse grass or rough or bushes and trees are shown at A with individual trees C at the approach to green G16.

Water hazards are shown at D. Gradients on the fairways are delineated by a dotted line and marked by arrows E.

It will be appreciated that in practice, the course chart shown in Figure 1 would be coloured with the bunkers coloured for instance yellow to depict sand, the coarse grass or rough and trees and bushes coloured for instance dark green/brown to distinguish from the fairways which would for instance be a lighter shade of green, and the water hazards would be coloured for instance blue. Each green e.g. G17 is delineated by an unbroken line with the hole marked by a dot or circle.

Referring to the 'shot' chart of Figure 3, this consists of a web or graticule of lines radiating from a starting point or origin 0. The web is divided on each side of a centre line OS into sections defined by the references S1 to S4 and H1 to H4, the distance from the origin 0 to the outer periphery of the web being divided into stages 3 to 18 as shown in Figure 3.

The 'shot' chart of Figure 3 is intended to show the various positions of a 'ball' when using a driverto tee off, and indicating the effect of a hook, a slice or a straight tee shot.

The 'shot' dice is as previously indicated, preferably a fourteen sided dice, six of the facets or surfaces having the legend S thereon and the remaining eight facets or surfaces having a different one of the legends H1 to H4 and S1 to S4. Thus, when the 'shot' dice is thrown, the uppermost surface indicates whether the player is entitled to a straight shot S or whether he has sliced his shot and to what degree (S1 to S4), or has hooked his shot and to what degree (H1 to H4).

To initiate a game of golf, a course chart (Figure 1) is placed over the metal base board. The player who tees off first rolls one of the conventional six-sided dice to determine which line i.e. 1 to 6 on the tee area shall be used for the tee position. The playerthen chooses a 'shot' chart such as that shown in Figures 3 to 7, each 'shot' chart covering a set distance shown on the chart and based on the type of club a player would choose for a particular shot in an outdoor game of golf.Thus, from the tee the player would usually use a driver and the base line at the origin 0 of the 'driver' shot chart (Figure 3) is placed on the line on the tee determined by the original throw of the dice and the 'shot' chart is orientated such that the point S is pointing down the fairway in the direction the player would wish the 'ball' to travel for a straight tee shot.

The player then throws the three six-sided dice and the fourteen surface 'shot' dice. The aggregate total of the three six-sided dice determines the distance from the origin 0, the player is allowed to place his 'ball' or disc and the legend uppermost on the fourteen surface 'shot' dice determined whether the tee shot is straight, hooked or sliced and to what degree. Thus for instance, a combination of 3, 2 and 2 on the three six-sided dice with a legend H3 uppermost on the fourteen surface 'shot' dice would indicate that the tee shot has reached Y on Figure 3.

This position is translated to the course chart and the magnetised disc placed in the appropriate position.

If when playing a shot, the 'ball' lands outside the playing surface of the course chart, the 'ball' is deemed to be lost and another shot is taken and a penalty of two strokes is incurred and added to the player's score.

The next player or players then proceed in turn using the appropriate 'shot' chart, the 'shot' dice and the three six-sided dice. When all players have completed their tee shots, the player whose 'ball' is furtherest from the hole takes his second shot using an appropriate 'shot' chart such as a No. 3 iron shot chart (Figure 4) placing the origin Oat the position where his tee shot reached and now occupied by his magnetised disc. The player then proceeds as before throwing the three six-sided dice to produce an aggregate indication of distance and throwing the fourteen surface 'shot' dice to produce an indication of direction i.e. either straight, hooked or sliced. The player then places his disc in the appropriate position to indicate the position of his 'ball' for his second shot and the remaining players proceed with their second shots.The game proceeds until all players have succeeded in placing a 'ball' on the appropriate green.

To putt the ball ihto the hole, the green shot chart No. 1 (Figure 2) is used. The centre shot on the chart is placed over the hole and the numbered concentric rings 2 to 12 indicate the number required to be obtained from a throw of the dice for the 'ball' to reach the hole from the position of the 'ball' on the green. Only two of the six-sided dice are used for this operation. Should the desired score. not be reached, the dice must be rethrown until the number required is obtained. Each throw of the dice counts as a stroke and is added to a player's score.

During play, should the 'ball' encounter a hazard such as a bunker, tree or water or land in the rough, the player is required to select one of the appropriate hazard penalty cards illustrated in Figures 8 to 10 and to proceed as instructed on the card.

If the 'ball' strikes a lone tree on the fairway then the player must select a hazard card and proceed as directed.

The course chart (Figure 1) shows the gradient on the fairway marked with arrows. Should a player's 'ball' land on a gradient, the 'ball' is deemed to roll in the direction of the arrow and is allowed to continue to the edge of the gradient where the player's disc is placed; the player's next shot being taken from this position.

The game proceeds by each player travelling in turn around the course using a different course chart as each set of three holes is completed by each player. The person taking the least number of strokes is the winner.

To add realism, each hole is provided with a par figure which is the theoretical number of strokes required to complete the hole from tee to putt. To provide each player with a sporting chance the short holes have a generous par figure and the long holes have a less generous one. The par for each hole is either 3,4 or 5 and is indicated next to the tee for each hole. The nominal distance from tee to hole is indicated in yards and metres for each hole. It will be appreciated that the game may be played by a single player with the object of beating par for the course or obtaining the lowest score.

It will also be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to considerable modification and is not to be deemed limited to the particular embodiment described above.

For instance, instead of using the invention as a board game, it may be used as a teaching aid.

Furthermore, it is not necessary to use a metal base board and magnetised discs as the 'balls'. Instead, the course charts may be used and marked by appropriate means such as 'Chinagraph' pencil to indicate where a player's 'ball' has ianded. Furthermore instead of a number of course charts, a single chart may be used for any predetermined number of holes e.g. 9 or 18.

Claims (1)

1. A board game to allow any number of players to play a game based on the rules of golf and consisting of at least one course chart marked to simulate the topography of a part or whole of a typical golf course, including tees, greens, holes, fairways and hazards such as bunkers, rough, trees and water, means to represent a golf ball, a plurality of 'shot' charts applicable to different golf clubs and each having a web or gradient to represent different directions and distances covered by the respective club, at least one conventional six-sided dice and a single 'shot' dice having legends on the surfaces corresponding to the directions on the 'shot' charts and a plurality of hazard penalty cards, each player proceeding around the said at least one course chart by moving his 'ball' a distance and in a direction determined by a throw of the dice and the 'shot' chart selected.