Compact golf course and privatized golf course community, and a method of designing and dynamically playing a compact golf course

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a compact golf course, a privatized golf course community having a compact golf course, methods of designing a compact golf course and/or privatized golf course community, and methods of dynamically playing a compact golf course. The compact golf course includes a plurality of regulation distance hole possibilities that are condensed to occupy a parcel of land that is substantially smaller than the amount of land required to accommodate a conventional golf course. The dynamic method of playing the compact golf course allows a player to play from any tee box to any one of a plurality of greens, thus increasing the number and variety of hole possibilities. The compact golf course is particularly well suited for low-volume usage since the holes can be played in a dynamic and/or random fashion. The compact golf course allows a player to play a round of golf in a random order (i.e., randomly playing a round by dynamically selecting to play any of said plurality of hole possibilities in any order). The compact golf course may be integrated with a residential design to form a privatized golf course community. The privatized golf course community is particularly well suited for parcels of land having low-density zoning. The compact golf course can occupy the open-space required by the zoning thus providing golf-front properties and increased property values.

1 . A compact golf course, said compact golf course comprising: 
 a golf course perimeter defining an outer boundary of said compact golf course;    a peripheral area located within said perimeter;    an interior, central region located within said peripheral area;    a plurality of tee boxes located proximate said golf course perimeter and within said golf course peripheral area;    a plurality of greens located proximate and within said plurality of tee boxes;    a common fairway area located in said interior, central region of said compact golf course; and    a plurality of golf hole possibilities comprising golf holes formed from any of said plurality of tee boxes to any of said plurality of greens;    whereby said compact golf course allows a player to dynamically select to play any of said plurality of golf hole possibilities.    
   
   
       2 . The compact golf course of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of golf hole possibilities further comprise a plurality of golf hole possibilities that may be dynamically created by said player from one or more pre-determined and fixed golf course features, wherein said fixed golf course features comprise one or more of: said tee boxes, said greens, said common fairway area, and/or hazards.  
   
   
       3 . The compact golf course of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of tee boxes, said plurality of greens, and/or said common fairway area comprise a template that said player can work within to dynamically chose to play any of said golf hole possibilities.  
   
   
       4 . The compact golf course of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of tee boxes, said plurality of greens, and/or said common fairway area are strategically located to: maximize said number of hole possibilities; maximize a variety of hole length; maximize a variety of tee shots; and/or maximize a variety of green approach shots.  
   
   
       5 . The compact golf course of  claim 1 , wherein said golf hole possibilities is determined by a number of tee boxes comprising said plurality of tee boxes multiplied by a number of greens comprising said plurality of greens.  
   
   
       6 . The compact golf course of  claim 5 , wherein said golf hole possibilities is further determined by said dynamic manner of play made available to said player, wherein said common centralized fairway area allows said player to play several different ball paths from a selected tee box to a selected target green, wherein each of said ball paths comprises a different golf hole possibility.  
   
   
       7 . The compact golf course of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of ball paths from a tee box to a green, whereby said compact golf course allows said player to dynamically select to play any of said plurality of ball paths.  
   
   
       8 . The compact golf course of  claim 7 , wherein said plurality of ball paths allow for golf hole possibilities of: 
 a par-3 golf hole possibility,    a par-4 golf hole possibility, and/or    a par-5 golf hole possibility,    wherein said plurality of ball paths and resulting golf hole possibilities are formed between the same tee box/green combination, depending on a selected ball path that said player chooses to play.    
   
   
       9 . The compact golf course of  claim 1 , wherein said golf course perimeter further comprises an enclosed area of land covering less than about one hundred acres.  
   
   
       10 . The compact golf course of  claim 1 , wherein said compact golf course further comprises an area of land enclosed within a range of about twelve to about thirty acres.  
   
   
       11 . The compact golf course of  claim 1 , wherein said compact golf course comprises at least eighteen golf hole possibilities.  
   
   
       12 . The compact golf course of  claim 11 , wherein said at least eighteen golf hole possibilities further comprise regulation-distance golf holes.  
   
   
       13 . The compact golf course of  claim 12 , wherein said regulation-distance golf holes comprise a combination of par-3 holes, par-4 holes, and par-5 holes.  
   
   
       14 . The compact golf course of  claim 12 , wherein said regulation-distance golf holes possibilities comprise combinations allowing for a total par range of from about 68 to about 74 and having a total yardage of from about 5,500 yards to about 7,500 yards.  
   
   
       15 . The compact golf course of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of tee boxes comprises less than eighteen tee boxes, and wherein said plurality of greens comprises less than eighteen greens.  
   
   
       16 . The compact golf course of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of tee boxes comprises less than nine tee boxes, and wherein said plurality of greens comprises less than nine greens.  
   
   
       17 . The compact golf course of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more fairway branches, said fairway branches extending from said common fairway area toward one or more of said greens.  
   
   
       18 . The compact golf course of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of hazards strategically located around said compact golf course.  
   
   
       19 . The compact golf course of  claim 18 , wherein said plurality of hazards further comprise a plurality of bunkers.  
   
   
       20 . The compact golf course of  claim 19 , wherein said plurality of bunkers further comprise: 
 a plurality of fairway bunkers arranged in or proximate said common fairway area, wherein said fairway bunkers being located in and around said fairways to affect tee shots from one than one of said plurality of tee boxes; and    a plurality of green-side bunkers arranged around said greens, wherein said green-side bunkers are located around said greens to affect approach shots from a plurality of shot angles to each of said greens.    
   
   
       21 . The compact golf course of  claim 1 , whereby said compact golf course further allows a player to randomly play a round of golf by dynamically selecting to play any of said plurality of golf hole possibilities in a random order.  
   
   
       22 . The compact golf course of  claim 1 , wherein said compact golf course comprises at least nine golf hole possibilities.  
   
   
       23 . The compact golf course of  claim 22 , wherein said at least nine hole possibilities further comprise regulation-distance golf holes.  
   
   
       24 . The compact golf course of  claim 23 , wherein said regulation-distance golf holes comprise a combination of par-3 holes, par-4 holes, and par-5 holes.  
   
   
       25 . The compact golf course of  claim 23 , wherein said regulation-distance golf holes possibilities comprise combinations allowing for a par range of from about 34 to about 37 and having a total yardage of from about 2,250 yards to about 3,750 yards.  
   
   
       26 . A method for playing a compact golf course, said method comprising: 
 dynamically selecting a tee box from a plurality of tee boxes located around a periphery of said compact golf course;    dynamically selecting a target green from a plurality of greens located around said periphery of said compact golf course; and    hitting golf shots, comprising hitting a golf ball with one or more golf clubs from said selected tee box toward said selected target green, until said golf ball is hit into a cup on said target green.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said method further comprises: 
 dynamically selecting another tee box from said plurality of tee boxes located around a perimeter of said compact golf course;    dynamically selecting another target green from said plurality of greens located around said perimeter of said compact golf course; and    hitting golf shots, comprising hitting a golf ball with one or more golf clubs from said selected another tee box toward said selected another target green, until said golf ball is hit into a cup on said selected another target green.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said method further comprises: repeating said steps of dynamically selecting another tee box, dynamically selecting another target green, and hitting golf shots until said golf ball is hit into a cup on said selected another target green until a desired number of holes has been played.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said method further comprises repeating said steps of dynamically selecting another tee box, dynamically selecting another target green, and hitting golf shots until said golf ball is hit into a cup on said target green until eighteen holes have been played.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said method further comprises: randomly selecting said desired number of holes from a plurality of hole possibilities, said hole possibilities comprising different tee box and green combinations.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said method further comprises: randomly selecting said desired number of holes from a plurality of hole possibilities, said hole possibilities comprising different ball paths from the same tee box and green combination.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said method further comprises: 
 randomly selecting a hole from a plurality of hole possibilities, wherein said selected hole comprises said selected tee box and said selected green;    determining a path to follow from said selected tee box and said selected green; and    defining boundaries along said path that said golf ball must stay within.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said method further comprises: 
 taking a penalty stroke if said golf ball is hit outside of said boundaries; and    dropping said golf ball back within said boundary.    
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said method further comprises: 
 identifying a target area that a golf ball must be hit to or past from said tee box;    hitting said golf ball along a first ball path toward said target area until said golf ball enters or clears said target area;    turning to said target green; and    hitting said golf ball along a second ball path toward said target green until said golf ball is hit into said hole on said target green.    
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said step of turning to said target green further comprises: 
 turning at an angle from said first ball path from said tee box to said target area to said second ball path from said target area and said target green,    wherein said angle is between 90 degrees and 180 degrees.    
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said method further comprises: 
 counting a number of strokes required to hit said golf ball from said tee box and into said hole on said target green; and    recording a golf score for said hole, wherein said golf score comprises said counted number of strokes.    
   
   
       37 . A compact golf course comprising: 
 a parcel of land having open space for accommodating said compact golf course;    tee boxes located around an outer periphery of said parcel within a perimeter of said parcel;    greens located around said outer periphery of said parcel within said perimeter of said parcel;    a common fairway area located in a central region of said parcel;    one or more branch fairways extending from said common fairway area toward one or more of said plurality of greens;    a plurality of hole possibilities, said hole possibilities comprising any tee box and any green, whereby a golfer dynamically selects a tee box from which to hit a tee shot and dynamically selects a target green.    
   
   
       38 . The compact golf course of  claim 37 , wherein said plurality of hole possibilities further comprise a selected ball path, said ball path comprising: 
 a first portion from any tee box to a designated area in said common fairway area; and    a second portion from said designated area in said common fairway area to any green.    
   
   
       39 . The compact golf course of  claim 38 , wherein said second portion of said selected ball path is oriented at an angle from said first portion of said selected ball path, wherein said angle is an angle including about 0 to about 180 degrees.  
   
   
       40 . The compact golf course of  claim 38 , wherein said plurality of hole possibilities further comprise: 
 a dog-leg right hole having said first portion of said selected ball path extending in a first direction and said second portion of said selected ball path extending in a second direction that is angled to the right of said first direction, and/or a dog-leg left hole having said first portion extending in a first direction and a second portion extending in a second direction that is angled to the left of said first direction; and    a target area located between said selected tee box and said target green;    wherein said player completes said first portion of said selected ball path in order to reach or clear said target area;    wherein said player can turn and plays toward said green once said target area has been reached or cleared;    wherein said player completes said second portion of said selected ball path in order to complete said dynamically selected hole.    
   
   
       41 . The compact golf course of  claim 40 , wherein said angle between said first direction and said second direction is between about 30 degrees and about 90 degrees.  
   
   
       42 . The compact golf course of  claim 38 , wherein said plurality of hole possibilities further comprise: 
 a switch-back hole having said first portion extending in a first direction and a second portion extending in a second direction;    wherein said second direction of said second portion is at an angle of between 90 degrees and 180 degrees from said first direction of said first portion; and    a target area between said first portion and said second portion;    wherein said player must hit shots in said first direction from a selected tee box to said target area before turning and hitting shots in said second direction from said target area to a selected target green.    
   
   
       43 . The compact golf course of  claim 42 , wherein said switch-back hole further comprises said second portion extending in a direction that is substantially opposite to said direction of said first portion.  
   
   
       44 . The compact golf course of  claim 42 , wherein said switch-back hole possibility provides for hole distances greater than a width of said parcel of land.  
   
   
       45 . The compact golf course of  claim 37 , wherein said plurality of hole possibilities share common features of said compact golf course, and wherein a dynamically selected hole possibility shares said common feature with other potential hole possibilities.  
   
   
       46 . A privatized golf course community, said privatized golf course community comprising: 
 a parcel of land;    a residential community comprising a plurality of homes located around a periphery of said parcel;    a compact golf course integrated within said residential community; and    a plurality of hole possibilities comprising a plurality of tee box and green combinations that may be played in a random order.    
   
   
       47 . The privatized golf course community of  claim 46 , wherein said compact golf course further comprises: 
 a plurality of tee boxes; and    a plurality of greens;    wherein said plurality of hole possibilities comprise any one of said plurality of greens dynamically combined with any one of said plurality of tee boxes.    
   
   
       48 . The privatized golf course community of  claim 47 , further comprising a common fairway area, wherein said common fairway area is shared by a plurality of hole possibilities.  
   
   
       49 . The privatized golf course community of  claim 47 , wherein said plurality of hole possibilities comprises at least eighteen hole possibilities.  
   
   
       50 . The privatized golf course community of  claim 49 , wherein said at least eighteen golf hole possibilities further comprise hole possibilities that allow for total hole yardage of about 5,500 to about 7,500 yards.  
   
   
       51 . The privatized golf course community of  claim 49 , wherein said at least eighteen golf hole possibilities further comprise hole possibilities that allow for total hole par score of about 68 to about 74 strokes.  
   
   
       52 . The privatized golf course community of  claim 46 , wherein said parcel comprises at least ten acres.  
   
   
       53 . The privatized golf course community of  claim 46 , wherein said residential community occupies approximately 20% of said parcel and said compact golf course occupies approximately 80% of said parcel.  
   
   
       54 . The privatized golf course community of  claim 46 , wherein said parcel comprises: 
 a first, outer zone in contact with a parcel line of said parcel, wherein said first, outer zone extends from said parcel line inward toward an interior or central region of said parcel;    wherein said homes and a plurality of tee boxes are located in said first, outer zone;    a second, intermediate zone in contact with an inner boundary of said first, outer zone, wherein said second, intermediate zone extends from said inner boundary of said first, outer zone inward toward said interior or central region of said parcel;    a plurality of greens are located in said second, intermediate zone; and    an interior or central region within an inner boundary of said second, intermediate zone, wherein said interior or central region comprises open space for a common fairway area that is shared by a plurality of hole possibilities comprising any one of said tee boxes and any one of said greens;    whereby any combination of tee box to fairway to green is permissible to form a golf hole.    
   
   
       55 . The privatized golf course community of  claim 46 , wherein said privatized golf course community further comprises: 
 zoning restrictions on said parcel of land requiring low density housing;    a plurality of lots based on said zoning restrictions, wherein said parcel is divided into said plurality of lots based on said zoning restrictions, wherein at least one home is located on each lot; and    open space required by said zoning restrictions, wherein said compact golf course is located on said open space required by said zoning restrictions.    
   
   
       56 . The privatized golf course community of  claim 46 , wherein said zoning restrictions require at least two acre minimum lots.  
   
   
       57 . The privatized golf course community of  claim 46 , further comprising a parcel-line buffer zone formed between a parcel-line around a perimeter of said parcel and said home on said lots, wherein said parcel-line buffer zone acts as a buffer between said homes and an exterior surrounding of said parcel to ensure home safety.  
   
   
       58 . The privatized golf course community of  claim 46 , further comprising a home-site buffer zone formed around each of said homes, wherein said home-site buffer zone acts as a buffer between said homes and said compact golf course to ensure home safety.  
   
   
       59 . The privatized golf course community of  claim 46 , wherein each of said homes is a golf course front home having a substantially unimpeded view of said compact golf course.  
   
   
       60 . The privatized golf course community of  claim 46 , wherein said homes further comprise luxury homes, wherein said compact golf course is owned by homeowners of said luxury homes, and wherein said compact golf course is only open to play to said homeowners and their guests and not the general public.  
   
   
       61 . A combination residential development and compact golf course, said combination comprising: 
 a parcel of land having an outer perimeter;    a plurality of home sites located in a residential zone on said parcel, wherein said residential zone comprises an outer boundary and an inner boundary, wherein said outer boundary of said residential zone borders said perimeter of said parcel;    a plurality of tee boxes located in a tee box zone on said parcel, wherein said tee box zone comprises an outer boundary and an inner boundary, wherein said outer boundary of said tee box zone borders said inner boundary of said residential zone;    a plurality of greens located in a green complex zone on said parcel, wherein said green complex zone comprises an outer boundary and an inner boundary, wherein said outer boundary of said green complex zone borders said inner boundary of said tee box zone; and    a common fairway area located in a fairway zone on said parcel, wherein said fairway zone comprises an outer boundary, wherein said outer boundary of said fairway zone borders said inner boundary of said green complex zone;    wherein said common fairway area can receive tee shots from any one of said plurality of tee boxes;    wherein each of said plurality of greens can receive approach shots from a plurality of angles from said common fairway area;    wherein any one of said plurality of greens may be played to from any one of said tee boxes.