Golf practice target system

Abstract

An elevated golf target provides a portable and adjustable target for practicing golf. The elevated golf target consists of a concave target, a vertical support and a portable base unit. The elevated target preferably has a turf-like surface and can include a target hole, a collector hole and an upwardly projecting perimeter wall. A target surface presentation angle is adjustable with respect to the ground. When the golfer hits the target, the combination of a concave target surface, the target presentation angle and the perimeter wall increase the likelihood of the ball being retained on the target. The vertical support can allow for vertical adjustment of the target while the portable base allows an operator to easily change the location of the elevated golf target. The elevated golf target can be used individually or a plurality of targets can be utilized in a golf target system.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A golf target apparatus comprising: 
 a portable base unit having at least a pair of wheels;    a vertical support member having a bottom end mounted to the portable base unit such that the vertical support member projects upward from the portable base unit and wherein the vertical support member has a top end having a mounting assembly; and    a target assembly having a target support structure, a target surface and a tilt assembly, wherein the tilt assembly operably connects the mounting assembly and the target support structure such that a target profile has an adjustable tilt range from 0 degrees to 90 degrees.    
     
     
         2 . The golf target apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the portable base unit comprises a self-contained motor for propelling movement of the golf target apparatus.  
     
     
         3 . The golf target apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the portable base unit further comprises a towing member for towing the golf target apparatus.  
     
     
         4 . The golf target apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the portable base unit has a frame adapted for receiving weighting means to fix the position of the golf target apparatus.  
     
     
         5 . The golf target apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the portable base unit comprises a plurality of extensions attached to the portable base unit.  
     
     
         6 . The golf target apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a display apparatus, the display apparatus being rotatably couplable to the target structure such that the display apparatus is viewable throughout the tilt range of the target structure.  
     
     
         7 . The golf target apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the display apparatus comprises an electronic display.  
     
     
         8 . The golf target apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the electronic display displays an electronic message selected from the group consisting essentially of: a target yardage, a stock ticker, an advertisement, a listing of sports results, a tee box status, and a video broadcast.  
     
     
         9 . The golf target apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical support comprises a first support member and a second support member, wherein the first support member is attached to the mounting assembly and the second support member is attached to the portable base unit, and wherein the first support member is slidably adjustable with respect to the second support member for adjusting an overall height of the target assembly.  
     
     
         10 . The golf target apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the target support structure has an internal, concave shape defined by a plurality of support ribs, a plurality of cross-members and a perimeter wall and wherein the target surface is fixedly attached to target support structure at the perimeter wall.  
     
     
         11 . The golf target apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein an internal portion of the target surface is adjustably attached to the target support structure such that the target surface and the target support structure cooperatively retain a golf ball that hits the target surface.  
     
     
         12 . A method for practicing golf using at least one portable target comprising: 
 selecting a tee area such that at least one golfer has space for hitting a golf ball;    positioning the at least one portable target such that the target resides within view of the tee area; and    presenting a target surface on the portable target to the golfer such that the golfer has an aiming point when hitting the golf ball, the target surface including a tilt adjustment means for selectively varying a profile of the target surface with respect to the tee area.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a plurality of portable targets are positioned such that the plurality of targets are within view of the tee area.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of portable targets are selectively adjustable using the adjustment means to present a plurality of differing target profiles.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein positioning the at least one portable target comprises towing the at least one portable target to a desired location.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein positioning the at least one portable target comprises propelling the at least one portable target to a desired location using a self-contained drive means on the at least portable target.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising displaying visual information to the at least one golfer with a display means attached to the at least one portable target.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the display means is a printed media or an electronic display  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the visual information communicated to the at least one golfer is selected from the group consisting essentially of: an advertisement, a target distance, a stock ticker, a listing of sports results, a tee box status, and a video broadcast.