All-climate artificial driving range for golf

Abstract

An artificial golf range will provide the opportunity of practicing golf in cold climates and under all weather conditions.

1 . An all-climate artificial driving range system for practicing of golf independently of outdoor or climatic light or weather conditions, said all-climate artificial driving range system comprising: 
 a building having at least one tee-off facility for driving golf balls;    a ball receiving range area having at least one artificial surface for collecting the golf balls, said artificial surface being configurable as a net structure and raised above ground, said net structure having a mesh size adapted to carry a golf ball and allow snow and other precipitation to fall therethrough;    a fence surrounding said ball receiving range area and adjoining said building; and    an active return transport system, raised above ground together with said artificial surface for the golf balls by which the golf balls collected by said artificial surface are returned to said building.    
   
   
       2 . The all-climate artificial driving range system as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said artificial surface is raised 0.3-1.0 meters above ground level.  
   
   
       3 . The all-climate artificial driving range system as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said net structure has a mesh size of 1-300 cm 2 .  
   
   
       4 . The all-climate artificial driving range system as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said artificial surface is located on both sides of the central axis of said driving range system and said artificial surface being sloped downward towards said active return transport system, said active return transport system being located along the central axis of said driving range system.  
   
   
       5 . The all-climate artificial driving range system as set forth in  claim 18  further comprising at least one detector equipped on said artificial surface, said detector provides a signal from the impact of the golf ball driven out on said driving range system and distributed over said ball receiving range area in order to constitute a general length and direction measurement system for the golf ball trajectory.  
   
   
       6 . The all-climate artificial driving range system as set forth in claim  22 , wherein said detector is selected from the group consisting of pressure, sound, and vibration detectors.  
   
   
       7 . The all-climate artificial driving range system as set forth in  claim 18  further comprising a plurality of range plates as components of said artificial surface, said range plates being shaped as a grating having an unsymmetrical grate structure comprising a plurality of parallel grate bars on the top surface and a plurality of perpendicular grate bars on the bottom surface and being receded with respect to the parallel grate bars so that a golf ball may roll along one direction of said grating without touching any perpendicular part of said grate structure carrying said parallel bars.  
   
   
       8 . The all-climate artificial driving range system as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said fence comprising a lower fence and two higher fences, said lower fence surrounds said all-climate artificial driving range system, said higher fences positionable along the longitudinal part of said driving range system forming an additional triangular part on top of said lower fence.  
   
   
       9 . The all-climate artificial driving range system as set forth in claim  25 , wherein the highest point of said triangular fence parts being at a height of about 25-35 meters above said driving range system.  
   
   
       10 . The all-climate artificial driving range system as set forth in claim  26  further comprising at least one drop net attachable to the highest point of said triangular fence parts.  
   
   
       11 . The all-climate artificial driving range system as set forth in claim  27 , wherein said drop net having a configuration selected from the group consisting of an arc, rectangular, and trapezoid.  
   
   
       12 . An all-climate artificial driving range comprising: 
 a building having at least one tee-off facility for driving golf balls and a heating system for heating said tee-off facility;    a ball receiving range area having a raised floor covering said ball receiving range area, said ball receiving range area positioned adjacent said tee-off facility, said raised floor being configurable as a net structure and raised above ground, said net structure having a mesh size adapted to carry a golf ball and allow snow and other precipitation to fall therethrough;    at least one artificial golf green mountable on top of said raised floor, said artificial green defining a hole, and configured to slope toward said hole allow the golf ball to drop down onto said raised floor;    a fence surrounding said ball receiving range area and adjoining said building, said fence being support by a plurality of posts;    a golf ball length measurement system having a plurality of detectors positionable on said raised floor, said detectors adapted to transmit a distance signal to a display; and    a golf ball return transport system by which the golf balls collected by said raised floor are returned to said building.    
   
   
       13 . The all-climate artificial driving range system as set forth in claim  29 , wherein said heating system of said tee-off facility is a heated air curtain.  
   
   
       14 . The all-climate artificial driving range system as set forth in claim  29 , wherein said raised floor is located on both sides of the central axis of said ball receiving range area and being sloped downward towards said golf ball return transport system, said golf ball return transport system being located along the central axis of said ball receiving range area.  
   
   
       15 . The all-climate artificial driving range system as set forth in claim  29  further comprising a golf ball detector mountable on said artificial green for detecting the golf ball falling down from said artificial green in order to present hits on said artificial green on said display.  
   
   
       16 . The all-climate artificial driving range system as set forth in claim  29 , wherein said raised floor comprising a plurality of range plates, said range plates being shaped as a grating having an unsymmetrical grate structure comprising a plurality of parallel grate bars on the top surface and a plurality of perpendicular grate bars on the bottom surface and being receded with respect to the parallel grate bars so that a golf ball may roll along one direction of said grating without touching any perpendicular part of said grate structure carrying said parallel bars.  
   
   
       17 . The all-climate artificial driving range system as set forth in claim  33 , wherein said range plates are isolated from each other by anti-vibration mountings.  
   
   
       18 . The all-climate artificial driving range system as set forth in claim  33 , wherein said range plates have a thickness of 15-50 mm.  
   
   
       19 . An all-climate artificial driving range comprising: 
 a building having at least one tee-off facility for driving golf balls and a heated air curtain for heating said tee-off facility;    a ball receiving range area positionable adjacent said tee-off facility;    a raised floor covering said ball receiving range area, said raised floor comprising a plurality of range plates, said range plates being shaped as a grating having an unsymmetrical grate structure comprising a plurality of parallel grate bars on the top surface and a plurality of perpendicular grate bars on the bottom surface and being receded with respect to the parallel grate bars so that a golf ball may roll along one direction of said grating without touching any perpendicular part of said grate structure carrying said parallel bars, said grating having a mesh size adapted to carry a golf ball and allow snow and other precipitation to fall therethrough    at least one artificial golf green mountable on top of said raised floor, said artificial green defining a hole, and configured to slope toward said hole allow the golf ball to drop down onto said raised floor;    a fence surrounding said ball receiving range area and adjoining said building, said fence being support by a plurality of posts;    a golf ball length measurement system having a plurality of detectors positionable on said raised floor, said detectors adapted to transmit a distance signal to a display;    a golf ball return transport system by which the golf balls collected by said raised floor are returned to said building; and    wherein said raised floor is located on both sides of the central axis of said ball receiving range area and being sloped downward towards said golf ball return transport system, said golf ball return transport system being located along the central axis of said ball receiving range area.