Golf training apparatuses and methods

Abstract

A golf swing training apparatus, method and kit for allowing users to practice their golf swing are disclosed. Embodiments of the golf swing trainer include a collapsible and lightweight golf swing trainer that may be displayed on retail store shelves and transported in typical passenger vehicles without requiring separate delivery using delivery vehicles. Alternate embodiments include multiple components, such as elongated frame members, netting, a golf ball lifter, a golf ball track and a platform that may be assembled and disassembled by hand. Still other embodiments include a trainer that returns the golf balls to the user quickly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf swing training kit, comprising:
 a platform with an aperture;   a golf ball track connectable to the platform;   a golf ball lifter connectable to the platform and adapted to position at least one golf ball from the golf ball track on a vertically movable golf tee and extend the golf ball through the aperture;   a plurality of elongated frame members; and   netting connectable to the plurality of frame members;   the platform, the golf ball track, the golf ball lifter, the plurality of elongated frame members, and the netting being connectable to one another to form a golf swing trainer,
 wherein the platform, golf ball track and golf ball lifter connect to one another to sequentially move one or more golf balls from the golf ball track to the vertically movable golf tee and sequentially move the one or more golf balls through the aperture in the platform, positioning each golf ball in a location where a user standing on the platform can strike the golf ball with the head of a golf club while holding the golf club handle to practice the user's golf stroke; 
 wherein the plurality of elongated frame members connect to one another to form a frame and the fabric connects to the frame to form a fabric ball arrester and a ball return, the fabric ball arrester being configured and adapted to stop golf balls as the golf balls are sequentially hit from the golf tee, the fabric ball return being sloped to receive a ball from the ball arrester and return the ball to the ball track. 
   
     
     
         2 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the platform is configured and adapted to fold into two approximately equally sized portions. 
     
     
         3 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the platform is configured and adapted to separate into two approximately equally sized portions. 
     
     
         4 . The kit of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a sequencer with two movable ball stops that selectively extend into and retract out of the golf ball track and sequences golf balls to the golf ball lifter.   
     
     
         5 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the golf tee defines an axis, and the golf ball lifter lifts golf balls in a vertical direction parallel to the golf ball tee axis. 
     
     
         6 . The kit of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a golf gee height control that changes the vertical distance above the platform the ball tee holds the golf ball.   
     
     
         7 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the netting, golf ball track, and golf ball lifter return a golf ball hit by a user to a position where the user can hit the same golf ball in at most 10 seconds. 
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the golf ball lifter includes a motor that rotates a lifter arm, and the lifter arm is connected to a tee support that moves along a linear and vertically oriented tee support track. 
     
     
         9 . A method, comprising:
 providing a portable golf swing trainer, including:
 a platform; 
 a golf ball track connectable to the platform; 
 a golf ball tee connectable to the platform and adapted to position at least one golf ball from the golf ball track above the platform for striking with a golf club; 
 a plurality of elongated frame members; and 
 netting connectable to the plurality of frame members; 
 wherein the platform, the golf ball track, the golf ball tee, the plurality of elongated frame members, and the netting are connectable to one another to form a golf swing trainer that sequentially positions golf balls in a location where a user standing on the platform can strike the golf ball with the head of a golf club while holding the golf club handle by stopping the golf ball, moving the golf ball to the golf ball track, and positioning the golf ball on the golf ball tee in a location where a user standing on the platform can strike the golf ball with the head of a golf club while holding the golf club handle; 
   assembling the portable golf swing trainer;   disassembling the portable golf swing trainer,   loading the disassembled portable golf swing trainer into a container that is 5 ft.×6 ft.×2 ft. or smaller.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said loading includes loading the disassembled portable golf swing trainer into a container that is 5 ft.×6 ft.×1 ft. or smaller. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the upper surface of the platform when the portable golf swing trainer is assembled is approximately 4 ft. by 5 ft. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said loading includes loading the disassembled portable golf swing trainer into a container that is 4 ft.×5 ft.×1 ft. or smaller. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the upper surface of the platform when the portable golf swing trainer is assembled is approximately 4 ft. by 5 ft. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said loading includes loading the disassembled portable golf swing trainer into a container that is 3 ft.×4 ft.×2 ft. or smaller. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the upper surface of the platform when the portable golf swing trainer is assembled is approximately 4 ft. by 5 ft.