Golf scoring, marketing and reporting system and method of operation

Abstract

A system and method automatically report electronically recorded golf scores and other information to a golfer during or upon completion of a round of golf. A golfer operates a mobile terminal during play of a round of golf. The mobile terminal displays at least an electronic score card on its display. The mobile terminal may optionally display other information, such as advertisements, that may be of interest to the golfer. During play, the mobile terminal receives inputs from the golfer to record the golfer's scores. Other inputs may include selection of a displayed advertisement or purchase of a displayed product or service. Once the scores have been entered, the mobile terminal wirelessly transmits the scores and/or other information to a central server via a wireless subsystem. The scores and/or other information are then automatically communicated from the server to an email account and/or personal web portal account of the golfer.

1 . A method for automatically reporting golf scores to a golfer upon completion of a round of golf, the method comprising:
 displaying, on a display screen of a mobile terminal, an electronic golf score card to the golfer during the round of golf;   receiving inputs into the electronic golf score card from the golfer during the round of golf, the inputs including scores obtained during play of the round of golf;   wirelessly transmitting at least the scores to a central server; and   automatically communicating at least the scores from the central server to an electronic mail account of the golfer upon completion of the round of golf.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying, on the display screen, at least one advertisement to the golfer.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the inputs received from the golfer further include selection of an advertisement of the at least one advertisement to produce at least one advertisement selection. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of automatically communicating further includes automatically communicating information relating to the at least one advertisement selection to the electronic mail account of the golfer. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the information relating to the at least one advertisement includes a hyperlink to a web site at which products of an advertiser identified in the advertisement can be purchased. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of displaying the at least one advertisement comprises:
 displaying, on the display screen, a plurality of advertisements in a predetermined arrangement.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the predetermined arrangement includes positioning each of the plurality of advertisements in a side-by-side arrangement around at least part of the electronic golf score card. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the predetermined arrangement includes a plurality of advertisement positions, wherein each advertisement position is associated with a respective advertisement fee, and wherein at least one advertisement fee results from bidding among prospective advertisers. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the round of golf is being played on a first golf course and a second round of golf is being played on a second golf course, the two rounds of golf forming at least part of a golf event, the method further comprising:
 receiving a second set of inputs into a second electronic golf score card from at least a second golfer during the second round of golf, the second set of inputs including a second set of scores obtained during play of the second round of golf;   wirelessly transmitting at least the second set of scores to the mobile terminal via the central server; and   displaying the second set of scores on the display screen of the mobile terminal as a standing sheet for the golf event.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inputs received from the golfer further include identifications of golf clubs used at particular times during play of the round of golf. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of wirelessly transmitting at least the scores further includes wirelessly transmitting information relating to distances between locations of a ball of the golfer and hole pins electronically measured during play of the round of golf and wherein the step of automatically communicating at least the scores to the electronic mail account of the golfer includes automatically communicating the information relating to the distances. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying, on the display screen, supplemental information as selected and arranged by the golfer.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving control information and the supplemental information from the central server, the control information including instructions for arranging the supplemental information on the display screen.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the central server, the control information and the supplemental information from a portal web site server subsequent to input from the golfer at the portal web site.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether the electronic score card has been completed;   
     wherein the step of wirelessly transmitting at least the scores to the central server includes wirelessly transmitting at least the scores to the central server upon determining that the electronic score card has been completed. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the golfer is accompanied by a second golfer, the method further comprising:
 receiving an electronic signature of the second golfer attesting to the scores entered by the golfer into the electronic score card;   wherein determining whether the electronic score card has been completed includes: determining whether the score card has been filled out by the golfer; and determining whether the electronic signature of the second golfer has been received.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 automatically communicating the scores from the central server to a handicapping system for use in determining a handicap of the golfer.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 visually recording a swing of the golfer during at least part of the round of golf.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a handicap for the golfer upon completion of the round of golf;   
     wherein the step of automatically communicating comprises:
 automatically communicating at least the scores and the handicap from the central server to the electronic mail account of the golfer. 
 
   
   
       20 . A golf score recording and reporting system comprising:
 a mobile terminal operable by a golfer during play of a round of golf, the mobile terminal including:
 a processing device for controlling operation of the mobile terminal, 
 a display, operably coupled to the processing device, for displaying at least an electronic score card, 
 a user interface, operably coupled to the processing device, for receiving input from the golfer during the round of golf, the inputs including scores obtained during play of the round of golf, and 
 a transmitter, operably coupled to the processor, for wirelessly transmitting at least the scores; 
   a fixed wireless subsystem for receiving at least the scores from the mobile terminal; and   a server operably coupled to the fixed wireless subsystem and an external communication network, the server automatically communicating at least the scores to an email account of the golfer via the external communication network.   
   
   
       21 . The golf score recording and reporting system of  claim 20 , wherein the server further receives display instructions from a portal server via the external communication network, the display instructions having been entered by the golfer at a portal hosted by the portal server, wherein the fixed wireless subsystem further wirelessly transmits the display instructions, wherein the mobile terminal further includes a receiver for receiving the wirelessly transmitted display instructions, and wherein the processor controls display of at least the electronic score card on the display based on the display instructions. 
   
   
       22 . A mobile terminal for use in a golf score recording and reporting system that includes a remote server, the mobile terminal being operable by a golfer during play of a round of golf and comprising:
 a processing device for controlling operation of the mobile terminal,   identification means, operably coupled to the processing device, for detecting a presence of the golfer;   a receiver, operably coupled to the processing device, for wirelessly receiving a personal profile of the golfer;   a display, responsive to the processing device, for displaying at least an electronic score card and information included in the personal profile of the golfer;   a user interface, operably coupled to the processing device, for receiving input from the golfer during the round of golf, the inputs at least including scores obtained during play of the round of golf; and   a transmitter, responsive to the processing device, for wirelessly transmitting at least the scores and a request to access the personal profile of the golfer to the remote server, wherein wireless transmission of the scores occurs at a different time than wireless transmission of the request to access the personal profile of the golfer;   wherein the personal profile of the golfer was stored remote from the mobile terminal prior to use of the mobile terminal by the golfer.   
   
   
       23 . The mobile terminal of  claim 22 , wherein the golf scoring and reporting system includes a video camera for use in at least visually recording a swing of the golfer during at least part of the round of golf and wherein the processing device is further operable to receive video from the video camera and control display of the video on the display. 
   
   
       24 . A method of operation of at least one server used in connection with a golf score recording and reporting system that includes a mobile terminal, the mobile terminal being operable by a golfer during play of a round of golf, the method comprising:
 receiving at least one score from the mobile terminal upon completion of the round of golf, the at least one score having been entered by the golfer during the round of golf;   automatically communicating the at least one score to an electronic mail account of the golfer.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 determining demographics of the golfer;   receiving advertisements from a plurality of advertisers based on the demographics of the golfer; and   communicating the advertisements to the mobile terminal for display to the golfer.