Method for conducting a multi-golf course performance contest

Abstract

Golfers on various golf courses enter their respective golfing performance information into a transportable performance entry device. The latter has a wireless communication capability in a preferred embodiment. Such performance information serves to permit identification of that golfer (or those golfers) who achieve a predetermined golfing performance achievement goal (such as, but not limited to, a hole-in-one). This same device can also serve to receive information to update such golfers regarding the present status of a corresponding competition and in particular can signal the conclusion of the competition and/or provide information regarding the winner (or such other corresponding information as may be selected).

1 . A method for conducting a multi-golf course performance contest comprising: 
 detecting in at least a near-real time manner the golfing performance of a plurality of golfing participants who are playing golf on a plurality of golf courses to provide golfing performance information;    using the golfing performance information to identify at least one golfing participant who achieves a particular predetermined golfing performance goal to provide an identified golfing participant;    communicating information regarding the identified golfing participant.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein detecting includes receiving transmitted messages regarding at least some of the golfing performance of the plurality of golfing participants.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein receiving transmitted messages includes receiving transmitted wireless messages.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the particular predetermined golfing performance goal comprises achieving a hold-in-one.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the particular predetermined golfing performance goal comprises being a first one of the golfing participants to achieve the hole-in-one.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the particular predetermined golfing performance goal comprises being a first one of the golfing participants to achieve the hole-in-one on any one of the plurality of golf courses.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein communicating information regarding the identified golfing participant includes communicating the information to at least some recipients using a wireless message.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  and further comprising: 
 capturing video information regarding at least a portion of the golfing performance.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein capturing video information further comprises capturing video information from a plurality of viewing angles.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein capturing video information from a plurality of viewing angles further comprises capturing video information regarding at least one of: 
 a tee-box view;    a green view;    a close-up pin view.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein capturing video information further comprises wirelessly transmitting the video information to provide transmitted video information.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein capturing video information further comprises storing at least a portion of the transmitted video information.  
     
     
         13 . A method for conducting a multi-golf course performance contest comprising: 
 providing a plurality of golfers on a plurality of golf courses with a transportable performance entry device having a wireless communication capability;    receiving golfing performance information for various of the plurality of golfers as transmitted by the transportable performance entry devices to provide received golfing performance information;    using the golfing performance information to identify a golfing participant who achieves a particular predetermined golfing performance goal to provide an identified golfing participant;    communicating information regarding the identified golfing participant to at least some of the plurality of golfers using the transportable performance entry device.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein providing a plurality of golfers on a plurality of golf courses with a transportable performance entry device further comprises providing a plurality of golfers on a plurality of golf courses with a golf cart-mounted transportable performance entry device.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein providing a plurality of golfers on a plurality of golf courses with a transportable performance entry device further comprises providing a plurality of golfers on a plurality of golf courses with a handheld transportable performance entry device.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein providing a plurality of golfers on a plurality of golf courses with a transportable performance entry device further comprises providing each of the plurality of golfers with a transportable performance entry device.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein providing a plurality of golfers on a plurality of golf courses with a transportable performance entry device further comprises providing one of the transportable performance entry devices to an assigned plurality of the golfers.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13  wherein providing a plurality of golfers on a plurality of golf courses with a transportable performance entry device further comprises affiliating at least one of the plurality of golfers with one of the transportable performance entry devices.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13  wherein providing a plurality of golfers on a plurality of golf courses with a transportable performance entry device having a wireless communication capability further comprises providing a plurality of golfers on a plurality of golf courses with a transportable performance entry device having a wireless communication capability that is compatible with a wireless communications protocol that further operably supports automatically updating golf course infrastructure information.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13  wherein using the golfing performance information to identify a golfing participant who achieves a particular predetermined golfing performance goal further comprises using the golfing performance information to identify a golfing participant who achieves a hole-in-one.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein using the golfing performance information to identify a golfing participant who achieves a hole-in-one further comprises using the golfing performance information to identify a golfing participant who first achieves a hole-in-one on any of the plurality of golf courses.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein using the golfing performance information to identify a golfing participant who first achieves a hole-in-one on any of the plurality of golf courses further comprises using the golfing performance information to identify a golfing participant who first achieves a hole-in-one on any of the plurality of golf courses subsequent to a start time.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein communicating information regarding the identified golfing participant to at least some of the plurality of golfers using the transportable performance entry device further comprises communicating information regarding the golfing performance of the identified golfing participant.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20  wherein communicating information regarding the identified golfing participant to at least some of the plurality of golfers using the transportable performance entry device further comprises communicating a conclusion of a golfing performance competition.  
     
     
         25 . A method for using a transportable performance entry device having a wireless communication capability by a golfer while golfing on a golf course, comprising: 
 during the course of attempting to achieve a predetermined golfing performance achievement in competition with other golfers, including other golfers on other golf courses, entering golfing performance information into the transportable performance entry device while golfing on a first golf course;    receiving a wirelessly transmitted message on the transportable performance entry device that indicates that another golfer in the competition has achieved the predetermined golfing performance achievement.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  and further comprising: 
 wirelessly transmitting, using the transportable performance entry device, the golfing performance information.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein wirelessly transmitting, using the transportable performance entry device, the golfing performance information further comprises automatically wirelessly transmitting, using the transportable performance entry device, the golfing performance information upon entry of the golfing performance information.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein automatically wirelessly transmitting, using the transportable performance entry device, the golfing performance information upon entry of the golfing performance information further comprises automatically wirelessly transmitting, using the transportable performance entry device, the golfing performance information upon entry of the golfing performance information when the golfing performance information indicates achievement of the predetermined golfing performance achievement.